The Unknown Noun

The noun that we see

by | Aug 2, 2019 | Grammar

We all know the important parts of speech (i.e. nouns, verbs, prepositions, adjectives, adverbs, etc.). Of all the categories mentioned, noun carries the most number of words in English and because of this, it comes with different faces in different parts of any sentence.

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.

Kasra Sharifan

Kasra Sharifan

Co-founder and CFO

British Council certified English teacher, IDP-trained IELTS instructor, content writer, editor-in-chief, co-founder, and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at IELTS Juice Online Academy.

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