Teach English Grammar - Compound

Adjectives

Teach English Grammar Compound Adjectives

Formation, Usage, Grammar Practice
See also Formation Of Adjectives here

What is a Compound Adjective?

Compound adjectives are adjectives comprised by two or more different words to describe a noun in
terms of age, depth, weight, price, size etc. Usually compound adjectives are hyphenated. A common
mistake would be omitting the hyphen, which can lead to difference in meaning and confusion.

As shown in the picture above, a small business owner (no hyphen) means that the owner (person) is
small in size, whereas a small-business owner (hyphenated, compound) means that the person owns
a business, which is small in size.

Formation of Compound Adjectives

When we use a number to create a compound adjective to describe age, length, size, time etc., the
compound adjectives are formed the following way:

Number + (hyphen) + Noun

e.g. seventy-year-old man

Such adjectives may refer to the following categories:

age a one-year old baby

area a sixty-acre farm
depth a two- meter deep lake
duration a forty-minute lecture
length a twenty-centimetre ruler
price a hundred-dollar dress
time (or distance) a two-hour drive
weight a hundred-gram package
A common mistake that people make is to add an s to the number for plural.

For example:

INCORRECT CORRECT
a hundred-dollars dress a hundred-dollar dress
a two-hours drive a two-hour drive

Remember!
SINGULAR PLURAL
a forty-minute lecture two forty-minute lectures
a two-meter deep lake three two-meter deep lakes

Noun + Past Participle Compound Adjectives

A compound adjective may be formed by noun and the past participle of a verb. We put a hyphen
between the two words, as well.
Noun + Past Participle (e.g. windpowered)

My brother is a world-renowned artist.

This is a student-run coop.
His views are quite old-fashioned.
She has found a long-lost sister.

Noun + Present Participle Compound Adjectives

We form another type of compound adjectives by connecting a noun and present participle of a verb
with a hyphen:
Noun + Present Participle (e.g. chocolate-loving)

There were quite a few beautiful-looking dresses in that shop.

Her story was heart-breaking.
He is a free-standing individual.
They didnt bet on the fast-running horse.
She is a good-looking lady.

Noun + Adjective Compound Adjectives

We may also connect a noun and an adjective (with a hyphen) to make yet another type of
compound adjectives:
Noun + Adjective (e.g. sugar-free)
 This drink is alcohol-free.

Adjective + Noun Compound Adjectives

When we connect an adjective and a noun with a hyphen, we are also forming a compound
adjective.

Adjective + Noun (e.g. last-minute)

Their project was a large-scale one.

Paula is looking for a full-time job.

Grammar Practice Compound Adjectives:

Rewrite the following sentences using compound adjectives:

1. The meeting lasted two hours. It was a
2. My father is forty years old. I have
3. The journey will take seven months. It will
4. The car costs forty thousand dollars. Its a
5. Channel Tunnel is fifty kilometers long. Its a

Grammar Practice Compound Adjectives Answer Sheet 26.95 KB

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