Unit : 1 noun
What is a noun ?
A noun is a word used to name a person, animal, place, thing, and abstract idea. Nouns are usually the first words which small children learn.
Classifications of Nouns
Proper Nouns
Proper nouns are nouns that refer to specific entities. Writers of English capitalize proper nouns like Nebraska, Steve, Harvard, or White House to show their distinction from common nouns.
Common Nouns
Common nouns refer to general, unspecific categories of entities. Whereas Nebraska is a proper noun because it signifies a specific state, the word state itself is a common noun because it can refer to any of the 50 states in the United States. Harvard refers to a particular institution of higher learning, while the common noun university can refer to any such institution.
Countable Nouns
To linguists, these count nouns can occur in both single and plural forms, can be modified by numerals, and can co-occur with quantificational determiners like many, most, more, several, etc.
For example, the noun bike is a countable noun. Consider the following sentence:
There is a bike in that garage.
In this example, the word bike is singular as it refers to one bike that is presently residing in a particular garage.
Uncountable Nouns or Mass Nouns
Conversely, some nouns are not countable and are called uncountable nouns or mass nouns. For example, the word clutter is a mass noun.
That garage is full of clutter.
This sentence makes grammatical sense. However, the following example does not.
Substances, liquids, and powders are entities that are often signified by mass nouns such as wood, sand, water, and flour. Other examples would be milk, air, furniture, freedom, rice, and intelligence.
Collective Nouns
In general, collective nouns are nouns that refer to a group of something in a specific manner. Often, collective nouns are used to refer to groups of animals. Consider the following sentences.
Look at the gaggle of geese. There used to be herds of wild buffalo on the prairie. A bevy of swans is swimming in the pond. A colony of ants live in the anthill.
In the above examples, gaggle, herds, bevy, and colony are collective nouns.
Concrete Nouns
Concrete nouns are nouns that can be touched, smelled, seen, felt, or tasted. Steak, table, dog, Maria, salt, and wool are all examples of concrete nouns.
Can I pet your dog? Please pass the salt. Your sweater is made of fine wool.
Concrete nouns can be perceived by at least one of our senses.
Abstract Nouns
More ethereal, theoretical concepts use abstract nouns to refer to them. Concepts like freedom, love, power, and redemption are all examples of abstract nouns.
They hate us for our freedom. All you need is love. We must fight the power.
In these sentences, the abstract nouns refer to concepts, ideas, philosophies, and other entities that cannot be concretely perceived.
Pronouns
Personal pronouns are types of nouns that take the place of nouns when referring to people, places or things. The personal pronouns in English are I, you, he, she, it, and they.
Amy works at a flower shop. She works at a flower shop.
The Greeks invented democracy. They invented democracy.
When used as the object of a preposition, pronouns take on their objective case. Examples include him, her, me, us, and them.
Hand the money over to Jennifer. Hand the money over to her.
The police are on to John and Ray. The police are on to them.
THE NOUN - EXERCIES
Find Common, Proper, Abstract, Material, Collective, Countable, Uncountable, Concrete Nouns from the following list.
1. Which of the following noun is a Proper Noun?
a) singer b) Peter c) milk d) sister
2. Which of the following noun is a Common Noun?
a) birds b) London c) iron d) India
3. Which of the following noun is a Collective Noun?
a) team b) book c) marbles d) ships
4. Artist is a ............ Noun?
a) Collective b) Abstract c) Concrete d) Countable
5. Family is a ............ Noun?
a) Collective b) Abstract c) Concrete d) Countable
6. Which of the following noun is not a Abstract Noun?
a) goodness b) bravery c) family d) childhood
7. Which of the following noun is not a Countable Noun?
a) books b) gold c) horse d) apple
8. Which of the following noun is not a Proper Noun?
a) team b) London c) Monday d) Nelson
9. Birds fly in the sky.
a) Proper Noun b) Common Noun c) Abstract Noun d) Collective Noun
10. I saw a bunch of grapes.
a) Common Noun b) Material Noun c) Collective Noun d) Abstract Noun