What is Noun? Definition and Types of Noun with Examples

 Definition of NOUN

The simplest definition of a noun is that it refers to the names: the names of things, persons, locations, animals, etc.

Examples of Nouns

Things: Cup, football, shoes, tree, burger, chicken, goat, etc.
Persons: James, Rahul, Ahmad, Joe Biden, Henry, Newton, etc.
Locations: England, Dubai, Pakistan, London, New York, etc.
Animals: Cat, dog, lion, monkey, zebra, elephant, cow, duck, crow, peacock, etc.
Note: These are the limited examples of nouns; in English grammar, most words are nouns that refer to the names of anything.


8 Types of Nouns in English

  1. Common noun

  1. Common nouns refer to the names of general things (not the specific names of persons, places, things or locations).
    For instance:
  • “City” refers to the general term; it can be any city in the world, like; Islamabad, London, Istanbul, Mumbai, Dubai, etc.
  • The word “animal” is also a general name; dog, cat, monkey, lion, zebra, mouse and elephant are the specific names of particular animals therefore these are not common nouns.
  • The word “dress” is also a common noun as it indicates only a common concept, there are many types of dress.
  • The words “boy and girls” are also common nouns because they refer to any boy or girl.

2. Proper noun

A proper noun is a kind of noun that tells about the specific names. In the English written language, the first letter of the proper noun is capitalized to distinguish these proper nouns from the common nouns.
For instance:

  • “England” is a proper noun; it is the name of a specific place.
  • “John” is a specific name of a person.
  • “Quran” and “Bible” are two religious books; the names of these books are proper nouns because these nouns represent the specific names of the two different books.

 

3. Uncountable Noun
This is an opposite concept to the countable nouns; we define them as nouns that can’t be counted – We call these nouns uncountable because they can’t be counted.
Examples;
Salt, sugar, water, food, anger, happiness, soul, satisfaction, etc. These are uncountable nouns because we cannot count them.

4. Countable Noun

Every noun which can be counted is called a countable noun. Articles can also be used with countable nouns.
Examples:

  • “Book” is a countable noun, there may be one book or thousands of books; we can count them.
  • “Car” is also a countable noun, such as “one car”, “thousand cars”, million cars”…

  5. Concrete Noun

The names of things that have physical existence or being. We can analyze concrete nouns through our senses or perceptions. Everything in the physical world is considered as a concrete noun.
We can see and touch the milk, sand, salt, oil, table, cake, hockey, computer, burger, vegetable, sofa, mountain, pillow, brain, etc.

 

6. Abstract Noun
It is opposite to concrete nouns; these things have neither physical existence nor can be perceived by the senses. Abstract nouns don’t exist in the physical world.
Examples;
Patriotism, peace, love, anger, truth, patience, democracy, joy, intelligence, spirituality, luck, hope, etc.

7. Compound Noun

Compounding is a process in which two or more words combine to form a single compound noun and they act as a single unit. Compound nouns are the combination of two or more nouns.
Examples:
Sunflower, snowball, hotdog, bedsheet, overwrite, overcoat, on-campus, overtake, intake, sunshine, daylight, etc.

8. Collective Noun

A type of noun that acts as a single unit or one word, but refers to a whole group of nouns. It is a group of things, people, animals, etc.
Examples: class, team, nation, cattle, jury, army, faculty, panel, etc.



Grammar