Compound nouns
Words can be combined to form compound nouns. These are very common, and new combinations are invented almost daily. They normally have two parts. The first part tells us what kind of object or person it is, or what its purpose is. The second part identifies the object or person in question. Compound nouns often have a meaning that is different, or more specific, than the two separate words.
First part: type or purposeSecond part: what or whoCompound tankdiningtabledining-table
You have noticed that the compound noun can be written either as a single word, as a word with a hyphen, or as two words. There are no clear rules about this. A good rule of thumb is to write the most common compound nouns as one word, and the others as two words.
1. I don't go to bed at ten o'clock every day, I didn't go to bed at ten o'clock yesterday, I won't go to bed at ten o'clock tomorrow.
2. I don't go to school every day, I didn't go to school yesterday, I won't go to school tomorrow.
3. Do you watch TV every day ? Did you watch TV yesterday ? Wil you watch TV tomorrow?
4. When do you leave home for work every day? When did you leave home for work yesterday ? When will you leave home for work tomorrow?
5. My brother goes to work every day . He leaves at eight o'clock. His office is near our house and he walks there . He doesn't take a bus . Yesterday he didn't go to work . Yesterday he got up at nine o'clock.
6. Did you have free time yesterday? - No, I didn't .
7. What did you buy at the shop yesterday ? - I bought a book .
8 Yesterday my father didn't read newspapers because he was very busy. He will read newspapers tomorrow.