“

“It Was a Dark and Stormy Night.”

Coordinate Adjectives

CCGPS StandardO ELACC7L2: Demonstrate command

of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.O a. Use a comma to separate

coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt).

Let’s start with a look at vocabulary.

Where have you seen the word coordinate used? How have you used it?

Have you used it in another content class in school?

“It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother

Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen

for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.”

O A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Look at the first part of the sentence, “It was a dark and

stormy night…”

OTake out the word and.ONow, write the sentence.OExchange sentences with the person next

to you.OWhat does the sentence look like now?

Now try reversing the adjectives.OIt was a stormy,

dark night.ODoes the sentence

still make sense?

Here is what our new sentences should look like:

OIt was a dark, stormy night.

OIt was a stormy, dark night.

We revised the sentence two ways. It made sense

both times.O We call the adjectives dark and stormy coordinate adjectives.

O Coordinate adjectives can have the word and between them and still make sense.

O Also, coordinate adjectives work if their order in the sentence is reversed.

Why did the new sentence need a comma?

O The adjectives preceding night are called coordinate adjectives. Commas are placed between coordinate adjectives.

So, what are coordinate adjectives?

O Coordinate adjectives are two or more adjectives preceding a noun that modify the noun in the same way. They need a comma placed between them.

We can test for coordinate adjectives in

two ways.O If I use and between the adjectives does it sound correct? Answer yes? Coordinate adjectives.O I ran across the bumpy, winding path.O I ran across the bumpy and winding path.

O If I reverse the order of the adjectives, does it make sense? Answer yes? Coordinate adjectives.O The confident, poised speaker enthralled

the crowd.O The poised, confident speaker enthralled

the crowd. 

Try these sentences. Do they include coordinate adjectives or not? Write yes or no in your notes.

1. It was a cold September night.2. I ate a beautiful delicious apple.3. I read an exciting descriptive novel last week.4. The witch brewed a deadly poisonous

concoction.

Did you get these answers?

1. No2. Yes3. Yes4. Yes

Great! Now explain each one in your notes.

1. It sounds weird to put and between cold and September. Actually, cold modifies September and night! Go figure.

2. The word and needs to be between beautiful and delicious. Both modify apple.

3. The word and needs to be between exciting and descriptive. Both modify novel.

4. DITTO!!

Here’s your practice. Copy each sentence and insert commas where they are

needed.1. The book I just started includes vicious horrible zombies.

2. The football game is going to be played on a cold September night.

3. Please help me dye the red Easter eggs.4. I love to plant beautiful luscious red

flowers in my garden.5. This great informative sentence may

not need a comma but you can’t be sure!

Answer Slide1. The book I just started includes

vicious, horrible zombies.2. The football game is going to be

played on a cold September night.3. Please help me dye the red Easter

eggs.4. I love to plant beautiful, luscious red

flowers in my garden.5. This great informative sentence may

not need a comma, but you can’t be sure!

The EndHelp think of a more

creative way to end this presentation. “The End” is number one on the list

of “Top Ten HORRIBLE Conclusions!”