1. Teacher-of-Literacy.com Key Skills Abstract Nouns

2. Objectives: Reading: To be able to identify abstract and concrete nouns Writing: To understand how to use abstract nouns Abstract Nouns

3. What Are Abstract Nouns? Nouns can be Abstract or Concrete. We cannot see, hear, smell, taste or feel Abstract nouns because they are ideas, qualities and feelings: bravery kindness happiness Concrete nouns can be seen, heard, smelt, touched or tasted: door book water

4. Spot the Abstract Noun U nderline, circle or highlight the abstract nouns in the following sentences: 1.The sight of her friend filled Sara with happiness. 2.The London Olympics were a great success. 3.Ben thought of a brilliant idea for his story. 4.The blue team were filled with hope as more pupils won their races. 5.Lucy found the courage to admit that she was responsible for the broken window.

5. Check Your Understanding How did you do? Give yourself one mark for each correctly identified abstract noun. 1.The sight of her friend filled Sara with happiness. 2.The London Olympics were a great success. 3.Ben thought of a brilliant idea for his story. 4.The blue team were filled with hope as more pupils won their races. 5.Lucy found the courage to admit that she was responsible for the broken window.

6. Abstract Noun Game Two teams (each containing a pair) play against each other. On the team to go first, one person thinks of an abstract noun (a feeling, idea or quality). That person acts it out by using mime (props may be used) and their partner has 5 chances to guess the abstract noun that they are miming. The other team cannot guess. If it is guessed within the 5 chances, that team gets 2 points. If it is not guessed, it is passed to the other team who get 2 guesses and if it is correct, they score 1 point.

7. Speaking and Listening Feedback : Discuss in your set of teams which abstract nouns were the most difficult to mime. Were any concrete nouns used by mistake by either the person acting or those guessing? Agree on a way that the difference between concrete nouns and abstract nouns can be remembered and share it with the class.

8. Abstract Ping Pong Play this game in groups and split into two teams. For 1 minute, each team takes it in turns to say an abstract noun. One person notes down the nouns. After the minute check whether there are any repeats – these do not count. Each team gets a point for each different noun. For 2 minutes, each team creates sentences containing abstract nouns. 1 point is awarded for each sentence plus 1 point for each abstract noun used correctly.