The Noun: Kinds of Noun

A noun is a word used as the name of a person, place or thing.

Example:
Aket was a wise king.
The noun Aket refers to a particular king, but the noun king might be applied to any other king as well as to Aset. Aset is a called a Proper Noun and king a Common Noun.

Similarly:-
Harry is a Proper Noun, while boy is a Common Noun.
England is a Proper Noun, while country is a Common Noun.

Common Noun - A Common Noun is a name given in common to every person or thing of the same class or kind.
Pronoun Noun - A Pronoun Noun is the name of some particular person or place.

Note:-
1. Proper Nouns are always written with a capital letter at the beginning.
2. Proper Nouns are sometimes used as Common Nouns.

Example:
1. He was the Lukman of his age.
2. Lee is often called the Shakespeare of Japan.

Common Noun are of two types:
1. Collective Noun
2. Abstract Noun

Collective Noun - A Collective Noun is the name of a number of persons or things taken together and spoken of as one whole.
Example: Crowd, mob, team, herd, army, fleet, jury, family, nation.

A fleet = a collection of ships.
An army = a collection of soldiers.
A crowd = a collection of people.

Examples of Collective Noun:
1. The police dispersed the crowd.
2. The French army was defeated at Waterloo.
3. Th jury found the prisoner guilty.

Abstract Noun - An Abstract Noun is usually the name of a quality, action or state considered apart from the object to which it belongs. An abstract noun is a type of noun that refers to something a person cannot physically interact with. A noun is a person, place or thing.

Abstract means to exist apart from concrete existence. A noun that is abstract is an aspect, concept, idea, experience, state of being, trait, quality, feeling, or other entity that cannot be experienced with the five senses.

Abstract nouns is something that can't be sensed by our five senses (smell, touth, hear, see or taste).

Abstract nouns are nouns that:

• Abstract nouns are any nouns that can't be touched, tasted, seen, heard or smelt or felt.

• Abstract nouns usually represent feeling, ideas and qualities.

• Abstract nouns can be singular nouns and plural nouns.

• Abstract nouns can be countable or uncountable.

Quality- Goodness, kindness, hardness, brightness, darkness, wisdom, honesty, bravery.
Action- Laughter, theft, movement, judgement, hatred.
State- Childhood, youth, boyhood, slavery, sleep, sickness, death, poverty.

Common Abstract Nouns

Emotions/Feelings

• Love
• Hate
• Anger
• Peace
• Pride
• Sympathy

States/Attributes

• Bravery
• Loyalty
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Compassion
• Charity
• Success
• Courage
• Deceit
• Skill
• Beauty
• Brilliance
• Pain
• Misery

Ideas/Concepts/Ideals

• Beliefs
• Dreams
• Justice
• Truth
• Faith
• Liberty
• Knowledge
• Thought
• Information
• Culture
• Trust
• Dedication

Movements/Events

• Progress
• Education
• Hospitality
• Leisure
• Trouble
• Friendships
• Relaxation

Examples:-

1. I love my husband. [In this sentence, the word love expresses an action and is therefore acting as a verb.]
2. Send them my love. [In this sentence, the word love functions as an abstract noun because it is a thing that exists beyond the five senses.]

Exercise:
Find out the Nouns(Common, Proper, Collective, Abstract) in the following sentences:-
1. The crowd was very big.
2. We all love honesty.
3. The elephant has great strength.
4. Cleanliness is next to godliness.
5. The class is studying grammar.
6. A committee of five was appointed.
7. The soldiers were rewarded for their bravery.
8. He gave me a bunch of grapes.
9. Our team is better than theirs.
10. Wisdom is better than strength.