Compound Nouns What is a Compound Noun

Compound nouns are words for people, animals, places, things, or ideas, made up of two or
more words. Most compound nouns are made with nouns that have been modified
by adjectives or other nouns.
In many compound nouns, the first word describes or modifies the second word, giving us
insight into what kind of thing an item is, or providing us with clues about the item’s purpose.
The second word usually identifies the item.
Compound nouns are sometimes one word, like toothpaste, haircut, or bedroom. These are
often referred to as closed or solid compound nouns.
Sometimes compound nouns are connected with a hyphen: dry-cleaning, daughter-in-law, and
well-being are some examples of hyphenated compound nouns.
Sometimes compound nouns appear as two separate words: full moon, Christmas tree, and
swimming pool are some examples of compound nouns that are formed with two separate
words. These are often referred to as open or spaced compound nouns.
Compound Noun Examples

The more you read and write, the more compound noun examples you’ll encounter. The
following sentences are just a few examples of compound nouns. Compound noun examples
have been italicized for easy identification.
Compound nouns can be made with two nouns:
Let’s just wait at this bus stop.
I love watching fireflies on warm summer nights.
While you’re at the store, please pick up some toothpaste, a six-pack of ginger ale, and
some egg rolls.
Compound nouns can be made with an adjective and a noun:
Let’s watch the full moon come up over the mountain.
Please erase the blackboard for me.
Compound nouns can be made with a verb and a noun:
Be sure to add bleach to the washing machine.
Let’s be sure to stay somewhere with a swimming pool.
Compound nouns can be made with a noun and a verb:
He always gets up before sunrise.
I really could use an updated hairstyle.

Compound nouns can be made with a verb and a preposition:

Checkout is at noon.
Please remember to schedule your dog’s annual check-up.
Compound nouns can be made with a noun and a prepositional phrase:
My mother-in-law is the kindest person I know.
Compound nouns can be made with a preposition and a noun:
Do you believe in past lives?
This city is vibrant, so it’s hard to believe it has a thriving criminal underworld.
Compound nouns can be made with a noun and an adjective:
We need a truckful of mulch for the garden.
Compound Nouns Exercises
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 Choose the word that makes each of these nouns into a compound noun.

1. Fund __________ (A – driver, B – seat, C – raiser)

2. News __________ (A– paper, B – story, C – travels)
3. Sun ____________ (A– day, B – glasses, C – heat)
4. Child ___________ (A – hood, B – ren, C – play)
5. Door ___________ (A– frame, B – handle, C – way)
Fill in the blanks to complete each compound noun, or with the one-word compound
noun that fits best.

6. Prevent a heart _________ by eating properly and getting enough exercise. (A – stroke,
B –attack, C – murmur)
7. Do you prefer peppermint or cinnamon flavored _____________? (A– cookies, B –
toothpaste, C – applesauce)
8. The full ___________ looked enormous as it rose over the horizon. (A – moon, B – sun,
C –sunset)
9. I’m going to the barber for a _____________. (A – trim, B – new style, C – haircut)
10. They’re digging a new swimming ____________ in the park. (A – suit, B – pool, C –
game)
11. I’d love to learn to pilot an ____________(A–boat, B – airplane, C – submarine)
12. One reason donuts are fattening is that they’re fried in cooking _____. (A – oil, B –
sugar, C –pans)
13. Sherrie is upset because she lost an ______________. (A – input, B – earring, C –
friendship)
14. We put a ____________ in the garden to chase birds away.(A – runway, B – sunshade,
C –scarecrow)
15. 15.I’ve got to pick up a package at the post ___________. (A – man, B – office, C –
book)

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Answer Key: Answer Key: 1 – C, 2 – A, 3 – B, 4 – A, 5 – C
6 – B, 7 – B, 8 – A, 9 – C, 10 – B, 11 – B, 12 – A, 13 – B, 14 – C, 15 – B

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 Collective Nouns
A collective noun is a word that refers to a group. A collective noun is a collection of things taken as a whole. For
example, a collective noun can represent a group of people, animals, or things. It is important how to identify and
write with collective nouns.

Collective nouns are words for single things that are made up of more than one person, animal, place, thing, or idea.
You can’t have a team without individual members; even so, we discuss a team as a single entity.
Collective Noun Examples

Remember that nouns are words naming people, animals, places, and things. Collective nouns are in a class all their
own. Once you’ve read these examples, you’ll find it much easier to recognize collective nouns when you see them.
 Our class took a field trip to the natural history museum.
 The herd of bison ran across the prairie, leaving a massive dust cloud in its wake.
 We waited anxiously for the jury to come to a verdict.
 This year’s basketball team includes three players who are over six feet tall.
 Napoleon’s army was finally defeated at Waterloo.
 The town council has approved plans to create a new park.
 He comes from a huge family: he’s the oldest of eleven kids.
 The rock group has been on tour for months.
 Everyone in the audience applauded loudly when Elvis appeared on stage.

List of Common Collective Nouns

This list of common collective nouns contains words that describe groups of animals, people, or things. These words
are sometimes interchangeable, and English writers and speakers often use them to describe different things. For
example, the word swarm is usually used to discuss a group of insects such as ants, flies or bees, but many writers
use it to talk about a very busy crowd of people. Once you are familiar with these words, you’ll notice that they are
used in a variety of situations.

 Herd– A group of herbivore animals

 Pack– A group of canine animals such as wolves or dogs; also used to describe playing cards and packages
containing multiple objects
 Flock– A group of birds; also used to discuss small hooved animals such as sheep or goats
 Swarm– A group of insects
 Shoal– A group of fish
 Group – A very general term used to describe people, places, things, and animals
 Crowd – Usually used to describe a group of people
 Gang – Usually used to describe a group of criminals; also used to describe a group of workers, particularly sailors or
dock workers
 Mob – Normally used to describe an angry or unruly group of people; also used to describe a group of kangaroos
 Staff – A group of people who work in the same place
 Crew – Usually used to denote a group of workers; also used to describe aircraft and ships personnel
 Choir – A large, organized group of singers
 Orchestra – A large, organized group of instrumentalists, led by a conductor
 Panel – A group of experts
 Board – A group of people, usually professionals, who take on an advisory role
 Troupe – A group of actors or acrobats; also used to describe a group of monkeys
 Bunch – Usually a group of smallish objects such as grapes, flowers, keys, or bananas
 Pile – An untidy collection of items such as rubbish
 Heap – A mounded collection of items; used interchangeably with “pile”
 Set – A tidy group of matched objects such as dishes; also used to describe rules or a social group of people
 Stack – A group of items neatly laid one on top of another; i.e., a stack of books

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 Series – Used to discuss movies, books, or events that follow one after another, i.e. Star Trek or Harry Potter
 Shower – Usually used to describe rain, although it can be used to describe gifts or compliments
 Fall – Often used to discuss weather, such as rain, snow or hail

What happens if you can’t decide whether a collective noun is singular or plural?
You can use different words to compose your sentence to be sure there is no agreement error. For example, you can
insert the word “members” after a collective noun or use a different word such as “players” instead of “team” or
“zebras” instead of “herd” or “students” instead of “class.” Reread what you have written to be sure it sounds natural,
and give yourself some time to practice. Soon enough you’ll be able to use plural verbs without worrying whether you
have made mistakes.
How to Use Collective Nouns

People who are new to writing often encounter some trouble with sentence agreement when using collective nouns.
This is understandable, because a collective noun can be singular or plural, depending on a sentence’s context. How
do you know if a collective noun is singular? How can you tell if it’s plural? What pronouns and verbs are best for
pairing with the collective noun you’ve chosen?
Here’s a simple trick you can use to decide how to use collective nouns in sentences: Imagine a herd of zebras
grazing peacefully on the savanna. Suddenly, a lion jumps out of a clump of tall grass. What do the zebras do? They
run away as a single unit as they attempt to make a getaway, galloping across the savanna in the same direction.
Often, people behave in the same way, engaging in a single activity in unison with everyone else in their group. When
individuals are in a team, a choir, a committee, or part of any other collective noun, that noun is singular and is paired
with singular pronouns and singular verbs. As you read the examples that follow, notice that each individual who is
part of the collective noun is doing the same action at the same time as others who are part of that collective noun.

 Every morning, the herd follows its leader to the watering hole for a drink.
→ Herd  is a singular collective noun. Follows is a singular verb, and the word its  is a singular pronoun. All the
animals in the herd arrive at the watering hole at the same time.
 Today, Ms. Kennedy’s class takes its SOL test.
→ Class  is a singular collective noun. Takes is a singular verb, and the word its is a singular pronoun. All the
students in Ms. Kennedy’s class are taking the same test at the same time.
 The committee agrees that people are misusing their cell phones, so its verdict is that phones must not be used
during working hours.
→ Committee is a singular collective noun. Agrees  is a singular verb, and the word its is a singular pronoun. All the
members of the committee are thinking alike.
Now imagine three teenagers in the living room. Are they all doing the same thing at once? Not likely! One is
watching TV intently. Another is reading a book and listening to music. The third has one eye on the TV and the other
on his computer. There is a single group of teenagers, but the members of the group are doing different things.
Members of collective nouns can act the same way, as individuals doing their own thing. When members of a
collective noun act as individuals, that collective noun is plural and must be paired with plural pronouns and plural
verbs. As you read the following examples, you’ll notice that members of the collective noun are not functioning in
unison.

 After eight hours sitting in the stuffy courtroom, the jury stretch, look at their watches, and head to their cars for the
commute home.
→ Jury is a plural collective noun in this instance. Stretch, look, and head are plural verbs, and their is a plural
pronoun. The members of the jury are stretching and looking at their individual watches before they head to different
cars to go to their own homes.
 After taking a test, the class start their papers on Shakespeare’s sonnets.
→ Class  is a plural collective noun in this instance. Start  is a plural verb, and their is a plural pronoun. Although the
students are in the same class, they are beginning their own papers on different sonnets written by Shakespeare.

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 Collective Noun Exercises

Each of these sentences contains a collective noun. Select the correct answer from the options that follow
the sentence:

1. Keys, marbles, and rubber bands were just a few of the things in the pile of objects in his drawer.

A – marbles, B – things, C – pile

2. The boys decided to join the navy after graduation.

A – boys, B – navy, C – graduation

3. After the performance, all the actors joined hands and bowed toward the audience.

A – performance, B – actors, C – audience

4. The team celebrated heartily after scoring a winning goal.

A – team, B – winning, C – goal

5. Most of the students on the council are also on the honor roll.

A – students, B – council, C, – honor roll

6. The boat’s crew worked all night to stop the leak.

A – boat’s, B – crew, C – leak

7. The talent show featured several individual performers, along with three bands.

A – show, B – performers, C – bands

8. Our extended family includes great-grandparents and second cousins.

A – family, B – great-grandparents, C – cousins

9. All of the students are attending a school assembly on Friday.

A – students, B – school, C – assembly

10. The senate will be voting on three education funding bills tomorrow.

A – senate, B – bills, C – tomorrow

11. The teachers and administrators held a meeting in the faculty office.

A – teachers, B – administrators, C – faculty

12. The sheep clustered in a tight flock to ward off the cold weather.

A – sheep, B – flock, C – weather

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Answer key: 1 – C, 2 – B, 3 – C, 4 – A, 5 – B, 6 – B, 7 – C, 8 – A, 9 – C, 10 –
A, 11 – C, 12 –B

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 Verbs
What is a verb?

Verbs are the action words in a sentence that describe what the subject is doing. Along with
nouns, verbs are the main part of a sentence or phrase, telling a story about what is taking
place. In fact, without a verb, full thoughts can’t be properly conveyed, and even the simplest
sentences, such as Maria sings, have one. Actually, a verb can be a sentence by itself, with the
subject, in most case you, implied, such as, Sing! and Drive!
When learning the rules of grammar, schoolchildren are often taught that verbs are ‘doing’
words, meaning they signify the part of the sentence which explains the action taking
place: He ran away, she eats chocolate cake on Sundays, the horses gallop across the
fields. Ran, eats and gallop are the ‘action’ parts of those sentences, thus they are the verbs.
However, it can be confusing because not all verbs are easily identifiable as
action: I know your name, Jack thought about it, we considered several applications. These
are non-action verbs, i.e. those that describe a state of being, emotion, possession, sense or
opinion. Other non-action verbs include include love, agree, feel, am, and have.
How to Recognize a Verb
As you can see from the examples above, one clue to help you recognize a verb is its location
compared to the subject. Verbs almost always come after a noun or pronoun. These nouns and
pronouns are referred to as the subject.  The verb thought comes after the noun Jack, so the
action Jack (subject) was taking was thinking (verb).

1. Mark eats his dinner quickly.

2. We went to the market.

3. You write neatly in your notebook.

4. They thought about all the prizes in the competition.

Here are some other ways to recognize verbs in a sentence:

1. If you’re not sure if a word is a verb, ask yourself, “Can I do ______?”

Can I think, wonder, walk, yawn? Yes, so these are verbs.

2. You can also ask, ”What is happening?”

In the sentence Mark eats his dinner quickly, what is happening? Eating is happening, so eating
is the verb.
In the sentence They thought about all the prizes what is happening? Thought (thinking) is
happening, so thought is the verb.

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 Physical Verbs – Definition and Examples

Physical verbs are action verbs. They describe specific physical actions. If you can create a
motion with your body or use a tool to complete an action, the word you use to describe it is
most likely a physical verb. For example, Joe sat in his chair, the dog breathes quickly after
she chases her ball, and should we vote in the election? Even when the action isn’t very
active, if the action is done by the body or a tool, consider it a physical verb.

Physical Verb Examples

The physical verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
 Let’s run to the corner and back.
 I hear the train coming.
 Call me when you’re finished with class.
Mental Verbs – Definition and Examples

Mental verbs have meanings that are related to concepts such as discovering, understanding,
thinking, or planning. In general, a mental verb refers to a cognitive state.

Mental Verb – Definition and Examples

Mental verbs have meanings that are related to concepts such as discovering, understanding,
thinking, or planning. In general, a mental verb refers to a cognitive state.

Mental Verb Examples

The mental verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
 I know the answer.
 She recognized me from across the room.
 Do you believe everything people tell you?
States of Being Verbs – Definition and Examples

Also known as linking verbs, state of being verbs describe conditions or situations that exist.
State of being verbs are inactive since no action is being performed. These verbs, forms of
to be, such as am, is, are, are usually complemented by adjectives.
States of Being Verb Examples
The state of being verbs in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
 I am a student.
 We are circus performers.
 Please is quiet.

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 Types of Verbs

There are many types of verbs. In addition to the main categories of physical verbs, mental
verbs, and state of being verbs, there are several other types of verbs. In fact, there are more
than ten different types of verbs that are grouped together by function.

List of all Verb Types

Action Verbs
Action verbs express specific actions and are used any time you want to show action or discuss
someone doing something.  It’s important to remember that the action does not have to be
physical.
Action verb examples:

1. Run

2. Dance

3. Slide

4. Jump

5. Think

6. Do

7. Go

8. Stand

9. Smile

10. Listen.
The action verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
I run faster than David.
He does it well.
She thinks about poetry all day long
Transitive Verbs
Transitive verbs are action verbs that always express doable activities that relate or affect
someone or something else. These other things are generally direct objects, nouns or pronouns
that are affected by the verb, though some verbs can also take an indirect object, such as show,
take, and make. In a sentence with a transitive verb, someone or something receives the action
of the verb.

Transitive verb examples:

1. Love
2. Respect
3. Tolerate

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4. Believe
5. Maintain.
The transitive verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
Gary ate the cookies.
The transitive verb is ate, Gary is the subject, because it is Gary who is doing the eating,
and the cookies are the direct object, because it is the cookies that are being eaten. Other
examples:
He kicked John.
John punches him.
They sold the tickets.
Examples of verbs used with both direct and indirect objects:
They sell him the tickets.
In this sentence, the tickets are the direct object while him is the indirect object.
Mary baked her mother a pie.
In this sentence, a pie is the direct object while her mother is the indirect object.
Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs are action verbs that always express doable activities. They are different from
transitive verbs because there is no direct object following an intransitive verb.
Intransitive verb examples:
1. Walk
2. Laugh
3. Cough
4. Play
5. Run
The intransitive verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.

We travelled to London.
The intransitive verb is travelled, the subject is we, because we are doing the travelling,
but London is not a direct object because London is not receiving the action of the verb. Other
examples:
I sneeze in the morning.
He arrived with moments to spare.
Kathryn sat away from the others.
John eats before leaving for school.
The last example shows that the verb eats can be both transitive and intransitive depending on
whether there is a direct object or not. If the sentence read: John eats the cookies before
leaving for school, eats would be transitive as there is a direct object – the cookies.
By the way, some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive. These verbs include: start,
leave, change, live, stop.

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 Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs are also known as helping verbs and are used together with a main verb to show
the verb’s tense or to form a question or negative. Common examples of auxiliary verbs
include have, might, will. These auxiliary verbs give some context to the main verb, for example,
letting the reader know when the action took place.
Auxiliary verb examples:
1. Would
2. Should
3. Do
4. Can
5. Did
6. Could
7. May
The auxiliary verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
I will go home after football practice.
The auxiliary verb will is telling us that the action of the main verb go is going to take place in
the future – after football practice has ended. If the auxiliary verb will was removed, we get the
sentence:
I go home after football practice.
In this case, there is no definite time frame for the action. The sentence suggests that going
home after football practice is just something the subject I generally does. Other examples:
I may dance with you later.
We did consider Bryan’s feelings.
Jenny has spoken her final words.
In addition, we can sometimes use the auxiliary very before the pronoun to make a question:
Might you dance with me later?
Did we consider Bryan’s feelings?
Has Jenny spoken her final words?
Also, auxiliary verbs are used to help form negative statements, with the use of words
like not and never. These will usually split the auxiliary and main verbs:
I may never dance with you again.
We did not consider Bryan’s feelings.
Jenny has not spoken her final words.
Stative Verbs
Stative verbs can be recognized because they express a state rather than an action. They
typically relate to thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being, and
measurements. The best way to think about stative verbs is that they are verbs that describe
things that are not actions. The stative verbs are all expressing a state: A state of doubting, a
state of believing, a state of wanting. These states of being are often temporary.
The stative verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
The doctor disagrees with your analysis.
Disagree is a stative verb here, as it describes the doctor’s state of being – disagreement.
John doubts the doctor’s opinion.
I believe the doctor is right.

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 She wanted another opinion.

Modal Verbs
Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that are used to express abilities, possibilities, permissions, and
obligations.
Modal verb examples:
1. Can
2. Must
3. May
4. Should
5. Would
The modal verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
He can shoot a three-point shot easily.
The auxiliary verb can is expressing an ability, suggesting that shooting a three-point shot is a
skill the subject possesses.
Please note that in the case of should and must in the examples below, the modal verbs are
expressing obligations, whereas would and may are expressing possibilities.
I should go home.
You must not delay.
Sally would not recommend the sushi.
David may be late.
Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs aren’t single words; instead, they are combinations of words that are used
together to take on a different meaning to that of the original verb. There are many examples of
phrasal verbs, some of which have colloquial meanings, such as make up, hand in, bring up,
point out, look forward to. Each time the verb takes the extra word(s) it takes on a new meaning.
For example, make without the up expresses that something is being created, whereas
with make up, the suggestion is that there are some lies or a fantastical element to the story
and make out can mean either to grasp or see something difficult, or to kiss passionately.
Phrasal verb examples:
1. Run out
2. Go all out
3. Make out
4. Hand out
5. Bring out
6. Face up
7. Think through
The phrasal verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
Mary looked forward to her high school reunion.
The verb looked has taken on forward to to become a phrasal verb meaning to be excited about
or eagerly await something.
He brought up the same points again and again.
Leroy handed in the wallet to the police.
I make up stories all the time.
She pointed out Donald’s mistake.

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 Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs are those that don’t take on the regular spelling patterns of past simple and past
participle verbs. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of irregular verbs in the English language.
But don’t worry, while many are used often, the majority are not in common usage – or if they
are, you will use them so often you will learn them quickly. Some of the most common irregular
verbs include: say, make, go, take, come, know and see.
Irregular verb examples:
1. Eat
2. Think 
3. Bring
4. Hold
5. Bear
6. Buy
7. Lay
8. Catch
9. Drive
10. Paid
11. Feel
12. Redo
The irregular verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
I take my time when I go to the shops (present tense)
I took my time when I went to the shops (past tense)
Julie makes cake for the classroom (present tense)
Julie made a cake for the classroom (past tense)
She sees a silhouette shaped like a man in the window (present tense)
She saw a silhouette shaped like a man in the window (past tense)
We come to Aunt Jane’s for Thanksgiving each year (present tense)
We came to Aunt Jane’s for Thanksgiving each year (past tense).
You should also remember that auxiliary verbs ‘do’ and ‘have’ are also irregular verbs:
I do agree.
He does it often.
We have done our homework early.
They do their homework on Fridays.
I have a suspicion about Fran
Fran has a devious look.
We have no money left.
They have had a cough twice this winter.

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