'What type of noun is woman?'
You probably know that a noun is a type of 'thing'. For example 'table' and 'car' are both types of nouns. Here we take a look at all the different types of nouns there are and how to spot them:
As above, 'car' and 'table' are concrete nouns. These are the nouns which we can touch, see, feel, smell and hear. Basically, these are nouns which we are connected to our senses.
'What a delicious apple.'
'Please open the window.'
'I put it in my pocket.'
Proper nouns are the names of people and places. We use capital letters with proper nouns.
'Jack will go shopping tomorrow.'
'She comes from Russia.'
'The Nile is the longest river.'
Common nouns are nouns which describe a group of objects. For example, Oxford University is a proper noun because it is the name of a place. University is a common noun because it refers to a group. Common nouns are used to describe groups of people.
Coffee shops are popular.'
'He took his children to the zoo.'
'I'd rather live in the city.'
These nouns refer to things which we can't experience with our senses. Abstract nouns refer to emotions (love, hate), states (peace, beauty), concepts (faith, truth) and movements (education, progress). The following suffixes are used with abstract nouns:
'He takes a lot of pride in his work.'
'India has an interesting culture.'
'Do you ever give to charity?'
Collective nouns refer to a group of people, animals or things.
'A flock of birds.'
'A herd of cattle.'
'My family is important to me.'
Pronouns are used instead of nouns to describe people and things.
'That bag is his.'
'I am here.'
'It is good.'
Countable nouns can be used to describe singular nouns (car) and plural nouns (cars)
'Where is my hat?'
'Where are my hats?'
'The girl is pretty.'
'The girls are pretty.'
Also known as mass nouns, uncountable nouns only use the singular. They are nouns which can't be counted. We can use 'the' with uncountable nouns, but not 'a' or 'an'.
'Can you lend me some money?'
'The grass is very green.'
'I hate rain.'
Now decide which type of noun is used in the sentences below:
