Using a Comma to Separate Coordinate Adjectives You know that adjectives may describe a noun. Often, you may use multiple adjectives to describe the same noun. These coordinate adjectives usually appear before the noun they modify. They are separated from each other by commas. This lesson will show you how to punctuate coordinate adjectives in a series. TWO ADJECTIVES: A cool, gray mist rose from the field. THREE ADJECTIVES: I saw a powerful, stately, regal buck standing there. If the adjectives are coordinate, you should be able to list them in any order without changing the meaning of the sentence. If you cannot do so, you do not need a comma. NOT COORDINATE: I was having a wonderful springtime adventure. Because springtime wonderful adventure does not make sense, you can tell that these adjectives are not coordinate. You would not use a comma to separate them. Sometimes an adjective is tied closely to its noun. In such cases, you do not use a comma to separate that adjective from the one that precedes it. NOT COORDINATE: I used my new digital camera to capture the scene. A digital camera is a particular type of camera. You should not write digital new camera; that construction does not make sense. The adjectives are not coordinate, so you do not need a comma.
summarize this like a 6th grader wrote it
When you have more than one adjective describing a noun, you need to put a comma between them. For example, "a cool, gray mist" or "a powerful, stately, regal buck." But if the adjectives can't be switched around without changing the meaning, you don't need a comma. For example, "a wonderful springtime adventure." Also, if one adjective is closely connected to the noun, you don't need a comma. For example, "my new digital camera."
When you describe something with more than one adjective, you can use commas to separate them. It's important to use commas for adjectives that can be listed in any order without changing the meaning of the sentence. For example, you can say "a cool, gray mist" or "a gray, cool mist" and it means the same thing. But if the adjectives are not like that, then you don't need a comma. For example, you wouldn't say "a wonderful springtime adventure," because that doesn't make sense. So you don't need a comma there. Also, if the adjective is closely connected to the noun, you don't need a comma. Like "new digital camera," because "digital" is specific to the type of camera.
When we use more than one adjective to describe a noun, we usually put a comma between them. This helps to show that the adjectives are separate from each other. For example, "The cool, gray mist rose from the field."
But there are some cases where we don't need to use a comma. This happens when the adjectives are connected really closely to the noun. Like when we say "my new digital camera." It wouldn't make sense to say "digital new camera," so we don't need a comma.
It's important to remember that if you can change the order of the adjectives and the sentence still makes sense, then you should use a comma. But if changing the order doesn't make sense, then you don't need a comma.