Nouns as Modifiers: modifying a noun with a noun

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Noun–Noun Modifiers
Modifier Word Form
Hyphens
Grammar Notes
Practice 1
Practice 2

Nouns as Modifiers

Modifying a noun with a noun

Noun Modifiers vs. Phrase or Clause Modifiers

MODIFYING NOUN — NOUN
The same meaning can be expressed with a noun placed before the noun.
PRE POSITION MODIFIER
It is an office chair. (a chair for an office)
May I have a soup spoon. (a spoon for soup)
Ring the door bell. (a bell for a door)
It is a picnic table. (a table for a picnic)
He rides a mountain bike. (a bike for mountains)
He is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agent.
*He is a Kyoto man. (a Kyotan, Kyoto-ite?)

NOUN + MODIFYING PHRASE OR CLAUSE
A noun can be modified by a phrase or clause placed after the noun.
POST POSITION MODIFIER
It is a chair for an office. (PP)
May I have a spoon that is for soup. (Cls)
Ring the bell that is next to the door. (Cls)
It is a table for picnics. (PP)
He rides a bike that was designed for the mountains. (Cls)
He is an agent from the Internal Revenue Service. a tax man (PP)
He is a man from Kyoto. (PP + proper noun)

*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
See Nationalities for specific terms.

Word Form

Mostly Singular

PLURAL NOUN MODIFIER
Infrequently, a plural noun modify a noun.
It is a sports magazine / car. (Indicates variety)
We attended a jobs fair. (Indicates variety)
The measle¹ outbreak made several children sick.
*We went to a vegetables market.

SINGULAR NOUN MODIFIER
More commonly, a singular noun modifies a noun.
I bought a sport-utility vehicle. (other "sport" words)
I have a job interview today.

We went to a vegetable market.

*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
¹Related page Irreg Agreement (Words ending in -s that are singular in agreement)

Hyphens

Indicating relationship

NOUN MODIFIER
A hyphen is not used when one noun is a modifier to another noun .
NO HYPHEN
He applied for a director position.
The train station is closed. train (n.) modifies station (n.)
Lake Tahoe is on the Nevada border. Nevada (n.) modifies border (n.)
FOR CLARITY (noun → noun–noun)
We bought two foot stools. two (det.) modifies foot (n.) which modifies stools (n.)

DOUBLE-NOUN MODIFIER
Two modifiers are linked with a hyphen to indicate relationship: (1) to link two words of equal importance, (2) to link two words modifying a noun that follows.
FOR EQUAL IMPORTANCE (noun–noun → noun)
He applied for a producer-director position.
The Menlo-Atherton train station is closed.
Lake Tahoe is on the California-Nevada border.
FOR CLARITY (noun–noun → noun)
We bought two-foot stools. See Hyphens.

*In linguistic description, two is a determiner "two chairs", or a noun "They came in twos." (CaGEL 5.7.6)

See Hyphens for details.

Grammar Notes

Traditional Grammar and Linguistic Description

(Advanced)

TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR	LINGUISTIC DESCRIPTION
In traditional grammar, the examples above are described as "a noun used as adjectives". "When a noun is used as an adjective, it is in its singular form…. When a noun used as a modifier is combined with a number expression, the noun is singular and a hyphen is used." Nouns as Adjectives (Azar 7-3)	Current linguistic analysis describes the examples above as "nouns used as attributive modifiers". That is to say, a "noun" cannot be an "adjective" (a grammatical class) but it can be a "modifier" (a grammatical function). Because it occurs before the noun it modifies, it is called a "pre-head modifier" (the noun being the head of the noun phrase). "Attributive nouns fail to qualify as adjectives by virtue of the grading and adverbial dependents criteria. They don't take very or too or the analytic comparative marker more as modifier." — Nouns as Attributive Modifiers (CaGEL 16.2.4.1)

TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR

LINGUISTIC DESCRIPTION

In traditional grammar, the examples above are described as "a noun used as adjectives".

"When a noun is used as an adjective, it is in its singular form…. When a noun used as a modifier is combined with a number expression, the noun is singular and a hyphen is used."

Nouns as Adjectives (Azar 7-3)

Current linguistic analysis describes the examples above as "nouns used as attributive modifiers". That is to say, a "noun" cannot be an "adjective" (a grammatical class) but it can be a "modifier" (a grammatical function). Because it occurs before the noun it modifies, it is called a "pre-head modifier" (the noun being the head of the noun phrase).

"Attributive nouns fail to qualify as adjectives by virtue of the grading and adverbial dependents criteria. They don't take very or too or the analytic comparative marker more as modifier." — Nouns as Attributive Modifiers (CaGEL 16.2.4.1)

Categories: NP –noun phrase; N – noun; VP – verb phrase; V – verb; Det – determiner; PP – prepositional phrase; P – preposition; AdvP – adverb phrase; Adv – adverb; AdjP– adjective phrase; Adj – adjective ;

Cls – clause

Practice 1

Noun as Modifier: Word Forms

Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
Click the "check all" button at the bottom of the practice to reveal the answers after you finish, or
c lick the individual "check" buttons #1-11 to compare responses as you go.

It is a bridge that is made of rope. It is a bridge.

Feedback 1

It is a bat for baseballs . It is a bat.

Feedback 2

It is a cloth that goes on top of the dining table. It is a cloth.

Feedback 3

It is a key for my car. It is my key.

Feedback 4

We bought a bone for dogs. We gave Zak a bone.

Feedback 5

We need a trap for mice. We need a trap.

Feedback 6

We built a house in the trees. We built a house.

Feedback 7

These are my slippers that I wear in the house . They are my slippers.

Feedback 8

This is a ladder that reaches seven feet. It is a ladder.

Feedback 9

10.

My grandmother gave me a plate that is used for serving desserts. It is a plate.

Feedback 10

11.

In the summer, a trucks that is filled with watermelons comes to our town.
We wait for for the truck to come to town.

Feedback 11

12.

There are four bedrooms in my house. It is a house.

Feedback 12

13.

This is the plan that shows the floors in my house house It is the plan for my house.

Feedback 13

14.

This is a handbook for students . It is a handbook.

Feedback 14

15.

Five courses will be served at dinner. It is a dinner.

course (n.) – separate part or dish of a meal

Feedback 15

Practice 2

Gerunds and Nouns as Modifiers to Nouns

Select the correct word order.

Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
Click the "check all" button at the bottom of the practice to reveal the answers after you finish, or
c lick the individual "check" buttons #16-25 to compare responses as you go.

16.