Coordinate Adjectives Quick Check

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What are coordinate adjectives?

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Coordinate adjectives are two or more adjectives that equally modify the same noun and are separated by a comma. For example, 'The big, red balloon.'

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When should you use a comma between adjectives?

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Use a comma between adjectives when they are coordinate adjectives, meaning they can be joined by 'and' without changing the meaning. For example, 'The tall, dark man'.

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What is an example of non-coordinate adjectives?

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Non-coordinate adjectives do not require a comma because they describe different qualities of the noun. For example, 'The old wooden chair.'

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How can you test if adjectives are coordinate?

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You can test if adjectives are coordinate by switching their order. If the sentence still makes sense, they are coordinate. For example, 'The happy, playful dog' can also be 'The playful, happy dog.'

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What is the rule for using commas with three or more adjectives?

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When using three or more adjectives that are coordinate, separate them with commas. For example, 'The bright, sunny, warm day.'

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Identify the correct use of commas in this sentence: 'She wore a bright red dress.'

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No comma is needed because 'bright' and 'red' are not coordinate adjectives; 'bright' describes the quality of 'red.'

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What is the correct sentence: 'He is a smart, intelligent student.' or 'He is a smart intelligent student.'?

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'He is a smart, intelligent student.' is correct because 'smart' and 'intelligent' are coordinate adjectives.

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What is the function of commas in a list of adjectives?

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Commas separate coordinate adjectives in a list to clarify that each adjective independently describes the noun.

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What is an example of a sentence that incorrectly uses commas with adjectives?

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Incorrect: 'The tall, beautiful girl walked.' (if 'tall' and 'beautiful' are not coordinate). Correct: 'The tall beautiful girl walked.'

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What is the difference between coordinate and cumulative adjectives?

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Coordinate adjectives can be separated by 'and' and require commas, while cumulative adjectives build on each other and do not require commas.