Classzone: The Language of Literature, Grade 8

Name _______________________________________

Lesson 6 Compound words and contractions

back + ground = background two + thirds = two-thirds

half + back = halfback forty + eight = forty-eight

net + work = network audio + visual = audio-visual

score + board = scoreboard left + handed = left-handed

room + mate = roommate brothers + in-law = brothers-in-law

video + tape = videotape

else + where = elsewhere they + are = they're

other + wise = otherwise who + is = who's

who + ever = whoever have + not = haven't

any + one = anyone were + not = weren't

should + have = should've

1.	In the first column, are any changes made when the two smaller words are joined? __________ Why does roommate have two m's? _____________________________________________________________________

2.	In the second column, what punctuation is added to join the first five pairs of words? __________ Does the spelling of either word change when a pair is joined? __________

3.	In the second column, what punctuation is added to join the second five pairs of words? __________ What do the apostrophes in the joined words replace? _____________________________________________________________________

Lesson Generalization Complete words can be combined to form other words in several different ways.

When two words are simply connected, with no changes in either word, the word formed is called a compound word.

Words joined by a hyphen are another type of compound word.

When an apostrophe is used to show that one or more letters have been omitted, the word is called a contraction.