Compound Adjectives
Compound adjectives are made of two or more words joined (usually with a hyphen) to describe a noun: a well-known author, a five-year-old child. They make your English more precise…
Compound adjectives are made of two or more words joined (usually with a hyphen) to describe a noun: a well-known author, a five-year-old child. They make your English more precise and natural.
Common patterns
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| adjective + noun-ed | a left-handed player, kind-hearted |
| adverb + past participle | a well-known brand, highly-paid |
| noun + present participle | a time-consuming task, record-breaking |
| noun + past participle | a handmade gift, sun-dried tomatoes |
| number + noun (singular!) | a five-star hotel, a ten-minute walk |
Singular noun in number compoundsWhen a number + noun forms an adjective before another noun, the noun stays singular and takes a hyphen: “a five-year-old boy” (not five-years-old), “a three-hour exam,” “a 100-metre race.” But after the verb, use the normal form: “The boy is five years old.”
Hyphen before the noun
Use a hyphen when the compound comes before the noun: “a well-known actor.” After the verb, the hyphen often disappears: “The actor is well known.”
Examples from EduCareer
- We offer a well-structured, student-centred course.
- It’s a two-hour class with English-speaking tutors.
- Aisha is a hard-working, open-minded learner.
Tutor tip for Arabic speakersIn number + noun compounds, keep the noun singular: “a ten-minute break,” not “ten-minutes break.” And don’t forget the hyphen before the noun. Build a personal list of compounds you meet while reading — they’re great for the Word Formation part of the exam.
Common mistakes
- a five-years-old boy → a five-year-old boy
- a ten-minutes walk → a ten-minute walk
- a well known writer (before noun) → a well-known writer
Practise with the 20 questions below.
Check your understanding
Answer the questions below. You will see instantly if you are right.
1."She's a ___ author."
adverb + pp, hyphen before noun.
2."It's a ___ boy."
singular noun + hyphens.
3."That was a ___ task." (it took a lot of time)
noun + present participle.
4.In number + noun compounds, the noun is:
singular (ten-minute).
5."We took a ___ walk."
singular noun → ten-minute.
6."He is very ___." (generous, caring)
adjective + noun-ed.
7."They stayed in a ___ hotel."
number + singular noun.
8.Hyphen is normally used when the compound is:
before the noun.
9."These tomatoes are ___."
noun + past participle.
10."It was a ___ performance." (broke a record)
noun + present participle.
11.Which is correct?
hyphen before noun.
12."She's a ___ student." (works hard)
adverb-like + present participle.
13."We had a ___ exam."
number + singular noun.
14."He's a ___ person — always open to ideas."
adjective + noun-ed.
15."It's an ___ course with native tutors."
noun + present participle.
16.After the verb, 'The boy is five ___ old.'
normal plural after the verb.
17."This is a ___ gift." (made by hand)
noun + past participle (handmade).
18."It's a ___ decision." (will last a long time)
adjective/adverb + present participle.
19."They run a ___ business." (the family owns it)
noun + past participle.
20."He gave a ___ speech." (well thought through)
multi-word compound, hyphenated before noun.
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