Use hyphens in compound adjectives

Key Notes:

🌈✨ Use Hyphens in Compound Adjectives ✨🌈

🔎 What is a compound adjective?

A compound adjective is made up of two or more words joined together to describe a noun.

• 👉 Example: a well-known singer 🎤

🖇️ Why do we use hyphens (-)?

• ✔️ To join words together.
• ✔️ To avoid confusion in meaning.
• ✔️ To make writing clear and easy to read.

📌 Rules for Using Hyphens in Compound Adjectives

1️⃣ Before a noun, use a hyphen

• A three-year-old boy 👦
• A high-speed train 🚄

2️⃣ If no hyphen, it may confuse

• ❌ A small business man (means a short man who does business)
• ✅ A small-business man (means a man who owns a small business)

3️⃣ Do not use a hyphen when the compound adjective comes after the noun

• The boy is three years old. ✔️
• The train is high speed. ✔️

4️⃣ Use hyphens with numbers + nouns

• A five-star hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• A ten-page report 📄

5️⃣ Use hyphens with fractions as adjectives

• A two-thirds majority ✅
• A one-half portion 🍕

🎯 Quick Examples

• A well-written essay 📝
• A soft-spoken teacher 👩‍🏫
• A fast-moving car 🚗
• A long-term goal 🎯

🚦 Remember:

• 👉 Use hyphens only when the compound adjective comes before a noun.
• 👉 Don’t use hyphens if the words come after the noun.

✨💡 Shortcut Tip:

• If the meaning may be unclear without a hyphen, then add the hyphen! ➖✔️

let’s practice!