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SUPERWORDSWhy compound adjectives are so versatile and useful
The definition
Noun: identifies a person, place, thing, or idea
Adjective: describes or modifies a noun
Compound adjective: a phrase of 2+ words that modifies a noun
What’s a compound adjective (CA)?
The definition
everyday task
family-friendly restaurant
tenure-track role
long-suffering guy
rapidly-beating heart
problem-solving role
What do compound adjectives look like?
compoundadjective
noun
independentphrase
The definition
CAs can be made from almost any word.
adjective + noun
noun + adjective
noun + noun
adjective + adjective
adverb + adjective
noun + gerund/participle
everyday task
family-friendly restaurant
tenure-track role
long-suffering guy
rapidly-beating heart
problem-solving role
We don’t realize it…
But we use compound adjectives all the time.
Why CAs are versatile
Most CAs can be also used as independent phrases.
I do this task every day.
This restaurant is family friendly.
This role is tenure track.
He is long suffering.
My heart is rapidly beating.
My role is about problem solving.
everyday task
family-friendly restaurant
tenure-track role
long-suffering guy
rapidly-beating heart
problem-solving role
Compound adjectives
How they work
When a compound adjective is modifying a noun, add a hyphen.
Ex: The frequently-missing Prukalpa is not here.
When a compound adjective is not modifying a noun, don’t use a hyphen.
Ex: Prukalpa, who is frequently missing, is not here.
Why is a hyphen important?
It makes compound adjectives clearer when they appear before a noun.
We’re a fast acting team.
→ We’re an acting team that moves fast? (No!)
We’re a fast-acting team.
→ Our team acts fast. (That’s right!)
Examples
Let’s start with our favorite word, “real time”.
Our app collects data in real time.
→ Don’t need a hyphen since “real time” is an independent phrase
Collect is a real-time data collection app.
→ We need a hyphen since “real-time” is modifying the noun “app”.
Examples
Let’s start with our favorite word, “real time”.
Do other apps collect data in real time / real-time?
Examples
Let’s start with our favorite word, “real time”.
Do other apps collect data in real time?
→ Don’t need a hyphen since “real time” is an independent phrase
Examples
Let’s start with our favorite word, “real time”.
Create a real time / real-time dashboard to analyze your data.
Examples
Let’s start with our favorite word, “real time”.
Create a real-time dashboard to analyze your data.
→ We need a hyphen since “real-time” is modifying the noun “dashboard”.
Examples
Content from our website
Our network of mobile enabled / mobile-enabled sensors track the most important parameters in the world.
Examples
Content from our website
Our network of mobile-enabled sensors track the most important parameters in the world.
→ We need a hyphen since “mobile-enabled” is modifying the noun “sensors”.
Examples
Content from our website
We believe that great products are the result of human centric / human-centric design.
Examples
Content from our website
We believe that great products are the result of human-centric design.
→ We need a hyphen since “human-centric” is modifying the noun “design”.
Examples
Content from our website
We aim to solve challenges for the real world / real-world.
Examples
Content from our website
We aim to solve challenges for the real world.
→ Don’t need a hyphen since “real world” is an independent phrase.
An exception
everyday vs every day
If “every day” is used as a compound adjective, it changes to one word “everyday” (instead of adding a hyphen).
Ex: I love coming to work every day.
Ex: The everyday role of a growth marketer is to build the company.
everyday vs every day
Every day / everyday, I come to work and build cool things.
An exception
everyday vs every day
Every day, I come to work and build cool things.
→ Don’t need a hyphen since “every day” is an independent phrase.
An exception
everyday vs every day
We build products to solve every day / everyday challenges.
An exception
everyday vs every day
We build products to solve everyday challenges.
→ Need a hyphen since “everyday” modifies the noun “challenges”.
An exception
everyday vs every day
Not sure whether to use “everyday” or “every day”?
Replace the phrase with “each day”.
→ If the sentence makes sense, use “every day”. → If the sentence doesn’t make sense, use “everyday”.
Pro Tip #1
Compound adjectives with an adverb
When an adverb ending with “-ly” is the first word in your compound adjective, the hyphen is optional.
Ex: Is this slowly-moving presentation over yet? Ex: Is this slowly moving presentation over yet?
→ Both examples are fine!
Pro Tip #2
Mariner 1 exploded after 5 minutes because of a missing hyphen.
Don’t underestimate the importance of hyphens in rockets or compound adjectives.
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