Grammar › Nouns & Determiners › Compound Nouns
Compound Nouns
A compound noun combines words into one idea. Key rules:
- The first noun is like an adjective and stays singular — a car park, a toothbrush.
- Only the last word is made plural — bus stops, swimming pools.
- Written as one word, two words, or hyphenated — depends on the item.
Numbers + noun before another noun are singular and hyphenated: a ten-year-old boy, a two-hour film.
How compound nouns work
Two nouns join to make one idea. The first noun describes the second and stays singular.
| Compound | Note | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| bus stop | two words | bus stops |
| toothbrush | one word | toothbrushes |
| shoe shop | first noun singular | shoe shops |
| mother-in-law | hyphenated | mothers-in-law |
| ten-year-old | number + noun (singular) | ten-year-olds |
When and how to use them
1. First noun stays singular
- a book shelf, a car park, a coffee cup (not books shelf, cars park).
2. Only the last word takes the plural
- three bus stops, two swimming pools, some toothbrushes.
3. Numbers become singular modifiers
- a five-minute break, a two-hour film, a six-year-old child.
⚠️ Compare the noun and the modifier: The walk takes five minutes, but It’s a five-minute walk (singular, hyphenated before the noun).
Common mistakes
1. Plural first noun. a shoes shop → a shoe shop.
2. Plural in the number modifier. a ten-minutes walk → a ten-minute walk.
3. Pluralising the wrong part. mother-in-laws → mothers-in-law.
✏️ Practice: Compound Nouns
1. I bought new shoes at the ___ .
2. There are three ___ on this street.
3. It's only a ___ walk from here.
4. Both my ___ came to the wedding.
5. Can you pass me a ___ ?
6. We stayed in a hotel with two ___ .
7. She's a ___ girl.
8. Put your dirty clothes in the ___ .
9. Choose the correct version of: 'It's a three-days trip.'
10. In a compound noun, which part is normally made plural?
11. Fill in the gap
It's only a ten-___ walk from here.
Use the word 'minute'.
12. Correct the mistake
She works in a shoes shop.
Type the whole corrected sentence.
13. Fill in the gap
She has two ___.
Write the plural of 'mother-in-law'.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it 'a shoe shop', not 'a shoes shop'?
The first noun acts like an adjective, so it stays singular: a shoe shop, a book shelf, a tooth brush — even though it sells shoes or holds books.
Which part becomes plural?
Only the last word: bus stops, car parks, toothbrushes. For 'mother-in-law' the plural is 'mothers-in-law' (the main noun is 'mother').
One word, two words, or a hyphen?
It varies by item and there's no single rule: toothbrush (one), bus stop (two), mother-in-law (hyphen). Check a dictionary if unsure.
Why 'a five-minute walk', not 'a five-minutes walk'?
When a number + noun describes another noun, it becomes a singular, hyphenated adjective: a five-minute walk, a three-day trip.
👩🏫 For teachers
CEFR objectives for “Compound Nouns”:
- Can form compound nouns keeping the first noun singular (CEFR B1).
- Can pluralise only the final element.
- Can use hyphenated number + noun modifiers (a two-hour delay).
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