Test your knowledge of simple nouns and compounds.
Check out the questions commented by our expert professors about inflections of gender, number and degree, and the use of the hyphen in compound nouns, according to the New Orthographic Agreement.
question 1
Indicate whether the nouns below are epicene, common of two genders, or supercommon.
the butterfly
Epicene, because the noun "butterfly" designates animals of the same gender, male and female. To specify the sex, we must use "male butterfly" or "female butterfly".
b) spouse
Supercommon, because the noun "spouse" designates both male and female human beings. To specify gender, we can use "male spouse" or "female spouse".
c) comrade
Common of two genders, because the noun "buddy" has only one form for both genders, which is why it is also called a uniform noun.
To specify the sex, articles or other determinants "that buddy" or "that buddy" are used.
d) martyr
Common of two genders, because the noun "martyr" has only one form for both genders, which is why it is also called a uniform noun.
To specify the sex, articles or other determinants are used "the martyr/two martyrs" or "the martyr/two martyrs".
e) witness
Supercommon, because the noun "witness" designates both male and female human beings. To specify gender, we can use "male witness" or "female witness".
f) piranha
Epicene, because the noun piranha designates animals of the same gender, male and female. To specify the sex, we must use "male piranha" or "female piranha".
question 2
Indicate which of the words below are compound nouns.
a) sunflower
b) nightingale
c) hobby
d) mosquito
e) kid
f) bigwig
g) unofficial
h) semi-literate
i) mother of pearl
j) candy
k) I saw you
l) werewolf
The nouns below are compounded because they have more than one radical in their structure.
a) sunflower - spin + sun (composition by juxtaposition)
c) hobby - pass + time (composition by juxtaposition)
d) mosquito - leg + long (composition by agglutination)
f) bigwig - boss + rain (composition by juxtaposition)
g) unofficial - extra + official (composition by juxtaposition)
h) semi-illiterate - semi + illiterate (composition by juxtaposition)
k) bem-te-vi - bem + te + vi (composition by onomatopoeia)
l) werewolf - wolf + man (composition by agglutination)
question 3
Correct compound nouns that are misspelled.
a) self portrait
b) hobbies
c) micronutrient
d) microwave
e) infrastructure
f) anti-inflammatory
g) speaker
h) newcomer
a) self portrait
d) microwave
e) infrastructure
f) anti-inflammatory
Under the new spelling agreement, prefixed words are not hyphenated.
- When the second word starts with r, this letter must be doubled, as in the case of: self-portrait.
- The hyphen is used when the last letter of the prefix is the same as the first letter of the second word, such as: microwave and anti-inflammatory.
question 4
Complete the sentences with the plural of the given words.
a) Spoke to the _____. (citizen)
He spoke to the citizens.
The plural of paroxytones ending in -ão is formed by adding -s.
b) The _____ were presented first. (men)
The men were introduced first.
The plural of nouns ending in -m is formed by replacing -m with -n and adding -s.
c) I don't know which _____ to choose. (hat)
I don't know which hats to choose.
The plural of nouns ending in a diphthong is formed by adding -s.
d) Usually put some _____ in the food. (anise)
Usually put some anises on the food.
The plural of nouns ending in -s is formed by adding -es.
e) I only managed to solve the ant problem with a _____. (dust)
I only managed to solve the ants problem with some powders.
The plural of vowel-ending nouns is formed by adding -s.
f) The _____ were assaulted. (news reporter)
Reporters were assaulted.
The plural of nouns ending in -r is formed by adding -es.
g) They had _____ very well worked on. (abdomen)
They had very well worked abs/abs.
The plural of nouns ending in -n is formed by adding -s or -es.
h) Bought _____ on a high. (action)
Bought stocks on the rise.
The plural of most nouns ending in -ão is formed by replacing -ão with -ões.
i) There are _____ who come for good. (bad)
There are evils that come to the good.
The plural of nouns in -al is formed by transforming -l into -is. "Evil", however, is an exception.
j) They were so _____ with me! (affable)
They were so kind to me!
The plural of nouns in -el is formed by transforming -l to -is.
k) They are too _____ to get things done. (agile)
They are very agile to get things done.
The plural of paroxytone nouns ending in -il is formed by replacing -il with -eis.
l) The pencil I have is different from the _____ you have. (pencil)
The pencil I have is different from the pencils you have.
Paroxytone nouns ending in -s are invariant. The indication of the plural is made through the determinant (the pencil / the pencils).
question 5
Give the synthetic augmentative and diminutive of the words below.
a) paper
Augmentative: cardboard.
Diminutive: paper or paper.
b) rich
Augmentative: rich.
Diminutive: rich.
c) man
Augmentative: big man.
Diminutive: little man.
d) party
Augmentative: garland.
Diminutive: feast.
e) beard
Augmentative: barb.
Diminutive: beard.
f) mouse
Augmentative: rat or rat.
Diminutive: mouse.
question 6
Fill in the crosswords about simple and compound nouns:
question 7
All words highlighted below are simple nouns, except:
a) Won a ring of emerald of your godfather.
b) We went to the Zoo on Saturday afternoon.
c) Maria Luiza sang in the karaoke for the first time.
d) Sofia's favorite flower is the sunflower.
e) she signed the document in the presence of the lawyer.
Alternative d: Sofia's favorite flower is the sunflower.
Simple nouns are words that have only one root. Compound nouns are those formed by two or more radicals.
Of the words highlighted above, only “sunflower” is a compound noun formed by the verb to rotate + the noun sun.
question 8
I. Parachute is a compound noun formed by the verb to stop + fall.
II. The plural of the word pe-de-moleque is: pe-de-moleque.
III. Planalto is a simple noun as it has only one root.
From the above sentences are correct:
there
b) I and II
c) I and III
d) II and III
e) I, II and III
Alternative b: I and II
The sentence above that is incorrect is III, because plateau is a compound noun formed by two words: plano + alto.
question 9
The alternative below that contains a heteronym noun is:
a) Peacock - peacock
b) Woman - man
c) boy - girl
d) Bachelor - spinster
e) Consul - consul
Alternative b: woman - man
The heteronymous nouns are those that have two forms (one for the feminine and the other for the masculine), and are formed by different radicals.
In the other alternatives, we have biform nouns, and despite having two distinct forms for the feminine and the masculine, the radicals are the same.
question 10
The alternative in which the plural formation of simple nouns is incorrect is:
a) senior - seniors
b) kennel - kennels
c) clerk - clerks
d) canon - canons
e) sonar - sonars
Alternative e: sonar - sonars
For simple nouns ending in "r" and "z", there is an addition of "es": sonar - sonares.
The rules for the other alternatives are:
a) Simple nouns ending in “r” and “z”, adding “es”: senior - seniors.
b) Oxytone words ending in “il”, change to “is”: kennel - canis.
c) In some cases, simple nouns ending in “ão” are replaced by “ães”: escrivão - escrivães.
d) Simple nouns ending in “n”, there is an addition of “s” or “es”: canon - canons.
question 11
All of the alternatives below contain supercommon nouns, except:
a) That person is not to be trusted.
b) The individual was seen walking in the street.
c) We had a lecture with the artist.
d) Samanta is a computer genius.
e) Mary had a very beautiful baby.
Alternative c: We had a talk with the artist.
The supercommon noun is one that has only one term for both genders (masculine and feminine).
- the person
- the individual
- The genius
- the baby
Of the alternatives above, the word “artist” is a common noun of two genres that refers to the two genres identified through the accompanying article: the artist; the artist.
question 12
(FGV-SP) Tick the alternative in which the flexion of the compounds is in accordance with the cultured standard.
a) Farm lions, emergency rooms, Wednesdays, night guards.
b) Bouncers, emergency room, Wednesday, night watchman.
c) Bouncers, emergency rooms, Wednesdays, night guards.
d) Bouncers, emergency rooms, Wednesdays, night guards.
e) Bouncers, emergency rooms, Wednesdays, night guards.
Alternative to: bouncers, emergency rooms, Wednesdays, night guards.
- Leões de Chácara: in the words united by a preposition, only the first element becomes plural.
- Emergency room: in compound nouns formed by two variable words ("ready" is an adjective and "help" is a noun), both go to the plural.
- wednesdays: in compound nouns formed by two variable words ("wed" is numeral and "fair" is noun), both go to the plural.
- night guards: in compound nouns formed by two variable words ("night guard" is a noun and "night guard" is an adjective), both go to the plural.
question 13
(UPM-SP) Check the alternative where the noun inflection is wrong.
a) the lead feet
b) the rushes
c) public forms
d) horsepower
e) the shuttles
Alternative b: the rushes.
Correction: the corre-corres, because in compound nouns formed by repeated words, only the second element goes to the plural.
As for the remaining amendments:
a) the leaden feet: in the words united by preposition, only the first element becomes plural.
c) public-forms: in compound nouns formed by two variable words ("public" is an adjective and "form" is a noun), both go to the plural.
d) horsepower: although both elements are variable, "steam" restricts the noun "horse", so only this must go plural.
e) shuttles: compound nouns written without a hyphen form a plural like simple nouns.
question 14
(UFJF-MG) Check the alternative in which simple nouns appear, respectively, concrete and abstract.
a) water, wine
b) Peter, Jesus
c) Pilate, true
d) Jesus, undersigned
e) New York, God
Alternative c: Pilate, truth.
"Pilate" is a concrete noun because it designates a person, while "truth" is an abstract noun because it indicates a quality.
The remaining alterations contain only concrete nouns, because they represent things with their own existence.
Remembering that abstract nouns depend on someone to manifest. The "truth", for example, manifests itself through people: She told the truth.
question 15
(Acafe-SC) The alternative in which the plural of compound names is used correctly is:
a) foot of urchins, hummingbirds, masterpieces, school ships.
b) feet of kids, hummingbirds, masterpieces, school ships.
c) tomboy's feet, hummingbirds, masterpieces, school ships.
d) foot of urchins, hummingbirds, masterpieces, school ships.
e) feet of kids, hummingbirds, masterpieces, school ships.
Alternative c: tomboy's feet, hummingbirds, masterpieces, school ships.
- Pés de moleque: in words joined by a preposition, only the first element becomes plural.
- Hummingbirds: in compound nouns formed by a verb (beija) and a noun (flower), only the second goes to the plural.
- Masterpieces: in compound nouns formed by two variable words ("work" is a noun and "prima" is an adjective), both go to the plural.
- School-ships: Although both elements are variable, "school" restricts the noun "ship", so only this must go plural.
Keep studying on this topic:
- nouns
- simple noun
- compound noun
- Simple and compound noun (with many examples)
- Plural of compound nouns
- classification of nouns
- Noun Exercises
