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A compound word consists of two or more base words. The meaning of Compound words is often different from the separate base words.
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Compound Words and Parts of Speech
Compound words are mostly nouns, adjectives, and verbs.
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Kinds of Compound Words
Compound words are of three types:
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(A). Closed Compound Words:
Words are joined together. There is no space or hyphen between the words.
Examples: firefly / softball / redhead / keyboard / makeup / notebook
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(B). Hyphenated Compound Words:
Words are joined together by a hyphen.
Examples: daughter-in-law / over-the-counter / six-year-old
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(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 / half sister
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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]
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Adverbs that end in āly and compounded with another modifier are generally not hyphenated:
Examples:
deeply held beliefs
genetically modified foods
highly placed sources
quietly organized meeting
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ALSO NOTE:
1. Some compound words may have more than one form but these forms may belong to different parts of speech.
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Examples:
bread and butter [open form] [noun]
bread-and-butter [closed form] [adjective]
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charge sheet [open form][noun]
chargesheet [closed form] [verb]
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fast track [open form] [noun]
fast-track [hyphenated form] [adjective, verb]
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first degree [open form] [noun]
first-degree [hyphenated form] [adjective]
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full time [open form] [noun]
full-time [hyphenated form] [adjective, adverb]
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gift wrap [open form] [noun]
gift-wrap [hyphenated form] [verb]
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hard core [open form] [noun]
hard-core [hyphenated form] [adjective]
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hard line [open form] [noun]
hard-line [hyphenated form] [adjective]
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road test [open form] [noun]
road-test [hyphenated form] [verb]
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second hand [open form] [noun]
second-home [hyphenated form] [adjective]
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2. Some compound words which are hyphenated in American English are not hyphenated in British English.
Example: cash-back [American English]; cashback [British English]
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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]
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A detailed list of Compound words in Alphabetical Order. [All compound words have been grouped according to the parts of speech they belong to.)