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TN Board 12th English Vocabulary PYQs

Welcome to a highly scoring 1-mark vocabulary topic for your TN Board 12th English Exam! A Compound Word is formed when two or more words are joined together to create a new word with an entirely new meaning. Examiners specifically test your ability to identify the grammatical combination (e.g., Noun + Verb) or ask you to form a specific combination like Gerund + Noun. Master our advanced vocabulary cheat sheet below, practice the top 20 Previous Year Questions (PYQs), and challenge yourself with the interactive Self-Test!

🔥 Exam Tip & The Advanced Compound Words Cheat Sheet:
  • 1. The Gerund Trap (V-ing + Noun): TN Board loves this! A Gerund is an 'ing' verb acting as a noun (doing the job of a thing).
    👉 Examples: Walking stick, Sewing machine, Waiting room, Washing machine.
  • 2. Noun + Verb: The first word is an object/thing, and the second word is an action.
    👉 Examples: Sunrise, Waterfall, Haircut, Toothache.
  • 3. Verb + Noun: The first word is an action, the second is a thing.
    👉 Examples: Playground, Watchman, Typewriter.
  • 4. Adjective + Noun: The first word describes the second word (color, size, quality).
    👉 Examples: Blueprint, Blackboard, Safeguard, Greenhouse.
  • 5. Preposition + Noun/Verb: Words starting with in, out, over, under, up, down.
    👉 Examples: Underworld, Overcoat, Output, Upkeep.

Top 20 Board Exam Questions: Compound Words

Part 1: Identify the Combination Form

Choose the correct grammatical combination for the given compound words.

  1. Question: Identify the pattern of the compound word: Sunrise (March 2019)
    Answer: Noun + Verb (Sun = Noun, Rise = Verb)
  2. Question: Identify the pattern of the compound word: Blueprint
    Answer: Adjective + Noun (Blue = Adjective, Print = Noun)
  3. Question: Identify the pattern of the compound word: Walking stick (March 2020)
    Answer: Gerund + Noun (Walking = V+ing/Gerund, Stick = Noun)
  4. Question: Identify the pattern of the compound word: Output
    Answer: Preposition + Verb (Out = Preposition, Put = Verb)
  5. Question: Identify the pattern of the compound word: Playground
    Answer: Verb + Noun (Play = Verb, Ground = Noun)

Part 2: Form the Compound Word (Gerunds & Nouns)

Select the correct word to form the required combination.

  1. Question: Choose the word that can be placed after 'sewing' to form a compound word.
    Answer: machine (sewing machine = Gerund + Noun)
  2. Question: Choose the correct Noun + Noun compound word from the options: (a) Overcoat (b) Schoolboy (c) Whitewash
    Answer: (b) Schoolboy (School = Noun, Boy = Noun)
  3. Question: Choose the word that can be placed before 'fall' to form a Noun + Verb combination.
    Answer: Water (waterfall)
  4. Question: Which of the following is a Gerund + Noun combination? (a) Blackboard (b) Looking glass (c) Drawback
    Answer: (b) Looking glass
  5. Question: Choose the suitable word to combine with 'moon' to form a Noun + Noun compound.
    Answer: light (moonlight)

Part 3: Match the Following (Board Pattern)

Match the compound words with their correct grammatical patterns.

  1. Question: Match: Drawback
    Answer: Verb + Adverb
  2. Question: Match: Greenhouse
    Answer: Adjective + Noun
  3. Question: Match: Overcoat (March 2022)
    Answer: Preposition + Noun
  4. Question: Match: Toothache
    Answer: Noun + Verb
  5. Question: Match: Postman
    Answer: Noun + Noun

Part 4: Choose the Correct Word to Form a Compound

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word to complete the compound structure.

  1. Question: Add a suitable word after 'safe' to form a compound word. (March 2023)
    Answer: guard (safeguard)
  2. Question: Choose the right word to combine with 'type' to form a compound word.
    Answer: writer (typewriter = Verb + Noun)
  3. Question: Form a compound word by placing a word before 'pass'.
    Answer: under / over (underpass / overpass = Preposition + Noun)
  4. Question: Add a word after 'life' to form a Noun + Noun combination.
    Answer: boat / span (lifeboat / lifespan)
  5. Question: Which word combines with 'white' to form an Adjective + Verb compound?
    Answer: wash (whitewash)

📝 Test Yourself: Compound Words Challenge!

Have you mastered the combination patterns? Try solving these 5 tricky 12th board-level questions. Click on "Show Answer" to check your accuracy!

  1. Question: What is the grammatical combination of the word "Looking-glass"?

    👉 Click here to Show Answer
    Answer: Gerund + Noun
    (Rule: 'Looking' ends in 'ing' and acts as a noun modifier for 'glass'.)

  2. Question: Form a compound word using Noun + Adjective pattern from these words: (a) Snowwhite (b) Overload (c) Sunbathe

    👉 Click here to Show Answer
    Answer: (a) Snowwhite
    (Rule: Snow = Noun, White = Adjective.)

  3. Question: Identify the pattern for "Upset".

    👉 Click here to Show Answer
    Answer: Preposition + Verb
    (Rule: Up = Preposition, Set = Verb.)

  4. Question: Which of the following is a Verb + Noun combination? (a) Motor-cycle (b) Watchman (c) Hardware

    👉 Click here to Show Answer
    Answer: (b) Watchman
    (Rule: Watch = Action/Verb, Man = Noun.)

  5. Question: What is the pattern of the word "Haircut"?

    👉 Click here to Show Answer
    Answer: Noun + Verb
    (Rule: Hair = Noun, Cut = Action/Verb.)

The ultimate trick to scoring full marks in Compound Words is to split the word in your mind and identify the part of speech of each half independently. Always remember that V+ing words acting as things/activities are Gerunds! Bookmark this page, practice thoroughly, and secure your vocabulary marks in the TN Board English Exam!

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