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Primary School English Quiz - Nouns 04 - Compound Nouns (Questions)

In the previous quizzes we learnt about nouns and the different types of nouns. We learnt more about compound nouns and the way to form different compound nouns from different words. We continue in the same vein in this quiz.

Compound nouns can be formed by combining almost all of the types of words that form parts of speech. Most compound nouns are formed by just placing the two words side by side in a particular order only. We cannot simply place two words side by side in any order. For instance, consider the words BED and ROOM which together form the compound noun BEDROOM. Now, when we try to place the words in the reverse order we get a word ROOMBED, which does not form a compound noun. Another example is DRAWBACK which is formed out of two words DRAW and BACK and the word BACKDRAW does not form a compound noun. However, BACK and DROP combine to form BACKDROP which is a compound noun.

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While most compound words become a composite word, there are some words which need a hyphen between the two words. While, for instance, SUN and RISE combine to form a single word SUNRISE, DRY and CLEAN combine to form the hyphenated word DRY-CLEAN. The need to place a hyphen between the two words is not out of any rule but out of a need to be clearer. For example, when we use words such as WATER we can form the compound noun WATERBED but we cannot form WATERBODY. However, we can write WATER-BODY to mean a lake or a sea. On the other hand, we could use three versions of the two words ICE and BOX to form ICEBOX, ICE-BOX and ICE BOX and in all the three cases they would be the correct usage. Thus, there is no hard and fast rule to hyphenate but it is possible to be clearer if we use the hyphen selectively.

Play the quiz that follows to learn more compound words and it will help to increase your English vocabulary.

1. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - CYCLE, CAR, DRIVE and MOTOR.
[ ] Motorcycle
[ ] Cycledrive
[ ] Carmotor
[ ] Carcycle
2. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - THROW, BACK, TURN and OVER.
[ ] Throwover
[ ] Backturn
[ ] Turnthrow
[ ] Overthrow
3. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - FAST, SLOW, RAPID and BREAK.
[ ] Rapidslow
[ ] Breakrapid
[ ] Breakfast
[ ] Breakslow
4. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - TURN, UP, IN and OF.
[ ] Inof
[ ] Ofup
[ ] Ofturn
[ ] Upturn
5. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - SPOTTING, CAR, DOWN and TRAIN.
[ ] Train-spotting
[ ] Train-down
[ ] Spotting-car
[ ] Down-car
6. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - FALL, RAIN, WATER and AIR.
[ ] Fallwater
[ ] Waterair
[ ] Fallrain
[ ] Rainfall
7. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - DARKNESS, LIGHT, PITCH and DAY.
[ ] Lightdarkness
[ ] Pitchlight
[ ] Pitch-darkness
[ ] Pitchday
8. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - PAPER, CLOTH, NEWS and RADIO.
[ ] Papernews
[ ] Newspaper
[ ] Clothnews
[ ] Radiocloth
9. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - OFF, OVER, IN and TAKE.
[ ] Inover
[ ] Take-off
[ ] Offin
[ ] Inoff
10. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - LASTING, DAY, GO and EVER.
[ ] Daylasting
[ ] Golasting
[ ] Evergo
[ ] Everlasting
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Primary School English Quiz - Nouns 04 - Compound Nouns (Answers)
1. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - CYCLE, CAR, DRIVE and MOTOR.
[x] Motorcycle
[ ] Cycledrive
[ ] Carmotor
[ ] Carcycle
'Motorcycle' is a compound noun formed out of two nouns. Note that 'motorcar' can also be formed but 'carmotor' can not. The other two options do not make much sense
2. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - THROW, BACK, TURN and OVER.
[ ] Throwover
[ ] Backturn
[ ] Turnthrow
[x] Overthrow
'Overthrow' is a compound noun formed out of an adverb and a verb . The other three options do not make much sense. Note that the words 'turnover', 'throwback' and 'overturn' can also be formed
3. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - FAST, SLOW, RAPID and BREAK.
[ ] Rapidslow
[ ] Breakrapid
[x] Breakfast
[ ] Breakslow
'Breakfast' is a compound noun formed out of a verb and a noun. In this case the word 'fast' does not mean 'rapid' but 'a period of not eating'. The other three options do not make much sense
4. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - TURN, UP, IN and OF.
[ ] Inof
[ ] Ofup
[ ] Ofturn
[x] Upturn
'Upturn' is a compound noun formed out of an adverb and a verb. The other options do not make much sense
5. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - SPOTTING, CAR, DOWN and TRAIN.
[x] Train-spotting
[ ] Train-down
[ ] Spotting-car
[ ] Down-car
'Train-spotting' is a compound noun formed out of a noun and a verb. The other three options do not make much sense
6. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - FALL, RAIN, WATER and AIR.
[ ] Fallwater
[ ] Waterair
[ ] Fallrain
[x] Rainfall
'Rainfall' is a compound noun formed out of a noun and a verb. Note that 'waterfall' can also be formed but 'fallwater' can not. The other two options do not make much sense
7. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - DARKNESS, LIGHT, PITCH and DAY.
[ ] Lightdarkness
[ ] Pitchlight
[x] Pitch-darkness
[ ] Pitchday
'Pitch-darkness' is a compound noun formed out of a verb and a noun. The other three options do not make much sense. Note that the word 'daylight' can also be formed
8. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - PAPER, CLOTH, NEWS and RADIO.
[ ] Papernews
[x] Newspaper
[ ] Clothnews
[ ] Radiocloth
'Newspaper' is a compound noun formed out of two nouns. The other three options do not make much sense
9. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - OFF, OVER, IN and TAKE.
[ ] Inover
[x] Take-off
[ ] Offin
[ ] Inoff
'Take-off' is a compound noun formed out of a verb and an adverb. The other options do not make much sense. Note that 'offtake' can also be formed, as can 'intake' and 'takeover'. 'Overtake' can also be formed but it is a verb rather than a noun
10. Pick the compound noun formed from two of these four words - LASTING, DAY, GO and EVER.
[ ] Daylasting
[ ] Golasting
[ ] Evergo
[x] Everlasting
'Everlasting' is a compound noun formed out of an adverb and an adjective. The other three options do not make much sense