Compound Adjectives

Compound Adjectives

Hello, dear English learners! Today we’re looking at compound adjectives — those handy two-word (or sometimes three-word) combinations that make your descriptions sharper, more precise, and much more natural. They appear often in everyday English as well as in Cambridge exams such as B2 First and C1 Advanced, so mastering them is definitely worth your time.

A compound adjective is made up of two or more words joined by a hyphen. It helps you express detailed ideas in a quick, elegant way. Instead of saying “a man who has a strong will,” you can simply say “a strong-willed man.”

Let’s explore the most common patterns.

1) Adjective + Noun

Used to express a quality connected to a thing or time.

• Messi scored the last-minute goal and Barcelona won!

• The company needs to do some long-term planning.

• Tom bought high-quality music equipment.

• Wesley eats low-fat yoghurt only.

2) Noun + Adjective

These often describe origin, appearance, or characteristics.

• Simon was Scottish, with sky-blue eyes.

• Spelt flour is suitable for people on a gluten-free diet.

• This is a pet-friendly café.

• Beyoncé is a world-famous pop singer. Compound adjectives

3) Adjective + Present Participle

Often used to show someone’s personality or describe ongoing qualities.

• Food delivery is a fast-growing business.

• Our teacher’s easy-going nature made her popular.

• Sandra is an intelligent, hard-working and efficient secretary.

• May’s husband was tall and good-looking.

4) Adjective + Past Participle

Usually describes personality or emotional states.

• As he grew older, Oliver became even more absent-minded.

• I apologise for being bad-tempered yesterday.

• Our boss is rather narrow-minded.

• I don’t want to sound big-headed, but my presentation was the best.

5) Noun + Present Participle

Often used for practical descriptions or marketing language.

• Our teacher gave us some money-saving tips.

• The gifts were wrapped in colourful, eye-catching boxes.

• I’d like to go to an English-speaking country to practise my English.

• The article in the newspaper is informative and thought-provoking.

6) Noun + Past Participle

Very common in everyday English for food, people, and places.

• I usually use sun-dried tomatoes in my pasta.

• We met a very nice middle-aged couple on holiday.

• We prefer home-grown vegetables because they’re organic.

• Twenty per cent of energy in Holland comes from wind-powered mills. Compound adjectives

7) Number + Noun

Used especially for time, distance, and quantity.

• It was a three-hour journey to Scotland.

• We spent a two-week holiday in Croatia.

• Let’s take a fifteen-minute break.

• It is a beautiful two-storey cottage by the lake.

8) Noun + Noun

These form compact, descriptive ideas.

• Police officers sometimes wear bullet-proof jackets.

• Do you feel sea-sick when you travel by sea?

• Our geography teacher was a red-haired lady.

• We could see an airport-terminal building from the road.

9) Adverb + Past Participle

Used to describe well-known, widely accepted qualities.

• Simon was a well-known novelist in his country.

• We are impatiently awaiting your above-mentioned proposal.

• The soup is overcooked and tasteless.

• Jill is the best-behaved child in the nursery school.

Compound Adjectives in English

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