10 Types of Nouns in English Grammar With Examples: The 10 types of nouns in English grammar with examples include proper nouns, common nouns, concrete nouns, abstract nouns, collective nouns, compound nouns, countable nouns, non-countable nouns, possessive nouns and verbal nouns.
The reason we learn and recognize the 10 types of nouns in English grammar with examples is because it will help us expand our writing and speaking skills and this will result in a better preparation and presentation of our material.
10 Types of Nouns With Examples
- Proper Nouns
- Common Nouns
- Concrete Nouns
- Abstract Nouns
- Collective Nouns
- Compound Nouns
- Countable Nouns
- Non-Countable Nouns
- Possessive Nouns
- Verbal Nouns
Talking About Nouns
We cannot talk about types of nouns without first talking about the concept of a noun.
Definition of a Noun: A noun is a naming word and it can name a person, a place, a thing, an animal, a quality, a feeling, an idea or an action.
Some Examples of Nouns:
- John and Emma live in the city. (Naming a Person)
- America and England are leaders of the free world. (Naming a Place)
- The car and trailer were stolen from the owner’s shed. (Naming a Thing)
- The dog and the cat think they own the place. (Naming an Animal)
- Beauty and strength are wonderful character qualities. (Naming a Quality).
- She was overcome with fear and anxiety during the accident. (Naming a Feeling)
- Most people want justice and freedom in life. (Naming an Idea)
- The arrival of the enemy created a surprise attack. (Naming an Action)
1. Proper Nouns
Definition of Proper Nouns: Proper nouns are specific names of particular persons, places and things.
Proper nouns usually begin with a capital letter in order to distinguish them from common nouns (see common nouns below).
Examples of Proper Nouns:
- Michael is my best friend. (Names a Person)
- I plan to visit Atlanta this coming year. (Names a Place)
- My son bought a new computer from Amazon last month. (Names a Thing)
- I could see Jupiter through my telescope tonight. (Names a Thing)
- I’m going to San Francisco! (Names a Place)
Proper nouns that name specific things are normally prefixed with the definite article “THE”.
Examples of Proper Nouns With the Prefix “THE”:
- We visited The Library of Congress last week.
- We watched The Last of the Mohicans at the movies.
- The United States of America consists of states, district, territories and islands.
- The Electoral College was established by The United States Constitution.
- The American Civil War was fought between the northern and southern states.
2. Common Nouns
Definition of Common Nouns: Common nouns are non-specific names of persons, places and things.
Because common nouns are non-specific and refer to most general things, they are not capitalized.
Examples of Common Nouns:
- My boyfriend is an electrician. (Names a Person)
- Would you like a cookie? (Names a Thing)
- I pushed my friend in the lake. (Names a Place)
- There are many books in the library. (Names a Thing)
- The man in the car stole the money from the store. (Names a Person)
Common nouns are often prefixed with the indefinite article “a”.
Examples of Common Nouns With the Prefix “A”:
- A voice came from the upper room.
- When I drove to the store, a noise came from the engine.
- My son build a house on the farm.
- He gave us a dog for Christmas.
- David is a fan of American football.
Examples of Proper and Common Nouns in the Same Sentence:
- My cat (Common Noun) is called Cleopatra (Proper Noun).
- There are important documents (Common Noun) at The Library of Congress (Proper Noun).
- The writer (Common Noun) of this great novel is Agatha Christie (Proper Noun).
- The supermarket (Common Noun) down the road is Costco (Proper Noun).
- My car (Common Noun) is a Toyota (Proper Noun).
3. Concrete Nouns
Definition of Concrete Nouns: Concrete nouns refer to things in their material or physical form like car, bike, spanner, broom, rice, etc.
Examples of Concrete Nouns:
- Will you put the apples in the bowl?
- Jonathan parked his vehicle in the backyard.
- Brad left his hammer at the building site.
- Dad erected a shed in the backyard.
- Emma rode her bike to school.
Examples of Concrete Nouns Experienced Through the Five Senses:
Concrete nouns can be experienced through the five senses: sight, touch or feel, smell, taste and hear.
- The dog is part of our family (sight).
- The boys kicked the football in the backyard (touch).
- The warmth of the sun helped our family endure the winter carnival (feel).
- The aroma of the flowers flowed throughout the funeral home (smell).
- The sourness of milk made her sick (taste).
- The noise of the music annoyed the neighbors (hear).
4. Abstract Nouns
Definition of Abstract Nouns: Abstract nouns refer to concepts, ideas and emotions.
Examples of Abstract Nouns:
- The minister said love is gentle and kind (idea).
- Happiness is not always attainable (emotion).
- The success of my company is driven by discipline (concept).
- Success is everyone’s dream (idea).
- His sadness affected many people in the room.
Examples of Abstract and Concrete Nouns in the Same Sentence:
- My father (concrete noun) helped me in the success (abstract noun) of my business.
- My friendship (abstract noun) with my sisters (concrete noun) is very important.
- The happiness (abstract noun) of my wife (concrete noun) is paramount.
- The policeman (concrete noun) showed great patience (abstract noun) to the irate driver.
- His arrogance (abstract noun) drew the hostility (abstract noun) of the crowd (concrete noun).
How To Decide That a Noun is Concrete or Abstract?
The best way is to ask yourself if you can see, hear, taste, smell or touch it. If so, it is a concrete noun. If not, it is an abstract noun. Both are real but one has a physical presence where as the other one does not.
5. Collective Nouns
Definition of Collective Nouns: Collection nouns refer to a group, a collection or a number of people or things.
Examples of Collective Nouns:
- The art class presented their paintings to the faculty.
- I gave my friend a pack of cards.
- The cast have been practicing their lines.
- The board of directors decided to purchase the business.
- The boy was attacked by a swarm of wasps.
Examples of Singular and Plural Verbs With Collective Nouns:
- The cast is celebrating their success (singular verb).
- The cast have been practicing their lines all day (plural verb).
- The cast members have been practicing their lines (plural verb).
- The orchestra often plays at the carnival (singular verb).
- The orchestra have been practicing their songs for months (plural verb).
6. Compound Nouns
Definition of Compound Nouns: Compound nouns are formed from two or more words.
Examples of Compound Nouns:
- I took a beautiful photograph of the sunrise.
- I had my worst haircut when I entered the army.
- The most violent criminals come from the underworld.
- The blackboard needed to be cleaned before class.
- I had eggs for breakfast.
Examples of Compound Nouns Which Take Different Forms:
- I usually have ice cream for dessert (with spaces).
- I generally put all my pots in the greenhouse (without spaces).
- My mother-in-law visits the family regularly (with hyphens).
- The children love the merry-go-round in the park (with hyphens).
- Our children must do their homework before supper (without spaces).
- I usually meet my friends at the bus stop (with spaces).
Examples of Compound Nouns Formed From Different Components:
- The family kicked the football in the park (noun + noun).
- The cars raced down the highway (adjective + noun).
- We eat bacon and eggs for breakfast (verb + noun).
- The sunrise was beautiful this morning (noun + verb).
- The onlookers were asked to leave the scene of the accident (preposition + noun).
- The rebels tried to overthrow the elected government (preposition + verb).
- The only drawback to the incoming government is a hostile and fake media (verb + preposition).
- The team blowup led to a vicious brawl (verb + adverb).
When you recognize the 10 types of nouns in English grammar with examples, you will be able to raise your confidence in your ability to write and speak thus producing better results.
7. Countable Nouns
Definition of Countable Nouns: Countable nouns can be counted whether singular or plural.
Examples of Countable Nouns:
- I read three books a month for professional development.
- I take a variety of photographs when I am on location.
- I used several panels for the new fence.
- A herd of dogs attacked my neighbor.
- I had many candles on my twenty-first birthday cake.
Examples of Countable Nouns Preceded by a Number or Indefinite Article a/an:
By the way, only countable nouns are preceded by a number or indefinite article a/an.
- My friend bought me a camera for my birthday.
- I take two tablets for a headache.
- My sister bought a computer from the electrical store.
- I eat an apple a day to keep the doctor away.
- I take two bottles of water with me when I go hiking.
You can learn more about countable nouns and uncountable nouns by clicking on the following link: Countable and Uncountable Nouns.
8. Non-Countable Nouns
Definition of Non-Countable Nouns: Non-Countable nouns are singular and take singular verbs.
Examples of Non-Countable Nouns:
- The neighbor took the garbage to the tip.
- I always help myself to some cheese.
- The clothing was delivered by mail.
- I put the water in the fridge.
- The patient was given oxygen.
Examples of Countable and Non-Countable Nouns in the Same Sentence:
By the way, non-countable nouns cannot be preceded by a number or the indefinite article a/an.
- I will put water (non-countable noun) on all the tables (countable noun) in the dining room.
- I will give rice (non-countable noun) to all the diners (countable noun) in the restaurant.
- Oxygen (non-countable) was given to seven patients (countable noun) during the crisis.
- Clothing (non-countable) was given to all the flood victims (countable noun).
- All the flood victims (countable noun) received fresh water (non-countable noun).
9. Possessive Nouns
Definition of Possessive Nouns: Possessive nouns are nouns that show ownership or possession. They indicate ownership or possession.
It is quite easy to recognize possessive nouns because they always show an apostrophe.
Examples of Possessive Nouns:
- Rachel’s wedding is next week.
- The doctor’s coat was hanging in his office.
- The minister’s Bible was very old.
- The thief stole Jennifer’s handbag.
- The neighbor stood on the dog’s bowl and broke it.
10. Verbal Nouns
The Definition of Verbal Nouns: Verbal nouns are nouns derived from verbs.
Verbal nouns are formed with a variety of suffixes.
Examples of Verbal Noun Formations:
- arrive (verb) / arrival (noun)
- teach (verb) / teaching (noun)
- decide (verb) / decision (noun)
- destroy (verb) / destruction (noun)
- fly (verb) /flight (noun)
Examples of Verbal Nouns:
- Teaching is a noble profession.
- The building caught fire in the middle of the night.
- His arrival surprised me.
- Jonathan’s decision surprised the board members.
- His return was well received.
- The flight was cancelled due to the pandemic.
