Definition of Noun
A word that name a person, place, animal, thing, or abstract concept is called a noun
Or simply noun is a naming word.
Examples of nouns are
People: Suliman, father, sister, teacher, neighbor, singer, cook, doctor, judge, actor, etc.
Places: London, school, house, city, country, hospital, farm, zoo, mosque, hotel, stadium, hill, etc.
Things: pen, chair, salt, fruit, book, blanket, drum, can, cup, window, egg, bread, lamp, picture, watch, door, etc.
Animals: bird, snake, eagle, zebra, deer, shark, parrot, goat, monkey, cow, hen, goose, etc.
Ideas: honesty, freedom, truth
Feelings: love, sad, happiness, joy, anger, etc.
Types of Nouns with Examples
There are many different types of nouns Proper, Common, Collective, Abstract, Countable and Uncountable noun.
Proper Noun
It is a noun applied to a particular person, place, or thing. The word “proper” is from Latin, meaning limited. It particularizes the thing for which it is used. Proper nouns mainly name people and places.
King is a noun applied to any king, while the noun Suliman is applied to a particular king.
Similarly, city is common, while London is a proper noun.
Other examples of a proper noun are
Places: Pakistan, India, Manchester, Karachi, Mumbai, UK, USA, etc.
Persons: Ahmad, Quaid-E-Azam, Suliman, White House, etc.
The name of a country and its people are classified as a proper noun. For example
Pakistani, Indian, American, Chinese, Japanese, etc.
The days of the week (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, etc.) and months of the year (January, February, March, etc.) are proper nouns.
Note: Proper nouns always begin with a capital letter.
Common Nouns
Name given in common to a group of similar things. The word common is from a Latin word that means possessed or shared by all.
Examples of common nouns are
Girl
Boy
School
King
Mosque
City
Animal
Tree
Stone
Hammer
Ruler
Fridge
Computer
Boy
School
King
Mosque
City
Animal
Tree
Stone
Hammer
Ruler
Fridge
Computer
Collective Noun Definition and Examples
Names used for a group of persons, animals, or things are known as collective nouns. It is classified under common nouns. Thus, persons in a group may be called crowed, mob, or committee, etc.
Collective Nouns Examples
- Our class may retake the lesson.
- This library is quite more extensive than the old one.
- The cowed is moving slowly.
- Why did she join the army?
- Their basketball team played well in the last match.
- The committee meets again next week.
- She will visit her husband’s family the following Monday.
List of Collective Nouns with Definition
Army; a group of soldiers
Audience: a gathering of listeners
Jury; a group of judges
Panel: a group of people chosen to make a decision
Family; a group of people living together
Team; a group of players
Band; a group of musicians
Bevy: a large gathering of people of a particular type or a large group of similar things
Committee; group of people represent an organization
Choir: a group of similar musical instruments playing together
Mob; a group of angry peoples
Crowed; a group of people comes together
Crew; an organized group of workmen in a ship, aircraft, etc.
Nest: a gang of people (criminals or terrorists) assembled in one locality
Posse: a group of temporary police force brought together to catch a criminal
Patrol: a group of policemen
Stud: a group of animals(horses) kept for breeding
Regiment: a large group of soldiers
Staff: a group of people who work together
Shoal: a large group of fish
Class: a group of students
Bevy: a large group of people of a particular type
Caravan: a group of people who travel together
Troupe: a group of singers or dancers or other performers who work and travel together
Government: The official group of people who control a country
Flock; a group of birds
Fleet; a group of ships,
Herd; a group of cattle or sheep
Drove: a large group of animals, a herd or flock moving together from one place to another
Swarm: a group of insects (bees, wasps, ants) moving together
Pride: a group of lions
Litter: a group of puppies or kittens
Ream: a quantity of paper
Sheaf/Bundle: Number of things held or tight together
Galaxy: a group of stars in the universe
Bunch: a grouping of several similar things (a bunch of keys/grapes/bananas)
Audience: a gathering of listeners
Jury; a group of judges
Panel: a group of people chosen to make a decision
Family; a group of people living together
Team; a group of players
Band; a group of musicians
Bevy: a large gathering of people of a particular type or a large group of similar things
Committee; group of people represent an organization
Choir: a group of similar musical instruments playing together
Mob; a group of angry peoples
Crowed; a group of people comes together
Crew; an organized group of workmen in a ship, aircraft, etc.
Nest: a gang of people (criminals or terrorists) assembled in one locality
Posse: a group of temporary police force brought together to catch a criminal
Patrol: a group of policemen
Stud: a group of animals(horses) kept for breeding
Regiment: a large group of soldiers
Staff: a group of people who work together
Shoal: a large group of fish
Class: a group of students
Bevy: a large group of people of a particular type
Caravan: a group of people who travel together
Troupe: a group of singers or dancers or other performers who work and travel together
Government: The official group of people who control a country
Flock; a group of birds
Fleet; a group of ships,
Herd; a group of cattle or sheep
Drove: a large group of animals, a herd or flock moving together from one place to another
Swarm: a group of insects (bees, wasps, ants) moving together
Pride: a group of lions
Litter: a group of puppies or kittens
Ream: a quantity of paper
Sheaf/Bundle: Number of things held or tight together
Galaxy: a group of stars in the universe
Bunch: a grouping of several similar things (a bunch of keys/grapes/bananas)
Abstract Noun Definition and Formation
A name given to action, some quality, or state is known as an abstract noun. There are two sub-classes of abstract nouns.
Attribute nouns express a quality that someone or something has. These nouns are derived from common nouns and adjectives.
Examples
Trueness
Kindness
Cleverness
Color
Redness
childhood
Kindness
Cleverness
Color
Redness
childhood
Verbal nouns are derived from verbs that express state, action, or condition.
Some Examples of Abstract Nouns are
Motion
Poverty
Service
Theft
Speech
Youth
Movement
Laughter
Health
Communism
Socialism
Playing
Poverty
Service
Theft
Speech
Youth
Movement
Laughter
Health
Communism
Socialism
Playing
Formation of Abstract Nouns
We can make abstract nouns from adjectives, verbs, and common nouns.
Formation of Abstract Nouns from Adjectives
| Abstract Noun | Adjective |
|---|---|
| Honesty | Honest |
| Poverty | Poor |
| Brightness | Bright |
| Bitterness | Bitter |
| Breadth | Broad |
| Width | Wide |
| Height | High |
| Humanity | Human |
| Depth | Deep |
| Hardness | Hard |
| Nobility | Noble |
| Weakness | Weak |
| Ugliness | Ugly |
| Ignore | Ignorant |
| Bravery | Brave |
| Justice | Just |
| Youth | Young |
| Beauty | Beautiful |
| Heat | Hot |
| Poor | Poorness |
| Darkness | Dark |
| Strength | Strong |
| Humility | Human |
| Goodness | Good |
| Shortness | Short |
| Blackness | Black |
| Noise | Noisy |
| Happiness | Happy |
| Anger | Angry |
| Length | Long |
| Activity | Active |
| Safety | Safe |
| Wisdom | Wise |
| Danger | Dangerous |
| Sweetness | Sweet |
| Decency | Decent |
| Width | Wide |
| Courage | Courageous |
| Truth | True |
Formation of Abstract Nouns from Verbs
| Abstract Noun | Verb |
|---|---|
| Flight | Fly |
| Choice | Choose |
| Action | Act |
| Death | Die |
| Enjoyment | Enjoy |
| Thought | Think |
| Excitement | Excite |
| Imagination | Imagine |
| Belief | Believe |
| Multiplication | Multiply |
| Life | Live |
| Freedom | Free |
| Obedience | Obey |
| Hatred | Hate |
| Addition | Add |
| Subtraction | Subtract |
| Division | Divide |
| Agreement | Agree |
| Speech | Speak |
| Pleasure | Please |
| Success | Succeed |
| Life | Live |
| Disappointment | Disappoint |
| Laughter | Laugh |
| Occupation | Occupy |
| Obedience | Obey |
| Punishment | Punish |
| Excellence | Excel |
| Expectation | Expect |
| Movement | Move |
| Judgment | Judge |
Formation of Abstract Nouns from Common Nouns
| Abstract Noun | Common Noun |
|---|---|
| Boyhood | Boy |
| Childhood | Child |
| Motherhood | Mother |
| Friendship | Friend |
| Brotherhood | Brother |
| Ownership | Owner |
| Womanhood | Woman |
| Manhood | Man |
| Slavery | Slave |
Countable Noun Definition
Nouns we can count by using the numerals one, two, three, and so on are called countable. Countable nouns exist in both singular and plural forms. We cannot use singular countable nouns alone; it always takes words like a, an, your, her, etc.
chair, table, balls, students, mobiles, etc. are countable nouns
Uncountable Nouns
Nouns that cannot be counted are called uncountable nouns. These nouns are not used with indefinite articles a/an or in the plural. Some uncountable nouns in English may have countable equivalents in other languages.
Example
Incorrect: Please give me a tea.
Correct: Please give me a cup of tea.
Some or any is used before an uncountable noun for indicating an unspecified quantity of a thing for which an uncountable noun is used.
Example
Incorrect: I need an information about that hospital.
Correct: I need some information about that hospital.
Useful List of Uncountable Nouns
Accommodation
advice
applause
anger
assistance
behavior
business
baggage
bread
cash
camping
clothing
chaos
conduct
countryside
chess
courage
cutlery
china
capital
dirt
dancing
damage
education
equipment
employment
evidence
food
fun
furniture
grass
hair
help
health
harm
housework
homework
housing
information
jewelry
knowledge
laughter
leisure
luggage
litter
lighting
luck
machinery
macaroni
meat
money
mud
music
news
nonsense
parking
peel
progress
permission
produce
pay
photography
poetry
pollution
publicity
rubbish
research
scenery
shopping
seaside
safety
sightseeing
sunshine
soap
spaghetti
stuff
steam
transport
traffic
underwear
violence
weather
wealth
work
advice
applause
anger
assistance
behavior
business
baggage
bread
cash
camping
clothing
chaos
conduct
countryside
chess
courage
cutlery
china
capital
dirt
dancing
damage
education
equipment
employment
evidence
food
fun
furniture
grass
hair
help
health
harm
housework
homework
housing
information
jewelry
knowledge
laughter
leisure
luggage
litter
lighting
luck
machinery
macaroni
meat
money
mud
music
news
nonsense
parking
peel
progress
permission
produce
pay
photography
poetry
pollution
publicity
rubbish
research
scenery
shopping
seaside
safety
sightseeing
sunshine
soap
spaghetti
stuff
steam
transport
traffic
underwear
violence
weather
wealth
work