Noun: Definition & types

Any word or term that is entitled to identify a person, place, animal, thing, ideas or events are known as Nouns. Majority of the words fall under the category of nouns regardless of language specifications.

Example:

Person – a name for a person: – Jason, lilly, Ron, Ben, Brat, etc.

Animal – a name for an animal: – sheep, kitten, calf, puppy, etc.

Place – a name for a place: – Australia, Belgium, Iceland, Norway, etc.

Thing – a name for a thing: – brick, brush, clock, gate, pen, box, etc.

Idea – A name for an idea: – motivation, suspicion, anger, jealousy, etc.

 

Different Types of Noun:

  • Proper Noun
  • Common Noun
  • Abstract Noun
  • Concrete Noun
  • Countable Noun
  • Non-countable Noun
  • Collective Noun
  • Compound Noun

 

Proper Noun:

A noun that refers only to a single person, place, animal, or thing in a way that it differentiates that particular subject from others on the basis of their certain feature or skill is known as a proper noun.

Example: Dubai (it refers to only one particular city)

 

Common Noun:

The words that are used to refer something that is extremely common and not famous are called common nouns.

Example: State (it can refer to any state, nothing in particular)

 

Abstract Noun:

Abstract nouns are used for things that do not keep a physical existence. Such nouns are mostly used to denote ideas, skills, terms, etc.

Example: happiness, sadness, anger, etc.

 

Concrete Noun:

A concrete noun carries an opposite definition and function to abstract noun. It refers to something that can be witnessed as a physical being.

Example: table, lamp, rock, cloth, etc.

 

Countable Noun:

In any sentence the subject that can be counted is referred to as countable nouns. Countable nouns are used with articles.

Example: table, lamp, ball, chair, etc.

 

Non-countable Noun:

The objects that carry a physical being but can never be counted are known as non-countable nouns. Abstract nouns and proper nouns always fall in the category of non-countable nouns. However, common nouns and concrete nouns fall under both countable and non-countable list depending upon their nature and type.

Example: juice, rice, oil, vinegar

 

Collective Noun:

A collective noun is a term or word that is used to identify a group of things, individuals, or animals, etc.

Example: family, team, jury, cattle, etc.

 

Compound Noun:

A collection of two or three nouns that are written together to form a single word is called a compound noun. Such words are attached with hyphen or simply without the help of any punctuation mark.

Example:

Six-pack, five-year-old, and son-in-law, snowball, mailbox, etc.

 

Functions of Nouns

Nouns are used as a subject, object, and indirect object of a verb, object of a preposition, adverb or adjective in sentences. Nouns also depict possession towards the subject.

SUBJECT: The NGO is doing great. Tulips are the flowers of love.

DIRECT OBJECT: I finally bought a new iPod.

INDIRECT OBJECT: Max gave Lisa another chocolate.

OBJECT OF PREPOSITION: Roses are the flowers of affection.

ADVERB: The train leaves tomorrow.

ADJECTIVE: The hotel building faces the mall

POSSESSION: The lion’s attack is dangerous. My sister’s daughter is adorable.

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