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Compound Adjectives

1. A compound adjective is formed when two or more adjectives work together to modify the same noun. These terms should be hyphenated to avoid confusion or ambiguity.

Incorrect: The black and blue mark suggested that he had been involved in an altercation.

Correct: The black-and-blue mark suggested that he had been involved in an altercation.

Incorrect: Her fifteen minute presentation proved decisive to the outcome of the case.

Correct: Her fifteen-minute presentation proved decisive to the outcome of the case.

2. However, combining an adverb (usually a word ending in "ly") and an adjective does not create a compound adjective. No hyphen is required because it is already clear that the adverb modifies the adjective rather than the subsequent noun.

Incorrect: The remarkably-hot day turned into a remarkably-long week.

Correct: The remarkably hot day turned into a remarkably long week.

3. Furthermore, you should not place a hyphen in a compound adjective if the adjectives are capitalized, such as when they are part of a title.

Correct: His book was entitled, "Gender Neutral Language in English Usage," and it revolutionized the way people think about sex roles.

However: His book on gender-neutral language revolutionized the way people think about sex roles.

Correct: The students were participants in Chicago-Kent's vaunted Legal Research and Writing Program.

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Related Questions

Example of compound adjective?

Compound adjectives are formed when you use two or more adjectives that are joined together with a hyphen to modify the same noun. She had a three-year-old cat is an example of a compound adjective in a sentence.


Does well liked need a hyphen?

No, "well liked" does not need a hyphen. It is an adjective phrase where "well" modifies "liked," and they are commonly used together without a hyphen. Hyphens are typically used in compound adjectives that precede a noun, but in this case, "well liked" is used as a predicate adjective or after the noun.


Should you use hyphen in out of the box?

When used as an adjective compound, "out of the box" should be hyphenated. Example, "The out-of-the-box themes are very easy to use."


Does decision making have a hyphen in the word?

No, decision making does not have a hyphen. It is considered a compound noun that is used without a hyphen.


When you join two words with a hyphen what do you created?

A compound word


Is biggest hyphenated?

No. The term "biggest" has no hyphen. The slang compound adjective "biggest-ever" would.


Can you use a hyphen in a three syllable word?

Yes, you can use a hyphen in a three-syllable word to separate its component parts or to indicate a compound adjective.


A compound adjective?

A compound adjective is a single adjective made up of more than one word (e.g., ten-seater bus , free-range eggs). The words in a compound adjective are often linked together with a hyphen (or hyphens) to show they are part of the same adjective.


When do you hyphenate on-site?

Always. ----- It's a compound adjective, a sort of "in situ" (Lat.). When the words are not connected, there is no hyphen.


When do you hyphenate on site?

Always. ----- It's a compound adjective, a sort of "in situ" (Lat.). When the words are not connected, there is no hyphen.


Does star shaped have a hyphen?

The term "star-shaped" does have a hyphen when used as a compound adjective before a noun, such as in "star-shaped object." However, when used after a noun, the hyphen is typically omitted, as in "The object is star shaped."


Does people oriented have a hyphen?

Yes, "people-oriented" should be hyphenated when used as a compound adjective before a noun, such as in "a people-oriented approach." The hyphen helps clarify that the two words function together as a single descriptor. However, when used after a noun, it typically appears without a hyphen, as in "This approach is people oriented."