Chapter 2: Using Nouns

Good, clear sentences are not accidents. They

result from understanding how words work. The
words used in sentences fall into certain groups or
classes. You can talk and write without knowing
these labels. However, skilled speakers and writers
understand the different classes of words.
In this chapter you will learn about one important
group of words: nouns.

What Are Nouns?

You use words to name the people, places, and
things around you. Words that name are called
nouns. A noun is used to name a person, place, or
thing. Nouns name things that can be seen like
cities, streets, furniture, and books. They name
things you cannot see, such as feelings, ideas, and
beliefs.
Persons: landlord, Greg, Anne Murray, actor
Places: Wyoming, kitchen, Savannah, hotel
Things: blanket, mirror, energy, concern

Chapter 2: Using Nouns

59

Self-Test
Make three columns on a sheet of paper. Label
them Names of Persons, Names of Places, and
Names of Things. Find the nouns in the following
paragraph. List each one in the proper column. To
avoid columns write Persons and then the nouns
which fall into that classification; do the same with
Places and Things.
Thirty years ago Frisbees began as tin
plates from pies. The plates came from the
Frisbee Baking Company in Connecticut.
People played with the plates. Now the
game is not just play. Frisbee has become a
sport. The championships are held in
Pasadena. Entrants compete in five events.
Players even come from other countries.
Answers
Names of
Persons
people
entrants
players
60

Names of
Names of
Places
Things
Frisbee Baking Company
years
Connecticut
Frisbee
Pasadena
plates
English Skills

countries

pies
plates
plates
game
play
Frisbee
sport
championships
events

Exercise 1 to Be Submitted
Exercises 1 through 10 constitute Assignment 3.
Follow the directions for the Self-Test above.
A commentator in New York states that
eating used to be just plain fun.
Nutritionists advised people to choose
plenty of proteinincluding cheese, eggs,
and steak. People didn't complain: these
foods were favorites. Advisors in major
cities talked about starches like bread and
beans. The most serious problem then was
running out of Bosco before bedtime.

Chapter 2: Using Nouns

61

Proper Nouns and Common Nouns

How do these two italicized nouns differ?
One sailor, George Ruiz, jumped from the ship.
The word sailor is a general term. It refers to many
people. It is a common noun. A common noun is a
general name. The noun George Ruiz, on the other
hand, refers to only one person. It is a proper noun.
A proper noun is a specific name. A common noun
is the name of a whole group of persons, places, or
things. It is a name that is common to the group. A
proper noun is the name of a particular person,
place, or thing. It is capitalized.
Look at the following examples of common nouns
and proper nouns. As you can see, some nouns are
made up of more than one word.
Common Nouns
Proper Nouns
magazine
Sports Illustrated
mountain
Mount Everest
cartoonist
Gary Trudeau
game
Super Bowl
city
Burlington
senator
Senator Hayakawa
62

English Skills

Self-Test
Make two columns on your paper. Label one
column Common Nouns and the other Proper
Nouns. Place each of the following nouns in the
correct column. Capitalize all proper nouns. You can
avoid columns by listing the common nouns after
the word Common and the proper nouns after the
word Proper.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

holiday inn, motel, seabreeze motel, shores

hotel
restaurant, diner, burger king, cafeteria
singer, lou rawls, album, willie nelson, ballad
allentown, town, village, ridgeville, asheville
court, judge, judge ellen rodriguez, jury

Answers
Common Nouns
1. motel

2.

Proper Nouns
Holiday Inn
Seabreeze Motel
Shores Hotel

restaurant
diner
cafeteria

Chapter 2: Using Nouns

Burger King

63

3.

singer
album
ballad

Lou Rawls
Willie Nelson

4.

town
village

Allentown
Ridgeville
Asheville

5.

court

Judge Ellen

judge
jury

Rodriguez

Exercise 2 to Be Submitted
Write 10 sentences of your own, using at least one
proper noun in 5 of them. List the common and
proper nouns after each sentence.

How Are Nouns Used?

Nouns Used as Subjects
As you learned in Chapter 1, the subject of a
sentence tells who or what is being talked about.
Nouns are frequently used as subjects.

64

English Skills

Scientists can predict earthquakes. (The noun

scientists is the subject of the verb can
predict.)
Ace Hardware in Bellwood sponsors our bowling
team. (The noun Ace Hardware is the subject of
the verb sponsors. Notice that in this sentence,
the subject is not next to the verb.)
Two or more nouns may form a compound subject.
The divers and crew planned the voyage carefully.
(The nouns divers and crew are the subject of
the verb planned.)
The bus and the truck collided in the intersection.
(The nouns bus and truck are the subject of the
verb collided.)
Self-Test
Number your paper from 1 to 10. Write the nouns
used as the subjects of these sentences.
1. A factory dumps wastes into this river.
2. The comedian told terrible jokes.
3. The workers organized a car pool.
4. That legend has been told for centuries.
Chapter 2: Using Nouns

65

5. The networks and newspapers cover sports

events.
6. Many businesses need computers.
7. Vanessa and Nicole have applied for jobs.
8. Sara's wages have gone up each year.
9. John has been saving money for a motorcycle.
10. Many families are cutting their expenses.
Answers
1. factory
2. comedian
3. workers
4. legend
5. networks and newspapers
6. businesses
7. Vanessa and Nicole
8. wages
9. John
10. families
Exercise 3 to Be Submitted
Follow the directions for the Self-Test above.
1. The cost of movie tickets has risen.
2. Sharon tape-records her friends' albums.
66

English Skills

3. Many employees eat in the cafeteria.

4. Shoppers looked for bargains at the sale.
5. The photographer printed her film.
6. A group of soldiers patrolled the shore.
7. The explorers plunged into the wilderness.
8. Ansel Adams is a fine photographer.
9. Lynn and Rice are powerful sluggers.
10. The Russian spacelab returned to Earth.
Nouns Used as Direct Objects
A direct object completes the action of a verb. It
answers whom or what about the verb. Nouns are
frequently used as direct objects.
The magician fooled the audience. (The noun
audience tells whom about the verb fooled.)
In the shop class the students wear goggles. (The
noun goggles tells what about the verb wear.)
Roger shaped mugs and a pitcher out of clay. (Both
the nouns mugs and pitcher are direct objects.
They tell what about the verb shaped.)

Chapter 2: Using Nouns

67

Self-Test
Write the nouns used as direct objects in the
following sentences.
1. Danielle pounded the ball for a home run.
2. Jim has a short, flat swing.
3. Weight-training built Reed's strength.
4. City folks wear boots, too.
5. Todd reads Time every week.
6. That apartment has no heat.
7. Josh piled blankets onto the bed.
8. Will made his own drums.
9. The truckers load crates at the warehouse.
10. Carrie plays softball and basketball.
Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

68

ball
swing
strength
boots
Time
heat
blankets
drums

English Skills

9. crates
10. softball and basketball
Exercise 4 to Be Submitted
Follow the directions for the Self-Test above.
1. Britt took a trip to San Francisco.
2. The judge instructed the jury.
3. The company hired a lawyer.
4. Our family has medical insurance.
5. Customers must pay the cashier.
6. That used car has a radio and whitewalls.
7. Kim put radial tires on her car.
8. Bryant tackled the quarterback.
9. The lifeguard rescued two young children.
10. Woods line the coast of Maine.

Nouns Used as Indirect Objects

Another use of the noun is as an indirect object.
The indirect object tells to whom or for whom or to
what or for what about the verb.
The coach showed the quarterback a new play.
(The noun quarterback is the indirect object. It
tells to whom about the verb showed.)

Chapter 2: Using Nouns

69

Sarah gave the bookcase and the shelves another

coat of varnish. (The nouns bookcase and
shelves are the compound indirect object,
telling to what about the verb gave.)
An indirect object is used only with a direct object.
The indirect object appears before the direct object
in the sentence.
Indirect
Direct
Subject
Verb
Object(s)
Objects
Gail
showed
the cabbie
the route.
Leslie
fed
the dog
its food.
Dairy Queen
offered
Jim and Alice
jobs.
As you have seen, the word to or for is never used
with an indirect object.
Self-Test
Find the nouns used as indirect objects in the
following sentences.
1. Mr. Scott gave Bonita her paycheck.
2. Police read the suspect his rights.
3. Kent gave the operator the number.
4. The store sent Ms. Alvarez a bill.

70

English Skills

5.
6.
7.
8.

Sheila handed the teller her deposit.

The catcher gave the pitcher a signal.
Mark showed Michelle the rabbit's nest.
Suzanne gave Les and Maureen her new
address.
9. The waiter handed each diner a menu.
10. Andy Kaufman told the audience a joke.
Answers
1. Bonita
2. suspect
3. operator
4. Ms. Alvarez
5. teller
6. pitcher
7. Michelle
8. Les and Maureen
9. diner
10. audience
Exercise 5 to Be Submitted
Follow the directions for the Self-Test above.
1. The manager gave Kim a promotion.
2. The coach gave her team a workout.
Chapter 2: Using Nouns

71

3. Carolyn handed the conductor her ticket.

4. Debbie made her sister a club sandwich.
5. Cal owes Steve six dollars.
6. Jenny loaned Erin a dress for the dance.
7. Don gives his brother his old clothes.
8. The commander gave Phil his orders.
9. The doctor gave her patient some advice.
10. The interviewer asked the President a tough
question about inflation.

Nouns Used as Predicate Words

Sometimes a noun in the predicate part of a
sentence is linked to the subject. That noun is
called a predicate noun. It always follows a linking
verb. It means the same thing as the subject.
Carlos was a carpenter's assistant.
The counselors were former teachers.
Two early autos were the Model T and the Model A.
The nouns assistant, teachers, Model T, and Model
A are predicate nouns.

72

English Skills

Self-Test
Find the nouns used as predicate nouns in the
following sentences.
1. Canada is the birthplace of ice hockey.
2. The Freeport team is our strongest rival.
3. Saturday is the best day for a party.
4. British coins are shillings and pence.
5. Tyrone's last game was a no-hitter.
6. Pauline is an Olympic contender.
7. Mr. Johnson became the varsity coach.
8. Carl's sister is a bus driver in the city.
9. Gary's construction job is hard work.
10. The running backs were Earl Campbell and
Walter Payton.
Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

birthplace
rival
day
shillings and pence
no-hitter
contender
coach

Chapter 2: Using Nouns

73

8. driver
9. work
10. Earl Campbell and Walter Payton
Exercise 6 to Be Submitted
Follow the directions for the Self-Test above.
1. Many young people will someday become
parents.
2. Richard Pryor was the host of the talk show.
3. The Loop is the central area of downtown
Chicago.
4. The stars of the movie were Bo Derek, Dudley
Moore, and Julie Andrews.
5. Two parts of a brake are the drum and the shoe.
6. Cornelia Street is the subway's last stop.
7. The Marx brothers were comic actors.
8. "Satchmo" was Louis Armstrong's nickname.
9. The Steelers are tough defensive players.
10. The High and the Mighty was the late movie
last night.
Exercise 7 to Be Submitted
Write three sentences in which you use nouns:
1. As subjects of the sentence.
74

English Skills

2. As direct objects in the sentence.

3. As indirect objects in the sentence.
4. As predicate words in the sentence.
In each instance underline the noun, enclose it in
quotation marks, or specify some other method
that you will use in pointing it out.

The Plurals of Nouns

When a noun names one thing, it is singular. When
a noun names more than one thing, it is plural.
Here are some rules for forming the plurals of
nouns.
1. To form the plural of most nouns, just add s:
prizes
dreams
circles
stations
2.

When the singular noun ends in s, sh, ch, x, or

z, add es:
waitresses brushes
ditches axes
buzzes

3.

When the singular noun ends in o, add s:

solos halos studios
photos
pianos

For a few words ending in o, add es:

heroes tomatoes potatoes
echoes cargoes

Chapter 2: Using Nouns

75

4.

When a singular noun ends in y with a

consonant before it, change the y to i and add
es:
armyarmies
candycandies baby
babies

When a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) comes before the y,

do not change the y to i, just add s:
boyboys
5.

wayways jockeyjockeys

For some nouns ending in f, add s to make the

plural:
roofs
chiefs reefs
beliefs
For many nouns ending in f or fe, change the f
to v and add s or es. Since there is no rule to
follow, you will have to memorize such words.
Here are some examples:
lifelives
calfcalves
knifeknives
loafloaves

6.

76

Some nouns have the same form for both

singular and plural. They must be memorized.
deer
sheep moose
salmon
trout

English Skills

7.

Some nouns form their plurals in special ways.

They, too, must be memorized.
manmen
childchildren
womanwomen
oxoxen
goosegeese
footfeet
toothteeth
louselice
mousemice

Self-Test
Write the plural of each of these nouns. If you have
access to a dictionary, you may need to use it; if
not, and if your guess is wrong, memorize the
forms given in the answers to this test.
1. leaf
2. year
3. deer
4. holiday
5. coach
6. piano
7. knife
8. tooth
9. radio
10. fox
11. echo
12. tomato
13. bunch
14. window

Chapter 2: Using Nouns

77

15. ox
17. goose
19. wish

16. spy
18. hoof
20. copy

Answers
1. leaves
2. years
3. deer
4. holidays
5. coaches
6. pianos
7. knives
8. teeth
9. radios
10. foxes
11. echoes
12. tomatoes
13. bunches
14. windows
15. oxen
16. spies
17. geese
18. hooves

78

English Skills

19. wishes
20. copies
Exercise 8 to Be Submitted
Write each sentence. Correct the errors in plural
forms of nouns.
1. The childs were told not to play ball in the alleys.
2. The donkeys carried pouchs of gold.
3. Several tooths from sharkes were found on the
beachs.
4. These forkes and knifes are scratched.
5. Basketball hoops are ten foots from the floor.
6. Basketes measure eighteen inchs across.
7. Both halfs of the court have basketes.
8. There are many types of passs and shots in the
game.
9. Many large citys have pro teames.
10. Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain are my heros.

The Possessives of Nouns

Nouns can indicate possession or ownership.
Mr. Lowe's car
a farmer's land
Betty's keys
Chapter 2: Using Nouns

79

Nouns can show that something is part of a person.

Meg's sense of humor
Harold's concern
The 's makes the above nouns show ownership.
Words like farmer's, Meg's, and Harold's are called
possessive nouns.
Usually, people and animals possess things.
Sometimes, however, things are also used in the
possessive. We speak of a week's wages, a day's
work, or a city's growth.
Forming Possessives
There are three rules for forming the possessive of
nouns.
1. If the noun is singular, add an apostrophe (')
and s.
Amanda
Amanda's arm
Ross
Ross's desk
2.

80

If the noun is plural and ends in s, add just the

apostrophe.
artists
artists' studios

English Skills

Spencers

3.

Spencers' home (home of the

Spencers)

If the noun is plural but does not end in s, add

an apostrophe and s.
women
women's discussion
people
people's choice

Self-Test
Write the possessive form of each of these nouns.
1. mayor
2. Meg
3. country
4. senator
5. today
6. ranch
7. child
8. player
9. Penny
10. host
11. car
12. Charles
13. runner
14. store
15. secretary
16. admiral
17. Jenny
18. salesperson
19. boss
20. Linda
Answers
1. mayor's

Chapter 2: Using Nouns

81

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

Meg's
country's
senator's
today's
ranch's
child's
player's
Penny's
host's
car's
Charles's
runner's
store's
secretary's
admiral's
Jenny's
salesperson's
boss's
Linda's

Exercise 9 to Be Submitted
Follow the directions for the Self-Test above.
1. people
2. fans

82

English Skills

3. brothers
5. experts
7. friends
9. doctors
11. mice
13. workers
15. Jacksons
17. men
19. islands

4. hours
6. guests
8. women
10. teachers
12. wives
14. sheep
16. families
18. clerks
20. bodies

Exercise 10 to Be Submitted
Write the possessive form for each italicized word.
1. The Bears lineup looks strong.
2. Jerry car needs new shock absorbers.
3. Tuesday game features the Steelers and the
Cowboys.
4. The voters choice is Ms. Marie Tonelli.
5. Reynolds beat the other racers times.
6. Louis pass landed in the end zone.
7. The assistant state attorney met with the
reporters.
8. The children zoo has baby animals.
9. Everyone watched the astronauts splashdown.
Chapter 2: Using Nouns

83

10. Donna neighborhood has a softball league.

These 10 exercises constitute your third
assignment. Send it to your teacher with proper
identification.

84

English Skills