Noun types

These are the types of words which are either nouns or function as nouns:

1. Names of people or places or companies, etc. (proper nouns)
   • Jack is a  fun-loving person.
2. Objects, things, anything that you can see, taste, touch or smell (concrete nouns)
   • I love this computer.
3. Feelings, situations, anything you cannot see, taste, touch or smell (abstract nouns)
   • His mind was filled with hate and the desire for revenge.
4. Possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, etc.)
   • We both drive our own cars to work, but mine goes faster and smoother than hers.
5. Gerunds (which look like verb + ing)
   • Reading is taught when a combination of several methods is used.
   • I can’t stand watching football at home.
6. Subject Pronouns and Object Pronouns (they come instead of the noun(s) to avoid repetition)
   • They, I mean Peter and Merry, never listen to either me or you.
7. Made-up words from the first letter of other words (acronyms)
   • The UN (the United Nations) is working on a new recruitment system to help GPs (General Practitioners) to inform people about AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)

Noun Phrase

Look at these examples:

• Mary and Thomas are fun-loving neighbors.
• I love this old, American Computer.
• Reading books after mid-night is tough when a combination of different methods is used.

Nouns are not always ONE word. When a noun comes with related words before and/or sometimes after, it forms a group. This group acts the same as a one-word noun and is called a noun phrase.

Here are more examples:

Ruby-throated hummingbird lives in Central America.

A lot of money is spent on the new stadium.

Both of my younger brothers study at Foxham School.

About 35 different household goods are being imported now.

I swear I have seen that man standing by the bus stop.

Working day and night, getting paid a pittance only to be alive is not the kind of job I want.