Nouns

Nouns

A noun is the name of a person, place, or thing. There are two basic classifications of nouns in English. They are called countable and uncountable nouns. But noun consists of:

a.     Countable Nouns

Countable nouns have singular and plural forms.

Ø  Names of person, their relationships, and their occupations.

One baby                                 two boys

One daughter                          two daughters

One student                            two students

Ø  Names of animals, plants, insect.

One dog                                  two dogs

One flower                              two flowers

One bee                                   two bees

Ø  Names of things with a definite, individual shape.

One car                                    two cars

One house                               two houses

One room                                two rooms

Ø  Unit of measurement

One inch                                  two inches

One pound                              two pounds

One degree                              two degrees

Ø  Unit of classification in society.

One family                              two families

One country                            two countries

One language                          two languages

Ø  Containers of non-count, solids, liquids, pastes and gases.

One bottle                               two bottles

One jar                                                two jars

One tube                                 two tubes

Ø  A limited number of abstract concepts.

One idea                                  two ideas

One invention                         two inventions

One plan                                  two plans

Examples: - We have twenty dollars left.

-    The temperature has risen ten degrees in two hours.

b.    Uncountable Nouns

Remember that uncountable nouns have only one form. They are used in agreement with singular verbs. The word doesn’t precede them.

1.      Food staples that can be purchased in various form:

Bread, meat, butter, etc.

2.      Construction materials that can change shape, depending on what is made:

Wood, iron, glass, etc.

3.      Liquids that can change shape, depending on the shape of the container:

Oil, tea, milk, etc.

4.      Natural substances that can change shape, depending on natural laws:

Steam, water, ice, smoke, ashes, oxygen, etc.

5.      Substances with many small parts:

Rice, sand, sugar, etc.

6.      Groups of things that have different sizes and shapes:

Clothing (a coat, a shirt, a shock, etc.)

Furniture (a table, a chair, a bed, etc.)

Luggage (a suitcase, a trunk, a box, etc.)

7.      Languages: Arabic, Spanish, Japanese, etc.

8.      Abstract concepts, often with ending –ness, -ance, -ence, -ity:

Beauty, ignorance, peace, loneliness, etc.

9.      Most –ing forms: learning, shopping, working, etc.

Examples: - Friendship is important.

-    Toshi speaks Japanese at home.

-    I like tea with milk.

-    Meat is expensive in the grocery store on the corner.

c.       Common Nouns

The noun in general categories.

Example: Car, man, animal, shirt.

d.      Proper Nouns

Specific things such as the name of something or someone, brand, etc.

Example: - Rudi, Ahmad, Galunggung, Pangandaran.

-    Toyota, Suzuki, Addidas.

e.       Concrete Nouns

Something which can be detected by five senses.

Example: house, book, pen, etc.

f.       Abstract Nouns

The Nouns which is modified from the other words.

Example: - ion: satisfaction, communication, relation to,