4. Grammar: Ways to Make a Technical Text Concise

Maybe you have noticed that in the text on p. 74, there are some hyphenated adjectives. These are adjectives consisting of two or more parts connected via a hyphen. They are often used in technical texts because they have the capability of making such texts more concise, i.e. brief but still understandable. This is achieved by converting information originally expressed as a complex noun phrase or a relative clause to a condensed form. For example:

1) The building with an area of 167 square metres is made of wood.

The 167-square-metre building is made of wood.

 A phrase becoming a hyphenated attributive adjective

2) There are 240 sensors, which measure displacement.

There are 240 displacement sensors.

 A clause becoming a noun as an attributive adjective

Notice that in the first example, there is no plural “s” because “167-square-metre” in the phrase “167-square-metre building” functions as an adjective, not a noun. Unlike nouns, English adjectives do not make plurals.

There are more types of hyphenated adjectives, as there are more grammar forms that can be used to form them. For example:

A noun + past participle:        a wind-powered turbine

A noun + present participle:   a motion-detecting device

A numeral + noun/unit:          a twelve-centimetre screw

You came with these hyphenated adjectives in Unit 8b, where you had a chance to study this grammar overview. If necessary, go through this grammar overview again and revise hyphenated adjectives by completing this matching task and this gap-fill task. Finally, use hyphenated adjectives in a short text here.