Nouns
Nouns :
ETYMOLOGY
THE second part of Grammar is called ETYMOLOGY.
Etymology treats of WORDS.
CLASSIFICATION OF WORDS
The classes of words in English are nine namely NOUNS, ARTICLES, ADJECTIVES, PRONOUNS, VERBS, ADVERBS, CONJUNCTIONS, PREPOSITIONS and INTERJECTIONS.
Note : These classes of words are generally called the Parts of Speech.
NOUNS
A Noun is the name of any person, place or thing as, boy, school, and book.
What is your name?
Give the names of five personas that you know.
What is the name of the place in which you live?
Give the names of five other places.
Name five things that you can see.
Name five things that you can think of but cannot see.
All these names are nouns.
In the sentence, “Charles wont to Boston in the boat,” what part of speech is Charles? Why? Boston? Why? Boat? Why?
In the following sentences state which words are nouns and why?
In coming from Trenton to Philadelphia, I saw John on the boat with a satchel of books in his hands.
The book had good covers, but bad print
The boy had a knife with a small blade.
The horse in the stable has a good disposition.
Temperance and industry promote health.
Religion exalts a nation.
Beauty is a fading flower.
Note : The teacher should repeat the foregoing exercises and form others like them, until the learner becomes familiar with the subject and can go through any sentence and indicate the nouns with facility.
Name (or write) five nouns.
CLASSIFICATION OF NOUNS
Nouns are divided into two general classes - PROPER NOUNS and COMMON NOUNS.
A Proper noun is a name given to only one of a class of objects as John, London, Delaware.
Note : A Proper noun should always begin with a capital letter.
A Common noun is a name given to any one of a class of objects as boy, city, and river.
Explanation : There is a class of objects called BOYS. The name BOY is given to any one of that class. It is common to them all. One particular boy is called JOHN. That is his particular name. It is peculiar or proper to him. So CITY is a name given in common to any one of another class of objects. But LONDON is the name given to one particular city. It belongs peculiarly and properly to that city. Any one of a certain other class of objects is called a RIVER. The name is common to all such objects. But one particular object of this kind is called DELAWARE. It belongs properly to that particular river.
A Collective noun is the name of a collection of objects considered as one as army, crowd.
Exercises :
Which of the following nouns are Proper Nouns?
Which of the following nouns are Common Nouns?
Which of the following nouns are Collective Nouns?
James, Isaiah, prophet, Australia, island, regiment, Plymouth, town, herd, Washington, England, county, flock, Elizabeth, woman, class, table, chair, book, Hudson.
Which of the foregoing nouns should begin with a capital letter?
What is your own proper name?
What is your common name?
Name (or write) six proper nouns, six common nouns, six collective nouns.
ATTRIBUTES OF NOUNS
Nouns have the attributes of GENDER, NUMBER, PERSON and CASE.
GENDER
Gender is the distinction of nouns in regard to SEX.
Nouns have three genders, MASCULINE, FEMININE and NEUTER.
The Masculine denotes objects of THE MALE SEX as boy, man.
The Feminine denotes objects of THE FEMALE SEX as girl, woman.
The Neuter denotes objects WITHOUT SEX as book, river.
Nouns :
Elementary English Grammar Index
Related Links : Nouns