Types of Nouns
What is a Noun?
In its simplest sense, a noun is a word, or a group of words, which names a person, an animal, a
thing, a place, an event, an idea or a concept.
The insurance agent helped us with our claim.
This dog barks too much.
New York has wonderful theatres.
There are a variety of noun types, including gerunds or verbal nouns – verbal forms which
actually function as nouns.
Gerunds
The present participle verb form is used to form progressive verb tenses.
He is cooking.
The present participle can also be used as an adjective.
They bought me new cooking utensils.
But notice what role the present participle “cooking” plays in the next sentence.
Cooking is fun.
Here, “cooking” functions as a noun. It is identical in form to the present participle but has a
new function – it is called a gerund, also referred to as a verbal noun, because it shares
properties of both verb and noun. In the following sentences, the gerund and its accompanying
words are in italics; the italicized sections can be replaced by a simple noun or pronoun.
Having experience is an asset for this job.
Experience is an asset.
I believe in exercising daily.
I believe in daily exercise.
I hate knowing that you’ll be late.
I hate anchovies.
Your being here is important.
Calculus is important.
If you were to replace the italicized words (the gerund phrase) with the pronoun “it”, the
sentence would remain grammatically correct, and you could clearly see that the gerund
functions as a noun:
It is an asset for this job.
Academic Skills Centre
Trent University
I believe in it.
I hate it.
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Groups of Words as Nouns
In the following sentences, entire groups of words, or noun phrases, have a noun function within
the sentence:
What really happened remains a mystery.
He told us what he knew on the subject.
Other Kinds of Nouns
The Infinitive: The infinitive is the form of the verb without person or tense, the name of the
verb. It is preceded in English by the word “to”: to run, to walk, to be, etc. Quite often, the
infinitive functions as a noun within a sentence:
He wants to leave.
To err is human, to forgive divine.
Adjectives: Adjectives can also, occasionally, function as nouns:
Red is my favourite colour.
Practice Sentences
Identify the noun or the group of words functioning as a noun in the sentence. Identify what
kind of noun it is: simple noun, gerund, noun phrase, infinitive or adjective.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Big is beautiful.
Seeing him fall in the river made me sad.
The funeral made me sad.
I’m curious about what was said behind my back.
To know him is to love him.
Answer Key
The noun of the sentence is in italics.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Big is beautiful. (adjective)
Seeing him fall in the river made me sad. (gerund)
The funeral made me sad. (simple noun)
I’m curious about what was said behind my back. (noun phrase)
To know him is to love him. ( infinitives)
Academic Skills Centre
Trent University
www.trentu.ca/academicskills
acdskills@trentu.ca