What is a NOUN?

A noun is the name of a person, place, animal, thing, or idea.
The italicized words in the following sentences are nouns:

• Someone stole my diary.
• Cleanliness is next to godliness.
  
• Jersey loves eating spaghetti.
• Father bought a new car yesterday.
• Who is the president of the club?
  

Kinds of Nouns

Common and Proper Nouns

Nouns may be common or proper. Names like Magnolia, Rizal Park and Jeanette are particular or distinct names of certain things, places, or persons are classified as proper nouns. When they are written, they begin a capital letter. Nouns that name a class like food (thing), church (place), or teacher (person) in a general sense are called common nouns. Such nouns start with small letters.

Collective Nouns

A collective noun is a singular noun denoting a group of persons or things. It takes singular verb if the group acts a single unit. It is plural and takes a plural verb if the group acts separately or as individual members.
examples: troop, brigade, army, gang, parliament, jury, pride, covey, party, band, audience, team, committee, herd, flock, family

Abstract and Concrete Nouns
Abstract Nouns are names of ideas, qualities, and feelings. They cannot be seen, touched or tasted, heard, nor smelled.
examples: courage, perseverance, truthfulness, honesty, virtue, courtesy, kindness, humility, happiness
Concrete Nouns are names of persons, places, or things that can be perceived through the five senses. These things are tangible.
examples: ball pen, t-shirt, book, tissue, keys, skirt, towel

Review Exercises
A. Directions: Find all the nouns in the following sentences. Answer Key is provided after the exercise.
1. The cat sat on a mat.
2. Corazon Aquino is the first female president of the Philippines.
3. Please submit your assignments.
4. The children found a snake under the big rock.
5. Who are the guests in the show?
6. We will go to Singapore next month.
7. Celine Dion is my favorite singer.

Answer Key:
1. cat , mat
2. Corazon Aquino, president, Philippines
3. assignments
4. children, snake, rock
5. guests, show
6. Singapore, month
7. Celine Dion, singer

B. Below is a list of nouns. Give a corresponding proper noun for each common noun and a common noun for each proper noun.
Examples: car (common) Honda Civic ( proper)
Colgate (proper) toothpaste (common)

1. actor
2. Dr. Sia
3. Canada
4. school
5. milk
6. New York
7. medicine
8. computer
9. Pepsi
10. Nokia

C. Give the most suitable collective noun for each of these group.
1. ships
2. flowers
3. lion
4. girls
5. bees
6. stamps
7. grapes
8. cigarettes
9. players
10. thieves

Answer Key
1. fleet
2. bunch
3. pride
4. girls
5. swarm
6. collection
7. bunch
8. pack
9. team
10. gang

D. Tell whether the following nouns are abstract or concrete.
1. hardness
2. obedience
3. magazine
4. attire
5. peace
6. intelligence
7. sweetness
8. Ayala Museum
9. father
10. gifts

Answer Key:
1. abstract
2. abstract
3. concrete
4. concrete
5. abstract
6. abstract
7. abstract
8. concrete
9. concrete
10. concrete