Spelling Rule (compound Words)

SPELLING RULE (COMPOUND WORDS) Nur Amanina Binti Ibrahim

 In

English, words, particularly adjectives and nouns, are combined into compound structures in a variety of ways.  Once they are formed, they sometimes metamorphose over time. eg: 2 words - fire & fly will be joined by a hyphen for a time - fire-fly then be joined into one word - firefly  There is only one sure way to know how to spell compounds in English: use an authoritative dictionary.

Forms of compound words  Closed

form - the words are melded together firefly, secondhand, softball, childlike, crosstown, redhead, keyboard, makeup, notebook  Hyphenated form daughter-in-law, master-at-arms, over-thecounter, six-pack, six-year-old, mass-produced  Open form - written as separate words post office, real estate, middle class, full moon, half sister, attorney general

Compound adjectives  Compound

adjectives are hyphenated when they appear before nouns cross-country trip, full-length mirror, halfbaked  When compounded modifiers precede a noun, they are often hyphenated part-time teacher, fifty-yard-wide field, fireresistant curtains, high-speed chase  When those same modifying words come after the noun, however, they are not hyphenated a field fifty yards wide

 Comparative

and superlative forms of adjectives are hyphenated when compounded with other modifiers the highest-priced car, the shorter-term loan  When a compound adjective is temporary and not in the dictionary, it is customary to hyphenate it horseshoe-shaped driveway, top-ranked athlete, velvet-trimmed coat  Using a hyphen is especially important if the compound adjective could mislead a reader - fast-moving van means a van that is going fast - fast moving van means a moving van that is going fast

Compound adverbs  Most

compound adverbs are written as two words distributed all over, going full speed  Adverbial compounds beginning with over or under are spelled solid overeagerly, underhandedly  Adverbial compounds consisting of spelled-out fractions are hyphenated two-thirds completed  Adverbs, words ending in -ly, are not hyphenated when compounded with other modifiers a highly rated bank, a partially refunded ticket, publicly held securities

Plurals  For

hyphenated forms, the pluralizing -s is usually attached to the element that is actually being pluralized daughters-in-law, half-moons, mayors-elect  Hyphenated and open compounds are regularly made plural by the addition of the plural inflection to the element that is subject to the change in number fathers-in-law, sergeants-in-arms, doctors of philosophy, courts-martial

 As

a general rule, the plural form of an element in a hierarchical term belongs to the base element in the term, regardless of the base element's placement: - first sergeants - sergeants major - sergeants first class - colonel generals [Russian] - lieutenant generals - lieutenant colonels - master mechanics - deputy librarians - deputy assistant secretaries of state

Compounds with Prefixes  With

a handful of exceptions, compounds created by the addition of a prefix are not hyphenated antisocial, binomial, biochemistry, coordinate, extraordinary, interrelated, macroeconomics, metaphysical, midtown, multicultural, postwar, preconference, reunify, semiconductor, socioeconomic, supertanker, transatlantic, unnatural, underdeveloped

Exceptions include  compounds in which the second element is capitalized or a number anti-Semitic, pre-1998, post-Freudian  compounds which need hyphens to avoid confusion un-ionized (as distinguished from unionized)  compounds in which a vowel would be repeated (especially to avoid confusion) semi-independent, anti-intellectual  compounds consisting of more than one word non-English-speaking, pre-Civil War  compounds that would be difficult to read without a hyphen pro-life, pro-choice, co-edited