Compound nouns are words that normally have two parts.
The first part shows what
type of person or object it is, or what its function is. The second part classifies the
named person or object in question. Compound nouns may be written in three
different ways:
as one word. two words with a hyphen. two separate words.
raincoat dry-cleaning post office
Compound nouns can be formed by using a combination of words like the following :
Adjective + adjective sad-eyed
Adjective + verb highlight
Adjective + noun bluebird
Adjective + preposition made-up
Noun + adjective worldwide
Noun + preposition runner-up
Noun + verb rainfall
Noun + noun raincoat
Preposition + adjective underdeveloped
Preposition + noun underground
Preposition + verb underline
Preposition + preposition within
Verb + adjective fallout
Verb + noun worksheet
Verb + preposition takeout
Verb + verb freeze-dry
Compound nouns are usually stressed on the first word (or syllable).
Example: bluebird (a type of a bird) - blue bird (any bird with blue feathers)
iSLCollective.com
ACTIVITY 1
A Match the columns to form one word compound nouns . Then, match to the pictures:
1) fire a) house
2) green b) ball
3) hair c) sheet
4) grass d) paste
5) under e) food
6) sea f) fly
7) note g) clothes
8) tooth h) hopper
9) work i) book
10) foot j) cut
B Match the columns to form compound nouns written with a hyphen:
1) mother a) rise
2) upside b) confident
3) matter c) in-law
4) high d) out
5) self e) up
6) close f) by
7) passer g) spoken
8) soft h) of-fact
9) worn i) up
10) runner j) down
C Match the columns to form compound nouns written as two words:
1) school a) shop
2) waiting b) president
3) shoe c) handed
4) fish d) year
5) full e) moon
6) vice f) tank
7) left g) estate
8) living h) room
9) water i) room
10) real j) tank
iSLCollective.com
ACTIVITY 2 Fill in the sentences with a compound noun of the word given
1. Don’t forget your ____________________. It’s pouring out!
rain 2. _________________ appear when the sun comes out after a storm.
3. Hades was the ancient god of the ___________________________.
under 4. Many countries in the world are still ___________________________.
5. That’s a beautiful _________________that you’ve covered your bed
bed with.
6. That house is enormous! It’s got seven _________________ .
7. The new _____________ is very strict with both students and teachers.
head 8. Can I have some aspirin? I’ve got a terrible_________________ .
9. When is your ________________? Mine is in May.
birth 10. This brown spot is my ________________ . I was born with it.
Activity 3- Fill in the blanks with a compound noun:
1. I’m going to the ________________ to pick up my friend. The plane lands in an hour.
2. Can you get me a ____________________, please? I’d like to read the ads. I’m looking
for a new flat.
3. The door’s stuck again. I really need to put a new ____________________ in.
4. She’s extremely __________________________. Nothing shakes her!
5. I like your new ______________________. Short hair really suits you!
6. The new _______________________ is very mean. She always shouts at the pupils!
7. Can you pick up some _____________________? We’ve run out so I can’t brush my teeth.
8. When you have finished this ____________________ you may leave the class.
9. Jeremy was the first _________________________in the competition..
10. I’ve just bought a new ________________________ for my goldfish.
Activity 4 Write sentences using the following words:
1) afterthought - _______________________________________________________________
2) day-care - ___________________________________________________________________
3) schoolmate - ________________________________________________________________
4) clean-cut - __________________________________________________________________
5) life-size - ___________________________________________________________________
6) narrow-minded -_____________________________________________________________
7) life span - ___________________________________________________________________
8) voice mail - __________________________________________________________________
9) day-to-day -_________________________________________________________________
10) greenhouse - _______________________________________________________________
iSLCollective.com
ACTIVITY 1
A 1- f B 1-c 1-d
2-a 2-j 2-h
3- j 3-h 3-a
4- h 4-a 4-f
5-g 5-b 5-e
6-e 6-e 6-b
7-i 7-f 7-c
8-d 8-g 8-h
9-c 9-d 9-j
10-b 10-i 10-g
ACTIVITY 2
1. raincoat 2. rainbows 3. underworld 4. underdeveloped 5. bedspread
6. bedrooms 7. headmaster 8. headache 9.birthday 10.birthmark
ACTIVITY 3
1. airport
2. newspaper
3. doorknob
4. self-confident
5. haircut
6. schoolteacher
7. toothpaste
8. worksheet
9. runner-up
10. fish tank
ACTIVITY 4 – free writing
iSLCollective.com
iSLCollective.com
