TYPICAL ERROR My sister in law works as a part time teacher.
CORRECTION My sister-in-law works as a part-time teacher.
EXPLANATION One way of making up (or coining) words is to place a hyphen between two or more existing words, thereby showing a joint concept. Joining things together is called compounding, so these words are compound words.
Many hyphenated compound words are in everyday use, particularly as adjectives. The hyphen ensures that there is no doubting the intended link between the hyphenated words. Compare these pairs of sentences.
- He works part time. He is a part-time teacher.
- She likes to make believe she is a princess. In her make-believe world, chocolates grow on trees.
- I like to keep my mind open to new ideas. I try to be open-minded.
- The campers were ill prepared for a cold snap. The ill-prepared campers suffered a miserable night because of the cold.
- Our business is driven by pressure to get results. In our business, results-driven pressure is passed down the chain of command.
Find a hyphenated adjective to convey the following.