Noun

Types of Nouns

 

Every type of noun comes with its own rules.

 

Abstract Nouns

Ideas, concepts, emotions, and other “things” you can’t physically interact with.
You can't see, taste, touch, smell, or hear something named with an abstract noun.

• Success seems to come easily to certain people.
• His hatred of people smoking indoors is legendary.
• She has an incredible love for nature.
• This is of great importance.
• He received an award for his bravery.

 

Collective Nouns

A collective noun is a word that refers to a group.
It can be either singular or plural, but is usually used in the singular.

• Our team is enjoying an unbroken winning streak.
• There’s a pack of hyenas outside.
• Watch out for that swarm of bees.
• You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a herd of wild horses.
• Our class graduates two years from now.

Common Nouns

Common nouns are used to refer to general things rather than specific examples.
Common nouns are not normally capitalized unless they are used as part of a proper name*.

• Be sure to pick a top university.
• Stack those boxes carefully.
• Would you like a cookie with your coffee?
• People are strange.
• My dog won’t stop barking.

 

* Proper Nouns

Europe, Tames, Mary, London...

 

 

 

Concrete Nouns

Concrete nouns are words used for actual things you can touch, see, taste, feel, and hear – things you interact with every day. Notice that concrete nouns can also be countable, uncountable, common, proper, and collective nouns.

• Please remember to buy oranges.
• Have a seat in that chair.

NOTES:

1. Most nouns which refers to jobs, social status etc. have the same form for men and women. However, others have different forms:

• doctor
• teacher 

But...

• actor - actress
• groom - bride
• duke - duchess
• hero - heroine
• host - hostess
• king - queen
• monk - nun
• prince - princess
• waiter - waitress
• widower - widow

 

3. Countable nouns are those which we can count. They have singular and plural forms.

 

Plural form: Spelling rules:

 

a. We normally form plural by adding -s: car > cars

 

b. We form plural by adding -es:

- s                     bus>buses

- ss                   kiss > kisses

- sh                  eyelash > eye lashes

- ch                  watch > watches

- x                    fox > foxes

- o                    tomato > tomatoes

 

c. We form plural in -ies:

 

baby (consonant + Y) > babies but not if  there is a vocal in front of the Y: boy (vocal + Y ) > doys

 

d. Some nous have the same form in the singular and the plural like some animals, word ending in -craft and some nous ending in -s:

• fish > fish
• sheep > sheep
• salmon > salmon
• deer > deer
• hovercraft > hovercraft
• aircraft > aircraft
• series > series
• means > means
• species > species

 

e. Some nouns have irregular plurals:

• man > men
• woman > women
• child > children
• tooth > teeth
• foot > feet
• mouse > mice
• ox > oxen
• goose > geese
• louse > lice    /λάους - λάις/
• penny > pence (and pennies)

 

f. If the word ends in -f or fe we normally have plural form in -ves.

 

knife> knives

life > lives

thief > thieves

loaf > loaves (φρατζόλα)

 

but: chief > chiefs and roof > roofs 

 

4. Countable nouns can be used alone or with / some / any / much / few in the plural.

• I love apples.
• I bought some apples.

 

5. Uncountable noun: are noun which we can count.

• They have no plural.
• Always take singular verbs > Gold is more expensive than silver.
• They don't go with a / an / one / two... > I think water is good for you.
• Can be used alone or with / some / any / much / little / the / my.... > Don't forget to buy (some) coffee. 

NOTE: we use a/ an one / two / ... with uncountable nouns such as beer, coffee tea etc. when we order in a restaurant. e.g.: Will have three beers please.

 

 

6. Uncountable nouns can be:

• many types of food: flour, yogurt, butter, meat, cheese, spaghetti, rice, sugar....
• liquids: coffee, lemonade, oil, petrol, wine, water.....
• material: gold, silver, crystal, wood, china, glass...
• abstract nouns: knowledge, beauty, justice, help, freedom, education, love....
• others: research, luggage, furniture, baggage, hair, weather, behaviour, advice, news, accommodation, information, fun, equipment, litter, rubbish, crockery (πιατικά), cutlery (μαχαιροπήρουνα), jewellery, machinery, money etc.

7. We use the following nouns* with uncountable nouns to show quantity:

• piece: a piece of cake
• glass: a glass of wine
• bottle: a bottle of wine
• rasher: a rasher of bacon
• packet: a packet of rice
• loaf: a loaf of bread
• slice: a slice of bread
• pot: a pot of yogurt / a pot of honey / a pot of tea
• cup: a cup of tea
• kilo: a kilo of meat
• tube: a tube of toothpaste
• bar: a bar of chocolate / a bar of soap
• can: a can of soda / a can of beer / a can of coca-cola
• carton: a carton of milk 
• bowl: a bowl of sugar or soup 

 

* Some of the above nouns can also be used with plural countable nouns

A kilo of tomatoes

A bowl of cherries

 

 

 

8. Some nouns can be used as countable or uncountable, with a different in meaning.

• Would you like a glass of lemonade?
• Tina can't see without her glasses. (spectacles)
• The vase is made of glass. (material)

9.
With countable nouns:
A couple of
several
(a) few
many,
a (good, large, great) number of
both

 

With uncountable nouns:

(Too) much = Too much information!!!

(a) little, a great/good deal of =

a small/large amount of = I recieved a large amount of feedback from my survey

a small/large quantity of

Both countable and uncountable nouns:
a lot of
lots of
(hardly) any
some
no
non
not any
plenty of

Compound nouns

a) noun + noun:

• ticket inspector > ticket inspectors
• bus stop > bus stops
• fire-fly > fire-flies
• football> footballs

b) -ing form + noun:

• swimming pool > swimming pools 
• washing machine > washing machines

c) verb + noun

• breakfast

d) adjective + noun

• full moon > full moons
• blackboard > blackboards
• software > (uncountable)

e) noun + verb

• sunrise
• haircut

f) noun + ing form

• train-spotting
• plain-spotting

d) noun + preposition

• check - out
• check - in

e) preposition + noun

• underworld

f) noun + prepositional phrase e.g. in-law:

• sister in-law > sisters in-law

g) verb + adverb participle:

• breakthrough > breakthroughs

Singular / Plural Verb Form

We use singular verb form with:

a) school subject: mathematics, physics, mathematics (maths), politics

• I think mathematics is a very interesting subject.

b) nouns which refers to sports: gymnastics, athletics


c) nouns which refers to games: billiards, dominoes, darts


d) nouns which refers to illnesses: measles, mumps

• Measles is making a comeback in the US.

e) the world news:

• The news isn't very encouraging I'm afraid.

f) Ουσιαστικά πληθυντικού αριθμού όταν αναφερόμαστε

• σε χρηματικό πόσό: One million pounds was donated to build a new hospital wing.
• χρονική περίοδο
• βάρος
• απόσταση

g) Group nouns: όπως τα jury, family, team, group, crew, crowd, class, audience, committee, council, army, club, press, government, company όταν όμως τα θεωρούμε ως σύνολο.

• The jury is ready to give the verdict.

Όταν αναφερόμαστε σε αυτά σαν σε κάθε μέλος της ομάδας ξέχωριστά τότε το ρήμα μπαίνει στον πληθυντικό αριθμό.

• The jury are staying at the Park Hotel.

We use plural verb form with:

a) nouns such as: clothes, people, police, stairs, (good) looks, surroundings, outskirts, premises, earnings, wage, cattle, poultry

• Designer clothes are rather expensive. 

b) trousers, binoculars, shorts, shoes, gloves, pyjamas, tights, glasses, earrings, socks, scissors.

• Where are your gloves?

We don't use a / an / one / two / ...with these words. We use the phrase pair of... instead.

• I was given a pair of gloves