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NOUNS

1. Kinds of Nouns 2. Singular and Plural Nouns 3. Countable and Uncountable Nouns Nouns are naming words for people, animals, places, things, and qualities. They can be recognised by the articles - the, a, an - that we place in front of them.

Nouns can be divided into proper nouns and common nouns. The names of particular people, animals, places and things are called proper nouns. We begin a proper noun with a capital letter. Nouns that do not refer to particular persons, animals, places and things are called common nouns. The first letter of a common noun is not capitalized unless it is the first word in a sentence.

There are other kinds of nouns. A word that stands for a group of things is called a collective noun. Nouns can be singular or plural. When you refer to one person, animal, place, or thing, you use a singular noun. When you talk about two or more people, animals, places, or things, you want to use plural nouns.

There are countable and uncountable nouns. Countable nouns are things that can be counted like book, car and house. Uncountable nouns cannot be counted such as milk, water, and flour.

Other nouns are names we use to refer to quality, idea, condition, etc. that are not concrete objects, and they are known as abstract noun.

NOUNS 1. Kinds of Nouns 2. Singular and Plural Nouns 3. Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Nouns are naming words for people, animals, places, things, and qualities. They can be recognised by the articles - the, a, an - that we place in front of them.

Nouns can be divided into proper nouns and common nouns. The names of particular people, animals, places and things are called proper nouns. We begin a proper noun with a capital letter. Nouns that do not refer to particular persons, animals, places and things are called common nouns. The first letter of a common noun is not capitalized unless it is the first word in a sentence.

There are other kinds of nouns. A word that stands for a group of things is called a collective noun. Nouns can be singular or plural. When you refer to one person, animal, place, or thing, you use a singular noun. When you talk about two or more people, animals, places, or things, you want to use plural nouns.

There are countable and uncountable nouns. Countable nouns are things that can be counted like book, car and house. Uncountable nouns cannot be counted such as milk, water, and flour.

Other nouns are names we use to refer to quality, idea, condition, etc. that are not concrete objects, and they are known as abstract noun.

1. Kinds of Nouns
There are four kinds of nouns:

Common Nouns Proper Nouns Abstract Nouns Collective Noun

Common Nouns Common nouns are names of people (man, aunt); things (book, car); animals (monkey, armadillo); and places (church, beach).

Proper Nouns Proper nouns are names of people (George Bush, Obama); things (Financial Times, Eiffel Tower); animals (King Kong, Lassie); and places (London, Central Park). A proper noun begins with a capital letter. Proper nouns also refer to times or to dates in the calender: Saturday, April. We can use plurals for nouns in exceptional cases: There are three Johns in my class. We can also use 'the, an, a' for a proper noun in special circumstances: It is no longer the London I used to know.

Abstract Nouns An abstract noun is a quality or something that we can only think of rather than as something that we can see or touch, e.g. beauty, friendship. We can form abstract nouns from common nouns (child childhood); from verbs (know knowledge); and from adjectives (happy happiness). (LIST 15 contains abstract nouns formed from common nouns, verbs and adjectives.)

Collective Nouns A collective noun is a name we use for a number of people, animals or things which we group together and speak of as a whole. For example: a bunch of bananas, a litter of puppies.

2. Singular and Plural Nouns

A noun that represents one person, animal, thing or place is called a singular noun. A noun that represents more than one person, animal, thing or place is called a plural noun. girl girls; goat goats; glass glasses; garden gardens

EXAMPLE:

Singular and Plural Nouns Most nouns are either singular or plural. Plural nouns are easily recognised by their ending with an '-s'. But many plural nouns do not follow this same ending. The lists below show what different endings or suffixes are added to the words to make them plural nouns.

The following nouns are always plural and take a plural verb. Police People Football team Police are charging him with the murder of the princess. People in general are not very approachable. Liverpool are a very successful football team. (BUT: Liverpool is a great city.)

Jeans*, knickers*, panties*, pants*, pyjamas*, shorts*, tights*, trousers*, and underpants* E.g. These trousers are not mine. Clogs*, sandals*, slippers*, and sneakers*. Glasses* (= spectacles), binoculars* My glasses are used only for reading. Pincers*, pliers*, scissors*, shears*, tongs* Pliers are a handy tool. My garden shears trim the hedge very well. Clothes Earnings My clothes need to be washed but I don't have the time. Earnings in the agricultural sector have increased by 5% in the fourth quarter. Cattle are reared for their meat or milk.

Cattle

* "a pair of" can be used with these plural nouns. + Peoples when used in the plural (i.e. with 's') refers to peoples from more than one race or nation.
EXAMPLE: the

peoples of Asia.

Nouns which are plural in form but take a singular verb The following plural nouns are used with singular verbs as they are treated as singular:

Athletics, economics, gymnastics, linguistics, mathematics, mechanics, numismatics, physics, politics and pyrotechnics Economics was my favourite subject at school. News The good news is that we've all been invited. Mumps, measles An infectious illness, mumps was common among children. Measurements and amounts that are considered as a single unit:

One hundred years is a century. Ten kilometres is a long distance. Twenty dollars is not enough to buy a good shirt. Seven days in prison is all he got for shoplifting.

A noun can be used as singular or plural The following collective nouns can be singular or plural. It depends on how they are regarded. Viewed as a single unit, it takes a singular verb; viewed as a group of separate members or parts, it is treated as a plural noun and used with a plural verb. Our team competes in a local tournament. Our team have just won the quarterfinal. My family is a large one. My family are always arguing about how to share the bills. The new government has gained more support since taking office. The Government are determined to keep inflation in check. The explorers stumble across a species of plant unknown to science. The coastal waters of the island are rich in different fish species. Data indicates that most of the offenders come from broken home. We will not draw any conclusion until we have looked at all the data. Statistics is included in this year's Mathematics syllabus. The statistics tell us the current trend is towards more consumers' spending. The full orchestra includes a fair number of female instrumentalists. The orchestra do not agree to the venue for their next performance. The enemy is calling for a ceasefire. Security is very tight as the enemy are everywhere.

Two subjects expressed as a single unit and take a singular verb. Time and tide waits for no man. Bread and jam is what he eats most in the morning.

3.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Countable nouns are nouns that can be counted (e.g. oranges). Uncountable nouns are those that cannot be counted (e.g. smoke). So how do we know whether or not a noun is countable or uncountable? The noun is countable:

if we can use a/an before it.. Example: I own a car. / I play with an ostrich. if we can use the word 'many' (and not 'much') to describe it. Example: She has many friends. (It's wrong to say: She has much friends.)

if we can express its quantity by using a number before it. Example: I have five apples. if it takes on singular as well as plural forms

The noun is uncountable:

if a/an is not normally used in front of it. Example: He is eating some rice. (NOT: He is eating a rice.) Rice is treated as not countable, so 'some' (which can be used for both countable and uncountable nouns) is used with it. if the word 'much' can be correctly used with it. Example: How much rice have you eaten? (NOT: How many rice have you eaten?) if it is not possible to be counted. However, we can make it countable by having a quantity for it. Example: I have just bought two cartons or litres/liters of milk. (NOT: I have just bought two milk.) if it takes only a singular form.

Some nouns can be countable or uncountable. It depends on how they are used. EXAMPLE: I boil an egg. (Countable noun) / I like egg. (Uncountable noun, as it refers to egg in general.) Countable and Uncountable Nouns are used with the following: Countable Noun a, an, a few, several, many, some, plenty of, a lot of, a large number of Uncountable Noun a little, much, some, plenty of, a lot of, a large amount of, a great deal of

List 5 - Collective Nouns

PEOPLE an army of soldiers a bevy of beauties/girls a band of musicians a band of robbers a board of directors a body of men a bunch of crooks a caravan of gypsies a choir of singers a class of pupils a class of students a company of actors a company of soldiers a congregation of worshippers a crew of sailors a crowd of spectators a crowd of people a dynasty of kings a galaxy of beautiful women a galaxy of film stars a gang of crooks a gang of labourers a gang of thieves a group of dancers a group of singers a horde of savages a host of angels a line of kings/rulers a mob of rioters a pack of rascals a pack of thieves a party of friends a patrol of policemen a posse of policemen a regiment of soldiers a staff of employees a staff of servants a staff of teachers a team of players a tribe of natives a troop of scouts a troupe of artistes a troupe of dancers a troupe of performers a party of friends

a gang of prisoners a gang of robbers

THINGS an album of autographs an album of photographs an album of stamps an anthology of poems an archipelago of islands a bale of cotton a bale of wool a basket of fruit a batch of bread a battery of guns a block of flats a book of exercises a book of notes a bouquet of flowers a bowl of rice a bunch of bananas a bunch of flowers a bunch of grapes a hail of bullets a hand of bananas (each a finger) a harvest of wheat/corn a heap of rubbish a heap of ruins a hedge of bushes a heap of stones a layer of soil/dirt a library of books a line of cars a list of names a mass of ruins/hair a necklace of pearls an outfit of clothes an orchard of fruit trees a pack of cards a pack of lies a packet of cigarettes

a bunch of keys a bundle of rags/old clothes a bundle of firewood/sticks a bundle of hay a catalogue of prices/goods a chain of events a chain of mountains a chest of drawers a cloud of dust a clump of bushes a clump of trees a cluster of coconuts a cluster of diamonds a cluster of grapes a cluster of stars a clutch of eggs a collection of coins a collection of curiosities a collection of pictures a collection of relics a collection of stamps a column of smoke a comb of bananas a compendium of games

a packet of letters a pair of shoes a pencil of rays a quiver of arrows a range of hills a range of mountains a ream of paper a reel of thread/film a roll of film/cloth a rope of pearls a row of houses a series of events a set of china a set of clubs a set of tools a sheaf of arrows a sheaf of corn a sheaf of grain a sheaf of papers a sheaf of wheat a shower of blows a shower of rain a stack of arms a stack of corn

a constellation of stars a cluster of diamonds a cluster of stars a clutch of eggs a crate of fruit a crop of apples a fall of rain a fall of snow a fleet of motor-cars/taxis a fleet of ships a flight of aeroplanes a flight of steps a forest of trees a galaxy of stars a garland of flowers a glossary of difficult words/phrases a group of islands a grove of trees

a stack of hay a stack of timber a stack of wood a stock of goods a stock of wood a string of beads a string of pearls a suit of clothes a suite of furniture a suite of rooms a tuft of grass a tuft of hair a wad of currency/notes a wreath of flowers

CREATURES an army of ants a bevy of quail a litter of kittens a litter of puppies

a brood/flock of chicks/chickens a catch of fish a cloud of flies a cloud of insects a cloud of locusts a colony of gulls a drove of cattle a drove of horses a flight of birds a flight of doves a flight of locusts a flight of swallows a flock of birds a flock of geese a flock of sheep a flock of chickens a gaggle of geese a haul of fish a herd of buffaloes a herd of cattle a herd of deer a herd of elephants a herd of goats a herd of swine

a menagerie of wild animals a muster of peacocks a nest of ants a nest of mice a nest of rabbits a pack of hounds a pack of wolves a plague of insects a plague of locusts a pride of lions a school of herrings/other small fish a school of porpoises a school of whales a shoal of fish a skein of wild geese in flight a string of horses a stud of horses a swarm of ants a swarm of bees a swarm of insects a swarm of locusts a team of horses a team of oxen a train of camels

a hive of bees a host of sparrows a kindle of kittens a litter of cubs a litter of piglets

a tribe of goats a troop of lions a troop of monkeys a zoo of wild animals

List 16 - The Plurals of Nouns

By adding -s Singular ant bicycle cow daughter egg flower grape house jug king Plural ants bicycles cows daughters eggs flowers grapes houses jugs kings Singular lock magazine nose orange picture rose spoonful toy vase well Plural locks magazines noses oranges pictures roses spoonfuls toys vases wells

By adding -es to nouns ending in ch, -s, -sh, -ss, and -x Singular Plural Singular beach beaches dish inch inches thrush match matches boss watch watches dress bus buses glass octopus octopuses kiss syllabus syllabuses box virus viruses fox brush brushes six bush bushes tax

Plural dishes thrushes bosses dresses glasses kisses boxes foxes sixes taxes

By adding s to nouns ending in -o Singular Plural dynamo dynamos photo photos piano pianos radio radios solo solos

Singular studio tattoo torso trio zero

Plural studios tattoos torsos trios zeros

By adding -es to nouns ending in -o Singular Plural buffalo buffaloes echo echoes hero heroes mosquito mosquitoes negro negroes

Singular potato tomato tornado veto

Plural potatoes tomatoes tornadoes vetoes

By adding s or es to nouns ending in -o Singular Plural banjo banjos/banjoes archipelago archipelagos/es cargo cargos/cargoes mango mango/mangoes motto mottos/mottoes

Singular memento peccadillo lasso indigo volcano

Plural mementos/mementoes peccadillos/es lassos/lassoes Indigos/indigoes volcanos/volcanoes

By changing y into ies if a noun ends in a consonant before the -y Singular Plural Singular Plural beauty beauties fairy fairies cherry cherries family families curry curries nappy nappies diary diaries spy spies duty duties theory theories

By adding s if there is a vowel before the -y Singular Plural Singular chimney chimneys kidney donkey donkeys monkey guy guys toy jersey jerseys trolley key keys valley

Plural kidneys monkeys toys trolleys valleys

By changing f or fe into ves Singular Plural calf calves elf elves half halves knife knives leaf leaves

Singular life loaf sheaf thief wife

Plural lives loaves sheaves thieves wives

By adding s to nouns ending in f or fe Singular Plural chef chef chief chiefs cliff cliffs giraffe giraffes gulf gulfs

Singular handcuff reef roof safe sheriff

Plural handcuffs reefs roofs safes sheriffs

By adding s or changing f into ves Singular Plural dwarf dwarf/dwarves handkerchief Handkerchiefs/ves hoof hoof/hooves scarf scarfs/scarves turf turfs/turves wharf wharfs/wharves

By changing the vowels Singular Plural axis axes cactus cacti

Singular goose louse

Plural geese lice

crisis emporium fungus

crises emporia/emporiums fungus/funguses

mouse oasis tooth

mice oases teeth

By adding en or ren Singular Plural ox oxen

Singular child

Plural children

By changing the vowels Singular Plural axis axes cactus cacti crisis crises emporium emporia/emporiums fungus fungi/funguses

Singular goose louse mouse oasis tooth

Plural geese lice mice* oases teeth

Common Nouns
Identify the Common Nouns in the following sentences. Click on the question for the answer. 1. They arrived early but at the wrong station. 2. We counted only six different colours in the rainbow. 3. The man was trying to steal a horse with a cart full of apples. 4. They have gone to the zoo to see the black sheep. 5. She put her head on her arms and cried loudly. 6. My mother is singing a religious song in the kitchen. 7. He threw some salted nuts to the monkeys. 8. The children are kicking a ball around in the field. 9. That temple was built before my grandfather was born. 10. He bought balloons for his children and their friends. 11. My father swims like a turtle. 12. She won a trophy for best dancer in the street. 13. Simply point your camera at the camel and press the button. 14. We watched seabirds flocking above our heads 15. He went to visit his homesick uncle at the hospital. 16. My brother wants to play hide-and-seek with us. 17. Let me look at your puppies and kittens. 18. The taxi broke down in front of my gate. 19. The boys are quarrelling noisily on the beach. 20. The monkey was hanging by its tail from a branch.

Singular and Plural Nouns Rewrite the following sentences making them plural. 1. The child asks for a toy hippopotamus.
1. The children ask for toy hippopotamuses/hippopotami.

2. The baby cries; but its mother is missing.

2. The babies cry; but their mothers are missing.

3. I look up, and a leaf falls from a branch and lands on my head.
3. We look up, and leaves fall from branches and land on our heads

4. The lady uses a knife to cut a potato and a chilli.

4. The ladies use knives to cut potatoes and chillies/chilies.

5. The man is sure a mouse bit his foot while he was asleep.
5. The men are sure mice bit their feet while they were asleep.

6. I took this photo of an ox that is not mine.

6. We took these photos of oxen that are not ours

7. That goose belongs to his wife.

7. Those geese belong to their wives.

8. My loaf of bread is enough to feed the fish.

8. Our loaves of bread are enough to feed the fishes.

9. His lorry nearly collided with the boy's bicycle.

9. Their lorries nearly collided with the boys' bicycles

10. He lost a tooth in a fight with a bully.

10. They lost teeth in fights with bullies

11. A passerby stops to watch a dwarf performs a dance.

11. Passersby stop to watch dwarfs perform dances

12. She likes to cook spicy octopus with tomato.

12. They like to cook spicy octopuses with tomatoes

13. My mother-in-law owns a buffalo.

13. Our mothers-in-law own buffaloes

14. The trio has been playing a piano for an hour.

14. The trios have been playing pianos for hours

15. The child's pet is a gold fish.

15. The children's pets are gold fish