Compound nouns are usually comprised of
two parts:
haircut, classroom, toothpaste, ice cream, rain forest
three parts:
father-in-law, bride-to-be
four parts:
stick-in-the-mud
They are pronounced with the stress on the first syllable.
We also have SINGLE-WORD COMPOUND NOUNS despite them being formed from two words:
a cupboard, raincoat, typewriter
NOUNS formed with ADJECTIVE + NOUN
We have to remember that if you separate them an adjective will describe a noun!
a greenhouse (noun) but a green house (adjective + noun)
NOUNS formed with GERUND + NOUN
The meaning is ‘something which is used for doing something’
NOUNS FORMED WITH NOUN + GERUND
the meaning is ‘the action of’
problem-solving, ship-building, film-making
NOUNS FORMED WITH ADVERB PARTICLES
This type of a compound noun combines a verb and an adverb particle
outcome, showdown, letdown
NOUNS FORMED WITH NOUN + NOUN
In this case, two nouns form a compound noun. The first noun, also known as a noun modifier, usually is in the singular and it functions like an adjective. This category includes the following:
- IN PLACE OF PHRASES WITH OF
As you know when a non-living thing is a part of another thing we can use of: the lock of the door, the cover of the book, the key of the car. This sounds quite emphatic though. So a compound noun is used instead for things that are closely associated.
The lock of the door becomes a door lock
The cover of the book becomes a book cover
The key of the car becomes a car key
- WHICH REFER TO PLACE
The first word refers to a place and the second word refers to something that is not a place. Both words are closely associated. They are not hyphenated but are stressed in speech.
A bar counter, a playground swing, a garage floor
Place names are also included in it: Paris airport, Cuenca Train Station
- WHICH REFER TO STREET AND ROADS
The stress falls on the first syllable when we use the word street. When we use the word road both words are stressed. Compund nouns in this case are not hyphenated.
Butcher street, Cambridge street
Sydney road, Sicily road
- WHICH TELL US ABOUT PURPOSE
The second word informs us about a use relating to the first word. The use of hyphen is optional.
A parking spot, a can-opener, a guard dog
- WHICH TELL US ABOUT MATERIALS AND SUBSTANCES
The first word refers to a substance or material. The second word refers to something made of that substance or material.
A plastic bottle, a silk scarf, a cotton shirt
- WHICH CLASSIFY TYPES
They include both things and people. The first word a kind of something which is indicated by the second word.
A summer wedding, a chick flick, a street lamp, a road rage
a taxi-driver, a bank manager, a street vendor
a gas boiler, a vacuum cleaner, a coffee machine
sometimes the way we stress certain words changes the meaning:
a ‘French teacher – the stress falls on French which means the one who teaches French
a French ‘teacher – the stress fall on techer which means the one who is French
- WHICH REFER TO CONTAINERS
The second word contains the first one
a coffee mug, a water jug, a wine barrel
- WHICH RELATE TO TIME
There are multiple combinations of compound nouns that relate to time, either the time an activity takes place or its duration
a morning jog, a Friday party, a four-hour debate
an evening gown, a day trip, a night driver
- FORMED WITH SELF, MAN, WOMAN, PERSON
self is not stressed. The stress falls on the second word.
Self-amusement, self-control, self-respect
man/woman is stressed.
A policeman/policewoman, a gentleman/gentlewoman, a workman
In some cases word man/woman is replaced by person
a chairperson
- PROPER NOUNS WITH 2 OR MORE PARTS
an Apple smart watch, a Microsoft phone, Macmillan books