✨ Lesson 1: Commas with Lists and Multiple Adjectives
Welcome to our B1 series on Writing Mechanics! At this level, using punctuation correctly is essential for clear and professional writing. Today, we'll review using the comma1 in lists and learn the rule for using it with multiple adjectives.
Review: Commas in a List
As we learned in A2, when you have a list of three or more items, you use a comma to separate each item. This makes the sentence easy to read.
- I visited the temples of Angkor Wat, Bayon, and Ta Prohm.
- For lunch, I had rice, fish, and soup.
New Rule: Commas with Multiple Adjectives
When we use two or more adjectives before a noun, we sometimes need a comma and sometimes we don't. The rule depends on whether they are coordinate adjectives2.
Coordinate adjectives are adjectives that equally modify the same noun. Here are two simple tests to check if you need a comma:
Test 1: The "and" Test
Can you place 'and' between the adjectives and the sentence still sounds natural? If yes, use a comma.
- He is a friendly and kind man. (Sounds good) → He is a friendly, kind man.
- I saw an old and stone statue. (Sounds strange) → I saw an old stone statue. (No comma)
Test 2: The Swap Test
Can you change the order of the adjectives and the sentence still sounds natural? If yes, use a comma.
- It was a hot, long day. (Sounds good) → It was a long, hot day. (Use a comma)
- I bought a silk beautiful scarf. (Sounds strange) → I bought a beautiful silk scarf. (No comma)
General Guideline: Adjectives for opinion, size, and age often take a comma. Adjectives for color, origin (e.g., Khmer), and material (e.g., stone) are usually "closer" to the noun and do not take a comma before them.
Example: a beautiful, old, Khmer silk scarf.
🧠 Practice Quiz: Add the Comma
Add commas to these phrases where necessary.
- a hot sunny day
→ a hot, sunny day. - a delicious local dish
→ a delicious local dish. (No comma needed) - a friendly talkative tour guide
→ a friendly, talkative tour guide. - a big ancient stone temple
→ a big, ancient stone temple. (No comma between ancient and stone)
📝 Homework: Describe Something
Write two sentences describing something you saw in Siem Reap or in your home. Each sentence should use at least two adjectives before a noun. Decide if you need a comma.
Example: I saw a beautiful, ancient statue at the museum. My friend bought a lovely Khmer silk scarf.
1: ___________________________________
2: ___________________________________