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I thought I was doing a simple exercise (in attachment) from an English tutorial. But I didn’t find the expected sentences in the answers to the exercise:

  • These expensive pants are too big
  • My black pants are too big

Why are these forms not used?

Task Answers

Veronika
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  • This is homework which we don't do here. But I don't see the problem. The logic is up to you. – Lambie Nov 28 '23 at 22:22
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    As is often the case with assignments and tests, the 12 combinations presented here are not an exhaustive list of all valid options. The only reason "why" is that whoever created the material was either intentionally or accidentally incomplete. In fact, the only thing that would be invalid is using "dress are" or "pants is"; beyond that, you could use any of the available options. – Andy Bonner Nov 28 '23 at 23:08
  • @AndyBonner The assignment only asked for 12 sentences, not all possible sentences. So the answer is an example set of 12. That's not incomplete. – Barmar Dec 02 '23 at 08:52

1 Answers1

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[The general analysis taken from another answer]:

Over the last four or so decades [60s-90s], there have been sporadic attempts at accounting for functions of attributive adjectives (Eg Teyssier 1968, Bache 1978, Warren 1984a, 1984b, Halliday 1994). One of the most thorough and exhaustive studies presented so far is probably Warren’s Classifying Adjectives (1984a), in which it is suggested that premodifying adjectives may identify, classify or describe.

Classifiers and identifiers are claimed to differ from descriptors in that they somehow restrict the range of the head noun; the former restrict semantic range, pointing to a subcategory, and the latter restrict reference, indicating a certain referent or group of referents within the class denoted by the noun.

An example of a typical classifier is polar in

  • I saw some polar bears at the zoo,

where polar indicates a subcategory within the class of bears.

An example of a typical identifier is red in

  • Give me the red book,

where red ’picks out’ the intended referent from the class of books (or rather, from a contextually determined set of books).

Descriptors, on the other hand, are seen as optional elements adding extra, nonrestrictive information. An example of a typical descriptor is cuddly in

  • I saw some cuddly teddies,

where the adjective simply adds descriptive information about the teddies in question.

Of course, a given adjective may perform different roles in different contexts.

It is unlikely that a descriptor (and 'expensive' is likely to be being used as such here) is used to fill the slot

  • My/These ____ trousers are too big.

That would be making two disparate statements in a single sentence. Far more likely is

  • My/These black trousers are too big. [I'll have to wear my grey ones.] ('black' an identifier usage here, as is the determiner)

or

  • My[/These, less likely] short trousers are too tight. [It's time for me to start wearing long trousers now.] ('short' a classifier usage here).

That said, there's no reason why 'expensive' shouldn't be used as an identifier:

  • I know that these trousers look cheap, but they're all I've got to wear at the moment ... my expensive pants are too big.
Edwin Ashworth
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