Learning English Vocabulary Compound nouns
Nov 10, 2025
Explore the fascinating world of compound nouns, where two words unite to create new meanings. Discover how everyday terms like ice cream and popcorn work, along with insights into their pronunciation and stress patterns. Engage in a fun listening activity with Bill's laptop woes that illustrates how these compounds fit into real-life contexts. Learn the nuances of writing them, including tricky hyphenations, and challenge yourself with a quiz to master the art of compound nouns!
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Bill's Broken Laptop Example
- Bill's laptop had a broken keyboard, which his daughter-in-law noticed when she inspected it.
- The short dialogue shows a real example of a compound noun (keyboard) used in context to explain meaning.
How Compound Nouns Form Meaning
- Compound nouns combine two or more nouns to form a new word with a combined meaning.
- The first part specifies the type and the second names the object, e.g., keyboard = a board with keys.
No Fixed Spelling Rules
- English has no consistent rules for writing compound nouns as one word or two words.
- Alice advises using a good dictionary to check correct spelling and form.