How to write "pale blue"? The spelling of complex adjectives is studied in the 6th grade. Repeat the main points of the rule.
When you need to write together
Complex adjectives are written together in such cases:
- formed from phrases (one component obeys the second): chubby - round face, blue-eyed - blue eyes;
- formed from complex nouns that should be written together: a diver, a pedestrian;
- one of the components is not used separately: omnivorous, fleeting;
- the first part is the adverb to “o” or “e”: highly paid, above.
However, the presence of explanatory words requires separate writing: little-studied areas of science.
So, "pale blue" does not fall under the above points. So, you need to investigate the rule further.
When to hyphen
In complex adjective names, a hyphen is used in such cases:
- They are formed from complex nouns that need to be written with a hyphen: southwest - southwest.
- They are formed from a combination of words in which both components are equal: meat and dairy, commercial and industrial.
In this case, instead of a hyphen, you can put "and" or "not only ... but also." Please note: meat and milk - meat and milk ; but sour milk - sour milk (one word is subordinate to the second).
- The compound word begins with mass, military, scientific, educational, popular : mass sports, military medical, scientific, practical, educational, methodical, people's democratic.
An important point: the national economy is written together, because the word is formed from the phrase national economy.
- Components mean heterogeneous signs: feudal serfdom - feudal serfdom, official business - official business.
- The combination of a noun with an adjective, where the components are rearranged: fiction - literary and fiction.
- Shades or combinations of colors: bright green, red-blue, yellow-green-purple.
Snow white means a hue of color, and a hyphen is used here. The word snow-white was formed from the phrase white snow, so it is written together.
The word “pale blue” is hyphenated because it is a shade of color.
Adjectives from proper nouns
We continue to study the rule. We examined the word "pale blue." How is an adjective formed on behalf of its own? It is also important to know.
- Complex adjectives starting in north-, west-, south-, east-, which are part of geographical names, are written with a hyphen: Central European Plain, Republic of South Africa .
- But if the word is a household name, you need to write together: a South African country, a Central European city.
- Compound adjectives, which are formed on behalf of a surname, two surnames, a name and a middle name, are written with a hyphen: Jules Verne novel, Walter Scott character. Both components should be written with a lowercase letter.
We made out the word "pale blue." How to write complex adjectives, we now know - we need to determine how they are formed. But it remains to consider another important point.
A few important points
The rule says that when the first component is an adverb to o or e , the spelling should be fused. But when it is not a complex adjective, but a phrase from an adverb and an adjective / participle, all components are written together.
Compare: socio-historical processes - socially important events, socially useful events.
If this is a separate phrase, an adverb may pose the question: socially important - important to whom? (for society).
After a detailed study of the rule, there are no questions left about how to write “ pale blue” or “bright red”. In most cases, it is enough to ask the question: "Are these equal parts or a phrase?" But if you are at a loss with the answer, often look in the dictionary.