Coordinate Adjectives Worksheets - ReadingVine - Free Printable

Solution to the Coordinate Adjectives Worksheet

The task is to add commas between coordinate adjectives—adjectives that modify the same noun and are separated by a comma or the word "and." The rule is: when two or more adjectives describe the same noun, they should be separated by a comma (or "and") if they are coordinate (independent of each other).

Let’s go through each sentence and correctly place commas where needed.

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#### 1. The small black cat sat on the windowsill.
- "small" and "black" both describe the cat.
- They are coordinate adjectives.
- ✔ Add a comma:
The small, black cat sat on the windowsill.

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#### 2. He wore a green striped shirt to the party.
- "green" and "striped" both describe the shirt.
- They are coordinate adjectives.
- ✔ Add a comma:
He wore a green, striped shirt to the party.

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#### 3. The old rusty car sputtered down the road.
- "old" and "rusty" both describe the car.
- They are coordinate adjectives.
- ✔ Add a comma:
The old, rusty car sputtered down the road.

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#### 4. She found a beautiful diamond ring in the sand.
- "beautiful" and "diamond" — wait! "Diamond" is not an adjective here; it's a noun used as an adjective (a *noun adjunct*).
- But "beautiful" and "diamond" do not have equal status. "Beautiful" describes the ring, and "diamond" specifies the type of ring.
- These are not coordinate adjectives because “diamond” is a specific type, not a general descriptor.
- ✘ No comma needed:
She found a beautiful diamond ring in the sand. *(Correct as is)*

> 🔍 Note: When one adjective is a noun used as a modifier (like "diamond ring"), it's not coordinate with descriptive adjectives like "beautiful."

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#### 5. The old rundown house was surrounded by overgrown weeds and broken fences.
- "old" and "rundown" both describe the house.
- They are coordinate adjectives.
- ✔ Add a comma:
The old, rundown house was surrounded by overgrown weeds and broken fences.

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#### 6. The bright cheerful flowers swayed gently in the cool breeze.
- "bright" and "cheerful" both describe the flowers.
- They are coordinate adjectives.
- ✔ Add a comma:
The bright, cheerful flowers swayed gently in the cool breeze.

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#### 7. The fluffy white clouds drifted lazily across the deep blue sky.
- "fluffy" and "white" both describe the clouds.
- They are coordinate adjectives.
- ✔ Add a comma:
The fluffy, white clouds drifted lazily across the deep blue sky.

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#### 8. The heavy wooden door creaked loudly as it opened slowly.
- "heavy" and "wooden" both describe the door.
- They are coordinate adjectives.
- ✔ Add a comma:
The heavy, wooden door creaked loudly as it opened slowly.

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#### 9. The tall sturdy oak tree provided shade on the hot sunny day.
- "tall" and "sturdy" both describe the tree.
- They are coordinate adjectives.
- ✔ Add a comma:
The tall, sturdy oak tree provided shade on the hot sunny day.

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#### 10. The rich chocolate cake was topped with fresh red strawberries.
- "rich" and "chocolate" — again, "chocolate" is a noun used as a modifier ("chocolate cake").
- "Rich" describes the taste/quality, but "chocolate" defines the kind.
- Not coordinate adjectives.
- ✘ No comma needed:
The rich chocolate cake was topped with fresh red strawberries.

> 🔍 Note: "fresh" and "red" both describe strawberries, so those are coordinate adjectives!
- ✔ So we need to add a comma between "fresh" and "red":
The rich chocolate cake was topped with fresh, red strawberries.

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✔ Final Answers:

1. The small, black cat sat on the windowsill.
2. He wore a green, striped shirt to the party.
3. The old, rusty car sputtered down the road.
4. She found a beautiful diamond ring in the sand. *(No comma)*
5. The old, rundown house was surrounded by overgrown weeds and broken fences.
6. The bright, cheerful flowers swayed gently in the cool breeze.
7. The fluffy, white clouds drifted lazily across the deep blue sky.
8. The heavy, wooden door creaked loudly as it opened slowly.
9. The tall, sturdy oak tree provided shade on the hot sunny day.
10. The rich chocolate cake was topped with fresh, red strawberries.

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📝 Explanation Summary:

- Coordinate adjectives are independent descriptors of the same noun.
- Use a comma between them if they can be rearranged or if you can insert "and" between them without changing meaning.
- Examples: "big, fluffy dog" → "fluffy, big dog" still makes sense → coordinate.
- If one adjective is a noun used as a modifier (e.g., "chocolate cake", "diamond ring"), it does not take a comma with preceding adjectives.

✔ Practice helps distinguish between coordinate adjectives and noun modifiers!