Material and Compound Nouns

Material Nouns

Material nouns denote a material or substance from which things are made of.

a plastic bottle, a diamond ring etc

Material nouns are uncountable, thus they do not have a plural form. Generally, articles are not used with material nouns as they are uncountable.

~~I really want to by these cottons pants.~~ I really want to buy these cotton pants

Material nouns fall into several categories:

related to nature -- air, water, salt, coal, silver, gold etc.
related to animals -- meat, milk , egg, wool etc.
related to plants -- cotton, coffee, tea, wood etc.
artificial or man-made materials -- alcohol, cheese, brick, steel etc.

Compound Noun

A compound noun contains two or more words which are joined together and form a single noun. Compound nouns can be words written together, words that are hyphenated, or separate words.

The first word usually describes or modifies the second word, denoting its type or purpose. Consequently, the second word identifies the item itself.

I need to buy a new toothbrush (a brush used for cleaning one's teeth)

There is no exact rule as to when we should write compound nouns together, hyphenated, or as separate words. If you are not sure how to write a compound noun, consult a dictionary.

Could you go with me to the bus stop?
My in-laws are incredible people
I love your new haircut! You look fantastic!

Note that the stress usually falls on the first syllable in compound nouns. As a result, the word stress helps to differentiate between a compound noun and an adjective + noun.

A greenhouse is a glass building used for growing plants that need warmth, light, and protection (compound noun)
A green house is a building that someone lives in. This building is painted green (adjective + noun)

Guided Practice

Material nouns denote a material or substance from which things are made of. These nouns do not have a plural form and articles are not used with them.

~~Have you seen my rubbers gloves?~~

Material nouns can denote things related to nature, animals, and plants. Spot these nouns.

My ideal breakfast would consist of bacon and eggs and a glass of milk sitting somewhere at the beach, breathing fresh air, and enjoying life.

Material nouns can denote artificial or man-made materials. Spot these nouns.

Do you think that Alice will like this perfume? I don't know if she'll like its sweet scent.

A compound noun contains two or more words which are joined together and form a single noun. The first word usually describes or modifies the second word, denoting its type or purpose. Consequently, the second word identifies the item itself.

a .................... (a machine used for washing laundry)
a .................... (a person who watches what is happening without taking part)

There is no exact rule as to when we should write compound nouns together, hyphenated, or as separate words, thus you always need to consult a dictionary.

Helen loves going to the (swimmingpool) .................... in summer.
(checkin) .................... and baggage (dropoff) .................... for most flight opens 2 hours before the scheduled departure time.
I don't let my kids eat in their (bedrooms) .................... .

Short Story using Material and Compound Nouns

-Do you want me to cook something special for dinner?

-How about just wine and cheese?

-That sounds simple, yet fancy! Let's eat outside then?

-Yeah! I'll take some cloth so we could sit on the ground.

-Just don't take that cotton cloth. I had a hard time washing it last time.

-Roger.

-And I'll probably order some takeaway too. In case we get very hungry.

Independent Practice

Spot material nouns.

These leather boots are too expensive for me.
You need to fry it in vegetable oil for 10 minutes.
Throw some wood into the fire. It's getting cold.
I don't like cast iron pans. They are very heavy.
She bough stunning silk stockings.

Form compound nouns using the given definitions.

A room with a bath or a shower, a sink, and sometimes a toilet, is called a .................... .
If a person has red hair, we call him or her a .................... .
The time in the morning when the sun appears is called .................... .
.................... is the main character of Disney's first animated feature-length film, .................... and the Seven Dwards.
The father of your husband or wife is called a .................... .