Grammatically Correct 9/21/04
A weekly grammar tip created by Academic Center Peer Writing Tutors.
University of Houston-Victoria
3007 N. Ben Wilson
Victoria, TX 77901
When and How to use a Comma with Coordinate Adjectives
by Shawn Brett
Coordinate adjectives are two or more adjectives that modify a noun separately.

To modify the emphasis and rhythm of a sentence, use commas between coordinate adjectives.

Ex: The dusty, heavy, red guitar is barely playable anymore.
Ex: We were prepared for a long, grueling basketball game.

NOTE: Coordinate adjectives can be separated by either commas or “and”, depending on how you want the sentence to sound.

Ex: We were prepared for a long and grueling basketball game.

It can sometimes be difficult to tell which words are actually coordinate adjectives. There are two tests you can use to distinguish coordinate adjectives from other types of adjectives.
First, try placing the word “and” between the two adjectives. Second, try reversing the adjectives. If after both tests the sentences still sound appropriate, use commas to separate the adjectives.

Ex: The dusty and heavy and red guitar was barely playable anymore. (Passes the first test, the sentence still makes sense.)

Ex: The heavy, red, dusty guitar is barely playable anymore. (Passes second test. The order doesn’t matter so commas are necessary.)

Ex: We were prepared for a long and grueling and basketball game. (“…grueling and basketball game.” doesn’t make sense, so the first test has failed. However, a comma is still needed between “long” and “grueling” because you can say “…a long and grueling basketball game” or “…a grueling and long basketball game.”)

Ex: We were prepared for a basketball, long, grueling game. (Second test has failed as well.)
Recommended Grammar Website of the Week
by Shawn Brett
In addition to our own website, this week we recommend Get it Write. This website offers tips for writing business letters and developing a friendly tone. There is also an entire archive of grammar tips available for review.

Visit Get it Write at http://www.getitwriteonline.com/
Test Your Knowledge
by Shawn Brett
Test your understanding by inserting commas in the correct places in the following sentences.

1. For lunch we ate three oversized hamburger patties and some vegetables.

2. The long black Chevrolet Corvette pulled up to the hotel.

3. The little old lady walks over two miles every day in her old white running shoes.

Answers

1. No commas needed. Fails the first test.

2. The long, black Chevrolet Corvette pulled up to the hotel.

3. The little old lady walks over two miles every day in her old, white running shoes.

 

Grammatically Correct is a grammar tip of the week created by Academic Center Peer Writing Tutors at the University of Houston-Victoria in Victoria, Texas.

Comments about this newsletter should be directed to Summer Leibensperger, leibenspergers@uhv.edu.

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