NOUNS

A noun is the word that refers to a person, thing or abstract idea. 
A noun can tell you who or what. 

There are several different types of noun:-

• There are common nouns such as dog, car, chair etc.
• Nouns that refer to people, organisations or places are proper nouns, only proper nouns are capitalised.
• Nouns that refer to things which can be counted (can be singular or plural) are countable nouns.
• Nouns that refer to some groups of countable nouns, substances, feelings and types of activity (can only be singular) are uncountable nouns.
• Nouns that refer to a group of people or things are collective nouns.
• Nouns that are made up of two or more words are called compound nouns.
• Nouns that are formed from a verb by adding -ing are called gerunds

COMMON  NOUNS

A common noun is a word that names people, places, things, or ideas. They are not the names of a single person, place or thing.

A common noun begins with a lowercase letter unless it is at the beginning of a sentence.

For example:-

1.    People:- man, girl, boy, mother, father, child, person,   

               teacher, student, doctor, sister, brother

2.    Animals:- cat, dog, fish, ant, snake, tiger, lion, swam

3.    Things:- book, table, chair, phone, fan, bag, ruler

4.    Places:- school, city, building,  shop, cinema, post office

( 1.1)   EXERCISE - COMMON NOUNS
Identify the Common Nouns in the following sentences.

1.   We arrived early at the station. 

              2. There are different species of fish.

3. The man was trying to steal his car.

4. They have gone to the zoo.

5. The baby is crying.

6. My mother is in the kitchen.

7. He threw some nuts to the monkeys.

8. The children are playing in the field.

9. That temple was built before I was born.

10. He has bought a new car.

11. My father likes to swim.

12. She won a trophy in a competition.

13. I like to ride on a camel.

14. Do birds eat meat?

15. He went to visit his uncle.

16. My brother wants to play with us.

17. Let me have a look at your puppy.

18. The taxi broke down.

19. The boys are playing noisily.

20. She is hanging out the clothes to dry.

Answer:

1.We arrived early at the station.

2.There are different species of fish.

3.The man was trying to steal his car.

4.They have gone to the zoo.

5.The baby is crying.

6.My mother is in the kitchen.

7.He threw some nuts to the monkeys.

8.The children are playing in the field.

9.That temple was built before I was born.

10.He has bought a new car.

11.My father likes to swim.

12.She won a trophy in a competition.

13.I like to ride on a camel.

14.Do birds eat meat?

15.He went to visit his uncle.

16.My brother wants to play with us.

17.Let me have a look at your puppy.

18.The taxi broke down.

19.The boys are playing noisily.

20.She is hanging out the clothes to dry.

 

PROPER  NOUNS

Proper nouns (also called proper names) are the words which name specific people, organisations or places. They always start with a capital letter.

For example:-

1.  Person's name is a proper noun:

    - Lynne Tan,  Lim Zi Yi, Low Yee Hang

2.  The names of companies, organisations or trade marks:

     - Microsoft , Rolls Royce , the Round Table , WWW

3. Given or pet names of animals:

     - Pussy, Rocky, Comel, Si Putih

4. The names of cities and countries:

     -Paris, London , New York ,England , Malaysia, Kedah

5. Monuments, buildings, meeting rooms:

     - The Taj Mahal , Petronas Twin Tower, Room 222

6. Months, days of the week, holidays:

     - Monday, Christmas , December 

( 1.2)   EXERCISE - PROPER NOUNS

Use capital letters for Proper Nouns in the following sentences. 

1. paris is the capital of france.

2. i live in sungai petani, kedah.

3. ‘war and peace' was written by leo.

4. william is a famous english author.

5. david will travel to japan next month.

6. john's two dogs are named rover and boxer.

7. tunku abdul rahman is our first prime minister.

8. mr. wong and his family go to penang by ferry.

9. mei ling worked in sjk (c) tai tong since two years ago.

10. mount kinabalu is the highest mountain in malaysia.

Answer:

1. Paris is the capital of France.

2. I live in Sungai Petani, Kedah. 

3. ‘War and Peace' was written by Leo.

4. William is a famous English author. 

5. David will travel to Japan next month.

6. John's two dogs are named Rover and Boxer.

7. Tunku Abdul Rahman is our First Prime Minister.

8. Mr. Wong and his family go to Penang by ferry.

9. Mei Ling worked in SJK (C) Tai Tong since two years ago.

10. Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Malaysia.

 

COLLECTIVE NOUNS

A collective noun is a noun that is singular in form but refers to a group of people or things. 

Sometimes they refer to a group of specific things:-

For example:-

Tables, chairs, cupboards etc. are grouped under the collective noun furniture.
Plates, saucers, cups and bowls are grouped under the collective noun crockery.

These collective nouns are often uncountable.

Sometimes they are more general:-

For example:-

1.  Groups of people

  - army, audience, band, choir, class, committee, crew, 
    family, gang, orchestra, police, staff, team

2.  Groups of animals

 - colony, flock, herd, pack, gaggle, school, swarm, pride

3. Groups of things

     - bunch, bundle, clump, pair, set, stack , packet

*When such a group is considered as a single unit, the collective noun is   

    used with a singular verb and singular pronouns.*

For example - The committee has reached its decision.

*A determiner in front of a singular collective noun is always singular.*

 this committee , never these committee (but of course when the collective noun is pluralized, it takes a plural determiner: these committees ). 

( 1.3)   EXERCISE - COLLECTIVE NOUNS

Fill in the blank s with suitable collective nouns.

 

1. A _____ of birds flew high in the sky.

2. They saw a _____ of lions at the zoo.

3. The farmer has a _____ of cattle on his farm.

4. He ate a _____ of grapes today.

5. Our friend shows us a _____ of stamps.

6. We saw a _____ of sheep on our way home.

7. Police have arrested a _____ of thieves.

8. She bought a _____ of  bananas from the market.

9. You can put the _____ of tools in that box.

10. The _____ of pupils are listening attentively to their teacher.

 

Answer:

1. flock / flight

2. pride / troop

3. herd / drove

4. bunch

5. collection

6. flock

7. pack / gang

8. bunch / comb

9. set

10.class