COMPOUND NOUNS
Form
Usually a noun with another term placed before it in a very close syntactic and semantic relationship.
| adjective + noun | remote control |
| verb (-ing) + noun | nursing home |
| noun + noun | health care |
| noun + verb (-ing) | home sharing |
| verb + preposition | check-out |
| preposition + noun | inmate |
Spelling
- Spaced: with a space between the two words
➤ nursing home - Hyphenated: with a hyphen between the words
➤ check-out - Closed: with no space between the two words
➤ inmate
Note
There are sometimes differences between British and American English and there are no definite rules as it is often a matter of style.
Plurals
- Generally by adding an -s to the base word, i.e. the most significant word, e.g. remote controls, nursing homes, inmates
- When the compound is made of two nouns, the first is treated like an adjective
- Some compounds have no obvious base, so it is necessary to look up in a dictionary, e.g. check-outs
Pronunciation
- The preferred stress pattern for compounds is on the first item:
➤ health care
15 Listen to the following words and underline the main stress.
1. remote control
2. nursing home
3. home sharing
4. check-out
5. inmate
16 With the help of a dictionary make compounds with the words health and care.
| Health | Care | Care |
|---|---|---|
| health care | day care | care service |
17 Make the plural of the words in Activity 16 when possible.