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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Commas Between Adjectives
Hello. Is there a rule regarding when not to put a comma between two adjectives? For example, I'm wondering if these three examples (and other sentences like them) are exceptions, or if it really doesn't even matter:
He was a wise, old man.
He was a smart, young man.
She was a poor, old woman.
How do those commas look there? Right? Wrong? Is it an either/or matter?
He was a wise, old man.
He was a smart, young man.
She was a poor, old woman.
How do those commas look there? Right? Wrong? Is it an either/or matter?
Top answer
None of your sentences needs a comma because the adjectives are cumulative, meaning that they don't modify the noun equally, as coordinate adjectives do. Old man, young man, and old woman are considered units, modified by wise, smart, and poor . He was a wise old man .
- None of your sentences needs a comma because the adjectives are cumulative, meaning that they don't modify the noun equally, as coordinate adjectives do.
- Old man, young man, and old woman are considered units, modified by wise, smart, and poor .
- He was a wise old man .
- He was a smart young man .
- She was a poor old woman .
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2 Answers
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None of your sentences needs a comma because the adjectives are cumulative, meaning that they don't modify the noun equally, as coordinate adjectives do. Old man, young man, and old woman are considered units, modified by wise, smart, and poor.
He was a wise old man.
He was a smart young man.
She was a poor old woman
He was a wise old man.
He was a smart young man.
She was a poor old woman
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Aspara GusNone of your sentences needs a comma because the adjectives are cumulative, I think they are acting independently. meaning that they don't modify the noun equally I disagree. , as coordinate adjectives do. Old man, young man, and old woman are considered u
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