A compound adjective is an adjective made up of more than one word that acts as a single unit to modify a person, place, animal or object.
They are sometimes called phrasal adjectives or stacked modifiers. Like all adjectives, compound adjectives add vividness to writing, bringing content to life.
But they should be used mindfully and punctuated correctly to ensure they help — and don’t hinder — your audience’s understanding.
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Compound adjectives can add even more specific descriptions of a person, place, animal or object. They also provide a smoother read.
Using a compound adjective provides additional information to a reader. The right compound adjective can pack a lot of detail into a short phrase. For instance:
The compound adjective well-read delivers additional information that doesn’t need to be spelled out. The reader understands that Jenny has read many books and can infer she is knowledgeable about one or more subjects. The reader may even infer Jenny is scholarly and intelligent. One intentional and well-placed compound adjective can provide a clear description.
A compound adjective, when used correctly, can make writing smoother. For instance, one could say:
With compound adjectives, those sentences can be combined with sentence modifiers:
Compounding adjectives aren't technically needed because, by definition, they are combinations of already existing adjectives. However, using compound adjectives often provides a smoother, better-paced read.
Most compound adjectives are formed by two different forms of speech connected with a hyphen, separated with a space, or combined into one word.
The combination may be noun-adjective or adjective-noun:
Sometimes, the construction may include an article to complete the compound adjective phrase:
Numbers (as adjectives) can also be used in this compound adjective construction.
An adjective can be combined with a verb’s present participle (ending in -ing) or the past participle (ending in -ed for regular verbs) to form a compound adjective.
A noun can be combined with a verb’s present participle (ending in -ing) or the past participle (ending in -ed for regular verbs) to form a compound adjective.
Together, two nouns can form a compound adjective that modifies a noun. Occasionally, a preposition or an article may be used to create the adjectival phrase:
An adverb can be combined with a verb’s present participle (ending in -ing) or the past participle (ending in -ed for regular verbs) to form a compound adjective.
No one rule covers all hyphenation for compound adjectives, but some general rules can give a writer a clue.
When the compound adjective appears before the noun it describes, it is usually hyphenated. It is not hyphenated if it comes after the noun it describes.
Regardless of their placement in a sentence, some compound adjectives are hyphenated on every use. When in doubt, consult a dictionary, but here are some general guidelines:
Some compound adjectives look like one word made up of two words, with no hyphen or space between them. The trouble is, there is no rule for this. Some common examples include:
In an adverb + verb participle construction, the compound adjective is typically not hyphenated.
When a compound adjective is more than two words, a hyphen provides clarity for the reader. In most cases, each word is hyphenated to show the phrase is acting as one unit to modify the noun (however, there are exceptions):
Then, if one of the adjectives is already a compound word, the hyphen goes just after the last two words before the noun:
Now and then, a hyphen can clarify a group of words to help indicate which word is modifying and which is being modified.
A hyphen in this case clarifies that the app is easy to use, and it’s user-friendly; instead of friendly being a description of the user.
If a compound adjective feels clunky and hyphenation makes the sentence cumbersome, the better solution is to rewrite it.
The purpose of a compound adjective is to enhance reading by adding detail and simplifying flow. When it muddles the message, it’s not helping the content or the reader.
For example:
Becomes:
Always seek out the clarity of the message over the complexity of construction.
When a compound adjective helps tell a story and bring content to life, it is a great asset to a writer. But there is no rule saying compound adjectives must be used in every case to double up on modifying nouns. At times, separating adjectives and changing the flow of a sentence makes your message come across more clearly.
The intent of all professional writing is to be clear, concise and engaging. Use compound modifiers with this in mind, and they will uplift your copy.
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