Compound Words in English: Vocabulary Building

By Manik Joshi

What are "Compound Words"?- A compound word consists of two or more base words. The meaning of Compound words is often different from the separate base words. --- Compound Words and Parts of Speech- Compound words are mostly nouns, adjectives, and verbs. --- Kinds of Compound Words - Compound words are of three types: (A). Closed Compound Words: Words are joined together. There is no space or hyphen between the words. Examples: firefly / softball / redhead / keyboard / makeup / notebook --- (B). Hyphenated Compound Words: Words are joined together by a hyphen. Examples: daughter-in-law / half-sister / over-the-counter / six-year-old --- (C). Open Compound Words: Words are not joined together. Words are open or separate. In other words, there is a space between the words. Examples: post office / real estate / full moon --- Some general rules regarding the use of hyphens: - Compound Adjectives are often hyphenated. If a compound adjective precedes a noun, they are hyphenated. Examples: low-paying job low- paying is a compound adjective; job is a noun] easy-going celebrity easy-going is a compound adjective; celebrity is a noun] --- Adverbs that end in -ly and compounded with another modifier are generally not hyphenated: Examples: deeply held beliefs, genetically modified foods, highly placed sources, quietly organized meeting --- ALSO NOTE: 1. Some compound words may have more than one form but these forms may belong to different parts of speech. Examples: bread and butter open form] noun]; bread-and-butter closed form] adjective] --- charge sheet open form] noun]; chargesheet closed form] verb] fast track open form] noun]; fast-track hyphenated form] adjective, verb] --- first degree open form] noun]; first-degree hyphenated form] adjective] --- full time open form] noun]; full-time hyphenated form] adjective, adverb] --- gift wrap open form] noun]; gift-wrap hyphenated form] verb] --- hard core open form] noun]; hard-core hyphenated form] adjective] --- hard line open form] noun]; hard-line hyphenated form] adjective] --- road test open form] noun]; road-test hyphenated form] verb] --- second hand open form] noun]; second-hand hyphenated form] adjective] 2. Some compound words which are hyphenated in American English are not hyphenated in British English. Example: cash-back American English]; cashback British English] 3. Compound words are mainly formed in the following ways: (a). adjective + adjective example: bittersweet], (b). adjective + noun example: blackboard], (c). adjective + verb example: broadcast], (d). adjective + past participle example: cold-blooded], (e). adjective + present participle example: free-standing], (f). adverb (or preposition) + adjective example: ingrown], (g). adverb (or preposition) + noun example: afterlife], (h). adverb (or preposition) + verb example: cutback], (i). adverb + past participle example: brightly lit], (j). adverb + present participle example: long-lasting], (k). noun + adjective example: blood red], (l). noun + adverb (or preposition) example: hanger-on], (m). noun + noun example: airman], (n). noun + verb example: air-condition], (o). noun + past participle example: sun-dried], (p). verb + adverb (or preposition) example: breakdown], (q). verb + noun example: bathroom], (r). gerund + noun example: bleaching powder], (s). noun + gerund example: air-conditioning] --- A detailed list of Compound words in Alphabetical Order. All compound words have been grouped according to the parts of speech they belong to.)

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1500608742
• ISBN13: 9781500608743
• Release Date: January 2014
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 102 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"