When it comes to adjectives, there are a few key points to consider:
Commas between adjectives — or not?
Sometimes you may have multiple adjectives in front of a noun. In some cases, both adjectives describe the noun, while in others, the first adjective describes the second adjective.
- It was a cold, snowy night.
- It was a bright blue dress.
In instances where two adjectives describe the same noun, a comma is used between them. However, if the first adjective describes the second adjective, no comma is necessary.
- Old plaid shirt
- Big black cat
To determine if a comma is needed between two adjectives describing the same noun, try inserting an “and” between them. If it makes sense, a comma should be used.
- cold and snowy night makes sense: cold, snowy night
- old and plaid shirt doesn’t really sound right: old plaid shirt
- big and black cat doesn’t really sound right: big black cat.
When the first adjective describes the second adjective and not the noun, a comma is not used:
- bright orange sunset
- red-and-white striped dress
Comparatives and superlatives
Comparatives and superlatives are forms of adjectives or adverbs used for comparison. Adjectives use the “-er” ending for comparisons between two things and “-est” for comparisons among three or more things. If a word does not have “-er” and “-est” forms, “more” and “most” are used instead.
For words moving in the opposite direction, “less” and “least” are used for comparison. It is important to use the correct form based on the word’s structure.
Remember to avoid using both the “-er” and “more”, or the “-est” and “most” forms together.
If unsure about a word’s comparative and superlative forms, refer to a dictionary for clarification.
