This set of English Grammar Exercises (MCQs) focuses on “Structure of Compound Words”.
1. The compound word in the below sentence is ___________
The three workers later became lifelong friends.
a) three
b) workers
c) friends
d) lifelong
View Answer
Explanation: The compound word in the given sentence is ‘lifelong’. The word is a combination of a noun (life) and an adjective (long).
2. The structure of the compound word ‘safeguard’ is ______
a) Noun + Participle
b) Verb + Noun
c) Adjective + Adjective
d) Adjective + Verb
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Safeguard’ is a closed compound word and is formed by the combination of an adjective and a verb. An example for its usage in a sentence is ‘You have to safeguard the crown from its enemies’.
3. Which of the following words is a compound word?
a) vice-president
b) wreathe
c) teaspoon
d) perimeter
View Answer
Explanation: Among the options, ‘teaspoon’ is a compound word formed by the combination of two nouns ‘tea’ and ‘spoon’.
4. Which of the following compound words has the structure ‘Noun + Verb’?
a) earmark
b) armchair
c) sweetheart
d) bed-ridden
View Answer
Explanation: When joining two or more simple words it results in a compound word. Among the compound words given in the options, the word ‘earmark’ has a Noun + Verb structure.
5. ‘Thermometer’ is a compound word.
a) True
b) False
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Thermometer’ is a Secondary derivative and not a compound word. It has the prefix ‘thermo’ attached to the word ‘meter’ and thus, qualifies as a Secondary derivative.
6. Identify the structure of the compound word ‘spelling-book’ from the following options.
a) Gerund + Noun
b) Verb + Noun
c) Noun + Adjective
d) Adjective + Adverb
View Answer
Explanation: A Gerund is a form of verb ending in ‘ing’. Thus, the compound word consists of the gerund (spelling) and the noun (book).
7. Select the compound word from the options below.
a) postman
b) counterfeit
c) counteract
d) darkness
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Postman’ is a compound word. The other options ‘counterfeit’, ‘counteract’ and ‘darkness’ are all Secondary derivatives.
8. Identify the option which has the formation ‘Adjective + Participle’.
a) overthrow
b) ringleader
c) overtake
d) widespread
View Answer
Explanation: The word ‘widespread’ has the required structure of ‘Adjective + Participle’. Consider the following sentence as an example for its usage – ‘Malaria is widespread in tropical regions’.
9. Identify the compound word in the sentence below.
Meet me at the railway station tomorrow afternoon.
a) meet
b) railway
c) station
d) tomorrow
View Answer
Explanation: The sentence has two compound words, ‘railway’ and ‘afternoon’. But only one of them is given in the options. Thus, the word ‘railway’ is the correct answer.
10. ‘Song’ is a secondary derivative.
a) True
b) False
View Answer
Explanation: The word ‘song’ is derived from the verb form ‘sing’. Thus, the word qualifies as a Primary derivative.
11. Select the structure of the compound word ‘heart-broken’.
a) Verb + Noun
b) Noun + Noun
c) Noun + Adjective
d) Adjective + Adverb
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Noun + Adjective’ is the structure of the compound word ‘heart-broken’. Consider the sentence, ‘He was heart-broken after hearing the news’.
12. Select the word with the structure ‘Adverb + Verb’.
a) outset
b) philanthropy
c) demigod
d) swimming pool
View Answer
Explanation: Among the options, the word ‘outset’ has the required ‘Adverb + Verb’ formation. ‘Philanthropy’ and ‘demigod’ are not Compound words.
13. Select the compound word among the options below.
a) pickpocket
b) meddlesome
c) fruitful
d) childhood
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Pickpocket’ is the only compound word among the options. All the other words have suffixes attached to their root words and are thus Secondary derivatives.
14. Which of the following options expresses the formation of the compound word ‘go-between’?
a) Adverb + Noun
b) Verb + Adverb
c) Adverb + Verb
d) Adjective + Adverb
View Answer
Explanation: The word ‘go’ is a verb and ‘between’ is an adverb as it is defining the verb. Thus, ‘go-between’ is a combination of a verb and an adverb.
15. Choose the compound word which has the structure ‘Verb + Noun’.
a) seasick
b) scarecrow
c) die-hard
d) heart-rending
View Answer
Explanation: ‘Scarecrow’ is the correct answer among the options. It has the required structure, in which the word ‘scare’ is a verb and ‘crow’ is a noun.
To practice all topics of English Grammar, here is complete set of 5000+ Questions and Answers.
If you find a mistake in question / option / answer, kindly take a screenshot and email to [email protected]
