Learn the Different Types of Nouns

Are you new to the English language? Learning the English language means mastering all four skills – listening, speaking, reading and writing. There are multiple ways in which it can be done, but make sure you find out which method suits you best. That way, you can learn the language quickly and effectively. 

There is one other thing you have got to focus on when learning the language. What do you think it is? Well, it is grammar. English grammar can be easily understood if you approach it the right way. Just learning the concepts will not help; you will have to go through multiple examples and contexts to comprehend how each grammatical component is used. See to it that you also consciously make use of them in your daily conversations so that you do not forget any of them. 

There are eight parts of speech in the English language, namely nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, prepositions and interjections. Nouns are words that are used to represent people, places, animals, things and ideas. Pronouns take the place of nouns in sentences. Verbs denote actions done by the nouns and pronouns, and adverbs tell the readers how, when, where, why and how an action is taking place. They also modify adverbs and adjectives. Adjectives are words that modify the noun or pronoun in the sentence. Conjunctions and prepositions act as connectors; they link one part of the sentence to the rest of it. Interjections are short words used to express sudden emotions of happiness, sadness, anger, frustration, disgust, appreciation, etc.  

Let us look at the different types of nouns today. Nouns are classified into types based on their nature. They are categorised as singular and plural nouns based on the number of nouns. Another category based on the number is countable and uncountable nouns. Proper nouns are those that are specific and common nouns are those that are not specific. In other words, there can be more than one of a kind. Collective nouns are words that are used to refer to a group of nouns of the same kind. Abstract nouns refer to nouns that cannot be perceived by one’s senses. 

It is not enough that you just know the different types of nouns; you should also know how to identify them and use them correctly. So here is an exercise to see how good you are with them. The answers to each exercise are given at the end of the article. You can check them to find out if you got it all right. 

Exercise 1 – Identify the Type of Noun

Go through the following sentences, identify the nouns and also state what type of nouns they are. 

1. The Sun is not seen anywhere today. 
2. The girls are playing cricket. 
3. A band of musicians will be playing at the ceremony. 
4. Love and trust are the two most important qualities of any relationship. 
5. A little puppy followed him around all the time. 

Exercise 2 – Singular, Plural, Countable and Uncountable Nouns

You will find that some nouns are underlined in the following sentences; find out if they are singular, plural, countable or uncountable. 

1. We have little sugar.
2. There is a park in the centre of the city. 
3. I bought eggs.
4. All the children were asked to gather under the tree. 
5. Where is your room? 

Answers for Exercise 1

1. Sun – Proper noun
2. Girls, cricket – Common nouns
3. Band – Collective noun, Musicians – Common noun, Ceremony – Common noun
4. Love, trust, qualities, relationship – Abstract nouns
5. Puppy – Common noun, Time – Abstract noun

Answers for Exercise 2

1. Sugar – Uncountable noun
2. Park, city – Singular/Countable nouns
3. Eggs – Plural/Countable noun
4. Children – Plural/Countable noun
5. Room – Singular/Countable noun