Teaching the Types of Nouns

There are eight categories of nouns. Often, these are paired to show the contrast between the categories. Common nouns refer to general, non-specific nouns, while proper nouns refer to specific nouns. Count and noncount nouns refer to countability or the inability to count a noun. Concrete nouns are tangible, while abstract nouns represent intangible qualities or ideas. Two words are combined to create a compound noun. Collective nouns refer to a group of two or more things or people.

1. Common Nouns name a general, nonspecific thing, person, place, or idea. These can be singular or plural.

• Thing: school
• Person: girl
• Place: city
• Event: parade, 

2. Proper Nouns name a specific thing, person, place, or idea. Proper nouns are always capitalized. These are either singular or plural. (Niagara Falls) 

• Thing: North Elementary School
• Person: Ellen Green
• Place: New York City
• Event: Thanksgiving Day Parade

3. Concrete Nouns are physical and can be touched, heard, seen, or tasted.

• Touch: bowl, wall, shirt
• Hear: water, car, dog
• See: bird, chair, leaf
• Taste: pizza. coffee, cupcake

4. Abstract Nouns name a quality, idea, or condition. They do not have a physical form.

• Quality: love, kindness, understanding
• Idea: truth, freedom, justice
• Condition: happiness, peace, war

5. Count Nouns can be counted and have singular and plural forms. These can have regular or irregular plural forms.

• 1 cat - 3 cats
• 1 table - 12 tables
• 1 fork - 100 forks

• 1 man - 10 men
• 1 fish - 35 fish
• 1 person - 100 people

6. Noncount Nouns cannot be counted. They do not have a plural form. They take single verbs. Groups, gases, liquids, languages, studies, abstract ideas, weather, sports, and recreational activities, and things with small pieces can all be noncount nouns.

• The luggage is packed.
• The smoke drifts slowly into the sky.
• Coffee is my breakfast drink.
• Arabic is spoken in many nations.
• Time passes slowly when you are waiting.

Noncount Nouns Classroom Poster Chart

7. Compound Nouns are two words combined to create a noun.

• snow + man = snowman
• pop + corn = popcorn
• hand + shake = handshake

8. Collective Nouns refer to a group of two or more things or people. 

• a pair of scissors, a pair of pants
• my English class, our track team 
• a herd of cows, a flock of birds