The Parts of Speech

Nouns

Nouns: Prime-Time Players A noun is a word that names a person, place,

thing, or idea.

Nouns come in the following varieties: common nouns, proper nouns, concrete nouns, abstract nouns, singular nouns, plural nouns, collective nouns, and compound nouns.

Common nouns name any one of a class of person, place, or thing. They are usually not capitalized. boy city food

Proper nouns name a specific person, place, or thing. Bob New York City Rice-a-Roni

A concrete noun identifies an object that can be seen, heard, smelled, touched, or tasted. pen perfume honey Darth Vadar

An abstract noun identifies an idea, quality, or characteristic. justice upset animosity

A noun may be either singular or plural in form, depending on whether it names a single person, place, thing, or idea or more than one.

Singular Plural

monkey Monkeys

self selves

passerby passersby

Every noun is either common or proper, concrete or abstract, and singular or plural. For example, Hello Kitty is proper, concrete, and singular.

Folders is common, concrete, and plural.

Compound nouns are two or more nouns that function as a single unit. A compound noun can be two individual words, words joined by a hyphen (-), or two words combined. Individual words: time capsule Hyphenated words: great-uncle Combined words: basketball

Collective nouns name groups of people or things. Audience Family Herd Crowd

Even when a collective noun is singular in form, it can be used to refer to a group either as a single unit or as a number of individuals.▪ The herd (unit) runs away as we get close.▪ The herd (individuals) find hiding places in the brush.

A possessive noun shows ownership or relationship. Follow these rules to create possessive nouns. With singular nouns, add an apostrophe and s.▪ Girl: girl’s manuscript▪ Student: student’s ideas

With plural nouns ending in s, add an apostrophe after the s.▪ Girls: girls’ manuscript▪ Students: students’ ideas

With plural nouns not ending in s, add an apostrophe and s.▪ Women: women’s books▪ Mice: mice’s tails

Take a Breather1. A hungry lion was roaming through

the jungle looking for something to eat.

2. He came across two men.

3. One man was sitting under a tree and reading a book; the other man was typing away on his typewriter.

4. The lion quickly pounced on the man reading the book and devoured him.

5. Even the king of the jungle knows that readers digest and writers cramp.

Complete the concept check exercise on p. 8. Draw the table that they have modeled on your paper. This exercise will take up the entire page. Write the number of the problem off to the side of the table.

1.

Noun Common Proper Singula

r Plural

Life

safari

perspective

humans

animals

For homework, please complete the Nouns exercise on p. 600 in your Language Network book. You do not have to draw the table this

time; however, if you would like to, then by all means, please do. Otherwise, set up your responses like the model.