NOUNS

A 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.

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Abstract Nouns An abstract noun is a noun that names an idea, not a physical thing. Examples: Hope, interest, love, peace, ability, success, knowledge, trouble.

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Abstract Nouns are formed 1) From Adjectives as - kind honest 2) From Verbs as - obey grow 3) From Common - child Nouns slave kindness honesty obedience growth childhood slavery

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Concrete Nouns A concrete noun is a noun that names a physical thing. Examples: Boy, table, floor, coffee, beach, king, rain, children, professor.

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Common Nouns A common noun is a noun that names a general thing, not a specific thing. 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. Examples: Robin, Alice, London, Sweden, Google, Earth, Eiffel Tower, Civil War. (Compare these examples to ones in the "Common nouns" section to see the difference.)

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Collective Nouns a crowd of people a herd of cattle a fleet of ships a team of players a flock of sheep a squadron of aeroplanes

Government, Parliament, Assemly, Council, committee, army, crew, staff, jury fleet, crowd, majority, mob, family, nation etc.

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Material Nouns:

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

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

COMMON ERRORS IN NOUNS

Incorrect: I would like to buy some furnitures. Correct: I would like to buy some furniture. Incorrect: Have you got any informations? Correct: Have you got any information? Incorrect: Have you packed your luggages? Correct: Have you packed your luggage? Incorrect: Is there any breads? Correct: Is there any bread? OR Are there any loaves?

COMMON ERRORS IN NOUNS

Explanation: Nouns like scenery, furniture, news, information, luggage and bread are always used in the singular. They do not have a plural form.

COMMON ERRORS IN NOUNS

Incorrect: He told these news to me. Correct: He told me this news. Explanation: The noun news is only used in the singular. So, we cannot use these before news. When a verb (e.g. told) takes two objects, we prefer to put the indirect object (e.g. me) before the direct object (e.g. this news). Note that the indirect object is usually a person as in the above example.

COMMON ERRORS IN NOUNS

Incorrect: The government should pay attention to the problems of the poors. Correct: The government should pay attention to the problems of the poor. Incorrect: He provided the blinds with food. Correct: He provided the blind with food. Explanation: Expressions like the poor, the dead, the blind, the unemployed are always plural. You don t have to say the poors or the blinds.

COMMON ERRORS IN NOUNS

Incorrect: Kashmir is known for its sceneries. Correct: Kashmir is known for its scenery. Incorrect: We have bought some furnitures. Correct: We have bought some furniture. Incorrect: Have you received any informations? Correct: Have you received any information? Incorrect: We must buy some breads. Correct: We must buy some bread. OR We must buy some loaves.

COMMON ERRORS IN NOUNS

Incorrect: Have you packed your luggages? Correct: Have you packed your luggage? Incorrect: Could you give me some advices? Correct: Could you give me some advice? Reason Some nouns have only a singular form. Examples are: furniture, wheat, happiness, gratitude, abuse, information, clothing, gossip, poetry, scenery, advice and news.

COMMON ERRORS IN NOUNS

Incorrect: He wore a white trouser. Correct: He wore white trousers. Incorrect: We must buy a binocular. Correct: We must buy a pair of binoculars. Reason Some nouns have only a plural form. Examples are: police, cattle, oats, tweezers, pants, remains, scissors, binoculars, shorts, trousers, drawers and socks. It is wrong to say a pant or a trouser.

COMMON ERRORS IN NOUNS

Incorrect: The rich should help the poors. Correct: The rich should help the poor. Incorrect: He provided the blinds with food and clothes. Correct: He provided the blind with food and clothes. Incorrect: The unemployed is losing hope. Correct: The unemployed are losing hope. Reason The phrases the blind, the rich, the poor, the employed, the dead etc. are always plural and should be followed by plural verbs. It is therefore wrong to say the blinds or the poors.

COMMON ERRORS IN NOUNS

Man and Gentleman Incorrect: I met a tall gentleman. Correct: I met a tall man. Reason I met a tall gentleman is of course correct English. But gentleman is a difficult word to use correctly in standard English. Students are therefore advised to use gentleman only when they are referring to a man s character. Say He is a gentleman if you want to praise his character. Say He is not a gentleman if you want to criticize his character. To denote an adult of the male sex, simply use man .

COMMON ERRORS IN NOUNS

Woman, female and lady Incorrect: I saw two females. Correct: I saw two women. Reason We don t say I saw a male. Similarly we don t say I saw a female.

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Incorrect: I saw a beautiful lady. Correct: I saw a beautiful woman. Reason I saw a beautiful lady is of course correct English. But woman is the usual word to denote an adult of the female sex. Say She is a lady when you mean that she is a woman of particularly good birth and taste.

COMMON ERRORS IN NOUNS

Cousin Incorrect: He is my cousin brother. Correct: He is my cousin. Cousin means any child of any uncle or aunt. Phrases like cousin brother and cousin sister are wrong in standard English.

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Expressions that take singular verbs Some common expressions take singular verbs even though they may contain a plural noun. Examples are: bacon and eggs; cheese and biscuits; fish and chips etc. Bacon and eggs was served for breakfast. Where is the cheese and biscuits? Fish and chips is popular in England.

COMMON ERRORS IN NOUNS

Pants and trousers Pants means underclothes covering the upper part of the leg. Trousers means outer garment for the legs, reaching from waist to ankles. Students should wear white trousers. (NOT ... white pants)

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Dress The word dress is generally used with reference to women's attire. He was wearing a new suit. (NOT He was wearing a new dress) But note that we do say 'a man in full dress' or 'evening dress'.