ALL ABOUT NOUNS

 

A noun is a word used to name people, things, animals, places, phenomenon and events. Thus, nouns are all around us. Here are the types of nouns.

COMMON vs PROPER Nouns

A common noun is the generic name for people, places, events, objects or phenomenon. A proper noun on the other hand, is the specific name for people, places, events, objects or phenomenon.

Common	Proper
girl	Eliza
country	Philippines
celebration	Christmas
typhoon	Typhoon Yolanda

 

COUNT vs MASS Nouns

A count noun is a noun that is countable or can be counted while mass nouns are those that are uncountable or cannot be counted.

Please add five more chairs in our classroom

In the sentence, it is obvious that CHAIR is a count noun as the number is indicated, “five”. Therefore, chair is indeed noun that is countable.

I need a glass of water.

In the sentence, water is uncountable as one cannot pick up water for counting. One needs a container to measure water, hence, the glass. “Glass” here is a count noun used to measure the mass noun “water”. Thus, you can say “I need two glasses of water here.”

 

CONCRETE vs ABSTRACT Nouns

Concrete nouns are nouns that can be touched, seen, heard, tasted or felt while abstract nouns are the exact opposite; They cannot be seen, heard, tasted or felt because they are mostly ideas, virtues, or a state of being.

Concrete	Abstract
water	wetness
thunder	fear
bread	sweetness

“Water” is concrete as it can actually be touched, seen and even tasted. When someone accidentally pours water on your shirt, definitely that “wetness” you felt is terribly annoying. “Wetness” here is an abstract noun because it simply implies the state of being wet. What is actually felt is the water that now, makes your shirt wet – that combination.

“Thunder” is concrete as we can see and hear it up there in the sky. The fear that we feel when there is a sudden bolt of thunder usually gives us a sudden jolt. We may feel “fear”, but that is what we call when we feel an unpleasant emotion that may give us pain or threat. Hence, “fear” is an idea which makes “fear” an abstract noun.

“Bread” is a concrete noun as it is something that we eat; hence, can be seen, touched, and tasted. The “sweetness” of the bread is felt when you eat it. However, what you tasted is the sugar in the bread that makes it sweet. The state of being sweet, we call “sweetness”. Thus, “sweetness” is an abstract noun.

 

COLLECTIVE NOUNS

A collective noun refers to the group of people, things, or animals. Collective nouns are mostly singular as they are intended to work as a unit. However, when collective nouns do not function as a unit, they become plural.

Common	Collective
girls	bevy
actors	troupe
ravens	unkindness
bees	swarm
sheep	herd
fish	school
singers	choir
lawyers	jury
ants	colony
wolves	pack

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FORMING NOUNS USING SUFFIXES

Nouns can be formed by adding the following suffixes:

Suffix	New Word
-ation	Hospitalization
-ion	Distribution
-ty	Sensitivity
-y	Frequency
-er	Interviewer
-ee	Interviewee
-al	Portal
-or	Actor
-ess	Actress
-ness	Kindness
-ship	Internship
-hood	Brotherhood
-ment	achievement

 

To pluralize nouns, the suffix –s is usually used. However, for words ending in –y; change y to i and add –es. Also add –es to words ending is s, sh, ch, z, or x.

Singular	Plural
property	Properties
box	Boxes
Wish	Wishes
church	Churches
Table	Tables
Dog	dogs

 

Irregular nouns change in spelling when pluralized.

Singular	Plural
Alumna	Alumnae
Tooth	Teeth
Child	Children
cactus	Cacti

 

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NOUN PHRASES

A noun phrase is a group of two or more words headed by a noun but may include modifiers like the, a, an, some, my, her, his, their, your before the noun. Noun phrases are also used for writing titles.

Noun Phrase	Noun/s found in the phrase
the Theory of Relativity	Theory, relativity
A pinch of salt	Pinch, salt
My angel here on Earth	Angel, Earth

 

Grade 8

Types of Nouns. Forming Nouns