Commas between describing words

Grade 7 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   The hikers rested in a cold damp stone cellar beneath the farmhouse. Ari punctuates three describing words. Which sentence puts commas only where the checks say?

   • The hikers rested in a cold damp stone cellar beneath the farmhouse.
   • The hikers rested in a cold damp, stone cellar beneath the farmhouse.
   • The hikers rested in a cold, damp, stone cellar beneath the farmhouse.
   • The hikers rested in a cold, damp stone cellar beneath the farmhouse.
2. 2.

   Jun found a faded patched blue cotton shirt in the trunk. Esme punctuates four describing words. Which sentence puts commas only where the checks say?

   • Jun found a faded patched blue cotton shirt in the trunk.
   • Jun found a faded, patched, blue, cotton shirt in the trunk.
   • Jun found a faded, patched blue, cotton shirt in the trunk.
   • Jun found a faded, patched blue cotton shirt in the trunk.
3. 3.

   Ari carried a heavy, wool blanket and a warm cozy sleeping bag to the tent. Jun repairs a sentence with two comma slips. Which version is fully correct?

   • Ari carried a heavy wool blanket and a warm, cozy, sleeping bag to the tent.
   • Ari carried a heavy wool blanket and a warm cozy sleeping bag to the tent.
   • Ari carried a heavy, wool blanket and a warm, cozy sleeping bag to the tent.
   • Ari carried a heavy wool blanket and a warm, cozy sleeping bag to the tent.
4. 4.

   The tired, hungry, hikers reached a small, wooden cabin. Kira repairs a sentence with two comma slips. Which version is fully correct?

   • The tired, hungry hikers reached a small wooden cabin.
   • The tired, hungry hikers reached a small, wooden cabin.
   • The tired hungry hikers reached a small wooden cabin.
   • The tired, hungry, hikers reached a small wooden cabin.
5. 5.

   A: a sleek, silent submarine. B: a sleek gray submarine. Milo compares two phrases. Which explanation covers both?

   • In both phrases a comma is needed, because each one has two describing words in a row before the noun.
   • In A a comma is needed since silent is a long word, and in B no comma is needed since gray is a short word.
   • In A, swapping and adding and both work, so a comma goes between; in B, “gray sleek” sounds odd, so no comma.
   • In A no comma is needed, but in B a comma is needed, because gray is a color word that stands alone.
6. 6.

   A: a warm, gentle breeze. B: a warm summer breeze. Noah compares two phrases. Which explanation covers both?

   • In both phrases a comma is needed, since warm is followed by another describing word before the noun.
   • In A, warm and gentle swap and take and, so a comma goes between; in B, “summer warm” sounds odd, so no comma.
   • In A no comma is needed, but in B a comma is needed, since summer names a season and warm names a feeling.
   • In A a comma is needed since gentle is a feeling, and in B no comma is needed since summer is a noun.
7. 7.

   A: a quiet and calm lake. B: a quiet, calm lake. Pia compares two phrases that mean the same thing. Which explanation fits?

   • A needs a comma too, since and does not take the place of a comma between describing words.
   • The comma in B takes the place of and in A, so using both would repeat the link between the words.
   • B is a different meaning from A, since the comma makes calm describe the word quiet.
   • B is wrong, since a comma may be used when a sentence has three or more describing words.
8. 8.

   The soup was hot. The soup was thick. Bo ladled the soup. Ren joins three short sentences into one. Which result is punctuated correctly?

   • Bo ladled the hot, thick soup.
   • Bo ladled the hot, and thick soup.
   • Bo ladled the hot thick soup.
   • Bo ladled the hot, thick, soup.
9. 9.

   Zee found a bucket. The bucket was old. The bucket was metal. Tala joins three short sentences into one. Which result is punctuated correctly?

   • Zee found an old metal, bucket.
   • Zee found an old, metal bucket.
   • Zee found an old, and metal bucket.
   • Zee found an old metal bucket.
10. 10.

    The path was narrow. The path was winding. The path was gravel. Milo followed the path. Zee joins four short sentences into one. Which result is punctuated correctly?

    • Milo followed the narrow, winding, gravel path.
    • Milo followed the narrow winding, gravel path.
    • Milo followed the narrow, winding gravel path.
    • Milo followed the narrow winding gravel path.