Coumpound adjectives A Formation and pronunciation A compound adjective is formed from two different words, and occasionally three. They are usually written with a hyphen (e.g. good-looking, well-known), and the stress is usually the same on both parts of the compound. B Describing people Many compound adjectives describe a person's appearance, character, and situation: This is William. He isn't well-known (=famous), he isn't well-off (=rich), and I've never heard anyone say he was good-looking (=handsome/attractive). But he's a very nice man - kind, friendly and very easy-going (=relaxed). In this picture he's wearing a short-sleeved shirt and a brand-new (=completely new) hat. C 'Well' and 'badly' These adverbs combine with many past participles to form compound adjectives: a well-directed film, a well-made pair of shoes, a well-written story, a badly-paid job, a badly-behaved child, a badly-dressed young man. A 'five-minute' walk It is common to combine a number and a singular noun to form a compound adjective. It's a fifteen-minute drive to the centre. He works in a four-star hotel. I gave her a five-pound note. The winner was a ten-year-old boy. There was a two-hour delay on our flight. E Common compounds She had a full-time job in a bank, but after the baby was born she changed to a part-time job and just worked in the mornings. The hotel is north-west of here, about ten miles away. Most of the population are right-handed, but about 10% are left-handed. Mary bought a second-hand BMW. exercises home |