Abstract, Concrete, and Non-Count Nouns What’s the difference? Source: Grammar Bytes
An Abstract Noun Nouns name people, places, and things. One class of nouns is abstract. Your five senses cannot detect them. – You cannot see them. – You cannot hear them. – You cannot smell them. – You cannot taste them. – You cannot touch them. Source: Grammar Bytes
Example? When Farley dove into the water to save April, his bravery amazed the Patterson family. Bravery, one of the nouns in this sentence, is an abstract noun. You can see Farley, the water, and the family. You cannot see bravery itself. It has no color, size, shape, sound, odor, flavor or texture. Any noun that escapes your five senses is an abstract noun. Source: Grammar Bytes
Concrete Nouns Many nouns are concrete, not abstract. Concrete nouns register on your five senses. – You can see them. – You can hear them. – You can smell them. – You can taste them. – You can touch them. Source: Grammar Bytes
Example? John cuddled the English sheepdog puppy under his warm jacket. Puppy is an example of a concrete noun. You can see a puppy, stroke its fur, smell its breath, and listen to it whine. You can even taste the puppy if you don’t mind pulling dog hair off your tongue. Because a puppy will register on all five senses, puppy is a concrete noun. Source: Grammar Bytes
Non-count Noun l Non-count nouns have only a singular form l Godzilla ate three pizzas, two delivery boys, and six parked cars. l Pizzas, boys, and cars = count nouns. Godzilla didn't have to be such a pig; he could have eaten only one pizza, one delivery boy, and one car. l After overindulging at Antonio's, Godzilla got severe indigestion. l Indigestion = non-count. You cannot write, "Godzilla got eleven indigestions." Source: Grammar Bytes
Wrap It Up... Can you think of some other abstract nouns? Can you think of some other examples of concrete nouns? Did you think of other non-count nouns? What is the difference between abstract and concrete nouns? Source: Grammar Bytes