What Is A Noun - Learn What Nouns Are and What They Can Do

8/18/2019 What is a noun? Learn what nouns are and what they can do.
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What is a noun?
Hello! I'm Elizabeth

O'Brien, and my goal is to
get you jazzed about
grammar.
What is a noun? A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing,

or idea.
If you don't want

to teach or learn
grammar by
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yourself, click here
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to see how I can
help you.
[Get Smart] is easy to

use, and any time I
can get kids and teens
interested and saying,
"This is fun!" when we
diagram, I'm thrilled!
- Christie,
Homeschool Co-op
Look around you. Everything that you see, you can name. Each of
Teacher
those names fits the above definition. What do you see?
A computer, the living room, your dad, a swan... You don't see a
swan? You will in a moment.
Before you commit the above definition to memory, I would like to

clarify one thing. Nouns are words that name people, places, things,
or ideas. They are not actually people, places, things, or ideas.
After teaching grammar for some time, I was surprised at how many of
my students weren't really clear on the whole "word" thing. Allow me
to make this clear.
What is a noun? Choose the noun from the following
two pictures.

If you guessed that the one on the left is a noun, you are correct.
Why? Well, what is a noun? It is first and foremost a word. Notice that
while the image of the swan is the cuter of the two, it is not naming a
swan. It is a swan.
Does that make sense? A noun is a word, not the actual thing
that the word represents. It's kind of cool, huh?
Now, your task is to memorize the following definition.
Nouns are words that name people, places, things, or ideas.

Put on your memorizing cap and stick that sentence in there.
The Noun Jobs
Nouns can do lots of things in sentences. They're probably the most

overworked of all eight of the parts of speech.
Nouns have the ability to perform different functions, or jobs, in

sentences. Each time a noun is performing one of these jobs, it still fits
the answer to the question, What is a noun? Let's look at some of the
noun jobs.
1. Subjects are nouns that tell us whom or what a sentence is about.

Mrs. O'Brien taught grammar.

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2. Direct objects are nouns that receive the action of certain kinds
of verbs (transitive active verbs).
Mrs. O'Brien taught grammar.
3. Indirect objects are nouns that receive the direct object.
Mrs. O'Brien taught the class grammar.
4. Objects of prepositions are nouns that come after prepositions

in prepositional phrases.
The class found a dog at the park.
5. Predicate nouns ("predicate nominatives") are nouns that rename

the subject. They come after linking verbs.
Rex is a dog.
6. Object complements are nouns that complete the direct object.
The class named the dog Rex.
7. Appositives are nouns that rename other nouns.
My friend Marianne likes cupcakes.
So, how's it going? Am I confusing you? If you feel overwhelmed, don't

worry. Just keep reading and working. You'll get it. Once you start
diagramming, you'll know all of this stuff without even trying too hard!
You should check out sentence diagramming if you haven't given it a

shot yet. Sentence diagrams SHOW you how nouns act in sentences.
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Types of Nouns
Do you like apples? I hope so; they're good for you! Well, as you
know, there are many different types of apples (Granny Smith, Golden
Delicious, Gala, McIntosh). Each kind of apple tastes a bit different, but
each is still an apple. Nouns are similar, only they don't taste as good.
Whichever type you're dealing with will have its own characteristics,
but they will still be nouns. That means it still fits our answer to the
question, What is a noun? (a word that names a person, place, thing,
or idea).
Are you ready to hit me over the head because you're so tired of me
repeating that? Good. Hopefully that means it's stuck in your mind.
Here are the different ways to describe or classify nouns. If you

would like a more examples of each, click here to see a list of nouns.
Note that nouns can fit into more than one of these categories. For
example, the word cat is a common, concrete, countable, singular
noun.
nonspecific people, places, things,

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• Common: These name general,
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or ideas. They start with a lowercase letter unless they begin a WELCOME THE BASICS SENTENCES & DIAGRAMS
sentence.
writer, city, park, religion

• Proper: These name specific people, places, things, or ideas. They
always start with a capital letter.
Victor Hugo, Paris, Disneyland, Christianity

• Abstract: These are the opposite of concrete. They name something
that you cannot perceive with your five senses - something that does
not physically exist.
happiness, freedom, Christianity
• Concrete: These name something that you can perceive with your
physically exists.
five senses - something that
cat, chocolate, Martha

• Countable: Yep. You guessed it. These can be counted, and they
use both the singular and the plural forms. Anything that you can
make plural is a countable noun.
clock/clocks, David/Davids, poem/poems

• Uncountable: These guys cannot be counted. Since they cannot be
counted, they only use the singular form.
milk, rice, water, luggage

• Compound: These are made up of two or more smaller words.
tablecloth, haircut, applesauce
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things as one whole.
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• Collective Nouns: These are singular nouns that refer to a group of
class, audience, swarm

• Singular: These refer to one person, place, thing, or idea.
box, face, road, ball

• Plural: These refer to more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
They generally end with an s.
boxes, faces, roads, balls

• Possessive Nouns: These show ownership.
Dad's car, the student's book, Marc's hat

Don't get too bogged down by all of those definitions. Know that they
exist, but don't worry about committing all of that to your memory.
This video made me laugh.
If you want to teach or learn grammar the easy way, follow

our step-by-step program that clearly lays everything out and
Grammar Revolution
allows you to move at your own pace. The Get Smart
Grammar Program is presented in a logical sequence, so it's
not an overwhelming mishmash of information. Just watch

the videos and complete your assignments. Before you know
it, you'll be a grammar and sentence diagramming pro!
Quick Refresher: What is a noun?
A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.
Other Helpful Resources
Identify the nouns with this PDF worksheet.
Our Free Guide Gives You A Fun

Way
To Teach And Learn The Basics
v
Elizabeth O'Brien is the creator of Grammar

Revolution.
Her lessons are guaranteed to give you
more confidence in your communication

skills and make you smile. :)
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8/18/2019 What is a noun? Learn what nouns are and what they can do.

Grammar Revolution HOME WELCOME THE BASICS SENTENCES & DIAGRAMS

Hello! I'm Elizabeth

What is a noun? A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing,

If you don't want

Grammar Revolution HOME WELCOME THE BASICS

[Get Smart] is easy to

Before you commit the above definition to memory, I would like to

What is a noun? Choose the noun from the following

Grammar Revolution HOME WELCOME THE BASICS SENTENCES & DIAGRAMS

Now, your task is to memorize the following definition.

Nouns are words that name people, places, things, or ideas.

The Noun Jobs

Nouns can do lots of things in sentences. They're probably the most

Nouns have the ability to perform different functions, or jobs, in

1. Subjects are nouns that tell us whom or what a sentence is about.

Mrs. O'Brien taught grammar.

Mrs. O'Brien taught grammar.

3. Indirect objects are nouns that receive the direct object.

Mrs. O'Brien taught the class grammar.

4. Objects of prepositions are nouns that come after prepositions

The class found a dog at the park.

5. Predicate nouns ("predicate nominatives") are nouns that rename

6. Object complements are nouns that complete the direct object.

The class named the dog Rex.

7. Appositives are nouns that rename other nouns.

My friend Marianne likes cupcakes.

So, how's it going? Am I confusing you? If you feel overwhelmed, don't

You should check out sentence diagramming if you haven't given it a

Here are the different ways to describe or classify nouns. If you

nonspecific people, places, things,

writer, city, park, religion

Victor Hugo, Paris, Disneyland, Christianity

cat, chocolate, Martha

clock/clocks, David/Davids, poem/poems

milk, rice, water, luggage

tablecloth, haircut, applesauce

class, audience, swarm

box, face, road, ball

boxes, faces, roads, balls

Dad's car, the student's book, Marc's hat

This video made me laugh.

If you want to teach or learn grammar the easy way, follow

not an overwhelming mishmash of information. Just watch

Quick Refresher: What is a noun?

A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.

Other Helpful Resources

Identify the nouns with this PDF worksheet.

Our Free Guide Gives You A Fun

Elizabeth O'Brien is the creator of Grammar

Her lessons are guaranteed to give you

more confidence in your communication

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