How to make a compound adjective

Put in a hyphen! (Spoiler: it should be “built-in.”)

See the difference if you don’t use a hyphen when you should?

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Most compound adjectives are two words connected by a hyphen. But occasionally, more than two words are necessary. Here’s the passage:

So should we use four hyphens? You could.

Separable verbs don’t need hyphens.

She got the verb wrong. Should be “seek out.”

The compound adjective is good, though: “half-dollar.”

End of lesson.

First, let’s look at the comic, specifically the words “to do.” How correct are these, and why?

Okay, the answers:

• Panel 1: Let’s don’t call it a little dash. Call it a hyphen.
• Panel 2: Here “to-do” is a compound noun. The hyphen is okay. (I think she’s using “to-do’s” as an activity, not as punctuation.)
• Panel 3: Here he’s using it as a verb. Should not have a hyphen.
• Final panel: Here “to-do” is a compound adjective. Hyphen is correct.

How did you do?

Diz assumes a hyphen, which would tie “black” and “car” together, making “black car” a compound adjective.

So remember, hyphens tie words (and parts of words) together.