{"id":273137,"date":"2026-09-06T03:00:07","date_gmt":"2026-09-06T08:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/langcom.org\/?p=273137"},"modified":"2026-09-06T03:00:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-06T08:00:07","slug":"compound-adjectives-b2-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langcom.org\/pt\/blog\/compound-adjectives-b2-first\/","title":{"rendered":"Mastering B2 Compound Adjectives: Describing with Precision"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"lc-answer\"><strong>Compound adjectives combine two or more words to act as a single adjective, often connected by a hyphen, making your descriptions more precise and efficient.<\/strong> They allow you to pack more information into fewer words, creating richer and more natural-sounding English. For example, instead of saying <span data-no-translation>&#8220;a person who has a kind heart,&#8221;<\/span> you can simply say <span data-no-translation>&#8220;a kind-hearted person.&#8221;<\/span> These adjectives are essential for B2 learners to describe people, places, and things with greater detail and sophistication. You will encounter them frequently in reading and listening, and using them correctly will significantly improve your writing and speaking. Mastering compound adjectives helps you express complex ideas clearly, making your English sound more fluent and advanced. This skill is crucial for B2 level communication, enabling you to convey nuanced meanings and impress examiners in tests like the B2 First, where descriptive language is highly valued.<\/div>\n<h2>What Are Compound Adjectives?<\/h2>\n<p>A compound adjective is a single adjective made from two or more words. These words work together to describe a noun.<\/p>\n<p>They are usually connected by a hyphen (<span data-no-translation>&#8211;<\/span>) when they come before the noun. This hyphen shows that the words form one idea.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>a well-known singer<\/span> (n\u00e3o <span data-no-translation>a well known singer<\/span>)<\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>a twenty-minute break<\/span> (n\u00e3o <span data-no-translation>a twenty minute break<\/span>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"lc-cta lc-cta-placement\" style=\"border-radius:14px;padding:30px;margin:30px 0;text-align:center;color:#fff;background:linear-gradient(135deg,#2B87DA,#29C4A9);\"><h3 style=\"color:#fff;font-size:22px;font-weight:800;margin:0 0 8px;\">\u270d\ufe0f N\u00e3o sabe em que n\u00edvel voc\u00ea est\u00e1?<\/h3><p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;opacity:.95;\">Fa\u00e7a nosso teste de nivelamento gratuito e receba um feedback personalizado de examinadores certificados pela Cambridge.<\/p><a href=\"\/pt\/ingles\/academia\/teste-gratuito\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;margin-top:8px;padding:13px 30px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;background:#0A2540;color:#fff;\">Fa\u00e7a nosso teste de nivelamento GRATUITO<\/a><\/div>\n<h2>Common Types of Compound Adjectives<\/h2>\n<p>Compound adjectives follow several common patterns. Understanding these patterns helps you recognize and form them correctly.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Adjective + Past Participle:<\/strong> Describes a state or quality.\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>well-known<\/span> (<span data-no-translation>a well-known author<\/span>)<\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>old-fashioned<\/span> (<span data-no-translation>an old-fashioned dress<\/span>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Adjective + Present Participle:<\/strong> Describes an ongoing action or characteristic.\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>good-looking<\/span> (<span data-no-translation>a good-looking person<\/span>)<\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>long-lasting<\/span> (<span data-no-translation>a long-lasting friendship<\/span>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Noun + Past Participle:<\/strong> Often describes something made or affected by the noun.\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>handmade<\/span> (<span data-no-translation>a handmade gift<\/span>)<\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>sun-dried<\/span> (<span data-no-translation>sun-dried tomatoes<\/span>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Noun + Present Participle:<\/strong> Describes something that performs the action of the noun.\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>man-eating<\/span> (<span data-no-translation>a man-eating tiger<\/span>)<\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>record-breaking<\/span> (<span data-no-translation>a record-breaking achievement<\/span>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Number + Noun (singular):<\/strong> Describes a quantity or duration. Remember the noun is always singular.\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>a twenty-minute journey<\/span> (n\u00e3o <span data-no-translation>twenty-minutes<\/span>)<\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>a five-star hotel<\/span> (n\u00e3o <span data-no-translation>five-stars<\/span>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Adverb + Past Participle:<\/strong> Describes how something is done or its condition.\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>fully-booked<\/span> (<span data-no-translation>a fully-booked restaurant<\/span>)<\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>well-dressed<\/span> (<span data-no-translation>a well-dressed man<\/span>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Why Use Compound Adjectives?<\/h2>\n<p>Using compound adjectives makes your English more concise and precise. They help you communicate complex ideas efficiently.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Conciseness:<\/strong> Combine several words into one descriptive unit.\n<ul>\n<li>Instead of: <span data-no-translation>She is a woman who has a very open mind.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Use: <span data-no-translation>She is an open-minded woman.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Precision:<\/strong> Add specific details that single adjectives cannot convey alone.\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>a blue-eyed cat<\/span> tells you more than just <span data-no-translation>a blue cat<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Natural English:<\/strong> They are very common in native speaker language, making your speech and writing sound more fluent and advanced.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How Do Compound Adjectives Describe People and Things?<\/h2>\n<p>Compound adjectives are incredibly useful for describing both physical characteristics and personality traits of people, as well as features of objects.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>For People's Appearance:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>She has long, dark hair.<\/span> \u2192 <span data-no-translation>She is a long-haired, dark-haired woman.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>He has blue eyes.<\/span> \u2192 <span data-no-translation>He is a blue-eyed man.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>She uses her left hand.<\/span> \u2192 <span data-no-translation>She is left-handed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>For People's Character:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>He is often absent in mind.<\/span> \u2192 <span data-no-translation>He is an absent-minded person.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>She has a bad temper.<\/span> \u2192 <span data-no-translation>She is bad-tempered.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>He thinks broadly.<\/span> \u2192 <span data-no-translation>He is broad-minded.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>For Things and Experiences:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>a last-minute decision<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>a well-paid job<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>a state-of-the-art device<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table>\n<caption>Common Compound Adjective Patterns<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Pattern<\/th>\n<th>Exemplo<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Adjective + Past Participle<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>well-known<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Adjective + Present Participle<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>good-looking<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Noun + Past Participle<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>handmade<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Noun + Present Participle<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>man-eating<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Number + Noun (singular)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>a five-star hotel<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-no-translation>Adverb + Past Participle<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-no-translation>fully-booked<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Exemplos<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-no-translation>My sister is a kind-hearted, curly-haired woman.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>They live in a well-decorated, two-story house.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>The company offers a twenty-four-hour customer service line.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>He bought a second-hand car that was still in good condition.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>The decision was a last-minute change to the plan.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>She is a highly-motivated employee who always meets her deadlines.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>We stayed at a five-star hotel during our vacation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-no-translation>The new film is a thought-provoking drama.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Pr\u00e1tica<\/h2>\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-954\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"954\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"FCE01 L8 GRAMMAR Compound adjectives\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"lc-cta lc-cta-exam\" style=\"border-radius:14px;padding:30px;margin:30px 0;text-align:center;color:#fff;background:#0A2540;\"><h3 style=\"color:#F2B705;font-size:22px;font-weight:800;margin:0 0 8px;\">Pronto para receber seu certificado?<\/h3><p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;opacity:.92;\">O curso Langcom prepara os alunos para os exames de Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL, DELE, SIELE e Michigan.<\/p><a href=\"\/pt\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;margin-top:8px;padding:13px 30px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;background:#F2B705;color:#0A2540;\">Comece a usar o Langcom<\/a><\/div>\n<h2>Erros comuns entre falantes de espanhol<\/h2>\n<p>Spanish speakers sometimes make specific errors with compound adjectives. Be aware of these common pitfalls:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Missing Hyphens:<\/strong> Remember to use a hyphen when the compound adjective comes *before* the noun.\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Correto:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>She is a well-known actress.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Incorreto:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>She is a well known actress.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Correct (no hyphen needed):<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>The actress is well known.<\/span> (Here, \"well known\" is a predicate adjective, not a compound adjective modifying the noun directly.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Plural Nouns in Number + Noun Compounds:<\/strong> In Spanish, you might say \"veinte minutos.\" However, in English compound adjectives, the noun part is always singular.\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Correto:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>a ten-minute break<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Incorreto:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>a ten-minutes break<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Correto:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>a three-day trip<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Incorreto:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>a three-days trip<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Incorrect Word Order:<\/strong> Compound adjectives always come before the noun they describe.\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Correto:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>a blue-eyed cat<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Incorreto:<\/strong> <span data-no-translation>a cat blue-eyed<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Perguntas frequentes<\/h2>\n<h3>What is a compound adjective?<\/h3>\n<p>A compound adjective is an adjective made of two or more words, usually joined by a hyphen, that acts as a single descriptor for a noun. For example, <span data-no-translation>long-haired<\/span> describes someone's hair.<\/p>\n<h3>When should I use a hyphen with compound adjectives?<\/h3>\n<p>You generally use a hyphen when the compound adjective comes *before* the noun it modifies, as in <span data-no-translation>a well-written essay<\/span>. If it comes after the noun, like <span data-no-translation>The essay was well written<\/span>, you usually don't need a hyphen.<\/p>\n<h3>Can compound adjectives describe feelings or abstract concepts?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, absolutely! Many compound adjectives describe character traits or abstract qualities, such as <span data-no-translation>open-minded<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>self-confident<\/span>, ou <span data-no-translation>thought-provoking<\/span>.<\/p>\n<h3>How are compound adjectives useful for the B2 First exam?<\/h3>\n<p>Compound adjectives are excellent for showing a wider range of vocabulary and more sophisticated sentence structures in your B2 First writing tasks, like essays or reviews. They help you describe people, places, and experiences more vividly and concisely, which can earn you higher marks for Lexical Resource.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Compound adjectives combine two or more words to act as a single adjective, often connected by a hyphen, making your descriptions more precise and efficient. They allow you to pack more information into fewer words, creating richer and more natural-sounding English. For example, instead of saying &#8220;a person who has a kind heart,&#8221; you can [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":192,"featured_media":273950,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"bwfblock_default_font":"","langcom_teaches":"Compound adjectives","langcom_cefr":"B2","langcom_type":"grammar","langcom_faq":"[{\"q\": \"What is a compound adjective?\", \"a\": \"<p>A compound adjective is an adjective made of two or more words, usually joined by a hyphen, that acts as a single descriptor for a noun. For example, <span data-no-translation>long-haired<\/span> describes someone's hair.<\/p>\"}, {\"q\": \"When should I use a hyphen with compound adjectives?\", \"a\": \"<p>You generally use a hyphen when the compound adjective comes *before* the noun it modifies, as in <span data-no-translation>a well-written essay<\/span>. If it comes after the noun, like <span data-no-translation>The essay was well written<\/span>, you usually don't need a hyphen.<\/p>\"}, {\"q\": \"Can compound adjectives describe feelings or abstract concepts?\", \"a\": \"<p>Yes, absolutely! Many compound adjectives describe character traits or abstract qualities, such as <span data-no-translation>open-minded<\/span>, <span data-no-translation>self-confident<\/span>, or <span data-no-translation>thought-provoking<\/span>.<\/p>\"}, {\"q\": \"How are compound adjectives useful for the B2 First exam?\", \"a\": \"<p>Compound adjectives are excellent for showing a wider range of vocabulary and more sophisticated sentence structures in your B2 First writing tasks, like essays or reviews. They help you describe people, places, and experiences more vividly and concisely, which can earn you higher marks for Lexical Resource.<\/p>\"}]","_kiss_seo_title":"","_kiss_seo_excerpt":"Compound adjectives combine two or more words to act as a single adjective, often connected by a hyphen, making your descriptions more precise and...","_mwseo_canonical":"","_mwseo_keywords":"","_mwseo_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[620],"tags":[924,651],"formats":[],"class_list":["post-273137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-b2-first-fce","tag-compound-adjectives","tag-grammar"],"dsm_author":{"name":"Ra\u00fal","avatar_url":"https:\/\/langcom.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/nsl_avatars\/1de86ea706740d324aaef3dd8bf0843b.png","archive_link":"https:\/\/langcom.org\/pt\/blog\/author\/raulmaguinahamann\/","biodata":""},"dsm_categories":[{"term_name":"B2 First 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