English Nouns


NounsAn noun is a word that names a person, a place or a thing.

Examples:
Sarah, lady, cat, New York, Canada, room, school, football, reading.

Example sentences:
  • People like to go to the beach.
  • Emma passed the test.
  • My parents are traveling to Japan next month.

Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses

Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All Tenses


The word "noun" comes from the Latin word nomen, which means "name," and nouns are indeed how we name people, places and things.


Abstract Nouns

An abstract noun is a noun that names an idea, not a physical thing.

Love is an abstract noun.

Love

Examples:
Hope, interest, peace, ability, success, knowledge, trouble.


Concrete Nouns

A concrete noun is a noun that names a physical thing.

House is a concrete noun.

House
Examples:
Boy, table, floor, coffee, beach, king, rain, children, professor.


Common Nouns

A common noun is a noun that names a general thing, not a specific thing.

Cat is a common noun.

Cat

Examples:
Boy, girl, city, country, company, planet, location, war.


Proper Nouns

A proper noun is a noun that indicates the specific name of a thing. It begins with a capital letter.

Mabel (this cat's name) is a proper noun.

Kitten

Examples:
Robin, Alice, London, Sweden, Google, Earth, Eiffel Tower, Civil War.
(Compare these examples to those in the "Common nouns" section to see the difference.)


Countable Nouns

A countable noun is a noun that indicates something you could actually count.

Cup is a countable noun.

Cup


For example, you could count pigs: one pig, two pigs, three pigs...
However, you couldn't count water: one water, two water – no, it doesn't work...

A countable noun has both a singular and a plural form, and it can be used with the indefinite articles (a/an).

Examples:
Window, teacher, tree, lion, eye, cloud, pencil, heart, movie.

Click here to read more about countable nouns.

Click here for a lesson on plural Nouns in English (singular and plural nouns, plural nouns rules, irregular plural nouns, and more).


Uncountable Nouns

An uncountable noun is a noun that indicates something you cannot count.

Water is an uncountable noun.

Water


For example, you could count pigs: one pig, two pigs, three pigs...
However, you couldn't count water: one water, two water – no, it doesn't work...

An uncountable noun has only one form (no plural), and it cannot be used with the indefinite articles (a/an).

Examples:
Furniture, advice, mail, news, equipment, luggage, work, coffee, information.

Click here to read more about uncountable nouns.


Collective nouns (group nouns)

Collective nouns are nouns that describe a group.

She teaches a small class of students

students

Examples:
bundle, class, family, herd, pile, police, team, etc.

These can also be called group nouns.

Click here to read more about collective nouns.


Compound Nouns

A compound noun is a noun made with two or more words. Each compound noun works as a single noun. 

It's important to brush your teeth with a toothbrush.

toothbrush

Examples:

  • mother-in-law

  • cellular phone

  • chalkboard

Click here to read more about compound nouns.


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