{"id":5789,"date":"2022-02-02T06:00:58","date_gmt":"2022-02-02T12:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/?p=5789"},"modified":"2022-02-08T15:49:09","modified_gmt":"2022-02-08T21:49:09","slug":"types-of-nouns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/nouns\/types-of-nouns\/","title":{"rendered":"Types of Nouns"},"content":{"rendered":"

We know that a noun in English is a person, place, or thing that functions as a subject or an object in a sentence. A noun also can operate as a subject<\/a> or object<\/a> complement or as an appositive<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Nouns can further be grouped into types of nouns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
common<\/strong> nouns (concrete, abstract, collective)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
proper<\/strong> nouns<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
countable<\/strong> nouns<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
uncountable<\/strong> nouns<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
compound<\/strong> nouns<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
possessive<\/strong> nouns<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

We’ll take a look at each in helping to make your mastery of nouns even greater. Note that a noun can be more than one type (e.g., rope <\/em>is both a common concrete noun and a countable noun).<\/p>\n

Common Nouns<\/h2>\n

A common noun refers to the general name or category of something or someone, such as girl, desk, teacher, snow, <\/em>and airplane. <\/em>The majority of nouns are common nouns.<\/p>\n

Examples<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The boy<\/u> will go to the river<\/u> to try to catch some fish<\/u>.<\/p>\n

The teachers<\/u> are meeting to discuss the curriculum<\/u>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Common nouns are further categorized as concrete, abstract, and collective nouns.<\/p>\n

Common Nouns: Concrete<\/h2>\n

A concrete noun is one that is perceived by the senses as tangible and real. We can see, touch, taste, smell, or hear what concrete nouns represent: rope, soup, bell, briefcase, friend.<\/em><\/p>\n

Examples<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Please set your plate<\/u> on the table<\/u> so I can serve you some cake<\/u>.<\/p>\n

The girls<\/u> are discussing which outfits<\/u> to wear to school<\/u> tomorrow.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Each underlined noun is a concrete representation of something we can physically substantiate.<\/p>\n

Common Nouns: Abstract<\/h2>\n

An abstract noun is a word for something the senses cannot directly perceive. It is a concept, quality, feeling, idea, or condition. While we cannot physically substantiate it, we know it exists: love, faith, leadership, marriage, intelligence.<\/em><\/p>\n

Examples<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Alan showed humility<\/u> in telling the truth<\/u> about the lie<\/u> he had told.<\/p>\n

A little bit of humor<\/u> can lead to greater happiness<\/u>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Each underlined noun is an abstraction of something we understand beyond our senses.<\/p>\n

Common Nouns: Collective<\/h2>\n

A collective noun represents a group or collection of people or things: family, team, bunch, bundle, stack.<\/em><\/p>\n

Examples<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The review team<\/u> has been working through the stack<\/u> of reports since this morning.<\/p>\n

A family<\/u> of geese is swimming toward the cluster<\/u> of weeds near the edge of the pond.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As shown in these examples, many collective nouns in American English are treated as singular. However, some writers may choose to make a collective noun plural depending on whether the noun is perceived as a single unit or a plurality. An image of plurality will often be influenced by a modifying prepositional phrase.<\/p>\n

Examples<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The group<\/u> is<\/u> setting up the exhibits for the science fair.<\/p>\n

The group<\/u> of students<\/u> are<\/u> (or is<\/u>) setting up the exhibits for the science fair.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the first sentence, we clearly have a singular collective noun: We understand the reference is to a unit. In the second sentence, either a singular or plural verb would be acceptable. It would depend on whether the writer views the students as separate individuals or as one collective entity.<\/p>\n

Proper Nouns<\/h2>\n

A proper noun is the opposite of a common noun. Unlike a common noun, which is a general reference, a proper noun identifies a specific person, place, or thing. A proper noun is always capitalized: Sophia, London, Saturday, the White House, Plymouth Rock.<\/em><\/p>\n

Examples<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Josephine<\/u> is going to Thailand<\/u> to study Buddhism<\/u>.<\/p>\n

Mikael<\/u> was born on Valentine’s Day<\/u>, which in 1968 was a Wednesday<\/u>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Countable Nouns<\/h2>\n

Countable nouns are nouns we can quantify: one ball<\/u>, ten jackets<\/u>, two hundred tickets<\/u>, six thousand people<\/u>. <\/em>We can also express concepts of quantity for countable nouns with indefinite pronouns<\/a>: an object<\/u>, few clouds<\/u>, some books<\/u>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Examples<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

This morning I took an<\/em> aspirin<\/u> and rested for several<\/em> hours<\/u>.<\/p>\n

Please bring me one<\/em> apple<\/u>, three<\/em> pears<\/u>, and six<\/em> oranges<\/u>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Uncountable Nouns<\/h2>\n

Uncountable nouns\u2014also referred to as mass nouns\u2014are those that cannot be quantified by number: light, money, counseling, electricity.<\/em> Because they are not counted, they are singular.<\/p>\n

Examples<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The information<\/u> explains more about the furniture<\/u> you bought.<\/p>\n

Annika’s latest art<\/u> focuses on the shifting shapes of sand<\/u>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Compound Nouns<\/h2>\n

A compound noun is one formed of two or more words together. It might include a space (train station<\/em>), a hyphen or hyphens (twelve-pack, daughter-in-law<\/em>), or no space or hyphens (mailbox<\/em>).<\/p>\n

Examples<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Please remember that checkout<\/u> [or check-out<\/u>] is at three-thirty<\/u>.<\/p>\n

We finished the photo shoot<\/u> with pictures on a merry-go-round<\/u> at sunset<\/u>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Possessive Nouns<\/h2>\n

A possessive noun is one that possesses another noun. It is identified by its apostrophe: dog’s<\/u> bone, dealer’s<\/u> choice, tire’s<\/u> treads.<\/em><\/p>\n

Examples<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Perezes’<\/u> preference will help us determine what the room’s<\/u> color should be.<\/p>\n

Katya is donating a week’s<\/u> pay to help support the children’s<\/u> charity.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Related Topics<\/h3>\n

Collecting the Truth About Collective Nouns<\/a>
\nIrregular Plural Nouns<\/a>
\nWhat Is a Noun Phrase?<\/a><\/p>\n

Pop Quiz<\/h2>\n

Identify the noun type of each underlined noun in the following sentences.<\/p>\n

1. That looks a lot like fool’s gold<\/u> to me. (proper noun \/ compound noun)<\/p>\n

2. Move with haste<\/u>, for the hour of truth is near. (concrete noun \/ abstract noun)<\/p>\n

3. We have to trust William’s instincts<\/u> about this. (countable noun \/ uncountable noun)<\/p>\n

4. Moriah said she would like to order a few<\/u> of those. (collective noun \/ abstract noun)<\/p>\n

5. Peter says he likes that beer’s<\/u> flavor. (compound noun \/ possessive noun)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pop Quiz Answers<\/h3>\n

1. That looks a lot like fool’s gold<\/u> to me. compound noun<\/strong><\/p>\n

2. Move with haste<\/u>, for the hour of truth is near. abstract noun<\/strong><\/p>\n

3. We have to trust William’s instincts<\/u> about this. uncountable noun<\/strong><\/p>\n

4. Moriah said she would like to order a few<\/u> of those. collective noun<\/strong><\/p>\n

5. Peter says he likes that beer’s<\/u> flavor. possessive noun<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We know that a noun in English is a person, place, or thing that functions as a subject or an object in a sentence. A noun also can operate as a subject or object complement or as an appositive. Nouns can further be grouped into types of nouns: common nouns (concrete, abstract, collective) proper nouns […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[72],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nouns"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5789"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5789"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5789\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5811,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5789\/revisions\/5811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}