A compound word is made by joining two smaller words: sun + flower = sunflower. Spotting the two parts helps children read and spell longer words — and often explains what the word means.
What your child will learn
- Join two words to make a compound word
- Split a compound word into its two parts
- Use the parts to work out what a compound word means
Two words, one meaning
Often the parts give a big clue: a toothbrush is a brush for teeth, and moonlight is light from the moon. When children meet a long word, looking for smaller words inside it is a great reading strategy.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. foot + ball = ?
⚽- ballfoot
- feetball
- football
- footbal
Show answer
Answer: football. Put “foot” and “ball” together to make “football”.
2. True or false? “Playground” is made of two smaller words.
Show answer
Answer: True. play + ground = playground.
3. sun + flower = ?
🌻- sunsflower
- sunflow
- sunflower
- flowersun
Show answer
Answer: sunflower. Put “sun” and “flower” together to make “sunflower”.
Tips for grown-ups
- Go on a compound word hunt: football, bedroom, cupboard, toothpaste.
- Make silly compound words together — what might a “rainpig” be?