Page 42 - IELTS Preparation Grammar and Vocab

5 Nouns, agreement and articles

Grammar

ing Compound nouns and noun phrases

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Common compound noun patterns:
noun + noun -ing form + noun i noun + -ing form
donate change recycluig scheme
ehergy-sooahg
Some compound nouns are usually written as one word (e.g. rainforest), some as separate words (e.g. river
levels), and others with a hyphen (-) e.g. decision-making).

The first noun in a compound usually has a singular form, even if it has a plural meaning
decision-making (not deei5ions-nuikirtg)
Instead of a compound noun we can use
noun + 's + noun when the first noun is the user of the second noun:
a women's clinic, a boys' school
noun + preposition + noun:
a book about energy conservation, a book about grammar (a grammar book is also common)
We can sometimes use noun + + noun or noun + of + noun with a similar meaning
the charity's aim or the aim of the charity
We are more likely to use noun + 's + noun:
when the first noun refers to a particular person or group of people or to talk about time
Mike's job, next year's field trip
We more often use noun + of + noun:
when the second noun is a non-living thing
the title of the CD
when we talk about a process or change over time
the destruction of the rainforest
with a long noun phrase
Mike is the brother of someone! went to school with.
Compounds often combine with other nouns or compounds to form longer combinations:
decision-making process, energy conservation scheme

an Subject—verb agreement
Some nouns with a singular form, referring to a group (e.g. government, class, department team), can be used
with either a singular or plural form of the verb, although in formal contexts a singular verb is often preferred:
The government has (or have) introduced some really interesting projects.
We usually use a singular verb:
when names and titles (e.g. of countries, newspapers, books, films) ending in -s refer to a single unit:
The Netherlands has begun to tackle the problem.
with a phrase referring to a measurement, amount or quantity
Only a few miles separates the villages.
after percent (also per cent or %) referring to a singular or uncountable noun:
... 10% of the country's energy comes from wind power

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