A noun is the word that refers to a person, thing or abstract idea.

There are several different types of noun:-

 There are common nouns such as dog, car, chair etc.

 Nouns that refer to things which can be counted (can be singular or plural) are
countable nouns.
 Nouns that refer to some groups of countable nouns, substances, feelings and
types of activity (can only be singular) are uncountable nouns.
 Nouns that refer to a group of people or things are collective nouns.
 Nouns that are made up of two or more words are called compound nouns.
 Nouns that are formed from a verb by adding -ing are called gerunds
A compound noun is a noun that is made up of
two or more words. Most compound nouns in
English are formed by nouns modified by
other nouns or adjectives.
 For example:

• The words tooth and paste are each nouns in their own right,
but if you join them together they form a new word -
toothpaste.
• The word black is an adjective and board is a noun, but if you
join them together they form a new word - blackboard.
Compound nouns can also be formed
using the following combinations of words:
Noun + Noun Toothpaste

Adjective + Noun Micro organism

Verb + Noun Washing machine

Preposition + Noun Underground

Noun + Verb Homework

Adjective + Verb Dry-cleaning

Preposition + Verb output

The two parts of Compound Nouns are
written in many ways:

1. Sometimes the two words are joined together.

Example: tooth + paste = toothpaste
bed + room = bedroom
2. Sometimes they are joined using a hyphen.
Example: check-in
3. Sometimes they appear as two separate words.
Example: full moon
 We can use adjectives to describe an object
light electric light
a motor an electric motor
steel stainless steel
gears strong gears

We can use Nouns to describe an object

light laser light
a motor an air motor
steel carbon steel
gears titanium gears
 Thereare many relationships are
possible in Compound Nouns.

For example:
an air motor a motor which uses air

Carbon steel Steel which contains carbon

Titanium gears Gears made of titanium

A diesel boat Boat which uses diesel

 Puteach of these examples in the correct
column
1. Aluminum alloy
2. Safety shoes
3. A tools box
4. A plastic tube
5. A spring balance
6. An emergency lamp
7. A circuit board
uses is made of Contains
A foot pump : a pump which is operated by foot
A ribbon cable : a cable which is like a ribbon
A college friend : a friend in a college

Do as the example:
1. Smoke Detector
2. Fireman
3. Assembly Point
4. Driving license
5. Safety equipment
6. Aircraft engineer
7. Laser light
8. Welding Workshop
9. Water heater
10. Emergency exit
A room for stores
 A station for express train
 A size of cable
 A reduction in cost
 A machine which is used for washing
 Shoes for safety working
 Pipes made of plastic
 A course for three months
 A harbor for cargo ship
 A track which is used for jogging
 A compound word is made of two or
more words that together express a
single idea.
a. An open compound means that the
words of the compound are written
separately, (New Year’s Eve, credit card,
sea salt).
b. A hyphenated compound separates
the words by hyphen(s) (brother-in-law,
high-maintenance, force-feed).
 Hyphens

A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark used
to join the separate parts of a compound
word.
 Examples:

well-oiled (as in "well-oiled machine")

6-foot (as in "6-foot shark")
cooking-oil
ex-President

A compound adjective is a single adjective
comprising
more than one word. The words in a
compound adjective are usually grouped
together using hyphens.

Examples:
* a never-ending story
* an all-bearing circuit device
* a spine-chilling experience
* a brain-hammering advertisement


- This is a well-run business.

- Our professor is a well-read man.
* a many-sided polygon
* a single-handed sailor
* an absent-minded person
* a tight-fisted father

- Nancy owns a three-bedroom apartment.

- Robert drives a two-door car.
- Kylie's a long-haired woman.
- Robert married a fair-skinned lady.
 One way to decide if a hyphen is necessary is to see if the
phrase might be ambiguous without it. For example, "large-
print paper" might be unclear written as "large print paper"
because the reader might combine "print" and "paper" as a
single idea rather than combining "large" and "print."
 Another such example is "English-language learners."
Without the hyphen, a reader might think we are talking
about English people who are learning any language rather
than people who are learners of the English language.
1. Compound Adjectives need to be formed when you use two or
more adjectives that need to be used together to modify the
noun. These compounds should be hyphenated, or you can get a
sentence that doesn't’t say what you meant it to say.

• Incorrect: The short legged dog ran for the door. (You are saying that
the dog is short and had legs!)
• Correct: The short-legged dog ran for the door. (Now you are saying
that the dog’s legs are short.)
• Incorrect: Her red orange car was easy to see from a distance. (Was the
car red or orange?)
• Correct: Her red-orange car was easy to see from a distance. (Now you
are saying that the car was a color that was a combination or red mixed
with orange.)
 Some compound adjectives formed with
1) an adverb or a noun plus a past participle
a great-looking car.

2) a noun, adjective, or adverb with a present participle

are always hyphenated when they come before the
noun:
a well-liked President, the well-written essay. red-cheeked
child, ice-covered streets, a great-looking car.
 Some compound adjectives use an
adjective and a noun to which -d or -ed
has been added: blue-eyed man, curly-haired
woman, multi-grained bread.
 Some of these compounds become
permanent hyphenated or solid
compounds after years of use.
we must use hyphenation is to join a word to a past participle to
create a single adjective preceding the noun it modifies:
"a well-intentioned plan,” or "a horseshoe-shaped bar."

Be aware, however, that we do not hyphenate these same

phrases when they FOLLOW the nouns they modify:
--This is a government-mandated program.
--The program is government mandated.
--She is a well-respected student.
--She is well respected as a teacher.
 Another basic rule is that we never hyphenate
compounds that are created with "-ly" adverbs, even
when they PRECEDE the nouns they modify:
"a fully developed plan,” or "a nationally certified teacher.”
- We sent in heavily fortified troops.
- The troops were heavily fortified.
- All newly employed nurses must be evaluated regularly.
- All the nurses on the eighth floor are newly employed.
- A beautifully designed room can be both relaxing and invigorating.
- The living room is beautifully designed.
 TEST YOURSELF
 Can you spot any errors in the use of compounds in the following
sentences?
1. The war in Iraq has been a closely-monitored media event.
2. The Department of Transportation maintains rights-of-way
alongside all roadways.
3. Follow up activities have been scheduled for June and July.
4. We must follow up on these changes.
5. Long term planning must be an essential goal of this company.
6. The committee centers all of its recommendations in
performance based standards.
 ANSWERS
1. The war in Iraq has been a closely monitored media event. [No
hyphen with an "-ly" adverb, even though here it helps form a
compound adjective preceding a noun.]
2. correct [Webster's hyphenates "right-of-way" and the plural form
"rights-of-way" in all circumstances--even when the phrase is
functioning as a noun, as in this sentence.]
3. Follow-up activities have been scheduled for June and July.
4. correct
5. Long-term planning must be an essential goal of this company.
6. The committee centers all of its recommendations in performance-
based standards.