Compound nouns
grammar rules

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Compound nouns

A compound noun is a noun that is formed from two or more unique words and has a more specific meaning than the separate words. The compound word can be written as separate words (mother tongue), as a single word (grandmother) or with hyphens (mother-in-law).

Types of compound nouns

  • Open compound nouns (swimming pool, first aid, hot dog)
  • Closed compound nouns (grandmother, snowball, railway)
  • Hyphenated compound nouns (mother-in-law, merry-go-round)

Open compound nouns

The open compound noun is made up of two words that are written as separate words but their combination creates a new, single meaning.

air force, fairy tale, street lamp, goose bumps

Closed compound nouns

The closed compound noun combines two words that are written as one word with a new meaning.

banknote, honeymoon, painkiller, password, rainbow, runway

Hyphenated compound nouns

The hyphenated compound noun is a combination of two or more words that are connected with hyphens. They are less common in modern English than in the past.

co-worker, passer-by, runner-up, word-of-mouth

Compound words in transition

There are no clear rules how to form a compound noun in English. With the relaxed attitude toward spelling, a lot of compound nouns gradually develop. A good dictionary will help you to find out how to write a compound word.

all right | alright
back yard | back-yard | backyard
check in | check-in

Video on compound nouns

  • A five-minute video by a native speaker for intermediate or higher levels.

Exercises on compound nouns:

Compound nouns exercises

  • PDF worksheets to download
  • online exercises with answers

See also:

English nouns Countable and uncountable nouns, singular and plural nouns, proper nouns and group nouns.

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