Unit 15 – Lesson 25
Expanding Nominal Compounds – Words with multiple meanings
Nominal compound is a grammatical structure in which nouns are linked together to indicate a
new concept. Adjectives are used to describe the characteristics of nouns for example
Long table
Broken table
Noun in noun compounds can also serve this junction though they usually describe categories
rather than characteristics.
Example – metal table
Picnic table – card table
Noun compounds consisting of two nouns occur in many everyday activities
Example – Dinner plate, tooth brush, book shelf, hair – clip, rain coat etc. In American English
nominal compounds are not hyphenated.
The difficulty of understanding noun compounds can be alleviated in most cases by
teaching the parallels between the categories of English Definitions and the categories of
nominal compounds.
Drinking water
Washing machine
Maintenance crew
Cat food
Oil pump
Dog house
Glass door
Food bowl
Newspaper
Bullet hole
The first member of the nominal compound can be either common noun or proper noun. a single
We can define a nominal compound as a string of two or more nouns having the same
distribution as noun-Student invention, Repair man, Cooling device – head noun is
interpreted as subject argument. The action nominal is interpreted as denoting a
permanent role or function of the reversed meaning and eventually acceptability are
affected.
The analysis of Nominal Compounds represents an important and largely unsolved
problem from a theoretical point of view. In Some Linguists perspective, Nominal compounds
have turned out to be an important stumbling block for systems that attempt to deal with real life
text especially in technical domains.
Unit 15 – Lesson 26
Error Correction
Compound Adjectives
Error Correction
English being a foreign language the non native speakers, tend to translate from their mother
tongue or regional language due to which errors occur. Only practices help one to develop
correct usage.
Common Pronoun errors
1. x She took me and shilpa for a ride
She took shilpa and me for a ride
2. x He was driven crazy by him nagging
He was driven crazy by his nagging
3. x Hari and me drove to Salem
Hari and I drove to Salem
4. x Just between you and I, the food was terrible
Just between you and me, the food was terrible
5. x Anyone who wants to join should see their counselor
Anyone who wants to join should see his or her counselor
6. x The people which you befriend will not forget you
The people whom you befriend will not forget you
Adverbial expressions
7. x I am very much excited after my results
I am very excited after my result
8. x I am very much happy as you have come home.
I am very happy as you have come home.
But the following sentences are correct. He is very much afraid he
will miss the opportunity.
We were much surprised at her behaviour.
I am very much relieved to hear that dad is getting back to normal after the severe attack
Confusion with prepositions & infinitives
9. x He went for the garden to pluck flowers
He went to the garden to pluck flowers
10. x My brother works at Delhi
My brother works in Delhi
She studies at Pilani in Rajasthan (at with small places and in with cities)
11. x The father divided the property among his two children
The father divided the property between his two children
(More than two among is used)
Female indicates sex
Should not be used to refer to a girl or women
12. x That female is a snob
That lady / girl is a snob
13. x I hope you are keeping good health
I hope you are enjoying good health
Leave should not be used in the sense of holidays.
14. x Where are you planning to go in the leave?
Where are you planning to go during the holidays?
Use of the expression family members is incorrect. Say members of the family.
15. x Please convey my regards to your family members
Please convey my regards to the members of your family
16 x Google are going to take over the world
Google is going to take over the world.
17. x I am not speaking to nobody in the class (using
double negative)
I am not speaking to anybody in the class
18. x It was the most funniest comedy I saw (using double superlative)
It was the funniest comedy I saw
All right – these words should always be written as two separate words and not as alright.
Rather and Very should not be used together
x He is rather very foolish
He is rather foolish and not as you think
The use the same for an pronoun it, them, they is incorrect.
x When you have altered the shirt, return the same
When you have altered the shirt return it
x I kindly request you to grant leave
I request you to kindly grant leave
List of commonly confused words
Words Meanings
There – their Place – possession
Fair – fare Complexion – bus fare
Affect – effect Cause a change – bring about
Biannual – biennial Twice a year – once in two years
Deprecate – Depreciate Disapprove of – Lower in value
Ingenious - Ingenuous Well thought off – Innocent / honest
Imply – Infer Suggest strongly – Deduce
Loose - lose Not fastened –lose something
Perquisite - prerequisite Special right – needed in advance
Prescribe – proscribe Recommend with authority / Prescription –
Forbid or condemn
Refute – Repudiate Prove a statement to be wrong – Refuse to
accept / reject
Tortuous – Torturous Twisting / devious – tormenting / causing
torture
Assignment
Write 20 pairs of confused words you know.
Compound Adjectives
A compound adjective is an adjective which is made up of two parts and usually written
with hyphen. Eg. Well – dressed, never – ending, etc. Its meaning is usually clear from the
word it combines. The second part of the compound adjective is frequently a present or past
participle. A large number of compound adjectives describe personal appearance. Eg. Curly –
haired, thin – lipped, sun – tanned, blue – eyed, long –legged, etc.
Another set of compound adjectives describes a person’s character. Eg. Absent - minded,
Easy - going, good - tempered, warm – hearted, quick – witted, etc.
The next one is where the second part is a preposition.
Eg. An all - out strike
A burnt - out car
A broken – down bus
A built – up area
A well – off gentleman
A drive – in - theatre
Some more compound Adjectives
Record – breaking, bullet – proof, long – distance, fool – proof, drip – dry, so – called,
part – time, world – famous, time – consuming, long – standing, interest – free, etc.
You can vary the compound adjectives listed by changing one part of the adjective. Eg.
Curly – haired can be changed as red – haired, straight – haired, etc.
Assignment
Answer the questions by using a compound adjectives which is opposite in meaning to the
adjective in question. Note that the answer may or may not have the same element as in the
adjective in the question.
1. Isn’t she rather short – sighted
2. Is your brother well behaved
3. Are your shoes high – heeled
Fill each of the blanks to form a new adjective
1. _____________ eyed
2. _____________ made
3. _____________ proof
4. _____________ necked
5. _____________ headed
6. _____________ hearted
Answers
1. Long - sighted
2. Badly - behaved
3. Flat - heeled
4. Blue – eyed
5. self – made
6. fool – proof
7. Long – necked
8. Strong – headed
9. warm – hearted