Compound Adjectives
In English grammar, compound means multiple, usually two or sometimes even more in combinations. A compound adjective acts as a single adjective, but is made up of two or more words. These words can be hyphenated (-), open (with a space between the words), and closed (without a space between the words).
Hyphenation in compound adjectives avoid misinterpretation and ambiguity. For example, instead of saying “small business owner”, which can be interpreted as the owner being physically small, adding a hyphen can clarify that the compound adjective is describing the type of business rather than the physique of the owner.
It can be confusing when to hyphenate, open, or close compound adjectives. Although the rules seem random, there exists general rules regarding compound adjectives.
When should you hyphenate compound adjectives?
- When the compound adjective comes right before a noun, it is usually hyphenated.
- When the compound adjective contains a number or a unit of measurement
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When the compound adjective is combined with a participle
- When the compound adjective has some prefixes like "self", "all", "half", "ex"
Compound Adjectives Worksheet #1
[Grades 3-5] Compound Adjectives #1 Worksheet with Answers
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[Grades 3-5] Compound Adjectives #1 Answers Only
Compound Adjectives Worksheet #2
[Grades 3-5] Compound Adjectives #2 Worksheet with Answers
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[Grades 3-5] Compound Adjectives #2 Answers Only
Compound Adjectives Worksheet #3
[Grades 3-5] Compound Adjectives #3 Worksheet with Answers
[Grades 3-5] Compound Adjectives #3 Worksheet Only
[Grades 3-5] Compound Adjectives #3 Answers Only