NOUN

 

 

A NOUN IS A WORD USED AS THE NAME OF A PERSON, A PLACE OR THING.                                                                

A NOUN IS A NAMING WORD.

Ex:   Gold is a metal. 

        A bird can fly.    [Here gold, metal and bird three are nouns as they are simple naming words]

Broadly Nouns are of two kinds:    CONCRETE  NOUN     &       ABSTRACT  NOUN

1. CONCRETE NOUNS - can be seen, can be touched, and can be changed.

A CONCRETE NOUN IS A NOUN THAT CAN BE IDENTIFIED THROUGH ONE OF THE FIVE SENSES (taste/touch/sight/ hearing/smell).

Ex:   Cake, Banana, Pen, Pencil, Sun, Moon, Music, Trumpet, stink, Vanilla  etc.

[All the above mention words can easily be tasted, touched, seen, heard and smelt]

CONCRETE NOUNS are of four types:

i.          PROPER NOUN: - A Proper noun is the name of some particular person, thing or place. It begins with capital letters, no matter where they occur within a sentence.

Ex. Kolkata is a famous city.

       Ganga is a famous river.

       

[ Here the words ‘Kolkata’ is the name of a particular city and ‘Ganga’ is the name of a particular river, so they both are Proper noun.]

 

        I Live in Kolkata.

       

[ Here the words ‘Kolkata’ is the name of a particular city and though it sits at the end of the sentence ‘Kolkata’ starts with capital letter, as it is a Proper noun.]

Examples of some Proper nouns:

SUN	RABINDRA NATH TAGORE	J.KEATS	PELE	I.NEWTON
MOON	D.L.ROY	J.MILTON	C.RONALDO	G.BELL
EARTH	NAJRUL  ISLAM	J.BYRON	L.MESSI	I.EINSTEIN
MARS	MAHASWETA DEVI	C.DICKENS	G.SOBERS	PLUTO
JUPITER	JAGADISH  CH. BOSE	W.B.YEATS	S.TENDULKAR	SOCRETIS
EVEREST	VICTORIA MEMORIAL	KAFKA	TAJ MAHAL	P.C.ROY
KORAN	GRANTHA SAHIB	GITA	TRIPITAK	BIBLE

ii.         COMMON (CLASS) NOUN: - A COMMON NOUN IS A NAME GIVEN IN COMMON TO EVERY PERSON OR THING OF THE SAME CLASS OR KIND. – Wren& Martin                                                We use common nouns to denote a class of objects or a concept.

Ex. A bird can fly.

        The girl can dance well.

[Here the words ‘bird’ and ‘girl’ says of no particular ‘bird’ or ‘girl’, they say of the class or any ‘bird’ and any ‘girl’.]

          

Examples of some Common nouns:

PROFESSION	PEOPLE	OBJECTS	ABSTRACT IDEAS	ANIMALS
LAWYER	BOY	CAR	WAR	TIGER
PLAYER	GIRL	SHIP	DANGER	LION
DOCTOR	COUSIN	NEWSPAPER	PEACE	BEAR
TEACHER	GRAND MOTHER	SHOES	DEMOCRACY	DEER
NURSE	MOTHER	POTATO	TIME	CROCODILE
POLITICIAN	FATHER	TABLE	CULTURE	ELEPHANT

iii.           MATERIAL NOUN: - A MATERIAL NOUN DENOTES THE MATTER OR SUBSTANCE OF WHICH THE THINGS ARE MADE. - J. C. Nesfield                                                                          Material nouns are mostly found in nature but they are usually recreated by human beings. The recreated material is known as a man-made material noun.                                                   

Generally article is not used before Material Noun.

Exception - We drink water.

BUT - The water of this river is sweet. [the word ‘water’ carries a special meaning]

Ex ;   The ring is made of gold.                                                                                                                                        [Here ‘ring’ is common noun, but ‘gold’ of which the ring is made is material noun and gold is recreated by human beings [we do not use gold as it is found in the mines]

                                

          Examples of some Material nouns:

WATER	COTTON	GOLD	SILVER	COPPER
MILK	BUTTER	BRONZE	BELL METAL	ACID
PETROL	KEROSINE	DISEL	MUSTARD OIL	FURNITURE
COFFEE	HONEY	PLASTIC	INK	BRICK
IRON	SALT	AIR	PERFUME	CEMENT

iv.           COLLECTIVE NOUN:- ACOLLECTIVE NOUN DENOTES A GROUP OR COLLECTION OF SIMILAR INDIVIDUALS, CONSIDERED AS ONE COMPLETE WHOLE OR AS AN UNIT. – J.C.Nesfield.

Ex.  A bunch of keys, is a Collective noun as it says of a collective unit of keys.                            Similarly, A  flock of sheep, is a Collective noun as it denotes collective unit of sheep.

           Examples of some Collective  nouns:

A BUNDLE OF STICKS	A PACK OF HOUNDS	A GANG OF ROBBERS
A BUNDLE OF HAY	A LITTER OF PUPPIES	A GANG OF LABOURERS
A FLOCK OF SHEEP	A SHEAF OF GRAIN	A POOSSE OF POLICE
A FLOCK OF GEESE	A SWARM OF FLIES	A FLIGHT OF STEPS
A PAIR OF SHOES	A SWARM OF BEES	A FLIGHT OF STAIRS
A SHOWER OF RAIN	A TEAM OF PLAYERS	A RANGE OF HILLS
A PACK OF CARDS	A CHAIN OF MOUNTAINS	A RANGE OF MOUNTAINS
A PACK OF WOLVES	A GANG OF THIEVES	A REGIMENT OF SOLDIERS
A FALL OF SNOW	A QUIVER OF ARROWS	A BROOD OF CHICKENS
A HERD OF DEER	A COVEY OF QUAILS	A SHOAL OF FISH
A HERD OF SWINE	A STACK OF WOOD	A GROUP OF ISLANDS
A SERIES OF EVENTS	A SUIT OF CLOTHES	A GALAXY OF STARS
A PACKET OF BISCUITS	A LIBRARY OF BOOKS	A CLUMP/GROVE  OF TREES
A HEAP OF STONES	A HEAP OF SAND	A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS
A MOB OF PEOPLE	A CLASS OF STUDENTS	A BENCH OF MAGISTRATES
A FLOCK OF BIRDS	A CLUSTER OF WORDS	A SQUAD OF HOMEGAURDS
A PILE OF BOOKS	A TROOP OF SOLDIERS	A BOARD OF DIRECTORS
A FLEET OF SHIPS	A CREW OF SAILORS	A REAM OF PAPER
A REEL OF FILM	A STRING OF PEARLS	A CLOUD OF DUST
A TRIBE OF NATIVES	A BATTERY OF GUNS	A BOWL OF RICE
A CHOIR OF SINGERS	A SLOTH OF BEARS	A HOST OF ANGELS
A MOB OF RIOTERS	A HEAP OF RUBBISH	A COLLECTION OF COINS
A PRIDE OF LIONS	A TROOP OF SCOUTS	A CHEST OF DRAWERS
A BEVY OF LADIES	A BUNCH OF CROOKS	A CATALOGUE OF PRICES
A HORDE OF SAVAGES	A GROUP OF DANCERS	A COLONY OF ANTS
A N ARMY OF ANTS	A BALE OF COTTON	A CLUSTER OF COCONUTS
A BUSKET OF FRUITS	A HEDGE OF BUSHES	A CARAVAN OF GYPSIES
A  WAD OF NOTES	A COLONY OF BADGERS	AN ANTHOLOGY OF POEMS
A ALLEY OF CLOWNS	A CREEP OF TORTOISES	A FLOAT OF CROCODILES

2. ABSTRACT NOUNS - cannot be seen, cannot be touched, and cannot be changed.

AN ABSTRACT NOUN IS A NOUN THAT CANNOT BE IDENTIFIED THROUGH ONE OF THE FIVE SENSES (taste/touch/sight/ hearing/smell).

AN ABSTRACT NOUN IS USUALLY THE NAME OF A QUALITY, ACTION OR STATE CONSIDERED APART FROM THE OBJECT TO WHICH IT BELONGS. - Wren & Martin.

Ex: Solomon is famous for his wisdom.

[ In the above sentence the word ‘Solomon’ is a Proper noun -as it  is a name of a particular  king: and, the word ‘wisdom, is also a Noun but an  Abstract noun because it denotes a ‘Quality’ and  cannot be identified by taste, touch, sight, hearing and smell.]

       Examples of some Abstract nouns:

CALMNESS	COLDNESS	ELEGANCE	BRILLIANCE	BEAUTY
KINDNESS	CONTENMENT	GENEROUSITY	BRUTALIY	BRAVERY
CRUELTY	COURAGE	GOODNESS	COMPASSION	INSANITY
CHARITY	CURIOSITY	HONESTY	DETERMINATION	STUPIDITY
ENVY	EVIL	LOYALITY	DEDICATION	ENTHUSIASM
WARMTH	WEAKNESS	WISDOM	FRIENDSHIP	ANGER