NOUNS

NOUNS Nouns are words that name a person, place, or

thing.

There are many different kinds of nouns.

Some nouns you may know: singular/plural,

common/proper, and possessive.

Some nouns may be new to you: compound,

concrete/abstract, appositives, and predicate

nominatives.

COMPOUND NOUNSCompound Nouns are made up of two or

more words.

The words form a new word such as bookcase, toothpaste, and jailhouse.

The words can refer to one person, place, or thing such as prime number, post office, Natchez Historical National Park, and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Compound nouns can also be hyphenated such as sister-in-law, over-the-counter, and six-year-old.

SINGULAR & PLURAL NOUNS

A singular noun is one person, place, or thing. Ex: teacher, ladder,

kneecap, jailhouse

A plural noun is more

than one person,

place, or thing.

Ex: teachers, ladders,

kneecaps, jailhouses

Singular Nouns Plural Nouns

COMMON & PROPER NOUNS

Common nouns do

not name a specific

person, place, or

thing.

Ex: a cat, a doctor,

the park, a band

Proper nouns name

specific person,

place, or thing.

Ex: Felix the Cat, Dr.

Who, Clarkco Sate

Park, Nickelback

Common Nouns Proper Nouns

CONCRETE NOUNS

A concrete noun names something that can

be detected by using your five senses.

See: a rainbow, puppies, the mountains

Touch: your pencil, a computer keyboard

Hear: the wind, a river, cars and trucks

Smell: a pot of soup, flowers, the dog’s breath

Taste: a grilled cheese sandwich, watermelon

ABSTRACT NOUNS

An abstract noun is a noun you can not detect

with your senses.

Ideas: imagination, freedom, curiosity

Qualities: bravery, humor, youth

States: health, confusion, trust

APPOSITIVES

An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that

gives more information about another noun.

An appositive sits right beside the noun it

describes. Sometimes it is separated from the

rest of the sentence with commas. The

appositive can be just a few words, or a long

string of words.

The grey dog, a Husky, crossed the finished line

and won the race.

Ralph, the boy with the red hair, took off his hat

and sat at his desk.

PREDICATE NOMINATIVES

A predicate nominative also renames or gives

more information about a noun, but it comes after a

linking verb in a sentence. In the following

sentences the verb is a form of “to be” (is and was).

Mr. Garcia is our teacher.

My best friend Delilah is a great soccer player.

The class’s pet hamster was a furry ball of energy.

Use the liking verb as a equal sign.

subject = predicate nominative

Mr. Garcia = teacher

Delilah = soccer player

hamster = ball

EXAMPLESDIRECTIONS: MARK CD FOR COMPOUND, CM FOR COMMON, PR FOR

PROPER, CR FOR CONCRETE, AND/OR AB FOR ABSTRACT.

1. jazz music

2. intelligence

3. grape juice

4. Jessica Alba

5. friend

6. vitamins

7. loyalty

8. Fall Out Boy

9.washcloth

10. ice cream

CD, CM, CR

CM, AB

CD, CM, CR

CD, PR, CR

CM, CR

CM, CR

CM, AB

CD, PR, CR

CD, CM, CR

CD, CM, CR

EXAMPLES (CONT.)

Directions: Mark AP for an appositive phrase and

PN for a predicate nominative. Underline the

appositive or predicate nominative.

1. During the dinner conversation, Clifford, the

messiest eater at the table, spewed mashed

potatoes like an erupting volcano.

2. My 286 computer, a modern-day dinosaur,

chews floppy disks as noisily as my brother does

peanut brittle.

3. Ann is a new mother. Ann = mother

4. The black dog in the yard was a large

Doberman. dog = Doberman

EXAMPLES (CONT.)

5. My favorite place, the English building, is located on the Quad, a grassy square in the middle of the campus.

6. The tall boy has been our best basketball player. boy = basketball player

7. The neighbor boys, the twins, were excellent baseball players. boys = baseball players

8. My uncle became a rich computer expert. uncle = computer expert

9. The girl in the red dress is Sarah, our best actress. girl = Sarah

10. Barak Obama became president in 2009. Barak Obama = president