1. Closed Compound Words:
* The words are joined together without a space or hyphen.
* Examples: sunlight, bedroom, butterfly, notebook
2. Hyphenated Compound Words:
* The words are joined together with a hyphen.
* Examples: mother-in-law, self-esteem, well-being, off-white
3. Open Compound Words:
* The words are joined together with a space.
* Examples: high school, full moon, post office, ice cream
How compound words are formed:
* Noun + Noun: sunshine (sun + shine), birthday (birth + day)
* Verb + Noun: breakwater (break + water), haircut (cut + hair)
* Adjective + Noun: blackboard (black + board), green house (green + house)
* Adverb + Verb: overrun (over + run), downtown (down + town)
* Adjective + Adjective: bitter-sweet (bitter + sweet), icy-cold (icy + cold)
Purpose of Compound Words:
* Clarity: Combining words can make a concept clearer and more specific.
* Conciseness: They can be a more efficient way of expressing an idea than using multiple words.
* Figurative Language: Compound words can create vivid imagery and add richness to language.
Examples of Compound Words:
* Everyday: (everyday life)
* Uptight: (being uptight)
* Underneath: (underneath the table)
* Someone: (someone is here)
* Whatever: (whatever you want)
Understanding compound words can enhance your vocabulary, writing skills, and overall understanding of the English language.