Predict Meanings of Compound Words - 2nd Grade Writing

1. The word notebook is made from note + book. What is a notebook?
   Answer: a book for writing notes This tests compound word meanings. A notebook is a book for writing notes. You can write your ideas in it.
2. The word hairbrush is made from hair + brush. What does it mean?
   Answer: a brush for hair This asks about compound words. A hairbrush is a brush for your hair. We use it to make hair smooth.
3. Play and ground come together to make the word playground. What is a playground?
   Answer: a place where you play outside A playground is a place where you play outside, made from the words play and ground. It is not a game you play on the ground. It is not a ground made of toys. It is not a kind of ball. Putting play and ground together makes a place where you play.
4. If you know book and shelf, what is a bookshelf?
   Answer: a shelf for books This tests compound word meanings. A bookshelf is a shelf where we put books. The first word tells what goes on it.
5. What do you think bedtime means? Use bed + time.
   Answer: time to go to bed This tests compound words. Bedtime means time to go to bed. That's when we sleep at night.
6. The word cupcake is made from cup and cake. What does it mean?
   Answer: a cake baked in a cup We figure out compound words. A cupcake is a small cake baked in a cup. The cup tells us the cake's size and shape.
7. The word mailbox is made from mail + box. What is a mailbox?
   Answer: a box for mail This asks about compound words. A mailbox is a box where mail goes. The mailman puts letters inside it.
8. If you know rain and drop, what is a raindrop?
   Answer: a drop of rain We are figuring out compound words. A raindrop is one drop of rain. Rain tells us what kind of drop it is.
9. The word notebook is note + book. What does it mean?
   Answer: a book for writing notes We learn about compound words. A notebook is a book for writing notes. You can write and draw in it.
10. What does the compound word bookshelf mean?
    Answer: a shelf for books A bookshelf is a shelf where you put books, so it matches the first answer. The second answer flips the meaning around, which is wrong. The third answer is wrong because a bookshelf is not made of paper. The fourth answer is wrong because a bookshelf is a shelf, not a book.
11. A lunch is a meal. Time is when something happens. What is lunchtime?
    Answer: time to eat lunch We are finding compound word meanings. Lunchtime is the time when we eat lunch. The words tell us when something happens.
12. Use the two small words to figure out what bookshelf means: book + shelf.
    Answer: a shelf for books This tests compound word meanings. A bookshelf is a shelf that holds books. The two words together make a new thing.
13. The word bedtime is made from bed + time. What does it mean?
    Answer: the time to go to bed This tests compound words. Bedtime means the time to go to bed. It tells when we should sleep.
14. If you know the words sun and flower, what do you think sunflower means?
    Answer: a flower that faces the sun A flower that faces the sun is correct because sunflowers grow toward sunlight, combining the meanings of sun and flower. A flower made of sunshine is not a real kind of flower. A sun shaped like a flower reverses the idea. A flower that grows only in the dark is the opposite, since sunflowers need sunlight. The word combines sun and flower to name a flower that turns toward the sun.
15. Use the two small words rain and drop to figure out raindrop.
    Answer: a drop of rain We figure out compound words here. A raindrop is one drop of rain. Rain tells what kind of drop it is.
16. The word playground is made from play and ground. What does it mean?
    Answer: ground where you play We figure out compound words. A playground is ground where you play. Kids have fun there!
17. If you know bed and time, what is bedtime?
    Answer: time to go to bed This tests compound word meanings. Bedtime means time to go to bed. The two words together tell us when to sleep.
18. What does the word bookshelf mean? book + shelf
    Answer: shelf for books A bookshelf is a shelf for books, made from the words book and shelf. It is not a book for shelves. It is not a shelf built out of books. It is not a book about shelves. Putting book and shelf together names a shelf that holds books.
19. The word cupcake is cup + cake. What does it mean?
    Answer: a cake baked in a cup We are learning compound words. A cupcake is a small cake baked in a cup. It's just the right size for one person.
20. A backpack is back + pack. What do you think it means?
    Answer: a pack you wear on your back This tests compound word meanings. A backpack is a pack you wear on your back. You can carry books and toys in it.

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