In English, it is very common to use a noun to describe another noun. When a noun does this, it acts like an adjective. This is sometimes called a "noun adjunct."
How It Works
You simply place the describing noun directly before the main noun.
- a history teacher (a teacher who teaches history)
- a race car (a car used for racing)
- the morning newspaper (the newspaper delivered in the morning)
In these examples, history, race, and morning are actually nouns, but they are doing the job of an adjective by describing the noun that follows them.
The Golden Rule: Keep it Singular!
When a noun is used as an adjective, it is almost always singular, even if it has a plural meaning.
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Correct: a shoe store (a store that sells many shoes)
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Incorrect: a ~~shoes~~ store
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Correct: a toothbrush (a brush for all your teeth)
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Incorrect: a ~~teeth~~brush
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Correct: a car park (a place to park many cars)
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Incorrect: a ~~cars~~ park