Page 119 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

C o m p o u n d n o u n s ( 2 )
nouns
(2)
Compound

a noun + noun is not appropriate and instead we
use noun + 's + noun
(possessive
Sometimes
Sometimes a noun + noun is not appropriate and instead we use noun + 's + noun (possessive
form) (see Unit 53) or noun + preposition + noun. In general, we prefer noun + 's + noun:
form) (see Unit 53) or noun + preposition + noun. In general, we prefer noun + 's + noun:
when the first noun is the
or users of the item in the second noun:
user
(a person or animal)
• ¢ when the first noun is the user (a person or animal) or users of the item in the second noun:
a baby's bedroom
a women's clinic
• ¢ ababy's bedroom a lion's den a women's clinic
a lion's den
when the item in the second noun is produced by the thing (often an animal) in the
first:
• ¢ when the item in the second noun is produced by the thing (often an animal) in the first:
goat's
cheese
• * goat's cheese duck's eggs cow's milk
duck's eggs
cow's milk
chicken
drumsticks
leg)
when the
(= the lower part of a chicken's
(Compare lamb chops, chicken drumsticks (= the lower part of a chicken's leg) when the
(Compare lamb chops,
in the
item
noun.)
referred to
killed to produce the
is
second
animal
animal is killed to produce the item referred to in the second noun.)
when we talk about parts of people or animals; but we usually use noun + noun to talk about
• ¢ when we talk about parts of people or animals; but we usually use noun + noun to talk about
parts of things. Compare:
parts of things. Compare:
a woman's face arm a whale's tail a giraffe's neck
a boy's
• * awoman's face a boy's arm a whale's tail a giraffe's neck
a pen top a computer keyboard the window frame
a computer keyboard
the window frame
a pen top
We prefer noun + preposition + noun:
We prefer noun + preposition + noun:
when we talk about some kind of container together with its contents. Compare:
• ¢ when we talk about some kind of container together with its contents. Compare:
a cup of tea (= a cup with tea in it) and a tea cup (= a cup for drinking tea from)
2 • * acup of tea (= acup withtea init) and • * a teacup (= acup for drinking tea from)
a box of matches
a matchbox
(= a box made to put
(= a box with matches in)
and
• * a box of matches (= a box with matches in) and • * a matchbox (= a box made to put
matches in)
matches in)
when the combination of nouns does not necessarily refer to a well-known class of items.
• ¢ when the combination of nouns does not necessarily refer to a well-known class of items.
Compare:
Compare:
(a well-known class of books) but
a grammar book
• ¢ a grammar book (a well-known class of books) but
about cats (rather than 'a cat book')
abook
• ¢ a book about cats (rather than 'a cat book’)
(a recognised class of tax) but
• ¢ income tax (a recognised class of tax) but
income tax
(rather than 'a children's clothes tax')
a tax on children's clothes
• ¢ a tax on children's clothes (rather than ‘a children's clothes tax')
B Some compound nouns are made up of nouns and prepositions or adverbs, and related to two-
Some compound nouns are made up of nouns and prepositions or adverbs, and related to two-
114).
Compare:
(see Unit
and three-word verbs (see Unit 114). Compare:
and three-word verbs
Mansen broke out of the prison by dressing as a woman. (= escaped) and
• ¢ Mansen broke out of the prison by dressing as a woman. (= escaped) and
a major break-out from the prison last night.
(= prisoners escaped)
There was a major break-out from the prison last night. (= prisoners escaped)
There was
Everyone has put in a lot of effort to make the course successful, and
• ¢ Everyone has put in a lot of effort to make the course successful. and
Universities in Germany and Denmark will have an input into the project.
Universities in Germany and Denmark will have an input into the project.
I lay down on the sofa and was soon asleep, and
• ¢ J lay down on the sofa and was soon asleep. and
lie-down.
You look tired. Why don't you go and have
You look tired. Why don't you go and have a a lie-down.
related to two- and three-word verbs have a plural form ending in -s:
a Countable compound nouns related to two- and three-word verbs have a plural form ending in -s:
@Countable compound nouns
•
read-out(s)
outcome(s)
intake(s)
push-up(s)
• fo. read-out(s) push-up(s) intake(s) outcome(s)
For example:
are
exceptions.
there
However,
However, there are exceptions. For example:
looker(s)-on
(or onlooker(s))
hanger(s)-on
passer(s)-by
runner(s)-up
• ¢ looker(s)-on (or onlooker(s)) runner(s)-up are passer(s)-by hanger(s)-on
Compound nouns (1) (= one in which the engine provides power to all four wheels so
placed
that
kinds
of hyphenated
more
before nouns
say
can
phrases
other
form
to
We
We can form other kinds of hyphenated phrases that are placed before nouns to say more
refers to:
noun
precisely what the
precisely what the noun refers to:
a
state-of-the-art (= very modern) computer
day-to-day (= regular) control
day-to-day (= regular) control
• ¢ a State-of-the-art (= very modern) computer
refusing to think about unpleasant
facts)
head-in-the-sand attitude
(=
a a head-in-the-sand attitude (= refusing to think about unpleasant facts)
a four-wheel-drive vehicle (= one in which the engine provides power to all four wheels so
a four-wheel-drive vehicle
easily)
that it can go over rough ground
that it can go over rough ground easily)
security-card-operated door
a a security-card-operated door
Compound nouns (1) =
=>