Nouns in groups

Hi everyone! I put together this post to answer a student’s question! Hehe… Do we say Gloria Hotel Accommodations?

There are three main ways in which we can put nouns together so that the first noun modifies or describes the second.

noun + noun

Mostly used to make ‘classifying’ expressions, which name a particular kind of thing. The first noun works a little like an adjective.

a horse race / a war film / milk chocolate

The noun + noun structure is also used in measurements, with a number before the first noun. The number is usually joined to the first noun by a hyphen (-). Note that the first noun is normally singular in form in these cases.

a three-day weekend / a ten-pound note / a two-hour lesson

noun + ‘s + noun

Used to talk about several different sorts of ideas: possession, relationship, physical features and characteristics, non-physical qualities and measurements of a person or animal, or of a country, organization or other group of living creatures.

my sister’s car / a bird’s nest / cow’s milk

noun + preposition + noun

Used to talk about parts of non-living things and in other cases.

the top of the page / a feeling of disappointment

This is a very complicated area of English grammar. The ‘rules’ given above show the general patterns, but unfortunately there is no easy way to be quite sure which structure is used to express a particular compound idea. The most common expressions will be learnt by experience; in cases of doubt, a good dictionary will often show which form is correct.

By the way, hotel accommodation means the facilities and the quality of accommodation provided by a hotel:
This includes hotel accommodation, meals and bike hire
. Times, Sunday Times (2008)

I hope you will find this information helpful! 😉

Practical English Usage – Michael Swan

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