- +91 95796 37129
- askenglishcorridor@gmail.com
The Noun
(The Naming Word)
Conceptual Definition
A Noun is a fundamental linguistic category used to identify a person, place, thing, or abstract idea. In the architecture of a sentence, the noun serves as the primary “building block,” typically functioning as the Subject (the doer) or the Object (the receiver) of an action.
Functional Classifications
Nouns are classified based on their nature and the entities they represent:
Proper Nouns
These denote specific, unique entities. They are always capitalized regardless of their position in a sentence.
Examples: Tokyo, William Shakespeare, The Amazon River.
Common Nouns:
General names for a class of items or beings.
Examples: city, author, river, table.
Abstract Nouns:
These refer to intangible concepts, qualities, or states that cannot be perceived through the five senses.
Examples: Courage, integrity, freedom, sorrow, wisdom.
Concrete Nouns:
Objects that have a physical presence and can be touched or seen.
Examples: Smartphone, brick, water, oxygen.
Collective Nouns:
A single word that represents a group of individuals or things.
Examples: A jury (group of judges), a colony (of ants), a fleet (of ships).
Material Nouns:
Refer to raw materials or primary substances used to create other things.
Examples: Gold, cotton, marble, plastic.
Noun Numbers:
The Mechanics of Singular and Plural
In English, the “Number” of a noun indicates its quantity. While the general rule is to add -s, professional grammar requires knowledge of complex variations:
The Sibilant Rule
Nouns ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z require -es to make them phonetically pronounceable.
- Church – Churches
- Tax – Taxes
The "Y" and "O" Rules
Consonant + Y:
Change ‘y’ to -ies (Fly – Flies).
Vowel + Y:
Simply add -s (Key – Keys).
Consonant + O:
Usually add -es (Hero – Heroes, Potato – Potatoes).
Irregular Mutations (Internal Vowel Change)
Some nouns do not use suffixes; instead, they change their internal structure:
- Mouse – Mice
- Louse – Lice
- Goose – Geese
- Criterion – Criteria
Advanced General Rules of Nouns
Always Plural:
Some nouns have no singular form and always take a plural verb.
Examples: Scissors, spectacles, trousers, goods, alms.
Plural in Form, Singular in Meaning:
Some nouns end in ‘-s’ but are treated as singular.
Examples: Mathematics, Physics, News, Ethics, Billiards.
Uncountable Nouns:
These cannot be pluralized and do not take ‘a’ or ‘an’.
Examples: Advice, information, luggage, poetry, furniture.
Incorrect: “He gave me many advices.”
Correct: “He gave me much advice” or “pieces of advice.”