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The vast majority of compound words are constructed from a headword and a prefix (ex-sailor, semi-detached, anti-hero ); a headword and a suffix (shoot-out, phone-in, crack-down ) or with two or more different parts of speech (two nouns = book-end;noun and verb = joy-ride;two verbs = dry-clean, etc).

Is 'The vast majority of compound words are constructed from with two or more different parts of speech' right?

Is it the same as 'From underneath the trees we watch the sky.'?

In the two sentences, 'from' precedes a preposition.

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    I think you are misparsing this. "Constructed" is followed by "from a headword and a prefix" and "with two or more different parts of speech", joined by "or".
    – Stuart F
    Commented Sep 22, 2023 at 8:42
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    Incidentally, I would dispute the author's assertion that dry-clean is two verbs. Surely dry here is an adjective (without using water)?
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Sep 22, 2023 at 9:40
  • @Kate Bunting Thanks for pointing out this.
    – Mr. Wang
    Commented Sep 22, 2023 at 9:53

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As you quote the sentence, you omitted everything from the phrase"a headword" through and including "crack-down) or", giving the strange construction "constructed from with". The correct way to interpret the whole sentence is, "constructed from... or constructed with...." So it is not at all like "from underneath".

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