English Writing Basics - Use of Nouns

This is part of a continuing series meant to improve and reteach some of the basics of writing properly in English. Other sections include:

1)  The 8 Parts of Speech
2)  The Use of Nouns



Nouns

* Are an essential component of most sentences.

* Being able to identify different types of nouns can help you improve in 3 areas:

1.       Capitalization becomes easier when you know how to spot proper nouns.

2.       Subject-verb agreement in a sentence depends on whether a noun is countable or non-countable.

3.       Being about to spot abstract nouns and replacing them with concrete nouns can help your writing become more clear a vivid.

* Common Noun – the generic name of one thing in a class of group. (May sometimes become a proper noun.)

* Proper Noun – the name of a person or the official name of a place or thing. All begin with a capital letter. (May sometimes be used figuratively and informally.)

* When the correct form of a verb matches with the subject in a sentence it is called subject-verb agreement.

1.       Count Nouns – Name things that can be counted (ie. books, pens). May be singular or plural. They take the appropriate singular or plural verb forms.

2.       Non-Count Nouns – Name things that can’t be counted (ie. advise, water). Also called collective or mass nouns. Usually takes a singular verb when it is the subject of a sentence. However when there is expressed a quantity of units before a non-countable noun, the verb must agree with the units.

* An article comes before a noun or noun phrase.

1.       The articles (a) or (an) indicates that the noun is indefinite. Use the indefinite article (a) or (an) before a singular count noun when you mention it for the first time. (A) and (an) are never used before a proper noun.

2.       The article (the) indicates that the noun identifies something definite. Plural count nouns are never preceded by (a) or (an). The definite article points to a definite object that is so well understood that it does not need description. A singular or a plural count noun may take the definite article.

3.       Non-count nouns don’t take an indefinite article, except when you’re referring to different types of something that’s not countable. Non-count nouns that represent a collection or a mass may be preceded by a phrase that indicates quantity, such as (a lot of, a little, some, much, any). Non-count nouns may also take the definite article.

* Singular Count Noun – Used in three situations:

1.       When noun was mentioned before.

2.       Identified immediately before or after it was stated.

3.       The noun is unique or the only one in existence. (ie. The Earth)

 

* Abstract Nouns – denote feelings, thoughts, concepts, or ideas. May be interpreted differently by different people.

* Concrete Nouns – name people, places, or things you can experience through at least one of you five senses. They can be clearly visualized and are less likely to cause confusion.