Use hyphens in compound adjectives
key notes :
| What is a Compound Adjective? |
A compound adjective is two or more words joined together to describe a noun.
👉 We use a hyphen (-) to connect these words.
Example:
✅ a well-known actor
(“well” + “known” work together to describe actor)
| Why Do We Use Hyphens in Compound Adjectives? |
Hyphens help to:
⭐ Make the meaning clear
🧠 Avoid confusion
📖 Improve readability
Example:
🔹 a small-business owner (one business)
❌ a small business owner (the owner is small!)
| When to Use Hyphens in Compound Adjectives |
✅ Use a hyphen when the compound adjective comes BEFORE a noun
Examples:
🌟 a five-star hotel
🎬 a well-written script
👶 a ten-year-old boy
❌ Do NOT use a hyphen when the adjective comes AFTER the noun
Examples:
The hotel is five star.
The script is well written.
| Hyphens with Numbers & Fractions |
Use hyphens with numbers that act as adjectives before a noun:
🧒 a 12-year-old girl
🚗 a 10-kilometre-long road
🍰 a two-thirds slice of cake
But no hyphen when not used as an adjective:
She is 12 years old.
| Common Compound Adjectives |
| Compound Adjective | Example |
|---|---|
| well-known | a well-known singer 🎤 |
| part-time | a part-time job 💼 |
| full-length | a full-length movie 🍿 |
| high-quality | high-quality products 🛍️ |
| open-minded | an open-minded person 🤝 |
| Avoid Hyphens with -ly Adverbs |
If the first word ends in -ly, no hyphen is needed.
Examples:
✅ a highly skilled doctor
✅ a quickly prepared meal
Not ❌ highly-skilled doctor
| Be Careful! – Misleading Meaning Without Hyphens |
Hyphens change meaning!
| Without Hyphen ❌ | With Hyphen ✅ | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| small headed boy | small-headed boy | small head |
| man eating chicken | man-eating chicken | chicken that eats humans! 😱 |
| Quick Tips (Remember These!) |
🔸 If two or more words describe 1 noun → Use a hyphen
🔸 If the adjective comes after the noun → No hyphen
🔸 No hyphen after -ly adverbs
🔸 Hyphenate number-adjectives before nouns
Let’s practice!🖊️
