100 Examples of Compound Nouns (Compound Nouns in English)

The compound nouns in english(compound nounseither compounds) are the combination of two or more nouns that form a unit that expresses an object, person or idea. For example: credit card(credit card),bank manager (Bank manager),business trip(business trip).

The second noun (or the last in the series) is the main or "core" noun. The first noun works like adjective which indicates the type or class to which the kernel belongs, and answers the question, what type is it? For example: tennis ball(tennis ball). It's a ball (ball); what type? tennis (tennis).

The first noun of a compound noun is not an adjective in the strict sense of the word (big, small, pretty), since it does not qualify or describe the kernel but only indicates the type or class to which it belongs. For example: television screen(television screen). (And not: beautiful screen).

Careful: The order of the compounds it is exactly the other way around than in Spanish, and they must be translated backwards, usually adding the word “de”. For example: schoolteacher (school teacher),birthday party(Birthday Party).

• See also: Countable and Uncountable Nouns in English

Examples of compound nouns in English

Some of the compound nouns (compounds) most common in English are:

air conditioning air-conditioning	haircut haircut	snowflake Snowflake
bathroom bathroom	headache headache	stomachache stomachache
beach house Beach house	heart beat heartbeat	summer house summer house
room bedroom	ice cube ice Cube	sunflower sunflower
book case library	ice cream parlor ice cream shop	table tennis table tennis
boyfriend boyfriend	income tax Income tax	teapot kettle
business meeting Work meeting	job description tasks	time table schedule
car park parking lot	language courses language course	toolbox Toolbox
city ​​center city ​​center	lunch time lunch time	thunderstorm electric storm
classmate classmate	mailbox mailbox	seafood shellfish
coffee maker coffee maker	moon light Moonlight	football match football game
company policy company policy	office complex office complex	sweatshirt hoodie
dining room dining room	peanut butter peanut butter	tango classes tango classes
earrings ring	police station police station	tea bag bag of tea
english teacher English teacher	railroad railway	toothpaste toothpaste
fire extinguisher extinguisher	road accident car accident	TV program tv show
fitness center gym	school reports school report	walking stick walking stick
front door front door	shopping bags shopping bag	wallpaper wallpapered
grammar lesson grammar lesson	ski slope ski slope	web page Internet page

exist compound nouns made up of grammatical elements in addition to nouns. For example: getaway / getaway (get: verb, away: adverb), comeback /respawn (eat: verb, back: adverb), blueberries / blueberry (blue: adjective, berries: noun).

Attention: There are contexts in English where a construction with the preposition is more frequent of instead of a compound. For example: Encyclopedia of Humanities (And not: Humanities Encyclopedia).

There are also compound adjectives (compound adjectives) which are the combination of two or more words that together form a new adjective. For example: homesick(nostalgic),long-term(long-term),5-year-old(five years old).

Characteristics of compound nouns in English

compound nouns in english (compound nounseither compounds), have the following characteristics:

• They usually form the plural adding “s” only in the last noun. For example: shop windowyes, break-inyes, stain removeryes.
• They are mostly written as one word (weekend dishwasher), or as two separate words (ice cream, bus stop), while some are written as two words joined by a hyphen (passer-by, break-in).
• They can indicate the material an object is made of. For example: leather jacket, gold watch.
• They may include a gerund(-ing) as the first noun. For example: swimming pool, shopping list.
• They can be combinations of more than two nouns. For example: company credit card, business training program.
• Despite including the word "of" in the translation, the first noun does not indicate possession, but type or class. For example: travel agency(And not: travel's agency), food mixer(And not: food's mixer).
• There are cases in which the same compoundcan be written in three different ways. For example: lifestyle, life-style, life-style. Consult a dictionary for the most standardized form of writing for each compound, since there are no rules about it.
• In spoken English, they are stressed on the first noun, which marks the beginning of the noun. compound. For example: /allrist industry/, /post office/.

to take into account: If you change the last noun of a compound, the object or person to which reference is made is changed. For example: tennis racket(tennis racket),tennis shoes(tennis shoes). Conversely, if the first noun is changed, only the type or class is changed. For example: bank manager(Bank manager),company manager(company manager).

• It can help you: English irregular nouns

Examples of sentences with compound nouns

1. you can call me on my mobile phone if you have any problem.
   You can call me on my cell phone if you have any problems.
2. I don't mind doing household chores.
   I don't mind doing housework.
3. The airline have you lost me suitcase!
   The airline has lost my suitcase!
4. You've missed the math class for the third time in a row!
   You've missed math class for the third time in a row!
5. I really hate horror movies.
   I really hate horror movies.
6. My school friends are coming over for lunch.
   My friends from school are coming home for lunch today.
7. The weather forecast says rain for tomorrow.
   The weather forecast calls for rain tomorrow.
8. Mom is baking apple pie for dessert.
   Mom is baking the apple pie for dessert.
9. Don't forget to pack your swimsuit.
   Don't forget to pack your bathing suit.
10. Do you want to come to the movie theater with us?
    Do you want to come to the cinema with us?
11. Can you water my houseplants while I'm on vacation?
    Can you water my houseplants while I'm on vacation?
12. My girlfriend is a cool person.
    My girlfriend is a great person.
13. your backpack looks very heavy.
    Your backpack seems very heavy.
14. We have to buy a new christmas tree next year.
    We have to buy a new Christmas tree next year.
15. My grandfather is reading the newspaper in the living room.
    My grandfather is reading the newspaper in the living room.
16. do you like love stories?
    Do you like love stories?
17. The bookstore round the corner is excellent.
    The bookstore around the corner is excellent.
18. Aspen is one of the most famous ski resorts in the world.
    Aspen is one of the most famous ski resorts in the world.
19. Seeing the Northern Lights is definitely on me bucket list.
    Seeing the Northern Lights is definitely on my list of things to do before I die.
20. There's a fantastic app software I want to show you.
    There is a software application that I want to show you.
21. The sea ​​level has risen dramatically in the past few decades.
    Sea level has risen dramatically in recent decades.
22. The Silk Route originated in the second century B.C.
    The Silk Road originated in the 2nd century BC.
23. The doorbell rang in the middle of the night.
    The doorbell rang in the middle of the night.
24. I would love to get away to a paradise island.
    I would love to escape to an island paradise.
25. grandmother she has had a few health problems lately.
    Grandma has had some health problems lately.
26. The girl was given a music box for her birthday.
    The girl received a music box for her birthday.
27. I wish you the best for the holiday season.
    I wish you the best for the holidays.
28. Would you like to add anything to your shopping cart before checkout?
    Would you like to add something to your shopping cart before going to checkout?
29. My family stayed at a luxury hotel last summer.
    My family stayed at a luxury hotel last summer.
30. The police found fingerprints in the crime scene.
    Police found fingerprints at the crime scene.
31. Jamie works in the marketing department.
    Jamie works in the marketing department.
32. The children had a great time at summer camp.
    The kids had a great time at summer camp.
33. I used to love fairy tales as a child.
    I used to love fairy tales when I was little.
34. your attendance record is quite good.
    Your attendance record is pretty good.
35. She loves the reddish tree leaves in the fall.
    She loves the reddish leaves on the trees in autumn.
36. New York is full of rooftops that get lively in springtime.
    New York is full of terraces that come alive in the spring.
37. Ted went down on one knee and took out an engagement ring from his pocket of him.
    Ted knelt down and took an engagement ring out of his pocket.
38. let me get my headset before we start the meeting.
    Let me find the headphones before we start the meeting.
39. I have a flat tire; do you have a bicycle pump by any chance?
    I have a flat tire; Do you have a bicycle pump by chance?
40. The water temperature is high in the Caribbean.
    The water temperature in the Caribbean is high.
41. My sister loves walking along the beach at sunrise.
    My sister loves walking on the beach at sunrise.
42. Could you put the dirty plates in the dishwasher?
    Could you put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher?
43. Paul never goes out without his sunglasses.
    Paul never goes out without his sunglasses.
44. Fossilized footprints exist in many national parks across the United States.
    Fossilized footprints exist in many national parks throughout the United States.
45. You must give hotel guests a firm handshake on arrival.
    You should give hotel guests a strong handshake when they arrive.
46. Sydney opera house was the beautiful background for the fireworks.
    The Sydney Opera House was the beautiful setting for the fireworks.
47. Can you pass me the first book on the bookshelf, por favor?
    Could you pass me the first book on the shelf, please?
48. Over 618,000 men died on and off the battle field during the American Civil War.
    More than 618,000 men died on and off the battlefield during the Civil War.
49. Granny is knitting in her armchair by the fire.
    Granny is knitting in her chair by the fire.
50. The new airport in Istanbul is the biggest in the world.
    The new Istanbul airport is the largest in the world.

Follow with:

• English prefixes and suffixes
• Irregular verbs in English
• Attributive Adjectives in English
• Qualifying adjectives in English

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