Word Formation   (John Sinclair)

 Making new words by adapting old ones is very popular at present.

By learning suffix and prefix you can gain this goal. 

-able: combines with verbs to form adjectives.

Adjectives formed in this way describe someone or something that is effected by the action or process described by the verb.

For example, if something is 'avoidable', it can be avoided.

admirable: (adj.) having many good qualities that you respect and admire.

eg. It is an admirable book, the first to tell the whole truth about the war.

disposable: (adj.) intended to be used once or for a short time and then thrown away.

eg. disposable nappies

irritable: (adj.) getting annoyed quickly or easily [= crabby].

eg. Jo was tired, irritable, and depressed.

preferable: (adj.) better or more suitable

eg. In warm weather, clothes made of natural fabrics are infinitely preferable.

tolerable: (adj.) a situation that is tolerable is not very good, but you are able to accept it

eg. The heat in this room is barely tolerable.

variable: (adj.) likely to change often:

eg. Expect variable cloudiness and fog tomorrow.

( from mis.bitarafan )

Slang: NTC's Dictionary of American Slang

Ø  Bark up the wrong tree: to make the wrong choice; to ask the wrong person.

eg. If you think I'm the guilty person, you're barking up the wrong tree.

Ø  Beat a dead horse: to continue fighting a battle that has been won.

eg. Stop arguing! You have won your point. You are just beating a dead horse.

Ø  Beauty is only skin-deep: looks are only superficial.

eg. – Isn't Jane lovely? – Yes, but beauty is only skin-deep.

Ø  Before you can say Jack Robinson: almost immediately.

eg. And before you could say Jack Robinson, the bird flew away.

Ø  Behind the times: old-fashioned.

eg. Sarah is a bit behind the times. Her clothes are quite old-fashioned.

( from mis.bitarafan )

Practical English Usage   (Michael Swan)

Adjectives: order before nouns

When several adjectives come before a noun (or when nouns are used to modify another noun), they usually have to put in a particular order. Unfortunately, the rules for adjective order are very complicated, and different grammars disagree about the details. Here are some of the most important rules:

1  color, origin, material and purpose

Adjectives (or modifying nouns) of color, origin, material and purpose usually go in that order.  

eg.        Color     origin         material        purpose     noun

               red     Spanish        leather            riding       boots

2   other adjectives

Other adjectives usually go before words of color, origin, material and purpose. It is impossible to give exact rules, but adjectives of size, length and height often come first.

the round glass table (NOT the glass round table)

a big, modern brick house (NOT a modern, big brick house)

long, flexible steel poles

( from mis.bitarafan)