📖 ReadingGrade 3Lesson 6
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Practice Compound Words
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Learning Objectives
- 1Define what a compound word is and explain how it is formed
- 2Split a compound word into its two smaller words to find its meaning
- 3Match word parts to build compound words correctly
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Mini Lesson
A compound word is made by joining two smaller words together to create a brand-new word with its own meaning. Recognizing compound words helps you read and spell longer words with confidence.
How Compound Words Work
- Two real words are joined to make one new word: sun + flower = sunflower.
- Sometimes the meaning is easy to guess: rain + bow = rainbow (a bow of colors in the rain).
- Sometimes the meaning is less obvious: butter + fly = butterfly (not a fly made of butter!).
- You can split the compound to work out an unfamiliar word: fire + place = fireplace.
Types of Compound Words
- Closed compounds — written as one word: notebook, sunshine, bedroom.
- Open compounds — written as two separate words: ice cream, post office, living room.
- Hyphenated compounds — joined by a hyphen: well-known, up-to-date, part-time.
- Grade 3 readers mostly work with closed compounds.
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When you see a long word, look inside it. Can you spot two smaller words? If yes, it is probably a compound word — and splitting it can unlock the meaning.
Vocabulary
Compound word
A word formed by joining two or more smaller words togethere.g. raincoat = rain + coat; a coat you wear in the rain.
Word part
One of the two (or more) smaller words that make up a compound worde.g. "sun" and "light" are the word parts of "sunlight".
Closed compound
A compound written as a single word with no space or hyphene.g. Bedroom, bookshelf, and starfish are all closed compounds.
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