Ampersand Lab

Intermediate grammar · Lesson 80 · B1

Noun + noun (a bus driver / a headache)

Two nouns together make one idea, with the first working like an adjective: a bus driver, a road sign, a frying pan. The first noun stays singular, so it is a three-hour journey and a ten-pound note.

Start the lesson

19Steps · about 36 minutes

In this lesson

The first noun tells you what kindA6 screens of questions
More than twoB1 screen of questions
One word or two?C1 screen of questions
a tea cup and a cup of teaD1 screen of questions
a three-hour journey, a ten-pound noteE3 screens of questions

Point A of 5

The first noun tells you what kind

Two nouns together can mean one thing, person or idea. The first noun works like an adjective: it tells you what kind.

Noun + noun Means
a bus driver the driver of a bus
council tax tax you pay to the council
the town centre the centre of the town
an apple tree a tree that has apples
a Glasgow hotel a hotel in Glasgow
my life story the story of my life

The first word can be an -ing form: a swimming pool (a pool for swimming), a sleeping bag, a dining room.

  • a radio presenter, a radio studio, a radio interview
  • money problems, health problems, work problems
  • Pass me the frying pan, would you?

Point A · Exercise 80.1 · part 1 of 4

What do we call these things and people?

  1. Example

    A person who drives a taxi is a taxi driver.

    AnswerA person who drives a taxi is a taxi driver.

  2. Example

    Problems to do with money are money problems.

    AnswerProblems to do with money are money problems.

  3. A pass that lets you ride on buses is a .

  4. A machine that sells tickets is a .

  5. The staff at a hotel are the .

  6. The marks you get for your tests are your .

Point A · Exercise 80.1 · part 2 of 4

What do we call these things and people?

  1. A dog that is trained to guide blind people is a .

  2. A race for horses is a .

  3. Shoes for running are .

  4. A shop that sells flowers is a .

Point A · Exercise 80.1 · part 3 of 4

What do we call these things and people?

  1. The door at the front of a house is the .

  2. A person who delivers the post is a .

  3. A scandal involving a football club is a .

  4. Workers at a car factory are .

Point A · Exercise 80.1 · part 4 of 4

What do we call these things and people?

  1. A scheme to improve a road is a .

  2. A department store in London is a .

Point A · Exercise 80.2 · part 1 of 2

Answer each clue with two of these words: accident, belt, birthday, card, credit, driver, forecast, machine, number, party, ring, road, room, seat, lorry, washing, weather, wedding.

  1. Example

    This can be caused by bad driving. a road accident

    Answera road accident

  2. You should wear this in a car. a

  3. Shops accept this instead of cash, and the bank sends you the bill later. a

  4. This tells you whether you need a brolly tomorrow. the

  5. Handy if you have a mountain of dirty clothes. a

Point A · Exercise 80.2 · part 2 of 2

Answer each clue with two of these words: accident, belt, birthday, card, credit, driver, forecast, machine, number, party, ring, road, room, seat, lorry, washing, weather, wedding.

  1. Many married people wear one on the third finger of the left hand. a

  2. Hotel reception asks for this when you collect your key. your

  3. A way of celebrating getting a year older. a

  4. This person moves goods by road. a

Point B of 5

More than two

Sometimes there are three or more nouns in a row.

  • I left my key at the hotel front desk.
  • We watched the European Diving Championships on telly.
  • To play pool (the game) you need a pool table, a cue and a set of balls.

Point B · Exercise 80.3

Put the words in the right order.

  1. Example

    I spilt tea on the living room carpet. (room / carpet / living)

    AnswerI spilt tea on the living room carpet.

  2. Callum is mad about cricket. He's in his . (team / village / cricket)

  3. Anna works for a . (company / production / television)

  4. A lot of people take out a . (life / policy / insurance)

  5. You can pick up a map at the . (information / office / tourist)

Point C of 5

One word or two?

Some pairs have fused into one word, others stay apart: a toothbrush, a bedroom, a raincoat, a bus stop, a tin opener. No rule decides which. When unsure, write two words.

  • I've got a headache.
  • Is there a car park near the station?

Point C · Extra practice

Write the two nouns in brackets as one compound noun.

  1. I've got a terrible . (head / ache)

  2. Is there a near the station? (car / park)

  3. Don't forget your . (tooth / brush)

Point D of 5

a tea cup and a cup of tea

A tea cup may be empty; a cup of tea has tea in it. A shopping bag may be empty; a bag of shopping is full.

  • Can you pass me a tea cup? (an empty cup)
  • I'd love a cup of tea. (a cup with tea in it)
  • She was carrying three bags of shopping.

Point D · Extra practice

Put in a tea cup or a cup of tea, and so on.

  1. I'd love . I'm parched. (tea)

  2. Can you pass me ? I'll pour the tea. (empty)

  3. She came home with three . (shopping, full)

Point E of 5

a three-hour journey, a ten-pound note

The first noun is normally singular, even when the meaning is plural: a car park is a place to park cars. The same goes for numbers: a three-hour journey, not a three hours journey. As a separate phrase, the plural returns: the journey took three hours.

  • a four-day festival (a festival that lasts four days)
  • a ten-pound note
  • a six-week course
  • a five-mile run
  • two 15-year-old boys
  • It was a six-week course. (not a six weeks course)
  • The course lasted six weeks.

Point E · Exercise 80.4 · part 1 of 3

Which is right? Write the correct form.

  1. Example

    It's a long film. It runs for nearly three hours (hour / hours).

    AnswerIt's a long film. It runs for nearly three hours.

  2. It's only a (one-hour / one hours) flight from Bristol to Dublin.

  3. It took only (one hour / one hours) to fly to Dublin.

  4. I've got no change. I've only got a (twenty-pound / twenty pounds) note.

  5. I checked my coat pocket and found two (ten-pound / ten pounds) notes.

Point E · Exercise 80.4 · part 2 of 3

Which is right? Write the correct form.

  1. At work we usually have a (ten-minute / ten minutes) break mid-morning.

  2. There are (sixty-minute / sixty minutes) in an hour.

  3. My flat is on the ninth floor of a (fifteen-storey / fifteen storeys) block.

  4. I work (four-day / four days) a week. Fridays are free.

Point E · Exercise 80.4 · part 3 of 3

Which is right? Write the correct form.

  1. We booked a (three-night / three nights) stay in Bath.

  2. Sam's son is (eight-year-old / eight years old).

  3. Sam has an (eight-year-old / eight-years-old) son.

Lesson 80 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: -'s (your sister's name) and of ... (the name of the book)Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. The first noun tells you what kind–Not checkedB. More than two–Not checkedC. One word or two?–Not checkedD. a tea cup and a cup of tea–Not checkedE. a three-hour journey, a ten-pound note–Not checked