Types of Nouns - Parts of Speech for ESL

Types of Nouns - Parts of Speech for ESL One of the most important types of words in English are nouns. Nouns are a part of speech that indicate people, things, objects, concepts, etc. There are seven types of nouns in English. Abstract Nouns Abstract nouns are nouns that refer to concepts, ideas, and emotions, Abstract nouns are nouns that you cannot touch, are not made of materials, but play an important role in life. Here are some examples of common abstract nouns: successdepressionlovehateangerpowerimportancetolerance Tom has had a lot of success this past year.Many people prefer to let love inspire them rather than hate.Jack has little tolerance for people who waste his time.The desire for power has ruined many good people. Collective Nouns Collective nouns refer to groups of various types. Collective nouns are most commonly used with groups of animals. Collective nouns can be used in both the singular and plural form, although collective nouns tend to be used in the singular. Here are some common collective nouns referring to groups of animals: herdlitterpackswarmhive The herd of cattle moved to a new field to graze.Be careful! Theres a hive of bees someone near here. Collective nouns are also commonly used for names of institutions and groups within institutions such as academic, business, and governmental organizations. departmentfirmpartystaffteam Staff will meet at ten-thirty tomorrow morning.The sales department met its goals last quarter. Common Nouns Common nouns refer to categories of things in general, never to specific examples. In other words, when speaking about education in general someone might refer to university in a general sense. I think Tom should go to university to study science. In this case, university is a common noun. On the other hand, when university is used as part of a name it becomes part of a proper noun (see below). Meredith decided to go to the University of Oregon. Note that common nouns that are used as the part of a name and become proper nouns are always capitalized. Here are some common nouns that are often used as common nouns and parts of names: universitycollegeschoolinstitutedepartmentstate There are a number of states which are in financial difficulty.I think you need to go to college. Concrete Nouns Concrete nouns refer to things that you can touch, taste, feel, and see. There are actual things that we interact with on a daily basis. Concrete nouns can be both countable and uncountable. Here are some typical concrete nouns: Countable Concrete Nouns orangedeskbookcarhouse Uncountable Concrete Nouns ricewaterpastawhiskey There are three oranges on the table.I need some water. Im thirsty!My friend has just bought a new car.Can we have rice for dinner? The opposite of concrete nouns are abstract nouns that do not refer to things we touch, but to things we think, ideas we have, and emotions we feel. Pronouns Pronouns refer to people or things. There are a number of pronoun forms depending on how the pronouns are used. Here are the subject pronouns: Iyouhesheitweyouthey He lives in New York.They like pizza. There are many different forms of pronouns including subject, object, possessive, and demonstrative pronouns. Proper Nouns Proper nouns are the names of people, things, institutions, and nations. Proper nouns are always capitalized. Here are some examples of common proper nouns: CanadaUniversity of CaliforniaTomAlice Tom lives in Kansas.Id love to visit Canada next year. Uncountable Nouns/Mass Nouns/Non-Count Nouns Uncountable nouns are also referred to as mass nouns or non-count nouns. Uncountable nouns can be both concrete and abstract nouns and are always used in the singular form because they cannot be counted. Here are some common uncountable nouns: ricelovetimeweatherfurniture Were having lovely weather this week.We need to get some new furniture for our home. Uncountable nouns can generally do not take a definite or indefinite article depending on usage. Noun Types Quiz Decide whether the following nouns in italics are abstract, collective, proper, common, or concrete nouns.   There are two books on that table.  That pack of students are on their way to classes.I grew up in Canada.  She went to university in Alabama.  Youll find that success can lead to pain as well as pleasure.The team chose Barney as their leader.  Have you ever tried straight whiskey?I dont think hes in politics for power.Lets make some pasta for dinner.  Be careful! There is a swarm of bees over there. Answers books - concrete noun  pack - collective nounCanada - proper noununiversity - common nounsuccess - abstract nounteam - collective nounwhiskey - concrete noun (uncountable)power - abstract nounpasta - concrete noun (uncountable)swarm - collective noun