1. COMPOUND WORD
A compound word combines two words into one and creates its own meaning. A compound
word may be written as one word or as two. The first is spoken with primary stress, and the
second with secondary stress.
TWO PART VERBS
A two-part verb consists of a verb and a preposition, as in sit down or stand up. Certain verb
and- preposition combinations that are two-part verbs are also compound words. The difference
is in their stress patterns. In a two-part verb, it is the second word, the preposition, which is
stressed.
compound word two-part verb compound word two-part verb
Checkup check up take off take off
Cleanup clean up takeover take over
Word stress for compound words
Compound noun A compound noun is a noun made out of two or more nouns in order to form one word. In a
compound noun, the first word usually takes on the stress.
Compound adjectivesː A compound adjective is an adjective composed of at least two words. Often, hyphens
are used in compound adjectives. In compound adjectives, the stress is on the second part.
compound verbs (a multi-word verb that functions as a single verb), In compound verbs, the stress is on
the second part.
Two Compound adjectives Precede Nounː When two adjectives precede a noun, stress the first adjective and
the noun. The noun gets the most stress.
Phrasal Verbs: Phrasal verbs are words made from a verb and preposition. In phrasal verbs, the second word
gets the stress (the preposition).
Phrasal noun (Noun + Noun phrases) ː In compound nouns (nouns made up of two or more nouns) or noun +
noun phrases, we almost always put the stress on the first noun. :
In that case, the stress is on the first word. We say “work out” if it’s a verb, and “workout,” if it’s a noun.
Compound word Example Example Example
2. Compound nouns TOOTH-paste,
BLACK-bird book
shelf, book cover,
book store,
bookmark,
FOOT-ball, Parking
lot, Parking ticket,
Parking meter,
Parking space,
postcard,
KEY-board, GREEN-house,
report card, green card,
football, baseball, ballpark,
ballroom, credit card,
When an adjective is
followed by a noun, the
noun is stressed.
Nice day, small room,
blue eyes, old man,
big house, long time, good job, first grade
Compound adjectivesː ten-ME-ter, bad-
TEMpered,
rock-SO-lid, Fif-teen-MI-nute, old-
FASHioned
Compound Verbs old-FA-shioned un-der–STAND overFLOW
Two Compound adjectives
Precede Nounː
BIG blue BUS, NICE
old MAN
REALLY nice DAY,
CUTE little GIRL
SHORT black HAIR, BIG
brown EYES
Adjective + Noun deep POOL, large
STORE, new PAPER,
tall MAN,
plastic CARD, nice
GLASSES, fast
DRIVER
tall TREE, long NAILS, great
FRIEND, good BOOK
Phrasal Verbs picked up, put out,
handed out, turns me
off, Black OUT
looked over, covered
it up, left over, sign
up, break DOWN,
look OUT
tuned up, worked out, let me
down, mixed up, dropped out
Phrasal noun tune-up, turnoff, big
letdown, truck driver
Workout, leftovers,
mix-up, sign-up
Handouts, cover-up, dropout,
police officer, baby sitter