Coordinate adjectives are adjectives that independently modify the same noun. These coordinate adjectives are of equal importance and they are separated by a comma.
In the discussion below, I will give the complete answer to the question, “What are coordinate adjectives with examples?” I will also answer the question, “What are cumulative adjectives with examples?” Furthermore, I will also answer the question, “How to identify coordinate and cumulative adjectives?”
1. What are Coordinate Adjectives?
Definition of Coordinate Adjectives With Examples:
- Coordinate adjectives are adjectives that independently modify the same noun.
- Coordinate adjectives are equally important and they are usually separated by a comma.
Example #1:
I bought a shiny, bright truck.
Notice that shiny and bright modify truck independent of each other.
In other words, shiny modifies truck and bright modifies truck.
Also coordinate adjectives can be reversed in order. For example: I bought a bright, shiny truck.
Example #2:
The young, handsome athlete trained everyday.
Notice that young and handsome modify athlete independent of each other.
Young modifies athlete and handsome modifies athlete.
Also these two coordinate adjectives can be reversed in order. The handsome, young athlete trained everyday.
Example #3:
The cute, clever boy won the hearts of the girls.
Notice that cute and clever modify boy independent of each other.
Cute modifies boy and clever modifies boy.
These two coordinate adjectives can be reversed in order. The clever, cute boy won the hearts of the girls.
2. Coordinate Adjectives With Examples
Below are more examples of coordinate adjectives!
- The beautiful, talented girl sang the song with great passion.
- The tall, thin tree fell across the fence during the thunder storm.
- His clear, concise delivery impressed the audience.
- He was a clever, conniving politician.
- The neat, elegant man convinced the shareholders to accept his plan for the new building.
- The owner of the company was a cruel, heartless person.
- My teacher is a polite, sweet lady and the whole class loves her dearly.
- The smart, funny students were usually very popular in class.
- Boo Boo is a happy, lively puppy and everyone loves him.
- Rachel loves reading those thrilling, exciting books that I bought from the garage sale.
3. What are cumulative adjectives?
Definition of cumulative adjectives with examples!
- Cumulative adjectives are two or more adjectives that build on one another to modify a noun.
- Cumulative adjectives work together as a unit to increase quantity, degree or force by successive additions.
- Cumulative adjectives follow a specific order and cannot be changed without destroying their meaning.
- Cumulative adjectives usually follow a specific order: quantity, opinion, size, age, length, color, origin, material and purpose.
Example #1:
Several unmarked police cars patrolled the highway over the long-weekend.
We notice here that “unmarked” and “police” modify the noun “car.” However, if we reverse the order, it would not make sense. Several police unmarked cars patrolled the highway over the long-weekend.
Example #2:
That was one nasty old woman who drove the school bus.
We notice here that “one,” “nasty” and “old” modify the noun “woman.” However, we cannot reverse the order because it would not make sense. For example: That was old nasty one woman who drove the school bus.
Example #3:
There were two mean teenage girls making fun of me during class.
We notice here that “two,” “mean” and “teenage” modify the noun “girls.” However, we cannot reverse the order because it would not make sense. For example: There were teenage mean two girls making fun of me during class.
4. Cumulative Adjectives With Examples
Below are more examples of cumulative adjectives:
REMEMBER cumulative adjectives usually follow a specific order:
- Quantity (one, two, three, etc)
- Opinion (nasty, beautiful, silly)
- Size (tiny, small, huge)
- Age (young, old, mature)
- Length or Shape (long, square, bent)
- Color (blue, red, white)
- Origin (American, Asian, Australian)
- Material (leather, cotton, wooden)
- Purpose (living, sleeping, grooming)
- Candice is an attractive young American model. (opinion + age + origin)
- She took two old sleeping bags to the tip. (quantity + age + purpose)
- The builders renovated the large blue living room during our holidays. (size + blue + purpose)
- We removed two old leather lounges from the living room. (quantity + age + material)
- My sister was wearing a beautiful red cotton dress to the wedding. (opinion + color + material)
- Jennifer brought an elegant white woolen coat in case it got cold during the football game. (opinion + color + material)
- Dad bought James a bright new red car for his birthday. (opinion + age + color)
- Two tiny Asian girls crawled through a narrow opening to rescues their friends pet. (quantity + size + origin)
- The congregation sang three popular new songs at the church service. (quantity + opinion + age)
- The workers placed a grey round plastic tank beside the house to store water for the garden. (color + shape + material)
5. How to identify coordinate and cumulative adjectives?
It is not always easy to tell if an adjective is coordinate or cumulative. However, there are two tests we can use to help us identify coordinate adjectives and cumulative adjectives.
Test #1:
If “and” can be placed between a pair of adjectives and the sentence makes sense, then the adjectives are coordinate adjectives. If the sentence doesn’t make sense , then adjectives are cumulative adjectives.
Here are couple of examples:
- The bright, shinny object was seen by everyone.
- The bright and shinny object was seen by everyone. (coordinate adjectives)
When we read the above example, we notice that it makes sense. Therefore, “bright” and “shinny” are coordinate adjectives.
- Four strong men carried the fridge into the house.
- Four and strong men carried the fridge into the house. (cumulative adjectives)
When we read the above example, we notice that it doesn’t make sense. Therefore, “four” and “strong” are cumulative adjectives.
Why does this test work? The word “and” is a coordinating conjunction and a coordinating conjunction joins elements of sentences that are the same together. Because coordinate adjectives are equally important in modifying the noun, they can be joined together with “and.”
Test #2
If the order of the adjectives can be reversed and the sentence still makes sense, then the adjectives or coordinate adjectives. If the sentence doesn’t make sense, then the adjectives are cumulative.
Here are couple of examples:
- The tall, slender girl became a model.
- The slender, tall girl became a model. (coordinate adjectives)
When the adjectives are reversed, we notice they still make sense in the sentence. Therefore, the adjectives are coordinate adjectives.
- Those three teenage boys were misbehaving in class.
- Those teenage three boys were misbehaving in class. (cumulative adjectives)
When the adjectives are reversed, we notice that the sentence doesn’t make sense. Therefore, the adjectives are cumulative adjectives.
6. What are coordinate and cumulative adjectives? A Brief Summary!
Coordinate adjectives are adjectives that work together to independently modify the same noun and these coordinate adjectives are of equal importance and they are separated by a comma.
Cumulative adjectives are two or more adjectives that build on one another to modify a noun and they work together as a unit to increase quantity, degree or force by successive additions.
Cumulative adjectives follow a specific order and cannot be changed without destroying their meaning.
