Compound adjectives
A single adjective made up of two or more words is called a compound adjective. The words in a compound adjective can be linked together by a hyphen (or hyphens) to show they are part of the same adjective.
- Words like left-handed or dark-eyed are compound adjectives, and they are made of two words with a hyphen.
She lived in an old-fashioned house, but was open-minded.
There are sometimes many possible combinations, e.g. middle-aged, good-humoured, world-famous, self-made, handmade, etc.
- Other common patterns for compound adjectives include:
- noun + past participle: air-conditioned, handmade, tongue-tied
- noun + adjective: world-famous, duty-free, homesick
- adj + noun: part-time, full-length, second-hand
- number + noun: two-door, seven-year, forty-mile
Examples: She was a red-haired woman - He was a cold-blooded murdererThe use of compound adjectives is not so restricted as it is in many categories of grammar; new combinations are always possible.
Complete the sentences with compound adjectives. Use pairs of words in the list below. You may need to change the form of some words.
Example: LEFT - HAND → Rafael Nadal plays tennis with his left hand. He is a LEFT-HANDED player
| SHORT | HIGH | WORK | PAY | WORLD | SICK | LEAD | GO | MAKE | CENTER |
| HARD |
WIDE | BADLY | HAND | SELF | EASY |
SIGHT | HOME | LEVEL |
FREE |
1. petrol reduces environmental pollution
2. She needs glasses. She is very
3. A person is someone who feels depressed or melancholy at being away from home and family
4. James Stuart is a serious boy. He works hard, he is a student
5. I like my job but I would like a better salary because it is
6. Lara is a calm and relaxed person; she is very
7. My mother makes all my clothes by hand. I wear dresses
8. News of the attack attracted attention
9. She was only concerned with her own desires and interests. She was absolutely
10. Only diplomats take part in the G8 summits