COUNTABLE + UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS COLLECTIVE NOUNS COMMON + PROPER NOUNS COUNTABLE + UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS COLLECTIVE NOUNS USING POSSESIVES WITH NOUNS SINGULAR + PLURAL NOUNS ABSTARCT NOUNS

Common + Proper Nouns Common Proper general item not capitalized unless they begin a sentence or are part of a title can be countable or uncountable nouns Proper name of particular people, things or places – specific requires capitalization most are singular not usually preceded by articles

Common Nouns Proper Nouns man coffee shops jeans country river mountain day Proper Nouns Bill Gates Starbucks Levi’s Malaysia Sungai Pahang Mount Kinabalu Sunday

Countable + Uncountable Nouns Countable nouns - something that can be counted Uncountable nouns cannot be counted E.g.: water , salt , flour (can be counted if we put into something) Takes a singular verb – This milk has expired. Many uncountable nouns are abstract – violence, happiness But some are concrete – sand , glue

Singular + Plural Nouns Singular – refer to one Plural refer to more than one Most countable nouns add –s Nouns ending whit ch, sh, s,ss or x add –es Some words can take both –s or –es Eg: mangos / mangoes volcanos / volcanoes For a –ve or unknown quantity , we normally use the plural Eg: There were no passengers on the bus. / Have you ever read good books lately?

Collective Nouns Refer to groups of things that are regarded as one Collective nouns can be replaced by both singular and plural pronouns, depending on their meaning. When the members are doing the same thing together, the collective noun is singular and requires singular verbs and pronouns.  When the members are acting as individuals, the collective noun is plural and requires plural verbs and pronouns.  Examples: Every afternoon the baseball team follows its coach out to the hot field for practice. After the three-hour practice under the brutal sun, the team shower, change into their street clothes, and head to their air-conditioned homes.

Examples team audience staff committee army colony gang flock herd tribe panel board pack troupe group crew choir band stack basket family string pair

Abstract Nouns Idea, event, quality, experience, trait, quality, state of being, feeling or concept (things which are intangible and cannot be counted) Your five senses cannot detect this group of nouns.

Nouns with the following suffixes are often abstract: - tion -ism -ity -ment -ness -age -ance/-ence -ship -ability -acy -hood

Examples integrity respect efficiency admiration bravery joy kindness creativity freedom wisdom happiness fairness

In contrast… Concrete words refer to things we can touch, see, hear, smell, and taste, Example: sandpaper, soda, trees, mobile phone, cow, car, rocking chair, and pancake.

Ideas/Concepts/Ideals Common Abstract Nouns Emotions/Feelings Love Hate Anger Peace Pride States/Attributes Success Loyalty Honesty Charity Beauty Ideas/Concepts/Ideals Truth Knowledge Culture Trust Information Movements/Events Progress Education Friendships Trouble Relaxation

Don't confuse an abstract noun with a concrete noun. Abstract nouns dedication curiosity motivation Concrete Nouns teacher cat motivator

In many cases abstract nouns are derived from an addition of a suffix or alteration in the root word. Example: Child vs. Childhood Child is a concrete noun, for example, but childhood is an intangible state, so it is abstract.

Possessive Forms of Nouns The possessive apostrophe (’) is added to a noun to show possession or ownership

The rules for forming possessive nouns Singular Noun Add ‘s Example: the girl’s umbrella, Kenny’s voice Plural Noun not ending in –s Example: children's wear, policemen’s car Plural Noun ending in -s add ‘ Example: girls’ umbrella, students’ voice A name ends in -s Usually add ‘s Example: Jonas’s book or Jonas’ book * In formal writing, just add ‘ - Example: Charles’ reign, Keats’ poetry Prepared by: Marziah Ramli 2013

Your turn. Exercise 1

Categorise the following nouns according to their classes Samsung Sheikh Muzaffar physics herd opportunity mobile-phone commitment Atlantic Ocean entertainment game excellence news committee photograph German Universiti Malaysia Pahang band crew magnificence board

Answers Common Nouns Proper Nouns Collective Nouns Abstract Nouns

Nouns as subjects The noun as the subject: the person, animal, place or thing we are talking about in the sentence Who or what did something (verb) / performs the action in the sentence

Examples 1. The boy fell in the drain. 2. The bell rang at 12 o’clock. Who fell in the drain? The boy. 1. The boy fell in the drain. 2. The bell rang at 12 o’clock. 3. Farid and Ismail decorated the room. 4. The Titanic struck an iceberg. 5. Bravery makes a man. 6. The distinguished guests left the room. What makes a man? Bravery.

Nouns as objects Comes after a verb Receives the action of the verb Answers the question ‘what’ or ‘whom’ after the verb. Examples: 1. Tom visited the dentist. (visited whom?) 2. The student lost a book. (lost what?)