(1.Common noun, 2. Proper noun, 3.Collective noun, 4.Abstract noun, 5.Material noun)
Definition :
A noun is a word, it is used as the name of a person, animal, place, bird, idea, emotion or
thing.
For example boy , girl, table, chair, peacock, honesty, happiness, wisdom, book etc.,
e.g.
Person David, Sister, Woman, Brother
Types of nouns
NOUNS ARE NAMING words. They identify people, things or place in our world. Nouns
come in six different forms: proper, common, abstract, concrete, collective, and
compound.
Further, the nouns can be classified into two major types as : countable and uncountable
nouns.
1. Common noun :
Definition :
A common noun is a name given in common to every person or thing of the same class of
kind.
These common nouns are words for people who do certain things.
e.g.
artist teacher police officer
2. Proper noun :
Definition :
A proper noun is the name of some particular person, place, thing, particular event, or
group. This proper noun begins with a capital letter. If the noun is nonspecific, that is,
the noun refers to a general idea and not a specific person, place, or thing, it is usually
not a proper noun, so it it no t capitalized.
e.g.
Specific Nonspecific
The names of the days of the week and the months of the year are proper nouns.
e.g.
days of the week months
Friday June
Saturday July
The names of special days and celebrations are also proper nouns.
e.g.
New Year’s Day Dewali
The names of famous places , buildings and monuments are proper nouns.
e.g.
The Taj Mahal The Statue of Liberty
The names of people who live in a particular country are also proper nouns.
e.g.
Country People
Afghanistan Afghans
Australia Australians
Germany Germans
USA Americans
India Indians
3. Collective noun :
Definition :
i) A collective noun is a name of a number (collection) of persons or things taken together
and spoken of as one whole as:
Crowd, mob, team, flock, herd, army, fleet, jury, family, nation, parliament, committee.
ii) Nouns that refer to a specific group of persons or things are called Collective Nouns.
These are nouns for groups of people. Here are some collective nouns for groups of people.
e.g.
a family a committee
a community a company
a band a gang
Some groups of things also have their own special collective nouns.
e.g.
a bunch of bananas a deck of cards a fleet of vehicles
4. Abstract noun :
Definition :
An abstract noun is usually the name of a feelings, ideas, action, state and characteristics,
or qualities considered apart from the object to which it belongs as.
This abstract noun cannot be seen, heard, touched or tasted but it can only be felt by our
sense. The abstract noun is not visible.
e.g.
Quality wiseness, goodness, kindness, whiteness, darkness, honesty, wisdom, brave
For example, we cannot be 'happiness' but we can feel that in our heart or mind. The names of
the subject of study (e.g. grammar, music, chemistry, etc.) are also Abstract Nouns.
(i) Concrete nouns :
in opposite to abstract noun, the concrete nouns can be seen or touched by us.
e.g.
building iron steel gold
Countable nouns have plural forms while uncountable nouns do not. Even the abstract nouns
are also uncountable nouns.
For example, we say boys but we cannot say oils.
5. Material noun :
Definition :
There are the raw elements or objects existing in nature.
e.g.
Iron Gold Stones Brass