What is a Noun? Nouns in English with Example

What is a Noun? Nouns in English are not merely objects that are mentioned directly or indirectly to perform an action or be affected by the action in a sentence but also closely related to verb conjugation. In this lesson, we will learn how to recognize nouns, classify them and use the correct form of nouns.

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Table of Contents

Function of Nouns

Nouns in English are words used to refer to people, things, things, places… It has the following functions:

1. As the subject:
Her children are very obedient.

2. As a direct object:
Peter likes chocolate.

3. As an indirect object:
John gave Peter a red pen. John gave Peter a red pen.

4. As a complement of the subject: after the verbs “to be” and “become.”
My sister is a journalist.

5. As a complement for the object:
People consider him a teacher.

Classification of Nouns

Nouns can be divided into four categories: common nouns, proper nouns, abstract nouns, and collective nouns.

A. Common Nouns

1. Common nouns are nouns that indicate people, things, and places

For example: dog, house, picture, computer.

2. Common nouns can be written in the singular or plural form

Example: A dog or dogs

3. Common nouns do not capitalize the first letter.

B. Proper Nouns

1. Proper nouns are proper names to call each thing or object, such as a person's name, place name, company name, etc.

For example: Microsoft, Mr. David Green, La Thanh street, Greentown Hospital, Town House Hotel, City Park…

2. Attention: proper nouns must capitalize the first letter.

C. Abstract Nouns

1. An abstract noun is a generic noun that names an idea or a quality. Abstract nouns are not usually seen, smelled, touched, or tasted.

For example: joy, peace, emotion, wisdom, beauty, courage, love, strength, character, happiness, personality

2. Abstract nouns can be singular or plural.

3. Abstract nouns can be countable or uncountable.

D. Collective Nouns

A collective noun that names a group or collection of people, places, or things.

Example: crew, team, navy, republic, nation, federation, herd, bunch, flock, swarm, litter

You might also like: Verb forms: V-ing and to V

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

What is Countable and Uncountable Nouns?

The noun that plays the role of the subject in the sentence needs to be determined exactly whether it is a singular or plural, countable or uncountable noun to conjugate the verb accordingly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhgzqbv9Rxk

1. Countable noun: A noun that can be used with numbers, so it has 2 forms, singular, and plural. In the singular form, it is used with a, an or the.

For example: a book, two books, …

2. Uncountable nouns: Can't be used with numbers, so it has no singular or plural form. It cannot be used with a, an and only in some special cases such as milk. You cannot say “one milk”, “two milks” … (Some uncountable substances can be contained in containers, packaging… countable like one glass of milk).

Note:

+ Some countable nouns have special plural forms such as: person – people; child – children; tooth – teeth; foot – feet; mouse-mice…

+ Some countable nouns have the same singular/plural form, distinguished only by having “a” and not having “a”: an aircraft/ aircraft; a sheep/ sheep; a fish/ fish.
+ Some uncountable nouns such as food, meat, money, sand, water … are sometimes used as plural nouns to indicate different forms and types of that material.

This is one of the foods that my doctor wants me to eat.

+ The noun “time”, if used to mean “time”, is uncountable, but when used to mean “time” or “number of times” is a countable noun.

You have spent too much time on that homework. (Time, uncountable)
I have seen that movie three times before. (Number of times, countable)

Countable and Uncountable Nouns List

Countable and Uncountable Nouns Table

Countable Nouns	Uncountable Nouns
a(n), the, some, any	the, some, any
this, that, these, those	this, that
none, one, two, three,…	none
many a lot of a [large / great] number of (a) few fewer… than more… than	much a lot of a large amount of (a) little less… than more… than

Some uncountable words you should know:

Sand	Money	Information	Physics
Food	News	Air	Mathematics
Meat	Measles	Mumps	Politics
Water	Soap	Economics	Homework

Note:

+ “Advertising” is an uncountable noun, but “Advertisement” is a countable noun, indicating a specific advertisement.

There are too many advertisements during TV shows.

+ Collective nouns can be singular or plural. They are often used with singular verbs because the group works together as a unit. A collective noun goes with a plural verb when the part of the group acts as an individual.

Our team is practicing three nights a week. => The team is operating as a unit.

The team were talking among themselves. => Their members are active as individuals.

Read more: Noun – Parts Of Speech – Noun English Grammar

Noun Practice Exercises with Answers

1: A place where people eat.…………………

Bathroom
Kitchen
Dining room

2: There are five ……………….. in the picture.

sheep
sheeps
sheepes

3: Please give me that…………………

book
books
books

4: Please keep your hands an……………….. inside the car.

feet
foots
foot
footes

5: The ……………….. stood on boxes to see the parade.

child
childs
children
childrens

6: You should place the ……………….. and spoons to the left of the plates.

knifes
knives
knife
knifes

7: Are the ……………….. chasing the other farm animals?

geese
gooses
goose
gooses

8: All birds are very good at building their………………..

nestes
nest
nests
nestoes

9: Donna and Doug are planning to sell all their possessions and move to Maui in order to become beach……………….. .

bumes
bums
bum
bumoes

10: We ate both ……………….. .

apple
appleoes
apples
Applese

11: Enter is a/an……………..

Person
Thing
Idea
Place
not noun

12: Sunflower is a/an ………………..

person
thing
idea
place
not noun

13: Freedom is ………………..

Collective nouns
Abstract nouns

14: London is ………………..

Abstract nouns
Collective nouns

15: Law is ………………..

Abstract nouns
Collective nouns

16: Forgiveness is a/an ………………..

Person
Thing
Idea
Place
not noun

17: Three ……………….. swam in the river.

fish
fishs
fishes
fishes

18: Marbles is a/an ………………..

Person
Thing
Idea
Place
not noun

19: Weather is:

Countable nouns
Uncountable nouns

20: Woman is:

Common nouns
Proper nouns

Read more: English Grammar

Noun Exercises with Answers