Compound Nouns ESL Games, Worksheets and Activities
In this fun compound nouns speaking activity, students complete questions with one word to make closed compound nouns. Students then ask and answer the questions with a partner. In two groups, students complete each question on the worksheet with one word to make a compound noun. Next, students write down one or two follow-up questions for each item. Students then pair up with someone from the other group and take it in turns to ask and answer the questions with their partner. Finally, students report back to the class on what they found out about their partner.
In this inventive compound nouns game, students combine words together to form compound nouns and use them in sentences. The first player puts down one of their dominoes on either side of the domino on the table, making sure that the words combine to form a compound noun. If the player forms a compound noun successfully, they score a point. For an extra point, the player then uses the compound noun in a sentence. The other players then take it in turns to match their dominoes in the same way by putting them down at either end of the domino chain and making a suitable sentence when a compound noun is formed. When a player has gotten rid of all their dominoes, the game ends. The player with the most points wins the game. Finally, go through the compound nouns and elicit the compound elements for each one, e.g. noun + noun, noun + verb, etc.
In this entertaining compound nouns drawing game, students guess compound nouns from pictures. One student from Team A comes up to the board. Give the student a card containing two words that when joined together form a compound noun. The student then draws the two words on the board. The first team to guess the compound noun wins and scores a point. For an extra point, the team then defines the compound noun. If the team is unable to define the word, the other team can steal the point by giving a correct definition. Then, a student from Team B comes to the board and so on. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. As an alternative, instead of asking for a definition, you could ask teams to tell you the compound elements or use the compound noun in a sentence.
This productive compound nouns worksheet helps students learn and practice a variety of compound nouns and their compound elements. Students begin by looking at pictures and completing compound nouns with words from a box. Students then match each compound noun with its compound elements. Next, students complete sentences with suitable compound nouns from Exercise A. Students then move on to match words together to make compound nouns and write the compound elements for each one. In the last exercise, students write a sentence about each picture using a compound noun.
In this free compound nouns game, students race to create as many compound nouns as they can from specific words. You begin the game by picking up a card and calling out the word in bold, e.g. hair. In teams, students then race to write down as many compound nouns as they can think of using the word, e.g. hairbrush, hairdresser, haircut, hairstyle, etc. When a time limit has been reached (e.g. one minute), the teams stop writing and swap papers for marking. For each suitable compound noun that is not on your card, teams score a point. If a team has a compound noun that is on your card, they score two points. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
This imaginative compound nouns game helps students develop their vocabulary knowledge by matching words together to form compound nouns and using them in sentences. In pairs, students take it in turns to turn over one card from each set. If the two words match to make a compound noun, the student scores a point. The student can then score an extra point by making a sentence with the compound noun. The student then keeps the cards. If the student is able to make a suitable sentence, they have another turn. If not, play passes to the other student. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins.
This comprehensive noun-noun phrases worksheet helps students learn and practice how to modify nouns with other nouns. These noun-noun collocations are sometimes called noun adjuncts or qualifying nouns. Students begin by circling phrases containing two nouns and rewriting them in other words. After that, students write three nouns that can modify different nouns. Next, students use nouns from a box to complete sentences with noun-noun phrases. Finally, students complete chains of noun collocations with nouns from a box.
In this creative compound nouns game, students define compound nouns using certain words and guess compound nouns from another team's descriptions. First, teams look at their cards and think about how they can define each compound noun by using the words on the cards or variations of the words. Teams then take it in turns to pick up a card and define the compound noun to the other team, starting with the compound elements. The opposing team has one minute to listen to the description and guess the compound noun. If the opposing team manages to guess the compound noun before the time limit has been reached, they win and keep the card. If not, the defining team wins and keeps the card. The team with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
