8.189 linking adjectives

There are special rules for linking more than two adjectives.

When you put more than two qualitative adjectives in front of a noun, you put commas between the adjectives and do not use a conjunction.

• ...a large, airy, comfortable room.

When you put more than two classifying adjectives in front of a noun, you have to decide whether the adjectives relate to the same system of classification or to different systems. (This is explained in paragraph 8.171.)

If the classifying adjectives relate to the same system, you put 'and' between the last two adjectives and a comma after each of the others.

• ...the country's social, economic and political crisis.

If the classifying adjectives relate to different systems of classification, you do not put anything between any of the adjectives.

• ...an unknown medieval French poet.

When you put both qualitative and classifying adjectives in front of a noun, you do not put anything between them.

• ...a little white wooden house.

When you put more than two adjectives after a link verb, you put 'and' between the last two adjectives and a comma after each of the others.

• He was big, dark and morose.