NOUNS
&PRONOUNS
What is a noun?
◦ A noun is the name of any person, place, action, quality, feeling, idea, or thing. It is
where
◦ we start our language journey as we learn to name the things in our world.
Types of nouns
◦ . • common nouns
◦ • proper nouns
◦ • abstract nouns
◦ • collective nouns
◦ • singular and plural nouns
◦ • subject and object nouns
◦ concrete nouns
◦ countable and uncountable nouns
◦ collective nouns
Common Nouns
◦ Common nouns name places, people, things, Ideas etc
◦ They are usually written in simple letters unless they appear as the first word in a
sentence.
◦ Examples: school, boy, car, dog,shop
◦
Proper nouns
◦ Proper nouns provide the name of a person, place, thing or an idea.
◦ They often begin with capital letters.
◦ Example: London-name of a city
◦ Spain-name of a country
◦ Peter-name of a person
◦ Bengal Tiger-name of an animal
◦ Mountain Everest-name of a mountain
◦ Roman Catholic-name of a religion
◦ Asia-a continent
◦ Michael Jackson-name of a pop singer
Abstract nouns
◦ These nouns cannot be physically touched or perceived with the five senses
◦ They name ideas, feelings or characteristics.
◦ Examples: honesty
◦ courage
◦ love
◦ freedom
Concrete nouns
◦ It refers to things which you can see, hear ,smell, touch or hear.
◦ EXAMPLE: building,car,table ,person
Collective nouns
◦ A word used to represent a group of people, animals or things e.g. team, crowd,
committee, flock, choir, group .
◦ EX:
◦ A HEDGE OF BUSHES
◦ A LIBRARY OF BOOKS
◦ AN OUTFIT OF CLOTHES
◦ A PARTY OF FRIENDS
REGULAR &IRREGULAR NOUNS
◦ The plural forms of nouns are created by adding “s” to the end of the noun.
EX: minute - minutes | horse - horses | bag – bags
Nouns that end in -ch, -x, -s, -sh, z or s-like sounds, the plural is formed by adding 'es' to
the end of the word. church - churches | box - boxes | gas - gases | bush - bushes | ass
– asses.
-Nouns that end in a single -z, the plural is formed by adding 'zes' to the end of the word.
quiz – quizzes.
Most nouns ending in -o preceded by a consonant also form their plurals by adding 'es' .
potato - potatoes | tomato - tomatoes | volcano – volcanoes.
◦ 5.-However many newly created words and words with a Spanish or Italian origin that
end in -o just add an 's'. photo - photos | piano - pianos | portico – porticos
◦ 6.-Nouns ending in a consonant + y, drop the y and add 'ies'. party - parties | lady ladies
◦ 7.-Most nouns ending in -f or -fe, drop the f and add 'ves'. calf - calves | half - halves |
wolf - wolves
◦ 8.-Most words ending in -is, drop the -is and add -es. crisis - crises | hypothesis hypotheses | oasis – oases
IRREGULAR NOUNS
◦ Many common nouns connected with human beings seem to be irregular. child children person - people man - men woman - women Other irregular common nouns
are: foot - feet mouse - mice tooth – teeth louse-lice.
◦ Some nouns have identical plural and singular form: aircraft - aircraft fish - fish
headquarters - headquarters sheep - sheep species - species
◦ Uncountable nouns on the other hand have no plural form and take a singular verb (is
/ was ...). advice information luggage news.
◦ Some nouns (especially those associated with two things) exist only in the plural form
and take a plural verb (are / were...) cattle scissors trousers congratulations pyjamas
Nouns that stem from older forms of English or are of foreign origin often have odd
plurals. ox - oxen index - indices or indexes
◦ Some nouns have identical plural and singular form: aircraft - aircraft fish - fish
headquarters - headquarters sheep - sheep species - species Uncountable nouns on
the other hand have no plural form and take a singular verb (is / was ...). advice
information luggage news Some nouns (especially those associated with two things)
exist only in the plural form and take a plural verb (are / were...) cattle scissors trousers
congratulations pyjamas.
◦ Nouns that stem from older forms of English or are of foreign origin often have odd
plurals. ox - oxen index - indices or indexes
PRONOUNS
◦ A pronoun is a word that refers to or takes the place of a noun. The noun being
referred to is called the antecedent. The identity of the pronoun is made clear by the
antecedent. For example:
◦ The boy said that he was tired.
◦ In this example, the pronoun “he” is referring
◦ back to the noun (antecedent) “boy.”
◦ Antecedent Pronoun.
TYPES OF PRONOUNS
◦ Personal Pronouns are pronouns that refer to a specific person or thing in a sentence
◦ and can be divided into two groups: nominative and objective.
◦ • Nominative personal pronouns can act as the subject of a sentence (I, you, he, she,
it, we,
◦ they). For example:
◦ I went to the store after work. You should not go to class if you are sick.
◦ • Objective personal pronouns, on the other hand, act as objects of a sentence (me,
you, him,
◦ her, it, us, them). For example:
◦ Alex came out with Joe and me. Melissa really likes him.
POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
◦ Possessive Pronouns are pronouns that show ownership; in other words,
◦ something belongs to someone else (my/mine, your/yours, his, her/hers,
◦ its, our/ours, their/theirs). For example:
◦ That book is mine . Their shoes are under the bed.
◦ Reflexive
REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS
◦ Reflexive Pronouns are pronouns that are used to show that the subject of
◦ the sentence is receiving the action of the verb (myself, yourself, himself,
◦ herself, itself, ourselves, themselves). For example:
◦ She can handle the situation herself. We can write the paper ourselves.
INTENSIVE PRONOUNS
◦ Intensive Pronouns are pronouns that are used only to place emphasis on the
◦ subject and are not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Note: These
◦ pronouns look the same as reflexive pronouns, but they act differently in the
◦ sentence and are always placed next to the subject that they are emphasizing (myself,
yourself,
◦ himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves). For example:
◦ You yourself must go to the police station.
◦ *Here, the pronoun “yourself” is used only to place emphasis on the subject “you” and
does not change the meaning of the sentence.
DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS
◦ Demonstrative Pronouns are pronouns that are used to identify nouns and
◦ answer the question “which one?” (this, that, these, those) For example:
◦ These are the books that John was talking about.
◦ *Here, the pronoun “these” identifies which books John was talking about.
INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS
◦ Interrogative Pronouns are pronouns that are used only in reference to a
◦ question (who, what, which, whom, whose). For example:
◦ Which one of these pens is yours?
◦ Who is that girl?
RELATIVE PRONOUNS
◦ Relative Pronouns are pronouns that are used to connect clarifying information
◦ to nouns or other pronouns within a sentence (who, that, which,
◦ whom, whose, whoever, whichever, whomever, whatever).
◦ Who vs. Whom
◦ Whom is used when referring to an object.
◦ With whom did Alex go out?
◦ The letter should be addressed to whom?
◦ Who is used when referring to a subject.
◦ Who went to the store after work?
◦ Who sings this song?
◦ Note: Refer back to the Personal Pronouns section on page 1 of this skills page. “Who” works like a
nominative pronoun,
◦ while “whom” works like an objective pronoun.
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
◦ Indefinite Pronouns are pronouns that are used in reference to a person
◦ or thing that is not specific or not known. Indefinite pronouns are also
◦ used to identify a general group of people or things (i.e. everyone, everybody, anyone,
anybody,
◦ somebody, most, all, each every, some, none, one, few, both, many, several). For
example:
◦ Everybody has to take the Writing Proficiency Examination in order to graduate.
◦ All of the seniors were excited for graduation.
◦ Note: Singular indefinite pronouns must always take singular verbs. For more information
on indefinite pronouns, see
◦ the skills page on Pronoun Antecedent Agreement.
RECIPROCAL PRONOUNS
◦ Reciprocal Pronouns are pronouns that are used to refer to a mutual
◦ set of people (each other, each other’s, one another, one another’s).
◦ For example:
◦ We need to help one another survive.
◦ They had remembered each other’s phone numbers.
EXERCISES
THANK YOU!!!