“ “It Was a Dark and Stormy Night.” Coordinate Adjectives

CCGPS Standard ELACC7L2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. a. Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt).

Essential Questions What are coordinate adjectives? How do I place commas appropriately?

Let’s start with a look at vocabulary. Where have you seen the word coordinate used? How have you used it? Have you used it in another content class in school? Discuss ways we use coordinate.

“It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.” One of the most famous first lines in literature. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Look at the first part of the sentence, “It was a dark and stormy night…” Take out the word and. Now, write the sentence. What does the sentence look like now?

Now try reversing the adjectives. It was a stormy, dark night. Does the sentence still make sense?

Here is what our new sentences should look like: It was a dark, stormy night. It was a stormy, dark night.

We revised the sentence two ways. It made sense both times. We call the adjectives dark and stormy coordinate adjectives. Coordinate adjectives can have the word and between them and still make sense. Also, coordinate adjectives work if their order in the sentence is reversed.

Why did the new sentence need a comma? The adjectives preceding night are called coordinate adjectives. Commas are placed between coordinate adjectives.

So, what are coordinate adjectives? Coordinate adjectives are two or more adjectives preceding a noun that modify the noun in the same way. They need a comma placed between them.

We can test for coordinate adjectives in two ways. If I use and between the adjectives does it sound correct? Answer yes? Coordinate adjectives. I ran across the bumpy, winding path. I ran across the bumpy and winding path. If I reverse the order of the adjectives, does it make sense? Answer yes? Coordinate adjectives. The confident, poised speaker enthralled the crowd. The poised, confident speaker enthralled the crowd.  

Try these sentences. Do they include coordinate adjectives or not Try these sentences. Do they include coordinate adjectives or not? Write yes or no in your notes. A. It was a cold September night. B. I ate a beautiful delicious apple. C. I read an exciting descriptive novel last week. D. The witch brewed a deadly poisonous concoction.

Did you get these answers? No Yes

Great! It sounds weird to put and between cold and September. A. The word and could be placed between beautiful and delicious. B. If the adjectives are reversed, the sentence still makes sense. C. Both modify apple. A. The word and could place between exciting and descriptive. B. If the adjectives are reversed, the sentence still makes sense. C. Both modify novel. A. The word and could be placed between deadly and poisonous. B. If the adjectives are reversed, the sentence still makes sense. C. Both modify concoction.

Here’s your practice. Copy each sentence and insert commas where they are needed. The book I just started includes vicious horrible zombies. The football game is going to be played on a cold September night. Please help me dye the red Easter eggs. I love to plant beautiful luscious red flowers in my garden. This great informative sentence may not need a comma but you can’t be sure!

Answer Slide The book I just started includes vicious, horrible zombies. The football game is going to be played on a cold September night. Please help me dye the red Easter eggs. I love to plant beautiful, luscious red flowers in my garden. This great informative sentence may not need a comma, but you can’t be sure!