Using Commas with Adverbs

In my last post I stated that commas are required to separate multiple adjectives if the word and could be substituted for the comma in question.

The rain fell heavily, steadily and noisily.
(The rain fell heavily and steadily and noisily. None of these adverbs is any more important than the others: they each modify the verb fell in equal measure.

Today, I'll show how the same rule applies for commas used to separate adverbs. Adverbs can be tricky, so I'll define them first.

An adverb is a word that modifies, explains or limits a verb, adjective or another adverb.

The dog barked softly. (Softly modifies the verb barked).

The dog barked softly, repetitively and ceaselessly. (Here, I've separated the first two adverbs with a comma. A comma after the word ceaselessly is optional).

And note that the comma in the last example could be replaced by the word and.

Now look at an example that does not require a comma to separate two adverbs:
Her eye shadow was really too blue for her complexion.
(The adverb really modifies the adverb too--which modifies the adjective blue).

In this example, you couldn't use the word and between the words really and too. Therefore, a comma isn't required.

I'll take this up a notch in future postings when I discuss how adverbial phrases and adverbial clauses are usually separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma.

I'm looking forward to the weekend here in beautiful British Columbia. We're hosting an 80th birthday party for my mother, and she wanted a traditional Danish smorgasbord. So I'm busy roasting meats and making meatballs for the hundreds of open-faced sandwiches we'll need for the feast. Luckily I have three sisters to help!
Serena
serenajanes.com