English Grammar 101 - Nouns, Lesson 6: Compound Nouns (2024)

FAQs

English Grammar 101 - Nouns, Lesson 6: Compound Nouns? ›

When a compound noun is a single word, make it plural by adding s to the end. If the compound noun is hyphenated or composed of two separate words, remember to add s only to the word that is plural. (There are two mothers, not two laws.) (There are two directors, not two generals.)

Compound nouns can be formed in different ways. The most common way is to put two nouns together (noun + noun); other common types are adjective + noun and verb + noun.

It defines a compound noun as 'a noun, an adjective or a verb made of two or more words or parts of words, written as one or more words, or joined by a hyphen. Travel agent, dark-haired and bathroom are all compound nouns.'

Compound Nouns Examples

Washing machine, Greenhouse, Dining – table, Bus stop, Swimming pool, Sunrise, Sunset, Blackboard, Whiteboard, Mother – in – law, Output, Check – out, Check-in, Haircut, Hotspot, Smartphone, Hardware, Long lasting, Underline, Underground, Shutdown, Input, Overthrow.

They normally have two parts. The first part tells us what kind of object or person it is, or what its purpose is. The second part identifies the object or person in question. Compound nouns often have a meaning that is different, or more specific, than the two separate words.

In the phrase cold water, cold is an adjective that describes the noun water. However, ice cream is a compound noun because ice is not an adjective describing cream. The two words work together to create a single noun. To check the spelling of a compound noun, look it up in the dictionary.

The word 'birthday' is a compound word. This word is the combination of the words 'birth' and 'day. ' Since both 'birth' and 'day' function as base words on their own, combined, they create a compound word, one word with one meaning.

Yes, “butterfly” is a compound word made up of the words “butter” and “fly.” It's a closed compound word because in order to achieve the proper meaning of the noun, the two words function together without a space.

“Mother-in-law” is a hyphenated compound noun.

Is homework a compound noun? ›

For example, homework is a compound word. It is made up of the words home and work.

The open compound word 'swimming pool' is formed by joining the verb 'swimming' and the noun 'pool'.

Compound words occur when two or more words combine to form one individual word or a phrase that acts as one individual word. Common examples of compound words include ice cream, firefighter, and up-to-date.

“Ice cream” is a compound noun that is formed with two separate words (some compound nouns remove the space, as in “milkman” or “firetruck”). The frozen dessert treat we call “ice cream” should be written as two words, not one (“icecream” is never correct).

Compound words should be hyphenated when they come before a noun or when two nouns combine to make a verb. Also, if you're making up compound words to add color to your writing, you should use a hyphen. If you are not sure about whether or not to use a hyphen, it is best to consult a dictionary.

Compound nouns formed by verb + noun or noun + verb do not require hyphens, unless the verb has a suffix: rattlesnake, roadblock, sunrise. If an inflected verb appears as the first element, the result is presented as two words (i.e. no hyphen is required): flying saucer, washing machine, swimming pool.

A compound noun is a noun phrase made up of two nouns, e.g. bus driver, in which the first noun acts as a sort of adjective for the second one, but without really describing it. (For example, think about the difference between a black bird and a blackbird.)