return to standard view
Print
Table of Contents | Reference Texts | Workbook: Lessons & Exercises

English
Nouns

Nouns name persons, places, things, qualities, concepts, and activities. Therefore, nouns may be classified into a number of categories:

  • Concrete nouns name specific objects that can be seen, heard, felt, tasted, or smelled; eg., car, IBM, apple, money;
  • Abstract nouns name generalized ideas such as qualities or concepts that are not easily pictured; eg., happiness, beauty, tension, power;
  • Proper nouns name specific persons, places, or things and are always capitalized; eg., Victoria, Jim, General Electric, Pentax;
  • Common nouns are all other nouns and begin with lowercase letters; eg., city, student, company, camera;
  • Singular nouns name one item; eg., chair, bench, attorney, company, father-in-law; and
  • Plural nouns name more than one item; eg., chairs, benches, attorneys, companies, fathers-in-law.

Back Next