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People and culture
Nouns as Adjectives

Normally, a noun is a person, place or thing and an adjective is a word that describes a
noun.

e.g. - clever (adjective) student (noun)

- small (adjective) office (noun)

- black (adjective) horse (noun)

Sometimes, a noun is used to describe another noun. In this case, the first noun ‘acts
as an adjective.

e.g. - history (noun as adjective) teacher (noun)

- ticket (noun as adjective) office (noun)

- race (noun as adjective) horse (noun)

The noun as adjective always comes first.

e.g. - a race horse is a horse that runs in races

- a horse race is a race for horses

The noun as adjective is singular.

e.g. - boat race / boat races (correct) boats race / boats races (wrong)

- toothbrush / toothbrushes (correct) teethbrush / teethbrushes (wrong)

Exception: When we use certain nouns as adjectives, (clothes, sports, accounts),

plural forms are used.

e.g. - clothes shop, clothes shops

- sports car, sports cars

- accounts department, accounts departments