NPTEL - Humanities and Social Sciences - Technical English
Compound Adjectives
G.P.RAGINI
Senior Assistant Professor
School of Humanities and Sciences
SASTRA University
Joint Initiative of IITs and IISc – Funded by MHRD
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NPTEL - Humanities and Social Sciences - Technical English
Table of Contents
1. COMPOUND ADJECTIVES ................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Assignment.......................................................................................................................................... 3
1.2 Answers ............................................................................................................................................... 4
1.3 Reference ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Joint Initiative of IITs and IISc – Funded by MHRD
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NPTEL - Humanities and Social Sciences - Technical English
1. Compound Adjectives
A compound adjective is an adjective which is made up of two parts and usually written
with hyphen. Eg.Well – dressed, never – ending, etc. Its meaning is usually clear from the
word it combines. The second part of the compound adjective is frequently a present or past
participle. A large number of compound adjectives describe personal appearance. Eg.Curly –
haired, thin – lipped, sun – tanned, blue – eyed, long –legged, etc.
Another set of compound adjectives describes a person’s character. Eg.Absent minded, Easy - going, good - tempered, warm – hearted, quick – witted, etc.
The next one is where the second part is a preposition.
Eg.
An all - out strike
A burnt - out car
A broken – down bus
A built – up area
A well – off gentleman
A drive – in - theatre
Some more compound Adjectives
Record – breaking, bullet – proof, long – distance, fool – proof, drip – dry, so – called,
part – time, world – famous, time – consuming, long – standing, interest – free, etc.
You can vary the compound adjectives listed by changing one part of the adjective. Eg.
Curly – haired can be changed as red – haired, straight – haired, etc.
1.1 Assignment
Answer the questions by using a compound adjectives which is opposite in meaning to the
adjective in question. Note that the answer may or may not have the same element as in the
adjective in the question.
1. Isn’t she rather short – sighted
2. Is your brother well behaved
3. Are your shoes high – heeled
Fill each of the blanks to form a new adjective
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
_____________ eyed
_____________ made
_____________ proof
_____________ necked
_____________ headed
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NPTEL - Humanities and Social Sciences - Technical English
6. _____________ hearted
1.2 Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Long - sighted
Badly - behaved
Flat - heeled
Blue – eyed
self – made
fool – proof
Long – necked
Strong – headed
warm – hearted
1.3 Reference
Effective English Communication
Krishna Mohan Meenakshi Raman( Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Co)
Technical Communication MeenakshiRaman Sangeeta Sharma(Oxford University
Press)
Joint Initiative of IITs and IISc – Funded by MHRD
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