Kinds of Nouns
California Content Standards:
WC 8.1.4 – Grammar – Edit written manuscripts
to ensure that correct grammar is used.
WC 8.1.5 – Punctuation and Capitalization –
Use correct punctuation and capitalization.
Kinds of Nouns
Common and Proper Nouns
A noun names a person, a place, a thing, or an
idea. All nouns are either proper or common.
 A proper noun names a particular person, place,
thing, or idea.
 Always capitalize proper nouns.
 A common noun names a general class of
person, place, thing, or idea.
Kinds of Nouns
Common and Proper Nouns
Proper: The National Horse Show was held in April in New York.
Common: The annual horse show was held last month in the city.
Modeling
Identify the common nouns and capitalize the proper nouns.
A parade began the ohio horse show.
Common: parade
Proper: Ohio Horse Show
His name was gremlin.
Common: name
Proper: Gremlin
Kinds of Nouns
Common and Proper Nouns
Check for Understanding
Identify the common nouns and capitalize the proper nouns.
A smile hid her fear.
Common: smile, fear
Teams from utah competed.
Common: teams
Proper: Utah
Kinds of Nouns
Concrete and Abstract Nouns
All nouns are either concrete or abstract.
 Concrete nouns refer to material things, to people or to
places.
 Abstract nouns name ideas, feelings, or qualities.
Concrete: This pony is small.
Abstract: Lin wept in sorrow.
Concrete: people, Mexicans, Mount Hood, book, Tom Sawyer
Abstract: love, relief, patriotism, language
Kinds of Nouns
Concrete and Abstract Nouns
Modeling
Identify the concrete nouns and abstract nouns.
Rain leaked through the roof of the stable.
Concrete: Rain, roof, stable
Lynn told us her ideas for the new stalls.
Concrete: Lynn, stalls
Abstract: ideas
Jan shivered in anticipation.
Concrete: Jan
Abstract: anticipation
Kinds of Nouns
Concrete and Abstract Nouns
Check for Understanding
Write each noun. Label it common or proper, and concrete
or abstract. Capitalize the proper nouns.
Is your class studying history?
class – common, concrete
history – common, abstract
Racehorses are bred for speed and endurance.
racehorses – common, concrete
speed – common, abstract
endurance – common, abstract
Kinds of Nouns
Concrete and Abstract Nouns
Guided Practice
Do numbers 1 through 3 on page 23
Raise your hand.
Wait for a stamp
Independent Practice
Complete page 23
Complete page 24
Compound and Collective Nouns
California Content Standards:
WC 8.1.4 – Grammar – Edit written manuscripts
to ensure that correct grammar is used.
WC 8.1.5 – Punctuation and Capitalization –
Use correct punctuation and capitalization.
Compound and Collective Nouns
Compound Nouns
A noun of two or more words is a compound noun.
 Some compound nouns are written as one word.
 Some compound nouns are written as two or
more words.
 Some compound nouns are written with
hyphens.
 Check your dictionary to be sure of the spelling.
Compound and Collective Nouns
Compound Nouns
One Word
Separate Words
Hyphenated Words
bookcase
Edgar Allan Poe
father-in-law
bridegroom
commander in chief
half-moon
porthole
postage stamp
stick-in-the-mud
sportscast
music box
runner-up
headache
water ballet
kilowatt-hour
Compound and Collective Nouns
Collective Nouns
A collective noun names a group or a collection of
people, animals, or things considered as a unit.
Common Collective Nouns
crew
committee
fleet
class
family
jury
orchestra
flock
group
chorus
herd
team
Compound and Collective Nouns
Modeling
Write the collective and compound nouns in sentence.
If there is any disorder, the courtroom will be cleared.
Compound: courtroom
The lawyers for the state will be seated to the left of the judge.
Collective: state
The defense team will be seated to the right of the judge.
Collective: team
The press may not use cameras or tape recorders.
Collective: press
Compound: tape recorders
Compound and Collective Nouns
Check for Understanding
Write the collective and compound nouns in each sentence.
The names of eyewitnesses will be given to the judge.
Compound: eyewitnesses
Gentlemen will wear suits. Ladies will wear suits or shirtwaists.
Compound: Gentlemen, shirtwaists
There will be no animals in the audience.
Collective: audience
Compound and Collective Nouns
Guided Practice
Do numbers 1 through 3 on page 25.
Raise your hand.
Wait for stamp.
Independent Practice
Complete page 25.
Complete page 26.
Combining Sentences: Appositives
California Content Standards:
WC 8.1.3 – Sentence Structure – Use
subordination, coordination, apposition, and
other devices to indicate clearly the
relationship between ideas.
Combining Sentences: Appositives
 An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that identifies,
describes, or renames the noun that it follows.
 You can combine two related sentences by turning one of
them into an appositive.
 Use commas to set off most appositives from the rest of
the sentence.
 Commas show that the appositive gives extra information.
It could be left out without changing the meaning of the
sentence.
 Sometimes an appositive identifies a noun and is central
to the meaning of the sentence. Do not use commas to
set off such an appositive.
Combining Sentences: Appositives
Modeling
Belle is a search-and-rescue dog. Belle is a German shepherd.
Using apposition: With a Comma
Belle, a German shepherd, is a search-and-rescue dog.
Belle’s littermates are also search-and-rescue dogs. One
littermate is named Sampson. Another littermate is named
Blue.
Using apposition: Without a Comma
Belle’s littermate Sampson is also a search-and-rescue dog.
Combining Sentences: Appositives
Modeling
A dog uses alerts to indicate a discovery. Alerts are a bark and
a sharp pull on its lead.
Using apposition: With a Comma
A dog uses alerts, a bark and a sharp pull on its lead, to
indicate a discovery.
The trainer taught Belle many search-and-rescue skills. Belle’s
trainer is named Lucy Juarez.
Using apposition: Without a Comma
The trainer Lucy Juarez taught Belle many search-and-rescue
skills.
Combining Sentences: Appositives
Check for Understanding
I work at Big Mountain Search Dogs. It is a dog-training
facility.
Using apposition: With a Comma
I work at Big Mountain Search Dogs, a dog-training facility.
The police use our dogs to rescue lost hikers or skiers after an
avalanche or a big storm. An avalanche is a slide of either rock
or snow.
Using apposition: With a Comma
The police use our dogs to rescue lost hikers or skiers after an
avalanche, a slide of either rock or snow, or a big storm.
Combining Sentences: Appositives
Check for Understanding
Our dogs are expert sniffers. The names of the expert sniffers
are Tobey and Mack.
Using apposition: Without a Comma
Our dogs Tobey and Mack are expert sniffers.
A Newfoundland eats twenty-five pounds of dog food each
week! The Newfoundland is a dog often used in rescue work.
Using apposition: With a Comma
A Newfoundland, a dog often used in rescue work, eats twentyfive pounds of dog food each week!
Combining Sentences: Appositives
Guided Practice
Combine the first two sentences on page 27 by using an
appositive.
Raise your hand.
Wait for a stamp.
Independent Practice
Complete pages 27 and 28.
Singular and Plural Nouns
California Content Standards:
WC 8.1.6 – Spelling – Use correct spelling
conventions.
Singular and Plural Nouns
Most nouns change form to show number.
A singular noun names one person, place, thing, or idea.
A plural noun names more than one.
You form the plural of most nouns by simply adding –s to
the singular.
Many other plural forms involve spelling changes.
Look up the word in your dictionary when you are not sure
of its plural form.
Singular and Plural Nouns
Regular Forms of Plurals
Add –s to form the plural of these nouns:
Most singular nouns
globes
Michaels
Most nouns ending in o preceded by a vowel
radios
stereos
Many nouns ending in o
pianos
altos
Nouns ending in y preceded by a vowel
donkeys valleys
Proper nouns ending in y
Bradys
Malloys
Some nouns ending in f or fe
Roofs
safes
Nouns ending in s, x, sh, ch, z
boxes
buzzes
Some nouns ending in o preceded by a consonant
echoes
heroes
Add –es to form the plural of these nounds:
Nouns ending in y preceded by a consonant (change fly-----------flies
y to i first)
Some nouns ending in f or fe (change f to v first)
calf--------calves
Singular and Plural Nouns
Irregular Forms of Plurals
Unusual Noun Forms
Some plurals are formed by irregular spelling changes.
child---children foot---feet
mouse---mice
Some nouns have the same singular and plural forms.
deer
Some nouns are used only in the plural form.
clothes
scissors
pants
Some nouns end in s but have a singular meaning.
physics
measles
news
Some nouns from other languages are made plural as in the
original language.
analysis---analyses
alumnus---alumni
Compound nouns usually are made plural by adding –s to the
most important word in the compound.
commanders in chief
brothers-in-law
Compound nouns that are written as one word or do not have
a noun part are made plural by adding –s at the end.
cupfuls
Letters, numbers in mathematics, symbols, and words used
as words are made plural by adding an apostrophe and an –s
(‘s)
a’s
sheep
8’s
grapefruit
forget-me-nots
&’s
but’s
Singular and Plural Nouns
Modeling
What is the plural form of each noun?
Harry
Rule: Proper nouns ending in y
Answer: Harrys
mess
Rule: Nouns ending in s, x, sh, ch, z – add –es
Answer: messes
life
Rule: Some nouns ending in f or fe (change f to v first)
Answer: lives
Singular and Plural Nouns
Modeling
What is the plural form of each noun?
crisis
Rule: Irregular form
Answer: crises
goose
Rule: Irregular form
Answer: geese
3
Rule: Letters, numbers in mathematics, symbols…add apostrophe
and –s (‘s)
Answer: 3’s
Singular and Plural Nouns
Check for Understanding
What is the plural form of each noun?
grandchild
Rule: Irregular form
Answer: grandchildren
church
Rule: Nouns ending in ch, add –es
Answer: churches
Singular and Plural Nouns
Guided Practice
Do numbers 1 and 2 on page 29
Raise your hand
Wait for a stamp
Independent Practice
Complete page 29 and page 30.
Possessive Nouns
California Content Standards:
WC 8.1.6 – Spelling – Use correct spelling
conventions.
Possessive Nouns
Rules for Forming Possessive Nouns
Most singular nouns:
Add an apostrophe and –s (‘s).
Mr. Bass---Mr. Bass’s
Tom---Tom’s
Plural nouns ending with s:
Add only an apostrophe (‘).
girls---girls’
babies---babies’
Joneses---Joneses’
Other plural nouns:
Add an apostrophe and –s (‘s) to
the end.
children---children’s
geese---geese’s
Compound nouns:
Add an apostrophe and –s (‘s) to
the end.
sister-in-law---sister-in-law’s
(singular)
sisters-in-law---sisters-in-law’s
(plural)
Singular and Plural Nouns
Input
Possessive nouns show ownership or relationship.
A possessive noun always has an apostrophe (‘).
Examples:
Jade’s scissors (the scissors that belong to Jade)
the dog’s whiskers (the whiskers of the dog)
the workers’ demands (the demands that the workers made)
Mike’s new address (the new address that Mike has)
Singular and Plural Nouns
Input
If two or more people own a single thing, place the apostrophe
after the last person’s name.
Example:
Miguel and Scott’s basketball
If each owns a thing separately, make each noun possessive.
Example:
Miguel’s and Scott’s basketballs
Singular and Plural Nouns
Modeling
Rewrite each word group another way. Use possessive nouns.
the bikes that Ted and Nick each has
Ted’s and Nick’s bikes
the color of the rabbits
the rabbits’ color
the cat that David and Yolanda own together
David and Yolanda’s cat
the tractor trailers of her son-in-law
her son-in-law’s tractor trailers
Singular and Plural Nouns
Check for Understanding
Rewrite each word group another way. Use possessive nouns.
the clocks that my brother-in-law owns
my brother-in-law’s clocks
the spaghetti dinner that my cousins made
my cousins’ spaghetti dinner
the meow of the cat
the cat’s meow
Singular and Plural Nouns
Guided Practice
Rewrite each word group another way. Use possessive nouns.
the application that Alison made
the request that our teachers made
the car that my mother and father own
Raise your hand
Wait for a stamp
Singular and Plural Nouns
Independent Practice
Do pages 31, 33, and 34
Using Exact Nouns
California Content Standards:
WS 8.1.6 – Evaluation and Revision – Revise
writing for word choice; appropriate
organization; consistent point of view; and
transitions between paragraphs, passages, and
ideas.
Using Exact Nouns
Input
 Use exact nouns to present your ideas clearly so that
readers will understand them.
 By choosing a variety of nouns, you will also make your
writing interesting and provide important details.
Modeling
Example:
The students collected food and clothing for their community
service project.
The students collected canned soup, coats, sweaters and
mittens for their community service project.
Using Exact Nouns
Check for Understanding
Revise the sentence by using a more exact noun in place of
each underlined noun:
Our grade 8 class is collecting things for a local place.
Guided Practice
Revise the sentences by using a more exact noun in place of
each underlined noun:
We need to get clothes for a variety of people.
Since some are children, we also need things they can play
with.
Raise your hand
Wait for a stamp
Using Exact Nouns
Independent Practice
Do page 35