Stress in Compound Words

Compound words are made from two small words put together, for example book+shop=bookshop. (They are not always written as one word, for example, shoe shop). In most compound words, the stress is on the first part. Look at these examples:

Oo bookshop bus stop

Ooo traffic light bus station

Oooo travel agent art gallery

Ex.12 Listen. Write the words in bold in the correct columns. (B44)

If the compound word is not a noun, we often put stress on the second part as well.

OO first class half price hand made

OOo bad-tempered old-fashioned short-sighted

OoO overnight second hand

Ex.13 Listen to the sentences. In each of them one of the compound words in bold has stress on the first part (Oo) and the other has stress on the second part as well (OO). Circle the word which has two stresses. (B45)

EXAMPLE They did the photocopies overnight.

1. I got this motorbike second hand.

2. Using a typewriter is so old-fashioned.

3. These earrings were hand made.

4. I’m short-sighted, like my grandmother.

5. All the sunglasses are half price.

6. The waiting room is for first class only.

It is very easy to confuse compound words with just an adjective and a noun or a verb and a noun. You have to make the pronunciation different. Compare:

We keep these plants in a greenhouse during winter. – Mr. Olsen lives in a small, green house near the river.

I saw her bus pass. – I saw her bus pass.