Analyse Complex Compound Words

Hello word detective, this looks like a challenge that’s right up your street.  

Can you help us solve it?

What do you notice about the words below?

justice       damage       bargain

They are all made up of two smaller words!

These words are called compound words and are made when smaller words join together to make a longer word.

 tap + ping = tapping

   dam + age = damage

 port + able = portable

Sometimes (compound word alert!) these words are challenging to find as they are pronounced differently in the longer word.

Which of the following words could you add to the word comb to make a compound word?      

and - this would make comband

in - this would make combin

at -  this would make combat

The correct answer is at, as comb + at = combat.

We need to select a word from the left set of brackets that can join with a word from the right set of brackets to make a compound word.

(know, by, sink) (rest, ledge, tap)

know + ledge = knowledge

Here's another example:

(when, now, late) (in, then, here)

now + here = nowhere

In this activity, you will need to be a superstar spotter and find two words (one from each group) that join together to make a longer word.

Let’s get started!