LoginCompound Adjectives
Compound adjectives are used as one single adjective. They function as the head of the sentence. In this lesson, we will learn all about them.
What Are Compound Adjectives?
Compound adjectives are made up of multiple individual words that are used as one single adjective. The words are most commonly connected by a hyphen when used as adjectives.
Compound Adjectives: Function
Like other adjectives, compound adjectives are used to modify nouns and pronouns, and they often appear directly before the word they modify or after a linking verb. Have a look:
- Before the Noun (Attributive Position): Compound adjectives placed before the noun modify the noun directly and provide additional information about it. For example:
She used
- After the Noun (Predicative Position): Compound adjectives placed after the noun and a linking verb (e.g., 'are,' 'is,' 'seem') function as predicate adjectives, describing the subject of the sentence. For example:
They were
Compound Adjectives: Structure
Compound adjectives can have different structures, some of the most common ones are:
- Noun + Adjective
- Adjective + Adjective
- Adjective + Noun
- Adverb + Adjective
- Preposition + Noun
Noun + Adjective
Sometimes if you add a noun to an adjective, a new word is created that can be used as a compound adjective to modify another noun. In this case, the compound adjective is usually hyphenated. For example:
The water is
She had
I felt awfully
The food was really
Noun + present participle (adjective).
His behavior was
When there is a combination of a noun and a present participle (adjective), the compound adjective is always hyphenated.
Noun + past participle (adjective).
She's a
Noun + past participle (adjective).
'seasick' is a compound adjective
Tip!
Some compound adjectives are written as single words without hyphens or spaces when they are widely accepted. They are called closed compound adjectives. Here are the examples:
I was
As you can see, the lack of a hyphen indicates that the two parts of the compound adjective have fused together, forming a single word.
Adjective + Adjective
These compound adjectives are formed by combining two adjectives to describe a noun. They work together to provide more specific information about the noun they modify and they are typically hyphenated. Here are a few examples:
The chicken is
Adjective + past participle (adjective)
The
Adjective + past participle (adjective)
She wore a
Adjective + Noun
This type of compound adjective is created when an adjective and a noun are joined together to describe a noun, often indicating a specific quality or characteristic. These compound adjectives are usually hyphenated. Here are some examples:
I bought a
Many
He made a
Adverb + Adjective
These compound adjectives are formed by adding an adverb to a past participle (adjective) to describe a noun in a more detailed way. Have a look:
She comes from a
Tokyo is one of the most
The actor is so
The
Tip!
Sometimes there is a space between the adverb and the past participle, in which case the phrase is not a compound adjective. Check out the example:
She
Preposition + Noun
Some of these compound adjectives are made from a preposition plus a noun. Take a look:
The product's price tag does not include
The
Tip!
Most compound adjectives consist of two words; however, they can consist of more:
Some
As you can see, 'the' is a definite article used to specify a particular counter, and "counter" refers to a physical or figurative surface or location where transactions or interactions take place.
Punctuation Rules
Compound adjectives are mostly hyphenated. The use of hyphens in compound adjectives can be a source of confusion in English writing. Here are some guidelines to help you understand when to hyphenate compound adjectives:
- Adjective-Noun Combinations: Compound adjectives formed by combining an adjective and a noun are often hyphenated. For example:
- Adjective-Adjective Combinations: When two adjectives are used together to modify a noun, they are typically hyphenated. For example:
- Time and Age Expressions: Compound adjectives involving time or age expressions are usually hyphenated. For example:
Adjectives of Compound Verbs
Some adjectives are formed from past participle forms of compound verbs, which are used as adjectives. These adjectives are written as single words, but they are not considered compound adjectives. Here are the examples:
The meat is
Here, the adjective 'undercooked' is derived from the verb 'undercook', so, it is not a compound adjective.
The city was
Here, the adjective overpopulated is derived from the compound verb 'overpopulate.'
Warning
A compound adjective should be able to function as a subject complement. If a group of words meets this criterion, then it is a compound adjective. Otherwise, it is another type of phrase. Pay attention to the examples:
This is a
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