Korean Job Discussion Forums

[maddog]

Is it necessary to place a comma between adjectives. For example, do you need a comma in the sentence, "Children who are exposed to bloody violent video games are more likely to commit violent acts"?

[antoniothegreat]

i would think it is like any list, if there are more than two, add a comma.

so, the fat tall man was angry.
but, the fat, tall, hairy man was angry.

i am not really sure though, just a guess, i tend, to, overuse, commas...

[maddog]

[Darkray16]

I would say no.

I use the above posters' method, if it makes sense without a comma I don't use one. In that specific case though in Italian they definitely don't use a comma and Italian and English has the same grammatical rules.

[TeeBee]

I think commas should be used sparingly, but they do have an important role to play in this context.

In the example sentence you used ("Children who are exposed to bloody violent video games are more likely to commit violent acts") without the comma between "bloody" and "violent", "bloody" can be read as an adverb modifying the adjective "violent". So basically "bloody violent" means "very violent", as "bloody" is used in that sense in British English (as in "fu**ing violent" game)

If you insert a comma between "bloody" and "violent", then you indicate that they are separate descriptions - the game is both bloody and violent, not just bloody violent.

Whether you use a comma or not depends on what your intended meaning is.

[emilylovesyou]

I agree with Teebee: in the case of the sentence from the OP, if it's meant to be bloody (showing lots of blood) and violent, it should read "bloody, violent video game". However I would write "The fat, tall man was angry" because when I say the sentence I naturally pause there.

I think grammatically you should always put commas in to separate each adjective ("The big, fat, black cat walked by.").

If you are having students read something, I would put the comma in so they learn where natural pauses are in the English language, instead of having them say "The bigfatblackcat walked by".

[Confused Canadian]

According to this page:

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/adjectives.htm

[Teelo]

I, don't, even, know, what, a, comma, is, or, when, to, use, one.

[ReeseDog]

[SharkDiver]

Good explanation TeeBee.

Coordinate adjectives need a comma in between them. If you can change the order of the adjectives around and get the same meaning then they are coordinate adjectives.

[ardis]

I would definitely include a comma between "bloody" and "violent." Otherwise, I would read it as "bloody violent" as in..."freaking violent" or "damn violent."

It always annoyed me when my college friends had me read their papers and they left out important commas. Writing something like, "It's a beautiful nice warm day out" just looks like a person never left elementary school. "It's a beautiful, nice, warm day out."

[WK2008]

[maddog]

[SharkDiver]

Man WK2008, that was a bloody good, comprehensive presentation. Hey, did I place the commas correctly? This time the cumulative modifier "bloody good" is on a larger scale a coordinate adjective.

You should teach teachers or write a grammar book.

[WK2008]

Thanks for the encouragement, SharkDiver. You got your commas correct in "bloody good, comprehensive presentation." However, you missed one after "Man."

So, "Man, WK2008, that was a ..."

Again, thanks for the encouragement. I do love to teach and write, which is why I'm here in Jeonju at Jeonbuk Dehakkyo.