Grammar
Nouns: Proper and common nouns
1st Part
Proper and common nouns
2nd Part
Countable vs. Uncountable Nouns
3nd Part
Collective and compound nouns
Grammar in use
- Topic : The proper nouns
- Skills : Grammar
Use
What is a noun?
A noun is a word that is a person, an animal, a place, an object or an idea.
woman
cat
city
umbrella
communication
What is the plural of a noun?
It is 2, 3, 4, etc. It is not 0 or 1. It is more than 1.
two cats
three bananas
What is a proper noun?
A proper noun is the name of a particular person, place or organisation. It starts with a capital letter. Generally, there is no article before.
Examples:
Steve (first name), Mr. Smith (last name), Japan (country), London (city), March (month), Wednesday (day)
What is a common noun?
A common noun is the name of a thing, such as an object, a place, or a person. They can be described as naming words.
Examples:
Object: table, cup
Place: garden, kitchen
Person : teacher, sister
| Proper nouns complement |
|---|
| We use “the” before a country’s name when this name includes a noun (such as state, kingdom…). Examples: Maria has never been to the Netherlands. He travels from the United States to the United Kingdom every year. The capital letter is not just for proper nouns. It is also used for each word in a title, whether a book title, a person’s title, etc. Examples: Vice-President Jones A Midsummer Night’s Dream World Food Prices Increase |
| The Formation of Noun |
|---|
| Unfortunately, there is no simple rule that connects a noun to the adjective or verb it comes from. But they generally look similar. Examples: Nouns coming from a verb: to organize → organization to change→ change to try→ trial Nouns coming from an adjective: strong→ strength stupid→ stupidity intelligent→ intelligence |
| Complement |
|---|
| “The‟ is used before superlatives.
Examples: The most expensive object is not necessarily the best. She was the first woman from here to become a doctor. The nearest bakery is down the street. “The‟ also refers to a class of people or objects.£ Examples: The nene is the official state bird of Hawaii. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. |