Compound Words Quiz

Grade 3 · English · Quiz

Test your ability to identify and understand compound words.

Questions

  1. Which of these is a compound word?

    1. kindness
    2. football
    3. running
    4. unhappy
    Show answer

    Answer: football

    'Football' = foot + ball. 'Kindness' has a suffix, 'running' has a suffix, 'unhappy' has a prefix.

  2. 'Book' + 'worm' = ___.

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    Answer: bookworm

    Book + worm = bookworm. A bookworm is someone who loves to read (like a worm living in a book)!

  3. The word 'cupcake' is a compound word made from 'cup' and 'cake'.

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    Answer: True

    Cup + cake = cupcake. A small cake baked in a cup-shaped mold.

  4. What two words make up 'butterfly'?

    1. but + terfly
    2. butter + fly
    3. butt + erfly
    4. b + utterfly
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    Answer: butter + fly

    'Butterfly' splits into 'butter' and 'fly.' The origin of the name is mysterious but the split is clear.

  5. In a compound word, the two smaller words always lose their original meanings.

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    Answer: False

    The two words keep their meanings and contribute to the compound's meaning. 'Book' + 'shelf' = a shelf for books.

  6. A 'skateboard' is a board used for ___.

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    Answer: skating

    A skateboard is a board you skate on. Knowing the parts helps you understand the word.

  7. Which sentence uses a compound word correctly?

    1. She wore a rain coat to school.
    2. She wore a raincoat to school.
    3. She wore a rain-coat to school.
    4. Both A and B are correct
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    Answer: She wore a raincoat to school.

    'Raincoat' is a closed compound word written as one word.

  8. Which is NOT a compound word?

    1. sunflower
    2. playground
    3. beautiful
    4. bedroom
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    Answer: beautiful

    'Beautiful' is NOT a compound — it comes from 'beauty' with the suffix '-ful.' The others are all two real words joined.

  9. 'Ice cream' is an example of an open compound word.

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    Answer: True

    'Ice cream' is an open compound — two words that belong together but are written separately.

  10. 'Fire' + 'works' = ___.

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    Answer: fireworks

    Fire + works = fireworks. The colorful explosions that look like fire working in the sky!

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