Definition of a noun

We use a noun to name a person, place, or thing.

In a sentence, it can be a subject or an object. In English, nouns do not have genders [masculine or feminine].

Jenny is a teacher. She lives in London with her husband, Bill, and their two children. Bill is a musician. He plays the guitar in a band. Their daughter goes to school and their son is studying medicine at King's College.

 

 

We use proper nouns for specific people, places, institutions or organisations. Proper nouns always start with a capital letter.

Common nouns are not the names of a specific or single person, place or thing. They do not start with a capital letter. 

 

Examples

 

Common nouns

Proper nouns

continent

country

town/city

street

station

doctor

uncle

theatre

river

airport

building

woman

president

Europe

England

Paris

Oxford Street

Victoria Station

Doctor Smith

Uncle James

the National Theatre

the River Seine

Heathrow Airport

Buckingham Palace

the Queen

the President


 

 

 

We use concrete nouns to name people or things which we can see, hear, touch, smell or taste - things which exist physically.

We use abstract nouns to name feelings, ideas and states - things which do not exist physically.

 

Examples

 

Concrete nouns

Abstract nouns

chair

computer

man

woman

house

dog

cheese

garden

pen

love

sadness

hope

comfort

truth

confidence

fear

bravery

opportunity