Nouns
(Part II)
Going beyond noun classifications of people, places, things
or ideas and common or proper…
Introducing classifications of concrete or abstract; singular,
plural or possessive; compound; collective
Name_______________________________________ Per._____
Jessica Spangler, 2012. Adapted from a packet by Cynthia Kolanowski, 2006
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Let’s review the basics
Grammar guru:
Why hello again Stu! How wonderful to see you here in
this room again. I can not tell you what happiness your
presence brings me.
Stu Dent:
Um, hi Guru. I’ve missed you too. So how long did it take
you to come up with that greeting that includes a person,
place, thing and idea?
Grammar guru:
Why Stu! How observant of you! I’m glad you remember
the definition of a noun for that is why I am here today.
Stu Dent:
Not only do I remember the definition, I also remember
the difference between common and proper nouns. A
common noun________________________________________
______________________________________________________
whereas a proper noun ________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Grammar guru:
Excellent, Stu! What a fantastic student of grammar you
are. Are you ready to learn some other classifications of
nouns?
Stu Dent:
Guru, I was born ready!
Grammar guru:
Excellent! Let’s make like a huddle of penguins and dive
in!
Jessica Spangler, 2012. Adapted from a packet by Cynthia Kolanowski, 2006
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Part 1: Classification of Nouns
Although a noun is a person, place, thing or idea, there’s more… Nouns can also
be classified as:
common or proper
concrete or abstract
singular, plural, or possessive
compound
collective
Types of nouns
Examples:
Common noun (see previous page)
Proper noun (see previous page)
Concrete noun:______________________________________
___________________________________________________
Abstract noun:______________________________________
___________________________________________________
Singular noun:______________________________________
Plural noun:________________________________________
Possessive noun:____________________________________
___________________________________________________
Jessica Spangler, 2012. Adapted from a packet by Cynthia Kolanowski, 2006
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Collective noun:_____________________________________
___________________________________________________
Compound noun:___________________________________
___________________________________________________
Exercise 1a: A noun or not?
Directions: Determine whether the underlined word in each of the following
sentences is a noun. If it is, write noun; if it isn’t write not a noun.
1. “Picture a beautiful scene in your mind,” the art teacher instructed, “and
then draw it.”
2. A loud, ghastly shriek startled the other guests at the haunted inn.
3. My favorite picture of Georgia O’Keefe may be found in New Mexico.
4. The actors dance and shriek on stage before each performance to relieve
stress.
5. The audience often demands more popcorn if the film is good.
6. The judge found the lawyer’s demands to be unreasonable.
7. When the child double jumped over the jump rope, the crowd went wild.
8. Love is a verb.
9. “Math makes the world go ‘round,” claimed the math teacher
enthusiastically.
10. Blocking out the sunlight, the plague of locusts descended upon the crops.
Exercise 1b: Other nouns? Now go back through the sentences and underline
any other nouns you can find.
Jessica Spangler, 2012. Adapted from a packet by Cynthia Kolanowski, 2006
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A tip for distinguishing between nouns and verbs:_________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
1.1 Concrete and abstract nouns
Exercise 2: Concrete and abstract
Directions: Review your notes on concrete and abstract nouns. Then draw a
picture of one concrete noun and one abstract noun below (but don’t label them).
1.2 Collective nouns
A collective noun names groups of people or things.
Examples:
Jury (a group of people); herd (a group of animals)
Some additional examples of collective nouns:
Jessica Spangler, 2012. Adapted from a packet by Cynthia Kolanowski, 2006
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Important note on collective nouns: A collective noun—like flock or class—is
considered singular when it refers to a group as an entire unit even though a
flock is made up of multiple birds and a class is made up of multiple students.
For example:
The jury is still out. (It is . . .)
The crowd is getting rowdy. (It is…)
The flock is on the move. (It is…)
A collective noun is considered plural when it refers to the individual members
within the group.
For example:
The jury members are in disagreement about the case. (They are . . .)
The mob of kangaroos are lounging in the sun, scratching their ears, and feeding
their young. (They are…)
The flock of tourists were wandering around the town, looking at maps,
attempting to decipher menus, and getting honked at by annoyed drivers. (They
were…)
Exercise 3: Collective nouns
Directions: Underline all the nouns in the following sentences (there are twenty
total). After you have identified all the nouns, circle the five collective nouns.
Optional: for extra practice, identify all nouns as either common or proper, and
concrete or abstract.
1. A panel of scientists debated the probability of life on other planets.
2. An outlandish sketch of an imaginary Martian amused the audience.
3. The performance of the team improved tremendously after the speech
given by the coach.
4. Pickett led his brigade in a daring charge at Gettysburg.
5. William Shakespeare wrote his plays for one particular company of actors.
Jessica Spangler, 2012. Adapted from a packet by Cynthia Kolanowski, 2006
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Fun with collective nouns
The names for groups of animals are amusing and intriguing. Most of us have
heard of a flock of sheep, a pride of lions, or a liter of puppies, but have you
heard of…
A ___________________ of penguins.
A ____________________ of jellyfish.
A _______________________ of owls.
A ________________ of rhinoceroses.
A ________________________ of jays.
A _____________________ of tourists.
A _____________________ of locusts.
A _______________________ of ships.
A __________________ of kangaroos.
An ____________________ of ravens.
1.3 Singular, plural, and possessive nouns
Singular
Plural
Possessive
Plural possessive
book
car
walrus
woman
Jessica Spangler, 2012. Adapted from a packet by Cynthia Kolanowski, 2006
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Exercise 4: Singular, plural, and possessive
Directions: After reading the following sentences, underline all of the nouns. If
the noun is singular, write SG above it. If it is plural, write PLU above it. If it is
possessive, write PS above it. Be prepared to say if the possessive nouns are
singular or plural.
1. The child’s mother picked the toy off the ground for the third time and set
it on the table next to the books.
2. The coach started the boys’ race by blowing his whistle.
3. The people in the audience clapped their hands wildly after the children’s
outstanding performance.
4. The scientists’ convention met yesterday to discuss the findings.
5. The mice’s home was under the shed, safely away from the cat that
prowled outside.
Exercise 5: Punctuating possessive nouns
Directions: Fill in chart with the different forms of the nouns. Look out for the
irregular nouns!
Singular
Plural
Possessive
pillow’s
Plural possessive
planners
man’s
lady
remote controllers’
Jessica Spangler, 2012. Adapted from a packet by Cynthia Kolanowski, 2006
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1.4 Compound nouns
A compound noun is a noun formed by two or more words. A compound noun
may be hyphenated or not. Grammatically, compound nouns are treated as a
single word. Examples: shoe lace, high school, Dell Computer Company, roller
coaster, federal court, mother-in-law.
Exercise 6: Compound nouns
Directions: What other compound nouns can you think of?
Exercise 7: Review
Directions: As an expert grammarian you have been assigned the important job
of classifying ten nouns. Complete the following table by placing an X in each
box that applies to each noun. Here’s an example for roller coaster.
Common
Word
roller coaster
Word
1.
Proper
Collective Concrete
X
Common
Abstract
Compound
X
Proper
Collective
Concrete
X
Abstract
Compound
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Jessica Spangler, 2012. Adapted from a packet by Cynthia Kolanowski, 2006
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Jessica Spangler, 2012. Adapted from a packet by Cynthia Kolanowski, 2006
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Test: woman, women, woman’s, women’s
Lady ladies ladies’
Child children children children’s
Remote controller remote controllers remote controller’s remote controlers’
Planner planners planner’s planners’
Pillow pillows pillow’s pillows’
Abyss abysses abyss’s abysses’
Moose moose moose’s moose’s
Man men man’s men’s
What word can be plural when a ‘s’ is added to it And when an
additional ‘s’ is added to the plural form it turns into a singular
again?
Prince princes princess
Keyboard, street light, parking lot, mouse trap, candy cane,
CUT
More classifications of nouns
Nouns may also be classified as concrete or abstract. A concrete noun names an object
that can be perceived by the senses, e.g., bicycle, hair, airplane. An abstract noun names
or describes an idea or a perception, those things not tangible to the senses of sight,
sound, and touch, i.e., not an object. Examples: beauty, love, strength. The final
classification of nouns is compound.
**USE AS REVIEW** add sing, plural, and possessive
Jessica Spangler, 2012. Adapted from a packet by Cynthia Kolanowski, 2006
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Smack of jellyfish
Mob of kangaroos
Banner of knights
Unkindness of ravens
Crash of rhinoceroses
Plague of locusts
Set of mathematicians
Mischief of mice
Huddle of penguins
Armada of ships
Slither of snakes
Flock of tourists
Jessica Spangler, 2012. Adapted from a packet by Cynthia Kolanowski, 2006
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