THE NOUN
(1.Common noun, 2. Proper noun, 3.Collective noun, 4.Abstract noun, 5.Material noun)
Definition Of Noun:
A noun is a word, it is used as the name of a person, animal, place, bird, idea, emotion or thing.
For example boy , girl, table, chair, peacock, honesty, happiness, wisdom, book etc.,
e.g.
| Person |
David, Sister, Woman, Brother |
| Place |
Chennai, London, Delhi, Mexico |
| Animal |
Tiger, Elephant, Lion, Deer |
| Bird |
Parrot, Crow, Swan, Peacock |
| Emotion |
Happiness, Sadness, Thought, Joy |
| Thing |
Pen, Book, Computer, Pencil |
Types of nouns
NOUNS ARE NAMING words. They identify people, things or place in our world. Nouns come in six different forms: proper, common, abstract, concrete, collective, and compound.
Further, the nouns can be classified into two major types as : countable and uncountable nouns.
1. Common Noun :
Definition Of Common Noun
A common noun is a name given in common to every person or thing of the same class of kind.
Common nouns are words that refer to general categories or types of people, places, things, or concepts. They are not specific to any particular individual or entity.
Examples of Common Nouns for Things
| chair | bicycle | television |
| hammer | ladder | computer |
| axe | calculator | cooker |
| saw | crayons | book |
| courage | ruler | printer |
| laziness | lawnmower | dictionary |
These examples illustrate how common nouns encompass a wide range of everyday objects, tools, devices, and abstract concepts. They are essential in language for referring to things in general terms, without specifying any particular instance.
Examples of Common Nouns for Animals
| cat | kitten | lion |
| dog | puppy | tiger |
| horse | foal | elephant |
| goat | kid | whale |
| frog | tadpole | kangaroo |
| sheep | lamb | bear |
These examples illustrate common nouns that refer to various animals and their young. Common nouns are general names for categories of animals, used in everyday language without specifying any particular individual.
Examples of Common Nouns for Places
| airport | hostel | temple |
| university | hotel | mosque |
| stadium | bank | school |
| park | library | college |
| farm | theater | post office |
| zoo | mall | police station |
These examples illustrate common nouns that refer to various places and locations. Common nouns are general names for categories of places, used in everyday language without specifying any particular instance.
Examples of Common Nouns for People
These common nouns are words for people who do certain things.
| artist | teacher | police officer |
| singer | headmaster | plumber |
| dancer | manager | driver |
| director | doctor | writer |
| magician | lawyer | farmer |
| artist | clerk | friend |
These examples illustrate common nouns that refer to people based on their professions, roles, or activities. Common nouns are general names for categories of people, used in everyday language without specifying any particular individual.
2. Proper noun :
Definition :
A proper noun is the name of some particular person, place, thing, particular event, or group. This proper noun begins with a capital letter. If the noun is nonspecific, that is, the noun refers to a general idea and not a specific person, place, or thing, it is usually not a proper noun, so it it not capitalized.
Examples of Proper Noun
| Specific | Nonspecific |
| World war II | A war |
| English class | A class |
| The American Bar Association | The association |
Examples of Proper Nouns (People's Names)
These people's names are proper nouns.
| Aladdin | Muhammad Ali | Dad |
| Harry Potter | George Washington | Mom |
| Mahatma Gandhi | Hitler | Granny |
| Santa Claus | Nelson Mandela | Uncle David |
| Confucius | Jayalalitha | Miss Park |
| Alex Rodriguez | Jacky Chan | Mr. Raj |
These examples illustrate proper nouns, which are specific names used to identify individual people.
Names of Days of the Week and Months of the Year
The names of the days of the week and the months of the year are proper nouns.
| Days of the Week |
Months |
| Sunday | January | August |
| Monday | February | September |
| Tuesday | March | October |
| Wednesday | April | November |
| Thursday | May | December |
| Friday | June | |
| Saturday | July | |
These examples illustrate proper nouns, which are specific names used for days of the week and months of the year.
Names of Special Days and Celebrations in Noun
The names of special days and celebrations are also proper nouns.
| New Year's Day | Dewali |
| Valentine's Day | Ramadan |
| Independence Day | Christmas |
| Labour Day | Memorial Day |
| Flag Day | Thanksgiving |
| Republic Day | Veteran's Day |
Names of Famous Places, Buildings, and Monuments
These examples illustrate proper nouns, which are specific names used to identify famous places, buildings, and monuments.
The names of famous places, buildings, and monuments are proper nouns.
| The Taj Mahal | The Statue of Liberty |
| The Eiffel Tower | Chaco Canyon Pueblo |
| The Golden Gate Bridge | The Leaning Tower of Pisa |
| The Great Wall of China | Buckingham Palace |
Proper nouns are capitalized and refer to specific names of individual places, buildings, or monuments, distinguishing them from common nouns which refer to general categories.
Names of People from Different Countries in Proper Noun
The names of people who live in a particular country are also proper nouns.
| Country |
People |
| Afghanistan |
Afghans |
| Australia |
Australians |
| Britain |
The British |
| Germany |
Germans |
| USA |
Americans |
| India |
Indians |
Proper nouns are capitalized and refer to specific names used to identify people from different countries.
3. Collective noun :
Definition :
i) A collective noun is a name of a number (collection) of persons or things taken together and spoken of as one whole as:
Crowd, mob, team, flock, herd, army, fleet, jury, family, nation, parliament, committee.
ii) Nouns that refer to a specific group of persons or things are called Collective Nouns.
These are nouns for groups of people. Here are some collective nouns for groups of people.
Examples of Collective Noun
| a family | a committee |
| a community | a company |
| a band | a gang |
| a choir | the government |
| an audience | the army |
Collective Nouns with Singular or Plural Verbs
Many collective nouns can be used with a singular or plural verb.
- The crowd was orderly.
- The people were clapping, yelling, and cheering.
Collective nouns refer to groups of people, animals, or things considered as a single unit. Depending on the context and the intended meaning, they can take either a singular or plural verb.
Collective Nouns for Groups of People
Here are more collective nouns we can use for groups of people.
| A crowd of people |
An army of soldiers |
| A panel of judges |
A team of players |
| A class of schoolchildren |
A company of actors |
| A gang of thieves |
A band of musicians |
Collective Nouns for Groups of Animals
Many groups of animals have their own special collective nouns.
| a brood of chickens | a litter of puppies | a school of fish |
| a flock of birds | a pack of wolves | a swarm of bees |
| a drove of sheep | a pride of lions | a troop of monkeys |
| a herd of cattle | a pod of dolphins | a gaggle of geese |
Collective nouns for animals are specific terms used to describe groups of the same species. These nouns often reflect the behavior or characteristics of the animals in the group.
Collective Nouns for Groups of Things
Some groups of things also have their own special collective nouns.
| A bunch of bananas |
A deck of cards |
A fleet of vehicles |
| A bunch of flowers |
A cluster of grapes |
A suite of rooms |
| A bunch of keys |
A grove of trees |
A suite of furniture |
| A bouquet of flowers |
A fleet of ships |
A set of tools |
Collective nouns for groups of things are specific terms used to describe collections of items or objects. These nouns are often based on the physical arrangement or collective use of the items.
Nouns Describing Amounts or Forms
Some nouns name the amount or form of something.
| a loaf of bread | a bar of soap | a bar of chocolate |
These nouns describe specific quantities or physical forms of items. They indicate how something is packaged, shaped, or grouped.
Nouns Using "A Piece of" to Describe Single Servings or Parts
The words a piece of mean a single serving or part of something.
| a slice/piece of bread | a slice/piece of cheese | a sheet/piece of paper |
| a piece/square of chocolate | a piece of chalk | a piece of advice |
These nouns describe single servings or parts of items, indicating a specific quantity or portion.
4. Abstract noun :
Definition :
An abstract noun is usually the name of a feelings, ideas, action, state and characteristics, or qualities considered apart from the object to which it belongs as.
Most abstract nouns end with these suffixes:
e.g.
| -ism | -ment | -ity |
| nationalism | argument | personality |
| -tion | -ship | -ence |
| aggravation | friendship | silence |
This abstract noun cannot be seen, heard, touched or tasted but it can only be felt by our sense. The abstract noun is not visible.
e.g.
| Quality | wiseness, goodness, kindness, whiteness, darkness, honesty, wisdom, bravery |
| Action | quarreling, jog, laughter, theft, movement, judgement, hatred |
| State | poverty, childhood, boyhood, manhood, youth, slavery, sleep, death |
For example, we cannot be 'happiness' but we can feel that in our heart or mind. The names of the subject of study (e.g. grammar, music, chemistry, etc.) are also Abstract Nouns.
Concrete Nouns Examples
(i) Concrete nouns :
In contrast to abstract nouns, concrete nouns can be seen or touched by us.
e.g.
These nouns represent physical objects that can be perceived through the senses.
Building
A structure built for human habitation or use, such as a house, office building, or skyscraper.
In general usage, "building" can refer to a structure that is constructed, such as a house, office building, or skyscraper. These are indeed concrete nouns because they represent physical objects that exist in the physical world and can be seen and touched.
Iron
A strong, hard magnetic silvery-grey metal, used in construction and manufacturing.
This refers to a chemical element (Fe) that is a hard, silver-grey metal. Iron is also a concrete noun because it represents a physical substance that exists in the real world and can be physically perceived.
Steel
A strong alloy of iron characterized by its durability, used widely in construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure.
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, known for its strength and durability. Like iron, steel is a concrete noun because it denotes a physical material that can be touched and seen.
Gold
A precious metal valued for its rarity, beauty, and use in jewelry, currency, and electronics.
Gold is a precious metal with a distinct yellow color, valued for its rarity and beauty. It is considered a concrete noun because it represents a tangible substance that exists in physical form and can be perceived by the senses.
(ii) Countable nouns :
(countables) are the names of objects, people, etc. that we can count. And they have their own singular and plural forms.
e.g.
| book | apple | doctor | horse |
| books | apples | doctors | horses |
These nouns denote objects, people, etc., that can be counted and have distinct singular and plural forms.
Book
A physical or digital publication with pages that contains text, images, or both, used for reading or reference.
Apple
A round fruit with a smooth green, yellow, or red skin and crisp white flesh.
Doctor
A person who is qualified to treat people who are ill.
Horse
A large animal with four legs that people ride on or use for pulling heavy things.
Books
Plural form of "book", referring to more than one physical or digital publication.
Apples
Plural form of "apple", referring to more than one round fruit with a smooth skin and crisp flesh.
Doctors
Plural form of "doctor", referring to more than one person who is qualified to treat people who are ill.
Horses
Plural form of "horse", referring to more than one large animal with four legs used for riding or pulling.
Why are they countable nouns?
Individual Units: Both "book" and "apple" refer to physical items that can be perceived as distinct objects.
Quantifiability: You can quantify them with numbers (one book, two apples) to express exact quantities.
Plural Forms: The existence of plural forms ("books," "apples") further emphasizes their countability, as each form represents multiple instances of the singular noun.
In summary, "book," "apple," and their respective plural forms ("books," "apples") are countable nouns because they denote physical objects that can be counted as separate and identifiable units. Their countability allows for precise quantification and differentiation between singular and plural forms in language usage.
(iii) Uncountable nouns :
(uncountables) are the names of things which we cannot count, e.g. milk, oil, sugar, gold, honesty.
The uncountable nouns generally refer to
e.g.
| drinks | coffee, tea | materials | wood, glass, gold, silver |
| liquids | milk, oil, petrol | games | cricket, tennis, football |
| gases | air, oxygen | | |
Countable nouns have plural forms while uncountable nouns do not. Even the abstract nouns are also uncountable nouns.
For example, we say boys but we cannot say oils.
5. Material noun :
Definition :
These are the raw elements or objects existing in nature.
| Iron |
Gold |
Stones |
Brass |
| Aluminium |
Mercury |
Plastic |
Mat |
These nouns refer to raw elements or substances found in nature.
