(Part 1)
In the TIPS BOX example below, seems all right to most; after all, we only see it briefly most times.
Technically, the error is clear…
TIPS (noun) +BOX (noun)
In the English grammar, when a noun is used to describe the following noun, it becomes an adjective, and… adjectives often do not take a plural form.
Too technical! The correct expression:
TIP BOX
Or just simply
TIPS
Similarly: “Noun as Adjective” N + N
Incorrect Correct
Cranberries flavour Cranberry flavour
Boats race Boat race
Tickets price/booth Ticket price
Bottles opener Bottle opener
Computers exhibition Computer exhibition
However, some adjectival nouns can be in the plural form: also N + N
Clothes shop
Athletes shoe
News reporter
Accounts department
Sports club
Birds nest and others…
Adjectives that are not in the noun form: ADJ + N
Big garden Fast delivery
Beautiful house Happy customer
Empty sugar bowl Famous celebrity
Delicious cupcakes Clear description
Honest salesman Small contribution and others…
Read the following headlines:
GOVERNMENT COVID19 HEALTH RESEARCH CENTRE DEATH MYSTERY
Many nouns used as adjectives
| Noun as Adj | Noun as Adj | Noun as Adj | Noun as Adj | Noun as Adj | Noun as Adj | NOUN |
| mystery | ||||||
| death | mystery | |||||
| centre | death | mystery | ||||
| research | centre | death | mystery | |||
| health | research | centre | death | mystery | ||
| Covid19 | health | research | centre | death | mystery | |
| Government | Covid19 | health | research | centre | death | mystery |
Reading the headlines:
A death mystery at the Covid19 health research centre that the belongs to the government
What happened? A death mystery
Where? At the Covid19 health research centre
Whose centre? The one that belongs to the government
How? It’ a mystery!
