CHAPTER 5
THE NOUN: KINDS OF NOUNS
NOUN
A Noun is a word used as the name of a person, place or
thing.
Note: The word ‘thing’ is used to mean anything that we
can think of.
Look at the following sentence:
Asoka was a wise king.
The noun ‘Asoka’ = a particular king, but the noun ‘king’
= any other king as well as Asoka.
We call Asoka = Proper Noun, and king = Common Noun.
Similarly:
Sita = Proper Noun, while girl = Common Noun.
Hari = Proper Noun, while boy = Common Noun.
Kolkata = Proper Noun, while city = Common Noun.
India = Proper Noun, while country = Common Noun.
The word girl = Common Noun, because it is a name common
to all girls, while Sita = Proper Noun because it is the name of a particular
girl.
COMMON NOUN
A Common Noun is a name given in common to every person
or thing of the same class or kind.
[Common here means shared by all.]
PROPER NOUN
A Proper Noun is the name of some particular person or
place,
[Proper means one's own. Hence a Proper Name is a
person's own name.]
Note 1 - Proper Nouns are always written with a capital
letter at the beginning.
Note 2 - Proper Nouns are sometimes used as Common Nouns;
as,
1. He was the Lukman (= the wisest man) of his age.
2. Kalidas is often called the Shakespeare (= the
greatest dramatist) of India.
Common Nouns include what are called Collective Nouns and
Abstract Nouns.
COLLECTIVE NOUN
A Collective Noun is the name of a number (or 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.
A fleet = a collection of ships or vessels.
An army = a collection of soldiers.
A crowd = a collection of people.
The police dispersed the crowd.
The French army was defeated at Waterloo.
The jury found the prisoner guilty.
A herd of cattle is passing.
ABSTRACT NOUN
An Abstract Noun is usually the name of a quality,
action, or state considered apart from the object to which it belongs; as.
Quality - Goodness, kindness, whiteness, darkness,
hardness, brightness, honesty, wisdom, bravery.
Action - Laughter, theft, movement, judgment, hatred.
State - Childhood, boyhood, youth, slavery, sleep,
sickness, death, poverty.
The names of the Arts and Science (e.g., grammar, music,
chemistry, etc.) are also Abstract Nouns.
[We can speak of a brave soldier, a strong man, a
beautiful flower. But we can also think of these qualities apart from any
particular person or thing, and speak of bravery, strength, beauty by themselves.
So also we can speak of what persons do or feel apart from the persons
themselves, and give it a name. The word abstract means drawn off.]
Abstract Nouns are formed:
(1) From Adjectives; as,
Kindness from kind; honesty from honest.
[Most abstract nouns are formed thus.]
(2) From Verbs: as,
Obedience from obey; growth from grow.
(3) From Common Nouns; as,
Childhood from child; slavery from slave.
Another classification of nouns is whether they are
“countable” or “uncountable”.
Countable nouns (or countables) are the names of objects,
people, etc. that we can count,
e.g., book, pen, apple, boy, sister, doctor, horse.
Uncountable nouns (or Uncountables) are the names of
things which we cannot count,
e.g., milk, oil, sugar, gold, honesty. They mainly denote
substances and abstract things.
Countable nouns have plural forms while uncountable nouns
do not.
For example, we say “books” but we cannot say “milks”.
Exercise in Grammar 3
Point out the Nouns in the following sentences, and
say whether they are Common, Proper, Collective or Abstract:
1. The crowd was very big.
2. Always speak the truth.
3. We all love honesty.
4. Our class consists of twenty pupils.
5. The elephant has great strength.
6. Solomon was famous for his wisdom.
7. Cleanliness is next to godliness.
8. We saw a fleet of ships in the harbour.
9. The class is studying grammar.
10. The Godavari overflows its banks every year.
11. A committee of five was appointed.
12. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of
India.
13. The soldiers were rewarded for their bravery.
14. Without health there is no happiness.
15. He gave me a bunch of grapes.
16. I recognized your voice at once.
17. Our team is better than theirs.
18. Never tell a lie.
19. Wisdom is better than strength.
20. He sets a high value on his time.
21. I believe in his innocence.
22. This room is thirty feet in length.
23. I often think of the happy days of childhood.
24. The streets of some of our cities are noted for their
crookedness.
25. What is your verdict, gentlemen of the jury?
ANSWERS:
1. The crowd was very big.
Ans: Crowd = collective
2. Always speak the truth.
Ans: truth = abstract
3. We all love honesty.
Ans: honesty = abstract
4. Our class consists of twenty pupils.
Ans: class = collective
Pupils = common
5. The elephant has great strength.
Ans: elephant = common
Strength = abstract
6. Solomon was famous for his wisdom.
Ans: Solomon = proper
Wisdom = abstract
7. Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Ans: cleanliness = abstract
Godliness = abstract
8. We saw a fleet of ships in the harbour.
Ans: fleet = collective
Ships = common
Harbour = common
9. The class is studying grammar.
Ans: class = collective
Grammar = abstract
10. The Godavari overflows its banks every year.
Ans: Nile = proper
Bank = common
Year = common
11. A committee of five was appointed.
Ans: committee = collective
12. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of
India.
Ans: Jawaharlal Nehru = proper
Prime Minister = proper
India = proper
13. The soldiers were rewarded for their bravery.
Ans: soldiers = common
Bravery = abstract
14. Without health there is no happiness.
Ans: Health = abstract
Happiness = abstract
15. He gave me a bunch of grapes.
Ans: bunch = collective
Grapes = common
16. I recognized your voice at once.
Ans: voice = common
17. Our team is better than theirs.
Ans: team = collective
18. Never tell a lie.
Ans: lie = abstract
19. Wisdom is better than strength.
Ans: wisdom = abstract
20. He sets a high value on his time.
Ans: value = abstract; time = abstract
21. I believe in his innocence.
Ans: innocence = abstract
22. This room is thirty feet in length.
Ans: room = common; feet = common; length = abstract
23. I often think of the happy days of childhood.
Ans: days = common; childhood = abstract
24. The streets of some of our cities are noted for their
crookedness.
Ans: streets = common; cities = common; crookedness =
abstract
25. What is your verdict, gentlemen of the jury?
Ans: verdict = abstract; gentleman = common; jury =
collective
Exercise in Composition 4
Write the Collective Nouns used to describe a number of
(1) Cattle;
(2) Soldiers;
(3) Sailors.
Ans:
Herd of cattle
Army of soldiers
Crew of sailors
Write the qualities that belong to boys who are
(1) Lazy;
(2) Cruel;
(3) Brave;
(4) Foolish.
Ans: laziness, cruelty, bravery, foolishness
Exercise in Composition 5
Form Abstract Nouns from the following Adjectives:
Long,
young,
humble,
decent, cruel,
bitter,
strong,
true,
short,
prudent,
dark,
deep,
wide,
wise,
good,
vacant,
sweet,
human,
broad,
free,
proud,
brave,
novel,
quick,
high,
poor,
just,
vain,
sane,
ignorant.
Ans:
Long = length
Young = youth
Humble = humility
Decent = decency
Cruel = cruelty
Bitter = bitterness
Strong = strength
True = truth
Short = shortness
Prudent = prudence
Dark = darkness
Deep = depth
Wide = width
Wise = wisdom
Good = goodness
Vacant = vacancy
Sweet = sweetness
Human = humanity
Broad = breadth
Free = freedom
Proud = pride
Brave = bravery
Novel = novelty
Quick = quickness
High = height
Poor = poorness
Just = justice
Vain = vanity
Sane = sanity
Ignorant = ignorance
Form Abstract Nouns from the following Verbs:
Laugh,
obey,
live,
expect,
excel,
know,
steal.
Believe,
Serve,
Hate,
Please,
Act,
Starve,
Occupy,
Choose,
Move,
Conceal,
Seize, Flatter,
Depart,
Persevere,
Defend,
Think,
Protect,
Advise,
Punish,
Die,
Succeed,
Free,
See,
Judge,
Pursue,
Relieve,
Converse,
Discover.
Ans:
Laugh = laughter
Obey = obedience
Live = life
Expect = expectation / expectancy
Excel = excellence
Know = knowledge
Steal = stealth
Believe = belief
Serve = service
Hate = hatred
Please = pleasure
Act = action
Starve = starvation
Occupy = occupation / occupancy
Choose = choice
Move = movement
Conceal = concealment
Seize = seizure
Flatter = flattery
Depart = departure
Persevere = perseverance
Defend = defence
Think = thought
Protect = protection
Advise = advice
Punish = punishment
Die = death
Succeed = success
Free = freedom
See = sight
Judge = judgement
Pursue = pursuit
Relieve = relief
Converse = conversation
Discover = discovery
Form Abstract Nouns from the following Common Nouns:
King,
man,
thief,
woman,
bankrupt,
infant,
owner,
rogue,
regent,
author,
mother,
agent,
hero,
beggar,
coward,
priest,
boy,
bond,
pirate,
pilgrim,
friend,
caption,
rascal,
patriot,
glutton.
Ans:
King = kinghood
Man = manhood
Thief = theft
Woman = womanhood
Bankrupt = bankruptcy
Infant = infancy
Owner = ownership
Rogue = roguery
Regent = regency
Author = authorship
Mother = motherhood
Agent = agency
Hero = heroism
Beggar = beggary
Coward = cowardice
Priest = priesthood
Boy = boyhood
Bond = bondage
Pirate = piracy
Pilgrim = pilgrimage
Friend = friendship
Caption = captaincy
Rascal = rascality
Patriot = patriotism
Glutton = gluttony
REVISE:
……………………….. is a word used as the name of a person, place
or thing.
……………………….. is a name given in common to every person or
thing of the same class or kind.
……………………. is the name of some particular person or place.
………………. Nouns are always written with a capital letter at
the beginning.
…………………………. is the name of a number (or collection) of
persons or things taken together and spoken of as one whole.
………………………………………… is usually the name of a quality,
action, or state considered apart from the object to which it belongs.
……………………….. are the names of objects, people, etc. that
we can count,
………………………………… are the names of things which we cannot
count,
…………………. nouns have plural forms while ………………………….. nouns
do not.
IDENTIFY THE CLASS OF THESE NOUNS:
Asoka
king.
Sita
Girl
Hari
Boy
Kolkata
City
India
Country
He was the Lukman (= the wisest man) of his age.
Kalidas is often called the Shakespeare (= the greatest
dramatist) of India.
Crowd, mob, team, flock, herd, army, fleet, jury, family,
nation, parliament, committee.
A fleet = a collection of ships or vessels.
An army = a collection of soldiers.
A crowd = a collection of people.
The police dispersed the crowd.
The French army was defeated at Waterloo.
The jury found the prisoner guilty.
A herd of cattle is passing.
Goodness, kindness, whiteness, darkness, hardness,
brightness, honesty, wisdom, bravery.
Laughter, theft, movement, judgment, hatred.
Childhood, boyhood, youth, slavery, sleep, sickness,
death, poverty.
The names of the Arts and Science (e.g., grammar, music,
chemistry, etc.)
FORM ABSTRACT NOUNS:
kind;
honest.
obey;
grow.
child;
slave.
Identify countable or uncountable:
book, pen, apple, boy, sister, doctor, horse.
milk, oil, sugar, gold, honesty. They mainly denote
substances and abstract things.
Exercise in Grammar 3
Point out the Nouns in the following sentences, and
say whether they are Common, Proper, Collective or Abstract:
1. The crowd was very big.
2. Always speak the truth.
3. We all love honesty.
4. Our class consists of twenty pupils.
5. The elephant has great strength.
6. Solomon was famous for his wisdom.
7. Cleanliness is next to godliness.
8. We saw a fleet of ships in the harbour.
9. The class is studying grammar.
10. The Godavari overflows its banks every year.
11. A committee of five was appointed.
12. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of
India.
13. The soldiers were rewarded for their bravery.
14. Without health there is no happiness.
15. He gave me a bunch of grapes.
16. I recognized your voice at once.
17. Our team is better than theirs.
18. Never tell a lie.
19. Wisdom is better than strength.
20. He sets a high value on his time.
21. I believe in his innocence.
22. This room is thirty feet in length.
23. I often think of the happy days of childhood.
24. The streets of some of our cities are noted for their
crookedness.
25. What is your verdict, gentlemen of the jury?
ANSWERS:
1. The crowd was very big.
Ans: Crowd = collective
2. Always speak the truth.
Ans: truth = abstract
3. We all love honesty.
Ans: honesty = abstract
4. Our class consists of twenty pupils.
Ans: class = collective
Pupils = common
5. The elephant has great strength.
Ans: elephant = common
Strength = abstract
6. Solomon was famous for his wisdom.
Ans: Solomon = proper
Wisdom = abstract
7. Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Ans: cleanliness = abstract
Godliness = abstract
8. We saw a fleet of ships in the harbour.
Ans: fleet = collective
Ships = common
Harbour = common
9. The class is studying grammar.
Ans: class = collective
Grammar = abstract
10. The Godavari overflows its banks every year.
Ans: Nile = proper
Bank = common
Year = common
11. A committee of five was appointed.
Ans: committee = collective
12. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of
India.
Ans: Jawaharlal Nehru = proper
Prime Minister = proper
India = proper
13. The soldiers were rewarded for their bravery.
Ans: soldiers = common
Bravery = abstract
14. Without health there is no happiness.
Ans: Health = abstract
Happiness = abstract
15. He gave me a bunch of grapes.
Ans: bunch = collective
Grapes = common
16. I recognized your voice at once.
Ans: voice = common
17. Our team is better than theirs.
Ans: team = collective
18. Never tell a lie.
Ans: lie = abstract
19. Wisdom is better than strength.
Ans: wisdom = abstract
20. He sets a high value on his time.
Ans: value = abstract; time = abstract
21. I believe in his innocence.
Ans: innocence = abstract
22. This room is thirty feet in length.
Ans: room = common; feet = common; length = abstract
23. I often think of the happy days of childhood.
Ans: days = common; childhood = abstract
24. The streets of some of our cities are noted for their
crookedness.
Ans: streets = common; cities = common; crookedness =
abstract
25. What is your verdict, gentlemen of the jury?
Ans: verdict = abstract; gentleman = common; jury =
collective
Exercise in Composition 4
Write the Collective Nouns used to describe a number of
(1) Cattle;
(2) Soldiers;
(3) Sailors.
Ans: herd of cattle
Army of soldiers
Crew of sailors
Write the qualities that belong to boys who are
(1) Lazy;
(2) Cruel;
(3) Brave;
(4) Foolish.
Ans: laziness, cruelty, bravery, foolishness
Exercise in Composition 5
Form Abstract Nouns from the following Adjectives:
Long,
young,
humble,
decent, cruel,
bitter,
strong,
true,
short,
prudent,
dark,
deep,
wide,
wise,
good,
vacant,
sweet,
human,
broad,
free,
proud,
brave,
novel,
quick,
high,
poor,
just,
vain,
sane,
ignorant.
Ans:
Long = length
Young = youth
Humble = humility
Decent = decency
Cruel = cruelty
Bitter = bitterness
Strong = strength
True = truth
Short = shortness
Prudent = prudence
Dark = darkness
Deep = depth
Wide = width
Wise = wisdom
Good = goodness
Vacant = vacancy
Sweet = sweetness
Human = humanity
Broad = breadth
Free = freedom
Proud = pride
Brave = bravery
Novel = novelty
Quick = quickness
High = height
Poor = poorness
Just = justice
Vain = vanity
Sane = sanity
Ignorant = ignorance
Form Abstract Nouns from the following Verbs:
Laugh,
obey,
live,
expect,
excel,
know,
steal.
Believe,
Serve,
Hate,
Please,
Act,
Starve,
Occupy,
Choose,
Move,
Conceal,
Seize, Flatter,
Depart,
Persevere,
Defend,
Think,
Protect,
Advise,
Punish,
Die,
Succeed,
Free,
See,
Judge,
Pursue,
Relieve,
Converse,
Discover.
Ans:
Laugh = laughter
Obey = obedience
Live = life
Expect = expectation / expectancy
Excel = excellence
Know = knowledge
Steal = stealth
Believe = belief
Serve = service
Hate = hatred
Please = pleasure
Act = action
Starve = starvation
Occupy = occupation / occupancy
Choose = choice
Move = movement
Conceal = concealment
Seize = seizure
Flatter = flattery
Depart = departure
Persevere = perseverance
Defend = defence
Think = thought
Protect = protection
Advise = advice
Punish = punishment
Die = death
Succeed = success
Free = freedom
See = sight
Judge = judgement
Pursue = pursuit
Relieve = relief
Converse = conversation
Discover = discovery
Form Abstract Nouns from the following Common Nouns:
King,
man,
thief,
woman,
bankrupt,
infant,
owner,
rogue,
regent,
author,
mother,
agent,
hero,
beggar,
coward,
priest,
boy,
bond,
pirate,
pilgrim,
friend,
caption,
rascal,
patriot,
glutton.
Ans:
King = kinghood
Man = manhood
Thief = theft
Woman = womanhood
Bankrupt = bankruptcy
Infant = infancy
Owner = ownership
Rogue = roguery
Regent = regency
Author = authorship
Mother = motherhood
Agent = agency
Hero = heroism
Beggar = beggary
Coward = cowardice
Priest = priesthood
Boy = boyhood
Bond = bondage
Pirate = piracy
Pilgrim = pilgrimage
Friend = friendship
Caption = captaincy
Rascal = rascality
Patriot = patriotism
Glutton = gluttony
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