Practice
Compound adjectives: build clear English descriptions
Sign in to saveA report can be well written, and it can also be a well-written report. The second form puts two words together to describe the noun.
Recognize common compound adjectives and use a hyphen when two or more words work together before a noun.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
We need a well-written, easy-to-read guide. /wiː niːd ə ˌwelˈrɪtən ˌiːzi tə ˈriːd ɡaɪd/
The short answer
A compound adjective combines two or more words to describe a noun, often with a hyphen before the noun. In a well-written report, well-written works together as one adjective for report.
We booked a family-friendly hotel near the station.
Why it works: Family-friendly is one combined description of the hotel.
4 more examples
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The editor gave us a well-written guide to the new system.
Well-written describes guide before the noun, so the hyphen shows one combined modifier.
Not this:The guide is
well written. What changes: After is, well written follows the verb and is commonly written without a hyphen. -
They chose a ten-minute break before the next session.
Ten-minute tells the length of break and uses the singular noun minute.
Not this:They chose a
ten-minutes breakbefore the next session. What changes: The noun inside a number-plus-noun compound adjective stays singular. -
The team needs a long-term plan for the project.
Long-term gives one time-based description of the plan.
Not this:The team needs a
long term planfor the project. What changes: Without the hyphen, readers may need to pause to see that long and term work together before plan. -
This app has a time-saving search tool.
Time-saving says that the tool saves time.
Not this:This app has a
saving time search tool. What changes: Saving time can describe an action, but it does not clearly name the tool's useful quality here.
Read the full guide
Use a compound adjective when separate words form one idea before a noun. Write the hyphen when it helps the reader see that connection.
See the words as one description
A compound adjective is a group of words that describes one noun. In a family-friendly hotel, the whole group tells you what kind of hotel it is. Do not read family and friendly as two separate descriptions.
We booked a family-friendly hotel near the station.
Family-friendly works together to describe hotel.
Which noun does family-friendly describe in the sentence?
It describes hotel.
Use hyphens before a noun
Put hyphens in many compound adjectives before the noun. The hyphens show that the words belong together. This is especially helpful when the first word could otherwise be connected to the wrong noun.
The editor gave us a well-written guide to the new system.
Well-written is placed before guide, so the hyphen makes the combined description easy to see.
The team needs a long-term plan for the project.
Long-term describes the time span of the plan.
Notice the position after be
The same idea may be written differently after a linking verb such as be. Before the noun, write a well-written guide. After be, write The guide is well written. The meaning stays close, but the word position changes.
The guide is well written.
Well written follows is, so it is commonly written without a hyphen.
Complete the phrase before a noun: an ___ guide.
Write an easy-to-read guide. The hyphens join the words before guide.
Keep number compounds singular
A number plus a noun can become a compound adjective. Put the noun in the singular form: a ten-minute break, a two-hour meeting, or a five-page report. The number can be more than one, but minute, hour, and page stay singular inside the adjective.
They chose a ten-minute break before the next session.
Minute stays singular because ten-minute is one description of break.
Choose the correct phrase: a three-day or a three-days course.
Choose a three-day course. Day stays singular inside the compound adjective.
Build useful common patterns
You do not need to memorize every compound adjective. Learn common patterns and check a dictionary when a new form is unfamiliar. Adjective plus participle gives well-known and easy-to-read. Noun plus participle gives time-saving and energy-saving.
This app has a time-saving search tool.
Time-saving tells you that the tool saves time.
She bought an easy-to-read book for the journey.
Easy-to-read describes how the book is to read.
Before you go
Remember this
Find the noun first. If two or more words combine to describe it, they may form a compound adjective. Use a hyphen before the noun in forms such as a well-written guide, a ten-minute break, and a long-term plan.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Compound adjectives: build clear English descriptions"
What is a compound adjective?
A compound adjective uses two or more words as one description of a noun. In a family-friendly hotel, family-friendly tells you what kind of hotel it is. The words work together instead of giving separate descriptions.
We booked a family-friendly hotel near the station.
When should I use a hyphen in a compound adjective?
Use a hyphen in many multiword adjectives before a noun, such as a well-written guide or a long-term plan. The hyphen helps readers see that the words make one combined description of the noun.
We booked a friendly family hotel near the station.
Why is well-written hyphenated before a noun?
Before a noun, well-written acts as one modifier, as in a well-written guide. The hyphen connects well and written so they are read together. After be, the same idea is commonly written as The guide is well written.
The editor gave us a well-written guide to the new system.
Do number compound adjectives use plural nouns?
No. Use a singular noun in a number compound adjective: a ten-minute break, a two-hour meeting, or a five-page report. The number can be plural in meaning, but minute, hour, and page stay singular in the adjective.
The guide is well written.
What are common compound adjective patterns?
Common patterns include adjective plus participle, such as well-known and easy-to-read; noun plus participle, such as time-saving; and number plus singular noun, such as ten-minute. A dictionary can help with unfamiliar spelling and hyphens.
They chose a ten-minute break before the next session.