Compound Noun

Prepared by Mr. Meyphalla Oudom

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Introduction to Noun
 A noun is a part of speech that is used to name a person, place,
thing, quality, or action.
 A noun can function as a subject, object, complement,
appositive, or object of a preposition.
 Types of Noun:
 Abstract noun / Concrete nouns
 Animate nouns/Inanimate noun
 Collective noun
 Common noun / Proper nouns
 Compound nouns
 Countable (or count) nouns / Uncountable (or non count)
nouns
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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.
Example:
Underworld
Mother-in-law
Check-out
Haircut
Washing machine
Breakfast
Software
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Types of Compound Nouns
 The solid or closed forms in which two usually
moderately short words appear together as one. Examples:
housewife, lawsuit, wallpaper, basketball, etc.
 The hyphenated form in which two or more words are
connected by a hyphen. This category includes compounds
that contain suffixes, such as house-build(er) and single-
mind(ed)(ness). Compounds that contain articles,
prepositions or conjunctions, such as rent-a-cop
and mother-of-pearl, are also often hyphenated.
 The open or spaced form consisting of newer
combinations of usually longer words, such as distance
learning, player piano, lawn tennis, etc.
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Compound Noun Form and Examples
 Made with two nouns (N + N):
 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.
 Made with an adjective and a noun (Adj + N):
 Let’s watch the full moon come up over the mountain.
 Please erase the blackboard for me.

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Compound Noun Examples
 Made with a verb and a noun (V(-ing) + N):
 Be sure to add bleach to the washing machine.
 Let’s be sure to stay somewhere with a swimming pool.

 Made with a noun and a verb (N + V (-ing)):

 He always gets up before sunrise.
 I really could use an updated hairstyle.
 Made with a verb and a preposition (V + Prep):
 Checkout is at noon.
 Please remember to schedule your dog’s annual check-up.

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Compound Noun Examples
 made with a noun and a prepositional phrase (N + Prep
Phr):
 My mother-in-law is the kindest person I know.
 Made with a preposition and a noun (Prep + N):
 Do you believe in past lives?
 This city is vibrant, so it’s hard to believe it has a thriving
criminal underworld.
 Made with a noun and an adjective (N + Adj):
 We need a truckful of mulch for the garden.
 This is a truthful information.

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Plurals
 The process of making compound nouns plural has its
own set of conventions to follow. In all forms of
compound nouns, we pluralize the chief element of a
compound word (i.e., we pluralize the primary noun of the
compound).
 fisherman → fishermen
 black bird → black birds
 brother-in-law → brothers-in-law
 The word hand-me-down doesn’t have a distinct primary
noun, so its plural is hand-me-downs.

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