English Noun

A noun can refer to:

• A person: teacher, mother, Bob Smith, architect

• A place: France, New York City, house, park

• A thing or object: key, car, building, the Eiffel Tower

• An animal: dog, mouse, snake, lion

• An idea: freedom, justice, liberty, equality

• A feeling: joy, anger, desire, sadness

• A quality: softness, elegance, beauty, ugliness

• An action: reading, cooking, swimming, bathing

Proper vs. Common Nouns

Nouns that refer to something in general are common nouns.

Examples: bridge, person, dog, city

Nouns that refer to specific things are proper nouns. These nouns are capitalized.

Examples: the Golden Gate Bridge, Beyoncé, Lassie, Paris

Abstract vs. Concrete Nouns

Nouns can also be divided into two categories based on if they are tangible/visible or not. Concrete nouns can be seen, felt and experienced through the senses.

Examples: forest, car, steak

Abstract nouns cannot be experienced by the senses. They are concepts, ideas or emotions.

Examples: honesty, love, freedom, justice

Singular vs. Plural Nouns

Nouns can be singular or plural. Regular singular nouns are made plural by adding an -s or -es to the end of the word. Here are some regular nouns in their singular and plural forms:

• dog → dogs

• bike → bikes 

• train → trains 

• kiss → kisses

There are also many common irregular plural forms. Common irregular plural forms include:

• person → people

• child → children

• man → men

• woman → women