Comma between coordinate adjectives

When two or more adjectives each modify a noun separately, they are coordinate.

Example sentence: Roberto is a warm, gentle, affectionate father.

Example sentence: The Gila Wilderness is a remote, wooded, arid tract of land.

Adjectives are coordinate if they can be joined with and (warm and gentle and affectionate).

Heading: Coordinate adjectives (with comma). Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: Patients with severe irreversible brain damage should not be put on life support systems. Revised sentence: Patients with severe, irreversible brain damage should not be put on life support systems.

Heading: Coordinate adjectives (with comma). Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: The danger posed by sudden hard braking is the risk of losing traction. Revised sentence: The danger posed by sudden, hard braking is the risk of losing traction.

Commas are not used between cumulative adjectives (several fast ships).

Exercises:

Major uses of the comma 1

Major uses of the comma 2

All uses of the comma