Plan: What is a noun?

NOUN

Plan:

1. 
   What is a noun?
   
2. 
   Types of nouns
   
3. 
   Proper nouns vs common nouns
   
4. 
   Countable and uncountable nouns
   

What is a noun?
Nouns form a large proportion of English vocabulary and they come in a wide variety of types. Nouns can name a person:
Albert Einstein, the president, my mother, a girl

Nouns can also name a place:

Mount Vesuvius, Disneyland, my bedroom.

Nouns can also name things, although sometimes they might be intangible things, such as concepts, activities, or processes. Some might even be hypothetical or imaginary things. Example: shoe, faucet, freedom, The Elder Wand, basketball.

One important distinction to be made is whether a noun is a proper noun or a common noun. A proper noun is a specific name of a person, place, or thing, and is always capitalized.

Ex: Does Tina have much homework to do this evening?

Common or generic nouns can be broken down into three subtypes: concrete nouns, abstract nouns, and collective nouns. A concrete noun is something that is perceived by the senses; something that is physical or real.

Ex: I heard the doorbell.
My keyboard is sticky.

Doorbell and keyboard are real things that can be sensed.

Conversely, an abstract noun is something that cannot be perceived by the senses.


Nouns as subjects
Every sentence must have a subject, and that subject will always be a noun. The subject of a sentence is the person, place, or thing that is doing or being the verb in that sentence.
Ex: Maria is happy.
Maria is the subject of this sentence and the corresponding verb is a form of to be (is).


Nouns as objects
Nouns can also be objects of a verb in a sentence. An object can be either a direct object (a noun that receives the action performed by the subject) or an indirect object (a noun that is the recipient of a direct object).
Ex: Give the books to her.
Books is a direct object (what is being given) and her is the indirect object (who the books are being given to).


Plural nouns
Plural nouns, unlike collective nouns, require plural verbs. Many English plural nouns can be formed by adding -s or -es to the singular form, although there are many exceptions.
Ex: cat—cats
These two cats are both black.


Countable nouns vs. uncountable nouns
Countable nouns are nouns which can be counted, even if the number might be extraordinarily high (like counting all the people in the world). Countable nouns can be used with a/an, the, some, any, a few, and many.
Ex: Here is a cat.
Cat is singular and—obviously—countable.
Ex: Here are a few cats.
Here are some cats.

Uncountable nouns, or mass nouns, are nouns that come in a state or quantity which is impossible to count; liquids are uncountable, as are things that act like liquids (sand, air). They are always considered to be singular, and can be used with some, any, a little, and much.

Ex: An I.Q. test measures intelligence.
Intelligence is an uncountable noun.


How do you identify a noun in a sentence?
Nouns usually have articles (the, a, or an) before them in a sentence, but not always. Sometimes you’ll see adjectives or words like “some” or “this” before nouns. Aside from the first word in a sentence, if a word is capitalized then it’s a noun, such as a person’s name.