What Are Nouns

Types of Common Nouns

Common or generic nouns can be broken down into three subtypes: concrete nouns, abstract nouns, and collective nouns.

1. Concrete Noun:

A concrete noun is something that is perceived by the senses; something that is physical or real.

Examples:

• I heard the doorbell.
• My keyboard is sticky.

2. Abstract Noun:

An abstract noun is something that cannot be perceived by the senses. Generally, referring to ideas, conditions and qualities.

Example:

• It needs courage to confront the wrong.

3. Collective Noun:

A collective noun denotes a group or collection of people or things.

Example:

• That fleet of ships is magnificent.
• A flock of birds flew away.

Collective nouns take a singular verb as if they are one entity – in this case, the singular verb is.

Nouns as Subjects

Every sentence must have a subject, and a noun is a subject. The subject of a sentence is the person, place, or thing that is doing or performing an action in that sentence.

Examples:

• Birds are flying.

‘Birds’ is the subject of the sentence.

Nouns as Objects

Nouns can also be objects of a verb in a sentence. An object can be either a direct object (a noun that receives the action performed by the subject) or an indirect object (a noun that is the recipient of a direct object).

Examples:

• Share the notes with him.

Notes is a direct object (what is shared) and him is the indirect object (whom the notes are given).

Nouns as Subject and Object Complements

Another type of noun use is called a subject complement.

Examples:

• Harry is a mechanic. (Mechanic is a subject complement.)

A related usage of nouns is called an object complement.

Examples:

• I now pronounce you husband and wife.

Husband and wife are nouns used as object complements in this sentence. Verbs that denote making, naming, or creating are often followed by object complements.

Appositive Nouns and Nouns as Modifiers

An appositive noun is a noun which immediately follows another noun in order to further define or identify it.

Examples:

• My sister, Simona, is sixteen years old.

Simona is an appositive here, further identifying the subject of the sentence, my sister.

Sometimes, nouns can be used adjectivally as well.

Examples:

• He is a speed demon.

Speed is normally a noun, but here it is acting as an adjective to modify demon.

Plural Nouns

Plural nouns, unlike collective nouns, require plural verbs. Many English plural nouns can be formed by adding -s or -es to the singular form, although there are many exceptions.

Examples:

• dog— dogs
• These two dogs are both black.
• Note the plural verb are.
• box— boxes
• ax— axes

Countable Nouns

Countable nouns are nouns which can be counted, even if the number might be extraordinarily high (like counting all the people in the world).

Countable nouns can be used with a/an, the, some, any, a few, and many.

Examples:

• Here is a rat. (Rat is singular and—countable).
• Here are a few rats.
• Here are some rats.

Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns are nouns that impossible to count; liquids are uncountable, and things that act like liquids (sand, air). They are always considered singular, and can be used with some, any, a little, and much.

Examples:

• Private schools give so much homework that children do not have time to relax.

This example refers to an unspecified, unquantifiable amount of homework, so homework is an uncountable noun.

Possessive Nouns

Possessive nouns show the possession or ownership of something. A possessive noun can be identified by apostrophe and s.

Examples:

• The child’s car seat was broken.

When a singular noun ends in the letter s or z, the same format often applies.

Examples:

• I have been appreciated by the boss’s PA last Friday.
• Mrs. Sanchez’s hat is still hanging on the peg.

Plural nouns ending in s take only an apostrophe to form a possessive.

Examples:

• My nieces’ prom dresses were exquisite.