[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"grammar-page-en-compound-nouns-and-noun-modifiers":3,"grammar-exercises-by-page-01a0e1ab-d58d-7537-97a7-c16d7505964c":23,"exercise-list-path-en-none":73},{"id":4,"title":5,"slug":6,"seoDescription":7,"content":8,"language":9,"level":10,"displayOrder":11,"grammarTopics":12,"createdAt":19,"updatedAt":20,"vocabularyLists":21,"readyImages":22},"01a0e1ab-d58d-7537-97a7-c16d7505964c","Compound Nouns and Noun Modifiers","compound-nouns-and-noun-modifiers","Learn how English compound nouns and noun modifiers work: choose word order, use singular modifiers, form plurals, and check spaces and hyphens.","English often puts words together to name one thing: a **bus stop**, a **bedroom** or a **toothbrush**. These are compound nouns. You will learn how to order the words, use nouns to describe other nouns, form plurals and check spelling.\n\n## 1. Two words, one name\n\nA **compound noun** has two or more parts that work together as one name. Many compound nouns are made from two nouns.\n\nThe last noun usually tells you what the thing is. The first noun gives more information: what kind, what for or where.\n\n| Compound noun | What is it? | More information |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| **bus stop** | A stop | For buses |\n| **coffee cup** | A cup | For coffee |\n| **kitchen table** | A table | In a kitchen |\n| **apple juice** | Juice | Made from apples |\n\n:::example\nWe waited at the **bus stop**.\n\nPut the plates on the **kitchen table**.\n\nWould you like some **apple juice**?\n:::\n\nNot every compound noun begins with a noun. For example, **blackboard** combines the adjective *black* and the noun *board*.\n\n## 2. Put the describing noun first\n\nA noun before another noun is called a **noun modifier**. It describes the noun after it. This pattern appears in many compound nouns and other noun combinations.\n\nUse **describing noun + main noun**:\n\n- A shop that sells shoes → a **shoe shop**.\n- A door for a car → a **car door**.\n- A bag for school → a **school bag**.\n\nWord order matters. A **school bus** is a kind of bus, not a kind of school.\n\n:::note\nA **coffee cup** names a type of cup. It can be empty.\n\nA **cup of coffee** tells us what is in the cup.\n\n“I washed the **coffee cups**, then made a **cup of coffee**.”\n:::\n\n## 3. Use a singular modifier in most cases\n\nThe first noun is usually singular, even when it refers to several things.\n\nA **shoe shop** sells many shoes. We still use **shoe**, not *shoes*, before *shop*.\n\nTo make these combinations plural, change the main noun:\n\n| One | More than one |\n| --- | --- |\n| A **bus stop** | Two **bus stops** |\n| A **shoe shop** | Three **shoe shops** |\n| A **toothbrush** | Four **toothbrushes** |\n| A **businesswoman** | Two **businesswomen** |\n\nThe main noun keeps its usual plural form: **woman → women**.\n\n:::warning\nUse **two shoe shops**, not *two shoes shops*.\n\nHowever, some common combinations have a plural first word: **sports centre** and **clothes shop**. Learn these as complete expressions.\n:::\n\n## 4. Check spaces and hyphens\n\nCompound nouns have three common spellings. A hyphen is the short line in **sister-in-law**.\n\n| Spelling | Examples |\n| --- | --- |\n| Separate words | **bus stop**, **shoe shop** |\n| One word | **bedroom**, **toothbrush** |\n| With hyphens | **sister-in-law**, **check-in** |\n\nThere is no simple spelling rule for every compound noun. Check a learner’s dictionary when you are unsure.\n\n:::example\nMy **bedroom** is upstairs.\n\nMy **sister-in-law** lives near us.\n\n**Check-in** opens at six.\n:::\n\nIn **sister-in-law**, the main noun is *sister*, so the plural is **sisters-in-law**, not *sister-in-laws*.\n\n## 5. Use singular units before a noun\n\nWe also use a number and a unit, such as *hour* or *year*, together to describe a noun. Before the noun, keep the unit singular and use a hyphen.\n\n| Ordinary description | Before a noun |\n| --- | --- |\n| The journey takes two hours. | A **two-hour journey** |\n| The course lasts three weeks. | A **three-week course** |\n| The child is five years old. | A **five-year-old child** |\n\n:::warning\nWrite **a two-hour journey**, not *a two-hours journey*.\n\nBut write “The journey takes **two hours**.” Here, *hours* is not before another noun, so it is plural.\n:::\n\n## 6. Quick checklist\n\nWhen you use a compound noun or a noun modifier:\n\n1. Identify the main thing: a **bus stop** is a stop.\n2. Put the describing noun first: **shoe shop**.\n3. Usually keep that first noun singular: **shoe shops**.\n4. Check special forms and spelling: **sports centre**, **toothbrush**, **sisters-in-law**.\n5. With a number and unit before a noun, use a singular unit and hyphens: **a two-hour journey**.","en","A2",52.03,[13],{"id":14,"name":15,"level":10,"language":9,"isCompleted":16,"completionPercentage":17,"totalExercises":18,"completedExercises":17},"01a0e1ab-d4b6-75ad-b023-c282ee407bfa","Compound nouns and noun modifiers",false,0,6,"2026-09-27T07:02:10+00:00","2026-10-14T10:40:29+00:00",[],[],[24,34,43,51,59,68],{"@id":25,"@type":26,"id":27,"grammarPage":28,"title":29,"instructions":30,"displayOrder":17,"type":31,"questionCount":32,"blankCount":32,"isCompleted":16,"ogImageUrl":33},"\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_exercises\u002F01a0e1ab-d7cb-7197-b3a4-074b658f774c","GrammarExercise","01a0e1ab-d7cb-7197-b3a4-074b658f774c","\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_pages\u002F01a0e1ab-d58d-7537-97a7-c16d7505964c","Compound Nouns and Noun Modifiers — Forms in Context","Choose the option that completes each sentence in context.","word_select",15,"\u002Fuploads\u002Fimages\u002Fgpimg_1a27d676-21f3-4a3b-8251-b6751888add5_hero.webp?v=1790492530",{"@id":35,"@type":26,"id":36,"grammarPage":28,"title":37,"instructions":38,"displayOrder":39,"type":40,"questionCount":41,"blankCount":17,"isCompleted":16,"ogImageUrl":42},"\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_exercises\u002F01a0e1ab-d7e6-7187-b22e-5d3a6a04d214","01a0e1ab-d7e6-7187-b22e-5d3a6a04d214","Compound Nouns and Noun Modifiers — Find and Correct the Error","Find the incorrect word and choose its correction.",1,"find_and_fix",8,"\u002Fuploads\u002Fimages\u002Fgpimg_80ab42f2-9c9e-40b7-a849-223f5431bd39_hero.webp?v=1790492530",{"@id":44,"@type":26,"id":45,"grammarPage":28,"title":46,"instructions":47,"displayOrder":48,"type":49,"questionCount":18,"blankCount":17,"isCompleted":16,"ogImageUrl":50},"\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_exercises\u002F01a0e1ab-d7ef-706c-9599-27460eff44b0","01a0e1ab-d7ef-706c-9599-27460eff44b0","Compound Nouns — Meaning and Modifiers","Tap each tile, then tap the column it belongs in.",2,"word_sort","\u002Fuploads\u002Fimages\u002Fgpimg_95160d0f-472b-4b0a-8872-e895649d2f01_hero.webp?v=1790492530",{"@id":52,"@type":26,"id":53,"grammarPage":28,"title":54,"instructions":55,"displayOrder":56,"type":49,"questionCount":57,"blankCount":17,"isCompleted":16,"ogImageUrl":58},"\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_exercises\u002F01a0e1ab-d7f5-7481-911f-22a328c14920","01a0e1ab-d7f5-7481-911f-22a328c14920","Compound Nouns — Spelling, Plurals and Units","Tap each tile, then tap the column that matches its form.",3,5,"\u002Fuploads\u002Fimages\u002Fgpimg_26431a1a-f817-408d-b631-6ae365504034_hero.webp?v=1790492530",{"@id":60,"@type":26,"id":61,"grammarPage":28,"title":62,"instructions":63,"displayOrder":64,"type":65,"questionCount":66,"blankCount":66,"isCompleted":16,"ogImageUrl":67},"\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_exercises\u002F01a0e1ab-d7fa-7bb9-a03b-2f10ddc174a7","01a0e1ab-d7fa-7bb9-a03b-2f10ddc174a7","Compound Nouns — Build Everyday Sentences","Tap the tiles to build each sentence. Leave out the extra word.",4,"sentence_builder",10,"\u002Fuploads\u002Fimages\u002Fgpimg_0f446c6f-aab2-47bf-a4bf-a467d88afa1a_hero.webp?v=1790492530",{"@id":69,"@type":26,"id":70,"grammarPage":28,"title":71,"instructions":63,"displayOrder":57,"type":65,"questionCount":66,"blankCount":66,"isCompleted":16,"ogImageUrl":72},"\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_exercises\u002F01a0e1ab-d809-703f-acac-6b2aed4c4389","01a0e1ab-d809-703f-acac-6b2aed4c4389","Noun Modifiers — Build Time and Age Sentences","\u002Fuploads\u002Fimages\u002Fgpimg_c672d02c-d172-488a-8460-2d20b58daeaf_hero.webp?v=1790492530",null]