Commas with Coordinate Adjectives

Front

What are coordinate adjectives?

Back

Coordinate adjectives are adjectives that modify the same noun and are of equal importance. They can be separated by a comma or the word 'and'. For example, 'The tall, dark man' or 'The tall and dark man'.

Front

When should you use a comma between coordinate adjectives?

Back

You should use a comma between coordinate adjectives when they can be joined by 'and' without changing the meaning. For example, 'The bright, sunny day' can also be 'The bright and sunny day'.

Front

What is the rule for using commas with coordinate adjectives?

Back

The rule is to use commas between adjectives that equally describe a noun. If you can put 'and' between the adjectives and the sentence still makes sense, use a comma.

Front

Identify the correct sentence: 'The big, fluffy dog barked.' or 'The big fluffy dog barked.'

Back

The correct sentence is 'The big, fluffy dog barked.' because 'big' and 'fluffy' are coordinate adjectives.

Front

What is an example of a sentence with non-coordinate adjectives?

Back

An example is 'The old wooden chair.' Here, 'old' describes the type of 'wooden' chair, so no comma is needed.

Front

How do you determine if adjectives are coordinate?

Back

To determine if adjectives are coordinate, check if you can reverse their order or add 'and' between them without changing the meaning.

Front

Which sentence is correct? 'The smart, hardworking student passed the test.' or 'The smart hardworking student passed the test.'

Back

The correct sentence is 'The smart, hardworking student passed the test.' because 'smart' and 'hardworking' are coordinate adjectives.

Front

What is the effect of omitting a comma between coordinate adjectives?

Back

Omitting a comma between coordinate adjectives can lead to confusion or change the meaning of the sentence.

Front

Provide an example of a sentence with three coordinate adjectives.

Back

An example is 'The bright, colorful, beautiful painting caught my eye.' All three adjectives describe the painting equally.

Front

What is the difference between coordinate and cumulative adjectives?

Back

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