Question about compound words ?
What is the difference or when I should use the
"closed compound word",
"open compound word",
A hyphenated compound word"

I understood that I should use a hyphenated compound word if there is a noun before the compound word.
EX : The author was well known.

But what about the others, "closed compound word", and the
"open compound word",

Question

Question about compound words ?
What is the difference or when I should use the 
"closed compound word", 
"open compound word", 
A hyphenated compound word"

I understood that I should use a hyphenated compound word if there is a noun before the compound word. 
EX : The author was well known.

But what about the others,  "closed compound word", and the
"open compound word",

Answer

Sorry: you're wasting your time with this one.

The simple answer is that you'll have to either learn them as you go, or use your own sense.  Decide whether fusing the two words together or adding in a hyphen will make sense or not.  If you want a magical grammar rule to save you, it simply doesn't exist.

The reason behind this is, that you're seeing a part of language in evolution.  Some words are first tied together with a hyphen, then later become single words (examples such as today, teapot and yearbook come to mind... these used to be hyphenated). Some words simply cannot become fused into one, because it looks plain silly or confusing. In some cases the first word must stay completely separate and act as an adjective or adverb.

Your best option is to read, read and read.  Learn to understand it as you go.

Answers · 1

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