Compound Nouns (noun + noun)

♦  We often use two nouns (or more) together to mean one thing/person/idea, etc.

Look at the sentences from the text “What makes a good university in the 21st century?”

Until recently students needed to weigh up four key criteria when looking for a good university: course quality, university reputation, location and accommodation costs

However, fee rises and changing attitudes towards university have transformed students

How will my university experience help me to compete in the graduate job market

Work experience and volunteering will be crucial.

Universities are now placing an increasing emphasis on work experience opportunities

Ask at any university fairs you attend

They also help students develop an awareness of different cultural businesses practices and sharpen those all-important language skills.

Germany is the least expensive study abroad destination and has the advantage of being an important business hub with a range of employment and training opportunities for young people.

More and more universities and higher education organisations are now working with employers

 

♦  When two nouns occur together, the first noun is used as an adjective and describes the second noun. The first noun answers the question ‘what kind of?’.

 

♦ Noun + noun compound can often be transformed into structures where the second noun becomes the subject.

A biology teacher = someone who teaches biology

A computer science student = someone who studies computer science

 

♦  Noun + noun compounds may also be reformulated using a preposition:

Course quality = the quality of a course

Fee rises = rises in fees

University experience = experience at university

Job market = jobs (available) on the market

Training opportunities = opportunities in training

Higher education organisation = organisation in/within higher education

 

♦  The first noun is usually singular. However some words retain the plural form.

 

♦  Sometimes three or more nouns can occur together. Hyphens can be used to avoid ambiguity in such compounds.

Class-time

 

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