Nouns

What is a Noun?
Of all the parts of speech, nouns are perhaps the most important. A noun is a word that identifies a
person, animal, place, thing, or idea. Here, well take a closer look at what makes a noun a noun,
and well provide some noun examples, along with some advice for using nouns in your sentences.

Identifying a Noun
A noun is a part of speech that denotes a person, animal, place, thing, or idea. The English word
noun has its roots in the Latin word nomen, which means name. Every language has words that
are nouns. As you read the following explanations, think about some words that might fit into each
category.

Person A term for a person, whether proper name, gender, title, or class, is a noun.

Animal A term for an animal, whether proper name, species, gender, or class is a noun.

Place A term for a place, whether proper name, physical location, or general locale is a
noun.

Thing A term for a thing, whether it exists now, will exist, or existed in the past is a noun.

Idea A term for an idea, be it a real, workable idea or a fantasy that might never come to
fruition is a noun.

Noun Examples
When we first start to learn the parts of speech, trying to identify different words can seem like a
challenge. This process gets easier with practice. Here are some noun examples to help you get
started. The nouns in each sentence have been italicized.

Person He is the person to see.

Person John started to run.

Person Plato was an influential Greek philosopher.

Person Sharon admires her grandfather.

Person My mother looks a lot like my grandmother, and I look very much like them.

Animal The dog barked at the cat.

Animal Elephants never forget.

Animal Sophie is my favorite horse.

Place The restaurant is open.

Place Lets go to the beach.

Place Look over there.

Place Come here.

Place Harvard and Yale are two famous universities.

Place Look! Theres the Eiffel Tower.

Thing Throw the ball.

Thing Please close the door and lock it.

Thing Use words properly to be understood.

Thing The lamp sits on a table next to the sofa.

Thing Money doesnt grow on trees.

Idea Follow the rules.

Idea The theory of relativity is an important concept.

Idea Love is a wonderful emotion.

Proper Nouns
What is a Proper Noun?
Proper nouns have two distinct features: They name specific one-of-a-kind items, and they begin
with capital letters, no matter where they occur within a sentence. Here, well take a closer look at
proper nouns, provide proper noun examples, and help you learn how to use a proper noun the right
way.
Remember that all nouns are words naming people, animals, places, things, and ideas. Every noun
can be further classified as either common or proper. The distinction is very easy to make once you
see some examples and come up with a few of your own.

Proper Noun Examples

In the following sentences, proper noun examples are compared with common nouns. Notice that
the proper nouns are specific and unique, while the common nouns are much more general in
nature.
1.

Common noun: I want to be a writer.

Proper noun: Agatha Christie wrote many books.

2.

Common noun: Id like to adopt a cat.

Proper noun: Cleopatra is the cutest kitten ever.

3.

Common noun: Would you like a cookie?

Proper noun: Im craving Oreos.

4.

Common noun: Lets go to the city.

Proper noun: Lets go to San Francisco.

5.

Common noun: My teacher starts work before sunup.

Proper noun: Mr. Bell seems to understand what students need.

6.

Common noun: I think thats a planet, not a star.

Proper noun: I can see Jupiter tonight.

7.

Common noun: Hes always hanging out with his girlfriend.

Proper noun: He never goes anywhere without Sarah.

8.

Common noun: There are a lot of important documents in the archives.

Proper noun: There are many important documents at The Library of Congress.

How to Use Proper Nouns

Its easy to use proper nouns, once you know what they are. Simply place them in your sentences as
you would common nouns, ensuring that you capitalize them. Here are some examples to help you
get started.

Brett had hoped for an easy teacher for his algebra class, but he got Ms. Boggs, whose
unreasonable demands and short temper made the semester unbearable.
Teacher is a common noun. Ms. Boggs is a proper noun.

Gloria had a craving, and not just any cookie would do. She went to the store and bought a
box of Oreos.
Cookie is a common noun. Oreos is a proper noun.

We wanted to try a new restaurant, so we went to Taste of Thai.

Restaurant is a common noun. Taste of Thai is a proper noun.

What is a Common Noun

A noun is a word that names a person, animal, place, thing, or idea. All nouns can be further
classified as proper or common. Common nouns are words used to name general items rather than
specific ones. Go into your living room. What do you see? Lamp, chair, couch, TV, window, painting,
pillow, candle all of these items are named using common nouns.
Common nouns are everywhere, and you use them all the time, even if you dont realize it.
Wherever you go, youll find at least one common noun. Street, closet, bathroom, school, mall, gas
station; all of these places are named using common nouns.
People in general are named using common nouns, though their official titles or given names are
proper nouns. When we refer to people using common nouns, we use words like teacher, clerk,
police officer, preacher, delivery driver, boyfriend, girlfriend, grandma, cousin, and barista.

The takeaway is this: common nouns are general names and unless they are part of a title like
Postmaster General or begin a sentence, theyre not usually capitalized.

Common Noun
At some point, everyone has the same question: What is a common noun? Here, well take a look at
common nouns and provide some common noun examples so you can easily recognize common
nouns when you see them. Dont worry, this will be painless.

Common Noun Examples

The following common noun examples will help you to recognize common nouns. In the sentences
that follow, common noun examples are italicized. Notice that the examples providing proper nouns
name specific versions of the same type of person, animal, place, thing, or idea.
1.

Common Noun: You broke my favorite mug.Proper Noun: I cant believe you broke
my Snoopy mug.

2.

Common Noun: I really want a new pair of jeans.Proper Noun: I really want to buy a new
pair of Levis.

3.

Common Noun: I wish I could remember the name of that painter.Proper Noun: I really
love art by Van Gogh.

4.

Common Noun: Theyre all waiting for us at the restaurant.Proper Noun: Everyone else is
at Bills Burgers.

5.

Common Noun: I really want to live in a big city someday.Proper Noun: Of all the places
Ive lived, Denver was best.

6.

Common Noun: Lets go to watch a live game at the stadium.Proper Noun: Lets try to get
good seats at Wrigley Field.

Common Noun Exercises

Choose the common noun or the phrase containing the common noun to fill in each blank.

1.

Id really like some ____________ after lunch.

A.

Entenmanns chocolate cake

B.

Vanilla pudding with coconut

C.

Marie Callenders peach pie

D.

Breyers ice cream

2.

I received ______________ from my grandmother today.

A.

A copy of War and Peace

B.

A photo of Abraham Lincoln

C.

A handmade sweater

D.

A pack of Trident gum

3.

Please call ____________.

A.

Jennifer

B.

The police

C.

Aunt Sally

D.

Smiths department store

4.

5.

_______________ brought our drinks promptly.

A.

Simon

B.

Rinaldi

C.

The waiter

D.

A flight attendant named Sarah

I heard that ________________ is going to San Francisco in May.

A.

My cousin

B.

Bernard

C.

Wilson

D.

The whole Nuggets baseball team

Answer Key:
1.

B Id really like some vanilla pudding with coconut after lunch.

2.

C I received a handmade sweater from my grandmother today.

3.

B Please call the police.

4.

C The waiter brought our drinks promptly.

5.

A I heard that my cousin is going to San Francisco in May.

More

Common Noun Exercises

Identify the common noun in each sentence:
1.

Sarah finally got her degree

A Sarah, B her, C degree

2.

Jennifer and her brother are going to Disneyland next month.

A Jennifer, B brother, C Disneyland

3.

I told Donald that I prefer vegetarian food.

A told, B Donald, C food

4.

Harry went to the park with his friend Keisha.

A Harry, B park, C Keisha
Answer Key: 1: C, 2: B, 3: C, 4: B

Is the highlighted noun a common noun or a proper noun?

1.

Karen loves to eat at the restaurant on the corner.

2.

I went to the dentist for a root canal.

3.

Were going to have fish for dinner.

4.

His favorite car is a Porsche.

Answer Key: 1: Proper noun, 2: Common noun, 3: Common noun, 4: Proper noun
Identify the common noun in each sentence:
1.

This calendar covers January through December.

A calendar, B January, C December

2.

Jethro named his boat the Karen II.

A Jethro, B boat, C Karen II

3.

North America and Asia are continents.

A North America, B Asia, C continents

4.

This book was co-written by doctors Smith and Klein.

A book, B Smith, C Klein

5.

Nick and Terry got into a fight with Dennis.

A Nick and Terry, B fight, C Dennis

Answer Key: 1: A, 2: B, 3: C, 4: A, 5: B
Fill in the blank with the common noun that fits best:
6.

Im going to see the _____________ about my tooth.

A Dr. Ling, B dentist, C cardiologist

7.

The ________________ sank during the storm.

A Karen II, B bridge, C sailboat

8.

Of all animals, _____________ are my favorite.

A dog, B dogs, C pretzels 4

9.

The ___________ were named Nick and Jerry.

A kitchen, B library, C spa

10.

The __________________ is full of books, including classics by everyone from

Shakespeare to Tolkien.
A Nick and Terry, B fight, C Dennis

Answer Key: 1: B, 2: C, 3: B, 4: A, 5: B

Types of Nouns
There are several different types of nouns used to name people, animals, places, things, and ideas.
Here, well take a quick look at various types of nouns so you can recognize them when you see
them and use them appropriately in sentences.

Adjectives

Verbs

Nouns

Proper Nouns

Types of Nouns

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Gerund Phrase

Common Noun

Plural Nouns

Gerunds

Compound Nouns

Collective Nouns

Abstract Nouns

Gerunds and Infinitives

Conjunctions

Pronouns

Adverb

Preposition

Types of Nouns
There are several different types of nouns used to name people, animals, places, things, and ideas.
Here, well take a quick look at various types of nouns so you can recognize them when you see
them and use them appropriately in sentences.

Types of Nouns in English

Nouns are among the most important words in the English language without them, wed have a
difficult time speaking and writing about anything. This guide to noun types is intended as a basic
overview. Every type of noun comes with its own rules, so be sure to read more in our pages about
specific types of nouns.

Abstract Nouns
Abstract nouns are those referring to ideas, concepts, emotions, and other things you cant
physically interact with. You cant see, taste, touch, smell, or hear something named with an abstract
noun. Some abstract noun examples are included in the following sentences.
Success seems to come easily to certain people.
His hatred of people smoking indoors is legendary.
She has an incredible love for nature.
This is of great importance.

He received an award for his bravery.

Collective Nouns
When talking about types of noun, its important to remember collective nouns. A collective noun is a
word that refers to a group. It can be either singular or plural, but is usually used in the singular.
Some collective noun examples are included in the following sentences.
Our team is enjoying an unbroken winning streak.
Theres a pack of hyenas outside.
Watch out for that swarm of bees.
You havent lived until youve seen a herd of wild horses.
Our class graduates two years from now.

Common Nouns
Common nouns are used to refer to general things rather than specific examples. Common nouns
are not normally capitalized unless they are used as part of a proper name or are placed at the
beginning of a sentence. Some common noun examples are included in the following sentences.
Be sure to pick a top university.
Stack those boxes carefully.
Would you like a cookie with your coffee?
People are strange.
My dog wont stop barking.

Concrete Nouns

Concrete nouns are words used for actual things you can touch, see, taste, feel, and hear things
you interact with every day. Notice that concrete nouns can also be countable, uncountable,
common, proper, and collective nouns. Some concrete noun examples are included in the following
sentences.
Please remember to buy oranges.
Have a seat in that chair.

Countable and Uncountable

Nouns
In English grammar, countable nouns are individual people, animals, places, things, or ideas which
can be counted. Uncountable nouns are not individual objects, so they cannot be counted. Here,
well take a look at countable and uncountable nouns and provide both countable noun examples
and uncountable noun examples. Although the concept may seem challenging, youll soon discover
that these two different noun types are very easy to use.

Countable Noun Examples

Anything that can be counted, whether singular a dog, a house, a friend, etc. or plural a few
books, lots of oranges, etc. is a countable noun. The following countable noun examples will help

you to see the difference between countable and uncountable nouns. Notice that singular verbs are
used with singular countable nouns, while plural verbs are used with plural countable nouns.
1.

There are at least twenty Italian restaurants in Little Italy.

2.

Megan took a lot of photographs when she went to the Grand Canyon.

3.

Your book is on the kitchen table.

4.

How many candles are on that birthday cake?

5.

You have several paintings to study in art appreciation class.

6.

Theres a big brown dog running around the neighborhood.

Uncountable Noun Examples

Anything that cannot be counted is an uncountable noun. Even though uncountable nouns are not
individual objects, they are always singular and one must always use singular verbs in conjunction
with uncountable nouns. The following uncountable noun examples will help you to gain even more
understanding of how countable and uncountable nouns differ from one another. Notice that singular
verbs are always used with uncountable nouns.
1.

There is no more water in the pond.

2.

Please help yourself to some cheese.

3.

I need to find information about Pulitzer Prize winners.

4.

You seem to have a high level of intelligence.

5.

Please take good care of your equipment.

6.

Lets get rid of the garbage.

Uncountable nouns can be paired with words expressing plural concept. Using these words can
make your writing more specific. Here are some examples of how to format interesting sentences
with uncountable nouns.
Garbage There are nine bags of garbage on the curb.
Water Try to drink at least eight glasses of water each day.

 Advice She gave me a useful piece of advice.

Bread Please buy a loaf of bread.
Furniture A couch is a piece of furniture.
Equipment A backhoe is an expensive piece of equipment.
Cheese Please bag ten slices of cheese for me.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns Exercises

Is the underlined noun countable or uncountable?
1.

The children fell asleep quickly after a busy day of fun.

2.

Be careful! The water is deep.

3.

The parade included fire trucks and police cars.

4.

We like the large bottles of mineral water.

5.

My mother uses real butter in the cakes she bakes.

6.

How many politicians does it take to pass a simple law?

7.

Most kids like milk, but Joey hates it.

8.

Most pottery is made of clay.

9.

Michael can play several different musical instruments.

10.

I was feeling so stressed that I ate an entire box of cookies.

Answers: 1 countable, 2 uncountable, 3 countable, 4 countable, 5 uncountable, 6

countable, 7 uncountable, 8 uncountable, 9 countable, 10 countable