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Noun + Verbal Noun: Stress on the first word

A verbal-noun can be either the first or the second noun in a "noun + noun" combination. Table 1 (on the previous page) has examples such as, "a washing machine" with the verbal noun being the first word but the table on this page has examples such as, "coal mining", with the verbal noun as the second word. In both cases, the first noun is spoken with the greater stress (= louder than the other word) because both are examples of "noun + noun", which usually has the first word spoken stronger.

Notice that most of the examples on this page are activities (e.g., coal mining) but most of the examples in Table 1 are things (e.g., a washing machine). However, words such as "wood carving" and "sand painting" can be both the activity or the product of that activity – "carving" and "painting" can be things, as well as activities.

This table is placed on a separate page because it might confuse you if it was placed on the previous page. The previous page, (the main page), is trying to show you that when "verb + ing" is the first word in a two-word combination, this "verb + ing" can be either a noun or an adjective.

Exceptions

ballroom dancing (交际舞)  This is Type 4b where the meaning is, "dancing in the ballroom", which is similar in meaning to, "dancing of the ballroom" ("舞厅的跳舞", which we don't really say in English) or, "dancing for the ballroom".