Basics of compounding and conversion. 45 questions on open/closed/hyphenated compound nouns, noun stress patterns, and everyday noun-to-verb and verb-to-noun conversion.
What this test covers
- Compound Nouns: Open, Closed, and Hyphenated Forms
- Compound Noun Stress Patterns
- Basic Conversion: Noun ↔ Verb
Answer the 45 questions below. Each answer is checked straight away, with an explanation. Press Submit at the end to get your score and save it to your dashboard. Answers are not kept if you leave before submitting.
All 45 questions with answers
Pick an answer for each question to see if you are right, with the explanation. Submit when you are done; you can submit before answering them all.
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Q1I left my favorite novel on the ___ in the living room.
Answer: C. bookshelf
Some compound nouns are written as one single word. 'Bookshelf' is a common example. You do not need a space or a dash between the two parts.
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Q2My sister works at the ___ near the city centre.
Answer: A. fire station
Some compound nouns are written as two separate words. 'Fire station' is always written with a space. Avoid joining them like 'firestation' or using a dash.
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Q3Choose the correctly spelled sentence.
Answer: C. He is a well-known actor.
When two words describe a noun (like 'actor'), we usually put a small dash called a hyphen between them. This is why 'well-known actor' is correct.
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Q4Please make sure to brush your teeth and use some ___.
Answer: B. toothpaste
Words for many everyday items, like 'toothpaste', are written as one single word. Do not use a space like 'tooth paste'.
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Q5The ___ is usually very busy on Monday mornings.
Answer: A. post office
'Post office' is an open compound, which means it must be written as two separate words with a space.
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Q6I have a ___ goal to learn Spanish.
Answer: A. long-term
We use a hyphen (a small dash) when two words work together to describe a noun that follows them. Here, 'long-term' describes the 'goal'.
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Q7Which sentence uses the correct stress pattern for the compound noun 'BLACKbird' (the species)?
Answer: D. I saw a BLACKbird in the tree.
When we join two words to name a specific thing, we usually say the first part louder. To talk about the specific species of bird, we say 'BLACKbird'.
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Q8Which sentence uses the correct stress pattern for 'green HOUSE' (a house painted green)?
Answer: B. That is a green HOUSE.
When you are just using an adjective to describe a noun's color, you say the second word louder: 'a green HOUSE'. If you say the first word louder ('GREENhouse'), you are talking about a glass building for plants.
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Q9I need to ___ the meeting for next Tuesday.
Answer: B. book
The word 'book' can be a thing (a noun) or an action (a verb). Here, it is used as an action meaning 'to reserve'.
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Q10We went for a long ___ in the park this morning.
Answer: C. walk
We often use the action 'walk' as a thing (a noun). A common phrase is 'go for a walk'.
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Q11I will ___ you the document as soon as I finish.
Answer: B. email
'Email' can be a thing you get or an action you do. In this sentence, 'email' is the action (the verb) you will take.
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Q12Which is the correct way to write this compound noun?
Answer: A. credit card
'Credit card' is an open compound noun. It is always written as two separate words with a space in the middle.
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Q13Which is the correct way to write the compound noun in this sentence: "My ___ rings at 7:00 every morning."
Answer: D. alarm clock
'Alarm clock' is a compound noun written as two separate words. Do not use a dash or join them into one word.
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Q14She is a very ___ person who loves meeting new people.
Answer: C. good-looking
When we use 'good' and 'looking' together to describe a person, we connect them with a hyphen: 'good-looking'.
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Q15Which sentence correctly uses the noun form 'a swim'?
Answer: B. I had a swim in the pool.
We often use verbs like 'swim' as nouns by putting 'a' in front. 'I had a swim' means the same as 'I swam'.
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Q16What is the meaning of 'HOTdog' (stress on first syllable)?
Answer: B. A type of food.
Compound nouns have special meanings. If you say the first part louder ('HOTdog'), it means the snack. If you say 'hot DOG', it means an animal that feels warm.
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Q17What is the meaning of 'hot DOG' (stress on second word)?
Answer: C. A dog that is overheating.
When you stress the second word ('hot DOG'), you are simply describing an animal that feels hot. The snack is called a 'HOTdog'.
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Q18I need to ___ my car near the train station.
Answer: A. park
'Park' can be a noun (a place with trees) or a verb (the action of stopping a car). Here, it is the action.
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Q19Can we have a quick ___ about the new project?
Answer: C. talk
The word 'talk' can be used as a noun meaning 'a conversation'. We often say 'have a talk'.
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Q20Please check the company ___ for opening hours.
Answer: A. website
In modern English, 'website' is written as one single word. Avoid writing 'web site' with a space.
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Q21He is ___ and works from his home office.
Answer: A. self-employed
Words starting with 'self-' almost always use a hyphen (a dash). So, 'self-employed' is the correct spelling.
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Q22What does "GREENhouse" (stress on first syllable) mean in this context?
Answer: D. A glass building for plants.
When we say the first part louder ('GREENhouse'), it refers to the special glass building used for growing plants.
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Q23I will ___ you when I get home.
Answer: A. text
The noun 'text' (a message) is now commonly used as a verb (the action of sending a message).
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Q24Did you enjoy your ___ to the museum?
Answer: A. visit
In this sentence, 'visit' is used as a noun (a thing). You can tell because it follows the word 'your'.
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Q25Which sentence uses the correct stress pattern for 'WHITEboard'?
Answer: D. The WHITEboard is clean.
Most compound nouns have the stress on the first word. To talk about the board we write on in class, we say 'WHITEboard'.
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Q26I had a good ___ after the long day.
Answer: C. sleep
We can use 'sleep' as a noun. When we say 'a good sleep', we are talking about the period of rest we had.
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Q27Can you ___ the meeting, please?
Answer: D. chair
While a 'chair' is usually a piece of furniture, it can also be a verb meaning to lead or manage a meeting.
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Q28The ___ was full of people today.
Answer: C. living room
'Living room' is an open compound noun, which means it must be written as two separate words with a space.
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Q29This is an ___ plan for the future.
Answer: C. up-to-date
When we use 'up to date' to describe a noun like 'plan', we connect the words with hyphens: 'up-to-date plan'.
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Q30Which of these is a noun converted from a verb?
Answer: B. a run
The action 'to run' can be turned into a noun. For example: 'I went for a run.' 'Runner' and 'running' are different kinds of words (a person and an -ing form).
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Q31The ___ is where we wait for the bus.
Answer: C. bus stop
'Bus stop' is an open compound noun. It should be written as two words. Do not join them or use a dash.
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Q32I need to ___ the boxes for the move.
Answer: C. label
A 'label' is a thing (a noun), but it can also be an action (a verb). Here, it means the action of putting tags on the boxes.
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Q33What does "black BIRD" (stress on second word) mean in this context?
Answer: C. It is a bird that is black.
When we say the second word louder ('black BIRD'), we are just describing the color of the bird. If we say the first word louder ('BLACKbird'), we mean a specific type of bird.
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Q34He is a ___ worker.
Answer: B. part-time
When 'part time' comes before the noun it describes ('worker'), we must use a hyphen: 'part-time worker'.
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Q35I will ___ you the file immediately.
Answer: B. message
The word 'message' can be used as a verb meaning 'to send a message to someone.' The correct construction is 'message [person] [thing]'.
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Q36That was a funny ___ during the meeting.
Answer: D. laugh
We can use 'laugh' as a noun. 'A funny laugh' or 'have a laugh' are common ways to use it as a thing rather than an action.
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Q37Which sentence correctly uses the compound noun 'dining table'?
Answer: A. We bought a new dining table.
'Dining table' is an open compound noun. It is always written as two separate words.
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Q38I want to ___ the results online.
Answer: D. Google
We often use the name 'Google' as a verb. This means 'to search for information on the internet'.
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Q39Give it a ___ before you give up.
Answer: C. try
The action 'try' can be used as a noun. 'Give it a try' is a common phrase meaning 'try it once'.
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Q40He is a ___ worker at the local bank.
Answer: B. part-time
Use a hyphen to connect 'part' and 'time' when they are placed before the noun they describe ('worker').
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Q41Which sentence is correct?
Answer: C. Let's go for a walk.
In the phrase 'go for a walk', the word 'walk' is used as a noun (a thing) rather than an action (a verb).
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Q42I put the trash in the ___.
Answer: B. bin
In this sentence, 'bin' is a noun, which means it is the name of the object you use for trash.
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Q43My ___ is very comfortable.
Answer: B. bedroom
'Bedroom' is a closed compound noun. This means the two words are joined together into one single word without any spaces or dashes.
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Q44What does "light HOUSE" (stress on second word) mean in this context?
Answer: D. A house that is light in weight.
By saying the second word louder ('light HOUSE'), you are describing a house that is not heavy. If you said the first part louder ('LIGHThouse'), you would be talking about a tower for ships.
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Q45I need to ___ the package to the client.
Answer: D. ship
'Ship' is usually a large boat (a noun), but here it is used as a verb (an action) meaning 'to send a package'.
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