32d. Coordinate adjectives

32dUse a comma between coordinate adjectives not joined with and. Do not use a comma between cumulative adjectives.

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

Roberto is a warm, gentle, affectionate father.

If the adjectives can be joined with and, the adjectives are coordinate, so you should use commas: warm and gentle and affectionate (warm, gentle, affectionate).

Adjectives that do not modify the noun separately are cumulative.

Three large gray shapes moved slowly toward us.

Beginning with the adjective closest to the noun shapes, these modifiers lean on one another, piggyback style, with each modifying a larger word group. Gray modifies shapes, large modifies gray shapes, and three modifies large gray shapes. Cumulative adjectives cannot be joined with and (not three and large and gray shapes).

coordinate adjectives

image

Adjectives are coordinate if they can be connected with and: severe and irreversible.

cumulative adjectives

image

Ira didn’t order a cake that was rich and chocolate and layer. He ordered a layer cake that was chocolate, a chocolate layer cake that was rich.