Form and use plurals of compound nouns
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Key Notes:
🌟 Form and Use Plurals of Compound Nouns 🌟
| What is a Compound Noun? 🤔 |
A compound noun is made up of two or more words that work together to name a person, place, thing, or idea.
Examples:
- Mother-in-law 👩👧👦
- Toothbrush 🪥
- Passer-by 🚶
| How to Make Plurals of Compound Nouns? 🔢 |
A. If the main word is a noun 📝
Pluralize the main noun only.
Example:
- Mother-in-law → Mothers-in-law 👩👧👦
- Brother-in-law → Brothers-in-law 🤵
B. If the compound noun is written as one word ✨
Usually just add -s at the end.
Examples:
- Toothbrush → Toothbrushes 🪥
- Cupboard → Cupboards 🗄️
C. If the compound noun is hyphenated or uses a preposition (like “passer-by”) 🏃
Pluralize the main noun, not the other part.
Examples:
- Passer-by → Passers-by 🚶♂️🚶♀️
- Editor-in-chief → Editors-in-chief 📝
D. If the compound noun is two words written separately 🖊️
Pluralize the main noun (usually the last word).
Examples:
- Full moon → Full moons 🌕🌕
- Swimming pool → Swimming pools 🏊♂️🏊♀️
| Tips to Remember ✅ |
- Always look for the “main” noun in the compound noun. That’s usually the word that changes to show more than one.
- If the compound noun is a person or animal, usually the first word might be pluralized:
- Man-of-war → Men-of-war ⛵
- For objects or things, usually the last word is plural:
- Cupboard → Cupboards 🗄️
| Examples for Practice ✏️ |
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| Mother-in-law 👩👧👦 | Mothers-in-law 👩👩👧👦 |
| Toothbrush 🪥 | Toothbrushes 🪥🪥 |
| Passer-by 🚶 | Passers-by 🚶♂️🚶♀️ |
| Editor-in-chief 📝 | Editors-in-chief 📝 |
| Full moon 🌕 | Full moons 🌕🌕 |
| Swimming pool 🏊 | Swimming pools 🏊🏊 |
| Quick Check Quiz 🧐 |
- Plural of Brother-in-law → __________
- Plural of Cupboard → __________
- Plural of Passer-by → __________
Let’s practice!✒️
