Enumeration of Adjectives (with Examples Showing Comma Usage)

May 21, 2018 0

Enumeration of Adjectives

Using more than one adjective consecutively is known as enumeration of adjectives.

Examples of Enumeration of Adjectives

Here are some examples of enumeration of adjectives:
  • a small feminine hand
  • thick, acrid, poisonous smoke

Commas between Adjectives

Writers are sometimes unsure when to use commas with multiple adjectives. The rules about using commas (and conjunctions, usually the word and) in a list of adjectives are very relaxed:

For TWO adjectives:
  • vast, inhospitable moor (with a comma) 
  • vast and inhospitable moor (with and) 
  • vast inhospitable moor (with nothing) 
For THREE or more adjectives:
  • vast, inhospitable, windy moor (commas between) 
  • vast, inhospitable and windy moor
    (comma(s) between and then and )
    • (With this style, follow your convention; i.e., put a comma before and if you advocate the Oxford Comma.)
  • vast inhospitable windy moor (nothing between) 
  • vast inhospitable and windy moor (nothing and then and) 

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