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Compound Nouns For Intermediate learners

Understand the structure and usage of compound nouns such as 'notebook' and 'bus stop'. Practical examples and exercises enhance learning.

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What are "Compound Nouns" in English Grammar?

What Are Compound Nouns?

When two or more words are put together and used as a noun in a sentence a 'compound noun' is formed.

Using Compound Nouns

'Compound nouns' are used to make new words with new meanings:

Example

Let's watch football.

Foot (noun) + ball (noun) = football (compound noun)

She is his girlfriend.

Girl (noun) + friend (noun) = girlfriend (compound noun)

How to Make Compound Nouns

There are different ways to make compound nouns. Here are the most common structures:

noun + noun

adjective + noun

noun + verb

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You can see a few examples below:

Example

Air + port → airport

Noun + noun → compound noun

High + school → high school

Adjective + noun → compound nouns

Rain + fall → rainfall

Noun + verb → compound noun

Warning

Regardless of whether a verb, an adjective, or a noun is added to the noun, a compound noun is always considered a noun, rather than a verb or an adjective.

Countable or Uncountable

Compound nouns can be categorized into two groups based on whether they can be counted or not:

Countable compound nouns

Uncountable compound nouns

Example

I found two car parks.

Here the compound noun 'car park' is countable.

I hate fast food.

Here the compound noun 'fast food' is uncountable.

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