Compound Adjectives | Basic Grammar for IELTS PDF Download

Compound Adjectives: Definition, Meaning, Types, Examples & Exercises

When we talk about someone or something, like a flower or a car, we often use words such as gorgeous, colorful, fresh, brand-new, second-hand, nice-looking, and old-fashioned. These descriptive terms used for a car are known as compound adjectives. An adjective is a word that describes or adds detail to a noun or pronoun. While most adjectives consist of a single word, some adjectives are formed by combining multiple words, and these are called compound adjectives.

Table of Content

• What is a Compound Adjective?
• Definition of a Compound Adjective
• Types of Compound Adjectives with Examples
• List of Compound Adjectives Examples
• 10 Examples of Compound Adjectives
• Compound Adjectives Vs Compound Nouns
• Compound Adjectives to Describe a Person
• Compound Adjectives Exercises
• Compound Adjectives Worksheet

What is a Compound Adjective?

A compound adjective is a combination of words that acts as an adjective in a sentence. It is formed by adding a noun, present participle, or past participle to an adjective. Depending on the situation, these components can appear before or after the adjective. Most compound adjectives are hyphenated.

Definition of a Compound Adjective

According to the Oxford Learner's Dictionary, a compound adjective is one that is "formed of two or more parts." Collins Dictionary further explains that in grammar, a compound noun, adjective, or verb consists of two or more words, for instance, fire engine, bottle-green, and force-feed.

Types of Compound Adjectives with Examples

Compound adjectives can be categorized based on how they are formed and used in sentences. They provide a more specific and detailed description of the noun they modify. Here are some types along with examples:

• Permanent compound adjectives: e.g., fireproof, waterproof
• Temporary compound adjectives: e.g., short-lived, short-term
• Quality compound adjectives: e.g., good-looking, high-pitched
• Quantity compound adjectives: e.g., ten-foot, two-hour

List of Compound Adjectives Examples

Here are some examples of compound adjectives used in sentences:

• a well-known author
• a two-year-old child
• a heavy-duty machine

10 Examples of Compound Adjectives

Let's explore some more compound adjectives in action:

• fast-paced
• high-tech
• deep-rooted

Compound Adjectives Vs Compound Nouns

While compound adjectives describe nouns, compound nouns are combinations of words that represent a single concept or thing. For example, "sunflower" is a compound noun, while "sun-kissed" is a compound adjective.

Compound Adjectives to Describe a Person

When describing a person, compound adjectives can convey specific characteristics effectively. For instance:

• hardworking employee
• well-dressed gentleman
• quick-witted student

Compound Adjectives Exercises

Practice using compound adjectives by completing the following exercises:

• She is a ________ (hardworking) student.
• He bought a ________ (second-hand) car.
• The movie was ________ (heart-wrenching).

Compound Adjectives Worksheet

Download the compound adjectives worksheet below to reinforce your understanding and usage of compound adjectives in sentences.

Understanding Compound Adjectives

A compound word is formed by joining two or more words to create a new word with a distinct meaning.

1. Adverb + Past Participle

• Adverb: An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
• Past Participle: The form of a verb used in forming perfect and passive tenses.
• Compound Adjective Examples:

Well Behaved	Well-behaved
Brightly Colored	Brightly colored
Highly Respected	Highly respected
Well Known	Well-known
Deeply Rooted	Deeply rooted
Well Paid	Well-paid
Widely Recognized	Widely-recognized
Densely Populated	Densely populated

2. Noun + Past Participle

• Noun: A person, place, thing, or idea.
• Compound Adjective Examples:

Middle Aged	Middle-aged
Sun Baked	Sun-baked
Home Grown	Home-grown
Sun Dried	Sun-dried
Water Cooled	Water-cooled
Oil Soaked	Oil-soaked
Child Wanted	Child-wanted
Dog Used	Dog-used

3. Noun + Present Participle

• Present Participle: A verb form ending in -ing that indicates an ongoing action or state.
• Compound Adjective Examples:

Eye Catching	Eye-catching
Money Saving	Money-saving
Mouth Watering	Mouth-watering
English Speaking	English-speaking
Time Saving	Time-saving
Record Breaking	Record-breaking
Thought Provoking	Thought-provoking
Spanish Speaking	Spanish-speaking

Noun Adjective Compound Adjectives

• Noun Adjective Compound Adjective
• World Famous - This compound adjective is used to describe something or someone that is widely recognized or renowned globally. For example, "She is a world-famous singer."
• Sugar Free - This compound adjective indicates that a product or food does not contain added sugars. For instance, "I prefer sugar-free drinks."
• Plastic Free - This compound adjective describes products or environments that are devoid of plastic materials. For example, "The store promotes plastic-free packaging."
• Family Friendly - This compound adjective is used to denote places or activities suitable for families. For instance, "It's a family-friendly restaurant."
• Ice Cold - This compound adjective emphasizes extreme coldness. For example, "I love a glass of ice-cold water on a hot day."
• Book Smart - This compound adjective refers to someone who is knowledgeable from reading books but might lack practical experience. For instance, "He's book-smart but lacks street smarts."
• Smoke Free - This compound adjective is commonly used to describe environments or areas where smoking is not allowed. For example, "The hotel is a smoke-free zone."
• India Famous - This compound adjective is used to describe something or someone famous specifically in India. For instance, "She is India-famous for her acting skills."

Adjective Noun Compound Adjectives

• Adjective Noun Compound Adjective
• Last Minute - This compound adjective describes something done or occurring at the latest possible time. For example, "It was a last-minute decision."
• Long Distance - This compound adjective refers to events or relationships that cover a considerable distance. For instance, "They are in a long-distance relationship."
• Short Term - This compound adjective indicates a brief or limited duration. For example, "She took a short-term course."
• Full Length - This compound adjective is used to describe something at its maximum or complete size. For instance, "He watched the full-length movie."
• High Quality - This compound adjective denotes something of superior or excellent quality. For example, "The restaurant serves high-quality food."
• Short Distance - This compound adjective describes a distance that is not far. For instance, "It's just a short-distance walk."
• Long Term - This compound adjective refers to plans or investments lasting for an extended period. For example, "They have a long-term business strategy."
• Half Length - This compound adjective suggests something that is only half the usual size or length. For instance, "She wore a half-length coat."

Adjective Past Participle Compound Adjectives

• Adjective Past Participle Compound Adjective
• Old Fashioned - This compound adjective describes something that is outdated or reminiscent of the past. For example, "She has an old-fashioned taste in clothes."
• Long Haired - This compound adjective describes someone or something with long hair. For instance, "She adores long-haired cats."
• Short Lived - This compound adjective refers to something that lasts for a short duration. For example, "Their happiness was short-lived."
• Ready Made - This compound adjective describes products that are already prepared or available for immediate use. For instance, "I bought a ready-made meal for dinner."
• Kind Hearted - This compound adjective is used to describe someone who is caring and compassionate. For example, "He is a kind-hearted person."
• Narrow Minded - This compound adjective describes individuals who are intolerant or limited in their perspectives. For instance, "She is narrow-minded when it comes to accepting new ideas."
• Strong Willed - This compound adjective refers to individuals who are determined and resolute in their decisions. For example, "She is a strong-willed leader."
• Quick Witted - This compound adjective describes individuals who are sharp and clever in their thinking. For instance, "He is known for his quick-witted responses."

Adjective Present Participle Compound Adjectives

• Adjective Present Participle Compound Adjective
• Good Looking - This compound adjective describes someone who is physically attractive. For example, "She is a good-looking model."
• Slow Moving - This compound adjective describes something that moves at a leisurely pace. For instance, "The turtle is slow-moving."
• Long Lasting - This compound adjective refers to something that endures for a significant period. For example, "The friendship was long-lasting."
• Easy Going - This compound adjective describes individuals who are relaxed and flexible. For instance, "He has an easy-going personality."
• Long Running - This compound adjective is used to describe a program or series that has been airing for a prolonged period. For example, "It's a long-running TV show."
• Tight Fitting - This compound adjective describes clothes that are snug or form-fitting. For example, "She wore a tight-fitting dress to the party."
• Quick Thinking - This compound adjective refers to individuals who can think fast and make decisions promptly. For instance, "The job requires quick-thinking skills."
• Easy Going - This compound adjective is used to describe a person who is relaxed and not easily upset. For example, "He has an easy-going attitude towards life."

Compound Adjectives for Writing and Speech

Here is a list of compound adjectives that can enhance the specificity and descriptiveness of your writing or speech:

• Blue-collar
• Short-term
• White-washed
• Short-handed
• Ill-minded
• Ice-cold
• Grass-fed
• Home-bred
• East-facing
• Mouth-watering
• Overcooked
• Undercooked
• Deep-fried
• Seasick
• Well-known
• Tightly-wound
• Fifty-storey
• 100-page
• Last-minute
• Full-length
• Heavy-laden
• Short-lived
• Long-distance
• High-quality
• Quick-thinking
• Nail-biting
• Three-hour
• Record-breaking
• Time-saving
• Ready-made
• World-famous
• English-speaking
• Middle-aged
• Densely-populated
• Highly-qualified
• Long-forgotten
• Highly-respected
• Old-fashioned
• Smoke-free
• Waterproof
• Shatterproof
• Break-free
• Four-week
• Good-looking

Compound Adjectives

• Blue-collar
• Short-term
• White-washed
• Short-handed
• Ill-minded
• Ice-cold
• Grass-fed
• Home-bred
• East-facing
• Mouth-watering
• Overcooked
• Undercooked
• Deep-fried
• Seasick
• Well-known
• Tightly-wound
• Fifty-storey
• 100-page
• Last-minute
• Full-length
• Heavy-laden
• Short-lived
• Long-distance
• High-quality
• Quick-thinking
• Nail-biting
• Three-hour
• Record-breaking
• Time-saving
• Ready-made
• World-famous
• English-speaking
• Middle-aged
• Densely-populated
• Highly-qualified
• Long-forgotten
• Highly-respected
• Old-fashioned
• Smoke-free
• Waterproof
• Shatterproof
• Break-free
• Four-week
• Good-looking

Explanation of Compound Adjectives

• Compound adjectives are combinations of two or more words that are hyphenated and act as a single unit to describe a noun.
• They are commonly used in English to provide specific details about a noun in a concise manner.

Examples of Compound Adjectives

• Well-known: "She is a well-known author in the mystery genre."
• High-quality: "They sell high-quality leather goods."
• Ice-cold: "He handed me an ice-cold drink on a hot day."
• Long-term: "They are making long-term investments for their children's future."
• Short-lived: "The snowstorm was intense but short-lived."
• Full-time: "She has a full-time job at the hospital."
• Part-time: "He works part-time while attending university."
• English-speaking: "Canada is an English-speaking country."
• Heart-warming: "The movie was heart-warming and brought tears to my eyes."
• Bitter-sweet: "Graduating from college was a bitter-sweet moment."

Compound Adjectives Vs Compound Nouns

Compound adjectives are particularly valuable when describing a person's qualities, appearance, or roles in a detailed and precise manner. Here are some examples:

• Hard-working: "She is a hard-working student who always submits her assignments on time."
• Quick-thinking: "His quick-thinking saved the day during the power outage."
• Well-dressed: "The well-dressed gentleman caught everyone's attention at the gala."
• Open-minded: "Being open-minded allows her to learn and grow from different experiences."
• Good-natured: "His good-natured humor makes him a joy to be around."
• Strong-willed: "The strong-willed leader did not give up despite the challenges."
• Thin-skinned: "He is quite thin-skinned and takes criticism personally."
• Light-hearted: "Her light-hearted approach to life is truly infectious."
• Broad-shouldered: "The broad-shouldered athlete excels in his sport."
• Short-tempered: "The short-tempered chef is known for his outbursts in the kitchen."

Exercise: Describe Compound Adjectives

• Girl who looks good - Well-dressed girl
• Machine that saves time - Time-saving machine
• Car that moves slow - Slow-moving car
• Food that makes your mouth water - Mouth-watering food
• Girl with short hair - Short-haired girl
• Product with high quality - High-quality product
• Chocolate that is free from sugar - Sugar-free chocolate
• Man, who has an open mind - Open-minded man
• Person who speaks English - English-speaking person
• Vegetables that are grown at home - Home-grown vegetables
• People who are well educated - Well-educated individuals
• Woman, who is highly respected in society - Respected woman
• Boy who thinks quickly - Quick-thinking boy
• Place that is on a long distance - Long-distance place
• Story that is famous in the world - World-famous story
• Toys that are wanted by child - Child-wanted toys
• Fashion that is old - Old-fashioned fashion
• Cookies that are baked by sun - Sun-baked cookies
• Race that breaks the record - Record-breaking race
• Products that last for a long time - Long-lasting products

Worksheet Description

• This worksheet aims to enhance understanding and practice of compound adjectives.
• Each exercise encourages the identification, formation, and application of compound adjectives in sentences.

Identification

• Read the sentences below and highlight the compound adjectives.
• "She offered me some homemade cookies."
• "The documentary presented a thought-provoking perspective on wildlife conservation."

Formation

• Combine the words in brackets to create compound adjectives to complete the sentences:
• Example: "He works as a (full, time) chef in a renowned restaurant."
• Answer: "He works as a full-time chef in a renowned restaurant."
• Example: "Their wedding was a (lavish, scale) event attended by celebrities."
• Answer: "Their wedding was a lavish-scale event attended by celebrities."

Usage

• Utilize the compound adjectives provided to fill in the blanks:
• Example: "The (state-of-the-art) technology has revolutionized the industry."
• Answer: "The state-of-the-art technology has revolutionized the industry."
• Example: "After the storm, we found a (water-logged) diary in the attic."
• Answer: "After the storm, we found a water-logged diary in the attic."

Examples of Compound Adjectives

• Girl who looks good - good-looking girl
• Machine that saves time - time-saving machine
• Car that moves slow - slow-moving car
• Food that makes your mouth water - mouth-watering food
• Girl with short hair - short-haired girl
• Product with high quality - high-quality product
• Chocolate that is free from sugar - sugar-free chocolate
• Man, who has an open mind - open-minded man
• Person who speaks English - English-speaking person
• Vegetables that are grown at home - home-grown vegetables
• People who are well educated - well-educated people
• Woman, who is highly respected in society - highly-respected woman
• Boy who thinks quickly - quick-thinking boy
• Place that is on a long distance - long-distanced place
• Story that is famous in the world - world-famous story
• Toys that are wanted by child - child-wanted toy
• Fashion that is old - old-fashioned
• Cookies that are baked by sun - sunbaked cookies
• Race that breaks the record - record-breaking race
• Products that last for a long time - long-lasting products

Further Reading: What is a Compound Noun?

Definition, Types & Examples

Compound Adjectives in English-FAQs

What are Compound Adjectives?

A compound adjective refers to a descriptive term formed by combining two or more words. These adjectives are created by joining multiple adjectives to modify the same noun, ensuring clarity and precision in expression.

What is the meaning of Compound Adjectives?

A compound adjective consists of two or more words connected by a hyphen to describe individuals, places, or objects. The hyphen is used to link the words that collectively function as a single modifier.

Provide some instances of Compound Adjectives:

• Harry Potter is a globally renowned novel.
• Priyanka Chopra is a captivating actress.
• The Tata Nano is an exceptionally slow-moving car.
• Zara clothes are extremely tight-fitting.
• I prefer sugar-free coffee.
• Mahatma Buddha was an exceedingly kind-hearted individual.
• My daughter's performance was remarkably eye-catching.
• Arohi is a consistently well-behaved student in her class.
• Jaunpur is an incredibly densely populated city.
• I had to vacate the house on very short notice.
• Technology is highly time-saving.
• I aspire for India to become a smoke-free nation in the next decade.
• This rose powder is dried in the sun.
• This fashion showcases ready-made woolens.
• I finished my project at the final minute of submission.

Why to use Compound Adjectives?

Using compound adjectives correctly not only showcases your writing skills but also helps your readers understand your ideas more easily. When a compound adjective isn't clearly marked as a single unit, your readers may pause to interpret it, slowing down their comprehension.

How to Identify Compound Adjectives in a Sentence?

• Observe words that directly precede a noun and describe it.
• Look for words that follow a noun and provide additional description.
• Identify adjectives that come after verbs.
• Search for adjectives that compare things within a sentence.

Identifying compound adjectives follows similar methods to identifying regular adjectives. Here are some examples:

• Directly Precede a Noun: A well-written report
• Follow a Noun: The book is must-read
• After Verbs: She is well-known in the field.
• Comparative Adjectives: His work is more thought-provoking than hers.

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Parts of Speech English SSC/Banking

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• Parts of Speech
• English
• SSC/Banking

Paraphrased Information:

• Parts of Speech refer to the different types of word classes in a language, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.
• In English grammar, understanding Parts of Speech is crucial for constructing sentences with proper syntax and meaning.
• For competitive exams like SSC/Banking, a strong grasp of English grammar, including Parts of Speech, is essential for success.