Compounds

We usually make compound nounswith a noun + noun, with a verb (or a word made from a verb) + noun, or with an adjective + noun:

The usual spoken stress pattern is with stress on the first item (earphones,blackboard).

In a compound noun, we can combine different elements. These include:

1. subject + verb:earache(an ear that aches),rainfall(rain that falls)

2. verb + subject:cleaning products(products that clean)

3. verb + object:know-all(person who thinks they know everything)

4. object + verb:shoe-polish(polishes shoes),dishwasher(washes dishes)

Compound adjectivesmost commonly end in an adjective (e.g.homesick), or in an -ingor -edadjective form (e.g.ground-breaking, short-sighted).

Compound verbsare far less common than compound nouns or adjectives. They can be made by making a verb from another word class, normally from an already existing compound noun (e.g.a daydream–to daydream).

Sometimes compound words are written separately (nail polish), sometimes with a hyphen (short-sighted) and sometimes as one word (eyelashes). Often new compounds are written as two separate words and, as they become more familiar, they are either connected with a hyphen (-) or made into one word.

There are some general rules and guidelines for when to use hyphens:

• when there is a prefix (e.g.post-war,pre-lunch,self-interest,semi-skilled)

• when a compound adjective comes before a head noun (e.g.awell-knownsinger, anangry-soundingemail)

• when the pre-head item in a compound is a single capital letter (e.g.U-turn,X-ray,D-day)

• when words are difficult to recognise as compounds and could be confused

The band has decided tore-form.(form again)

The Government promise toreformthe health system.(improve)

• when compound adjectives containing numbers appear before a noun

Atwenty-two-year-oldcyclist won the race.

From here to Tokyo, that’s atwelve-hourflight at least.

If you’re not sure about whetherto use a hyphen, a good dictionary will tell you.