NOUNS –
COMMON V. PROPER,
CONCRETE V. ABSTRACT, AND
COLLECTIVE NOUNS
Common and Proper Nouns


A common noun names any one of a group of
persons, places, things, or ideas.
A proper noun names a particular person, place,
thing, or idea.
Common and Proper Nouns, Examples
Common
country
athlete
newspaper
day
school
book
pen
lion
Proper
United States of America
Michael Jordan
The Wall Street Journal
Fourth of July
Savannah Middle School
To Kill a Mockingbird
Sharpie
Simba
Common and Proper Nouns, Tip

The easiest way to tell if a noun is common or
proper is to see if it is capitalized.

Proper nouns must always be capitalized.

Common nouns will never be capitalized.
Common and Proper Nouns, Practice

Identify each noun in the following sentences. Then,
determine if it is a common noun or a proper noun.

Terry will travel to Mexico and South America in the summer.

My grandfather talked to my cousin at the library.

The students stood at the top of the Empire State Building.

My friends came to my house to watch the Super Bowl.

George accidentally locked his keys in the car.
Concrete and Abstract Nouns,
Definition


A concrete noun names a person, place, or thing
that can be perceived by one or more of the five
senses (smell, sight, taste, touch, or hearing).
An abstract noun names an idea, a feeling, a
quality, or a characteristic and cannot be perceived
by any of the five senses.
Concrete and Abstract Nouns,
Examples
Concrete
bird
airplane
chair
Earth
calendar
salt
snow
Abstract
confidence
patriotism
sadness
Judaism
dedication
bravery
trust
Concrete and Abstract Nouns, Tip


Remember, a concrete noun is something that you
can see, taste, smell, touch, and/or hear.
If you cannot see, taste, smell, touch, or hear
something, and you know it is a noun, then it must be
an abstract noun.
Concrete and Abstract Nouns, Practice

Identify each noun in the following sentences. Then,
determine if it is a concrete noun or an abstract noun.

The referee blew his whistle to stop the game.

The childhood of the boy was full of happiness and joy.

His memory began to deteriorate.

Those two children have a great friendship.

The thunder and lightning kept the boys awake.
Collective Nouns, Definition


A collective noun is a noun that names a group of
people, animals, or things.
Collective nouns are not regular nouns made plural
(usually by adding an “-s”) – they are nouns that
can only refer to a group and cannot be made to
refer to only one part of that group.
Collective Nouns, Examples
Collective Nouns
audience
committee
jury
flock
pack
batch
collection
army
Not Collective Nouns
girls
members
jurors
geese
wolves
cookies
stamps
soldiers
Collective Nouns, Practice

Find the collective nouns in the following sentences.

The team runs at least three miles at every practice.

The committee decided to impeach the group’s leader.

My cousin came to visit and to meet my family for the first time.

After their performance, the singers were given a standing
ovation by the audience.

The school of fish swam close together in order to intimidate
predators.