3

"I've got long, straight, black hair."

or

"I've got long straight black hair."

Are there any differences when I put commas? Do these sentences mean the same or is there any difference in meaning?

Which sentence is correct or maybe both are correct? What is most frequently used?

user46036
  • 293
  • 1
  • 8
  • 15

1 Answers1

1

The first sentence is correct. Commas are used to separate the elements in a series (three or more things) as mentioned here. In fact the list should end with an "and". So, to be more correct I'd suggest you to write

I've got long, straight, and black hair.

Note : The last comma (the one that appears before "and") is called a serial comma or the Oxford comma. This comma is usually dropped by newspapers and online articles. However, omission of the Oxford comma can sometimes lead to misunderstandings.

Source

7_R3X
  • 1,941
  • 2
  • 23
  • 38
  • Why "and"? Is there any additional meaning? Why is the second sentence incorrect? – user46036 Dec 25 '16 at 20:21
  • @user46036 : When you list a number of items, properties, etc., the elements of that list are separated by comma and to end the list we use "and" before the last element. – 7_R3X Dec 26 '16 at 04:19
  • "I've got long, straight, black hair." Is this incorrect then? Why is the second sentence incorrect? – user46036 Dec 26 '16 at 11:06
  • @user46036 : As I mentioned, the list should end with an "and" before the last element of the list. The second sentence would not be considered appropriate because it neither has commas nor does it have "and". – 7_R3X Dec 26 '16 at 15:29
  • "I've got long, straight hair." Would it be possible without and? Is "and" necessary when there are more than two adjectives or should it be always used? – user46036 Jan 07 '17 at 10:35
  • @user46036 : Any usage in any language depends on the context and situation. You can bend the grammar a little in a casual conversation but if you're looking for a proper answer that would be considered correct in all the situations the "Yes", "and" is necessary when putting down a list of two or more that two. The rule is applicable for adjectives too. – 7_R3X Jan 07 '17 at 12:27
  • Yes, but it's not a list. I believe that most English speakers would find the use of "and" here to be a little strange. "I've got long, straight, black hair" is better. – Dawood ibn Kareem Aug 05 '19 at 06:20