NOUNSDescribe nouns and types of nouns

NOUNS

Nouns are naming words. Everything we see or are able to talk about is represented by a word which names it - that word is called a 'noun'. There are names for people, animals, places, objects, substances, qualities, actions and measures.

NOUNS

Examples:

soldier - Alan - cousin - Frenchman   (< names for people)

rat - zebra - lion - aardvark (< names for animals)

house - London - factory - shelter   (< names for places)

table - frame - printer - chisel (< names for objects)

lead - nitrogen - water - ice (< names for substances)

kindness - beauty - bravery - wealth - faith (< names for qualities)

rowing - cooking - barking - reading - listening (< names for actions)

month - inch - day - pound - ounce (< names for measures)

common nouns.proper nouns.collective nouns.pronouns.countable nouns.uncountable nouns.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF NOUNS

COMMON NOUNS

A common noun is the word used for a class of person, place or thing.

Examples:

CarManBridgeTownWaterMetalAmmonia

PROPER NOUNS

A proper noun is the name of a person, place or thing (i.e., its own name). A proper noun always starts with a capital letter.

Examples:

Michael AfricaPekingDayton Peace AccordUnited NationsThe Tower of LondonUncle George("Uncle" is written with a capital letter because it is part of his name.)My favourite auntie is Auntie Sally. (In this example, the first "auntie" is a common noun; whereas, thesecond "Auntie" is part of a proper noun.)The Red Lion

COLLECTIVE NOUNS

A collective noun is the word used for a group of people or things.

Examples:

ChoirTeamJuryShoal Cabinet (of ministers)Regiment

PRONOUNS

A pronoun is a word used to replace a noun.

James is the first choice for the post. He has applied for it twice already.("He" is a pronoun. In this example, it replaces the proper noun "James".)("It" is a pronoun. Here, it replaces the common noun "post".)  Some / Who / This(The term 'pronoun' covers lots of words, and all three words above are classified as pronouns. There is whole section dedicated to pronouns.

COUNTABLE NOUNS

They are things that we can count. For example: "pen".

We can count pens. We can have one, two, three or more

pens. Here are some more countable nouns: dog, cat, animal, man, person bottle, box, litre coin, note, dollar cup, plate, fork table, chair, suitcase, bag

COUNTABLE NOUNS

Countable nouns can be singular or plural: My dog is playing. My dogs are hungry.

We can use the indefinite article a/an with countable nouns: A dog is an animal.

When a countable noun is singular, we must use a word likea/the/my/this with it: I want an orange. (not I want orange.) Where is my bottle? (not Where is bottle?)

When a countable noun is plural, we can use it alone: I like oranges. Bottles can break.

COUNTABLE NOUNS

We can use some and any with countable nouns:

I've got some dollars. Have you got any pens? We can use a few and many with

countable nouns: I've got a few dollars. I haven't got many pens.

UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

We cannot "count" them. For example, we cannotcount "milk". We can count "bottles of milk" or"litres of milk", but we cannot count "milk" itself.Here are some more uncountable nouns:

music, art, love, happiness advice, information, news furniture, luggage rice, sugar, butter, water electricity, gas, power money, currency

UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

We usually treat uncountable nouns as singular. We use asingular verb. For example: This news is very important. Your luggage looks heavy.

We do not usually use the indefinite article a/an withuncountable nouns. We cannot say "an information" or "amusic". But we can say a something of: a piece of news a bottle of water a grain of rice

UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

We can use some and any with uncountablenouns: I've got some money. Have you got any rice?

We can use a little and much with uncountablenouns: I've got a little money. I haven't got much rice.

Here are some more examples of countable and uncountable nouns:

Countable Uncountable Dollar money Song music Suitcase luggage Table furniture Battery electricity Bottle milk Report information Tip advice Journey travel Job work View scenery

EDITED BY: AIDA SUZANA BINTI AMBAKWith courtesy of www.englishclub.com