Definition of Noun
A noun is a word that identifies a person, place, thing, or idea. It can answer the question "who" or "what."
Types of Nouns
- Common nouns: Name general or unspecific people, places, things, or ideas (e.g., boy, city, book, love)
- Proper nouns: Name specific or unique people, places, or things (e.g., John, New York, Eiffel Tower)
- Concrete nouns: Refer to tangible objects that can be perceived by the senses (e.g., chair, tree, apple)
- Abstract nouns: Refer to concepts, qualities, or emotions that cannot be directly perceived (e.g., justice, beauty, happiness)
- Collective nouns: Refer to groups or collections of people or things (e.g., army, team, flock)
- Gerund: Verb forms that function as nouns (e.g., running, singing)
Functions of Nouns
- Subject: Identifies the doer of an action in a sentence (e.g., The dog barks.)
- Direct object: Receives the action of a verb in a sentence (e.g., The boy threw the ball.)
- Indirect object: Indirectly receives the action of a verb in a sentence (e.g., The teacher gave the book to the student.)
- Object of a preposition: Follows a preposition in a sentence (e.g., The book is on the table.)
- Appositive: A noun that renames or describes another noun (e.g., John, my brother, lives in Chicago.)