Compound words are words that are formed when two smaller forms of them come together. They allow you to add some pizzazz to your language. The following collection of activity sheets will introduce your students to types of words. Students will practice identifying and constructing words by finding them in the given sentences, building them from a given collection of words within a word bank, choosing whether a word pair is compound or not, and more. Answer keys have been provided for instructors. If these do not fit within your curriculum, these sheets may be used as extra credit assignments. Fun Contest Idea: Have your students list as many different words as they can, and give a prize to the students with the longest list.
Print Compound Words Worksheets
Click the buttons to print each worksheet and associated answer key.
This and That
Put each set of smaller words together to make a compound form. This is a great way to introduce this skill.
Word Banker
Put the words in the box together to form one in longer form. Write the new terms on the lines. Make as many as you can. Remember they can go on the front or back.
Big Words - Small Parts
Match up the small words below to form new terms. Write them on the line. You will create something entirely new.
Where Is It?
Circle every silly and crazy compound form found in each sentence. Some sentences may appear to have more than one.
Is It a _______?
Read each pair of words below. Can they be put together? Color in YES or NO. If they can come together, write the term that is formed on the line.
Confounded
The words below are all mixed up. Can you take them apart and put them back together again so that they make proper new term?
Pound It!
There is nothing wrong with being made of small parts! Put them together to be better than their original form.
Parts of Sentences
Where is that bad boy in the sentence? This is another identification activity that can really help you get better at this skill.
Make a Sentence
Write a sentence with the words that you are given and make them pop, PLEASE! You will also review skills that we have already covered.
Pound Words
Match the word parts below to form new ones. Please make them as interesting as possible. Write your them on the lines.
Complex Thoughts
Underline the word(s) that we have been discussing and practice this skill some more.
Penguins Rule!
Is penguinhula a word? If not, it should be. Don't you think? This worksheet is great to help you review everything that we have learned in this section.
How Many Do You Know?
This is a brainstorming activity and this will help your ability to create new words flourish.
Filler Up!
Fill in the blank in each sentence with a new word that makes sense. Some of the terms that you come up with can be a little off the mark too.
Compound Words: Open, Closed, And Hyphenated Forms
Do you want to upgrade your writing style or add variations to it? What better way to do it than by using compound words. Compounds words are two or more words that give a new look to the information that needs to be delivered.
A compound word is a term that is formed from two or even more smaller words. These words combine to form a completely new term. An example would be "airplane" which is a blend of the words air and plane. The new word that is formed will have usually have a similar or related meaning to the singular words, but under some circumstance they will mean something completely different. An example of this is the term: backlog. This word means to have a series of unfinished work which differs a good deal from the original terms. A common misconception of these types of words is that they need combined in way so that they look like a single word. That is only one form of compound word and is referred to as the closed format. They can take on two other forms. The open format is when a space exists between the words that are present. The occurs when an adjective is used with a noun to form a new noun (example: living room). The hyphenated form comes into play when a compound adjective is located just before the noun it modifies (example: long-term).
The new word formed is not even technically wrong; this is why the English language is so flexible and gives a person a chance to play with the order of things. It is a way to add more words to the literature according to the demand of the writer. You can clear your concept about compounds by reading the elaborated examples below.
Examples of Compound Words
Example 1: Anyhow
This is a compound word made up of the terms, "Any" and "How." They independently have different meanings, and none of them is closely associated with the compound's meaning.
Example 2: Backpack
The compound word is for a bag that is carried on the back. However, instead of explaining the use of this bag every time while writing, people use the word backpack to simplify.
Example 3: long run
Here, "Long" and "Run" are not joined together like in other examples. However, it is a compound word because it is said together and gives one meaning. It is an example of an open form.
There are three types of compound words: open, closed, and hyphenated. These are explained in detail below.
Open Form
These types of compound words are not joined but are said together. The two words written together form a new word with its meaning different or connected to the meanings of the roots.
High school
High means the topmost vertical range, and a school is where you get educated. So, a high school becomes a school with the highest level of education that a school can offer.
Hot dog
The hotness measures heat, and a dog is an animal. However, when written together, a hot dog becomes a food item.
Ice cream
Ice is the solid state of water, and cream is a thick slurry. When combined, it becomes a category of a food item.
Closed Form
Compound words that do not have any space between their combination are known as closed compound words. These are new words that did not exist before but, due to overuse, are now acceptable.
Playground
Play comes from playing, an activity. At the same time, a ground is a place. A new word for a place to play is created when these terms are joined.
Footprint
A foot is a body organ, and a print is an impression. When we combine it, it becomes a print of the foot.
Skateboard
Skating is a sport, and a board is a panel or a slate. Combining these gives us a name for the skating equipment.
Hyphenated Form
Such compound words in which hyphens are placed between two or three different words to emphasize the connection or give an entirely different meaning from the roots.
Empty-hand
The word is used to tell that a person has nothing or was unsuccessful in procuring something.
Deep-fried
Deep-fried means to fry food in a pan filled with oil such that the meat or vegetables are wholly drowned.