Types of Nouns

You know that nouns describe people, places, things, and ideas — but can you name the different types
of nouns? From plural nouns to possessive nouns, all the way to common nouns and collective nouns,
there are many ways to name that thing (or person, place, or idea) that you’re trying to describe.

What Do Nouns Do?

Once you know what a noun is, you can identify what kind of noun you’re looking for. There are many
different types of nouns, each designed to serve a different purpose in a sentence (and some can serve
more than one purpose at a time).

nouns name things

nouns perform actions

nouns receive actions

nouns redefine other nouns

Common Nouns

Common nouns refer to people, places, things, or ideas in general terms. They aren’t capitalized, and
they aren’t specific.

My friend joined me for dinner at the restaurant.

Their dad graduated from college.

Your sister bought a new car.

Proper Nouns

Proper nouns name specific nouns, which are always capitalized.

Sheri joined me for dinner at Giovanni’s Pizza.

Dad graduated from UCLA.

Ruby bought a new Mercedes.

Singular Nouns

A singular noun refers to one person, place, or thing.

My brother lives in Oregon.

This meal was very delicious.

I stayed at a hotel last night.

Plural Nouns

A plural noun refers to more than one person, place, or thing. You can make a noun plural by adding -s
or -ies to the end (unless it’s an irregular noun).

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I have lived in three different apartments.

Fiona is planning to take at least two vacations this summer.

Please list two more articles in your research paper.

Concrete Nouns

Concrete nouns exist physically. You can actually touch, see, hear, smell, or taste them.

Can I pet your dog?

Please pass the salt.

Those cookies smell delicious.

Abstract Nouns

Abstract nouns refer to concepts or feelings that cannot be experienced concretely or touched
physically.

All you need is love.

Toddlers practice independence by doing things by themselves.

We must use this time wisely.

Countable Nouns

Countable nouns are nouns that you can count. They can be singular or plural, depending how many
they are. They can also be modified by numbers or quantifying determiners, such as many, most, more,
or several.

There is a bike in that garage. (The word bike is singular because it refers to one bike.)

There are six bikes in that garage. (The plural noun bikes refers to six bikes.)

There are several bikes in that garage. (The quantity of bikes is more than one, so bikes is plural.)

Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns, include nouns that can be measured but not counted (such as intelligence or milk).
They also include all abstract nouns and usually do not take plural forms (you’d say milk, not milks).

The garage is full of clutter. (clutter isn’t countable)

I'm eating oatmeal for breakfast. (oatmeal isn’t countable)

I value our friendship. (friendship isn’t countable)

Collective Nouns

Collective nouns refer to a group of something in particular. They are treated as singular nouns (even
though they describe more than one noun) and use singular verbs.

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A herd of wild buffalo rumbled down the prairie.

There is a crowd of kids in the pool today.

The team did a great job in the competition.

Compound Nouns

A compound noun contains two or more words that join together to make a single noun. They can be
one word (closed form), joined with a hyphen (hyphenated form), or two words (open form).

This new toothpaste is too minty. (closed form)

My son-in-law is so kind and considerate. (hyphenated form)

Can you stop by the post office on your way home? (open form)

Possessive Nouns

Possessive nouns show that a person, place, or thing owns something. Singular possessive nouns end in
an apostrophe and “S”. Some plural possessive nouns that already end in an “S” just have an apostrophe
at the end.

Melissa's imagination ran wild as she daydreamed about her upcoming trip.

Ireland's landscape is truly breathtaking.

The puppies’ favorite toy is the squeaky newspaper.

Words That Act Like Nouns

A few other types of words can function like nouns when they appear in sentences.

Pronouns
Personal pronouns take the place of nouns when referring to people, places or things.

Amy works at a flower shop. She enjoys her job.

The Greeks invented democracy. They sought freedom and equality.

Marley loves pepperoni pizza. The last slice of pizza is hers.

Jennifer is paying for the tickets. Give the money to her.

Things don't look good for John and Ray. The police are looking for them.

Gerunds

Gerunds are -ing verbs that function as nouns. At first glance, gerund examples appear to be verbs. But
if you look a little closer, you’ll find that they’re the subjects or objects of their sentences, not the action
words.

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Do you mind my borrowing these shoes?

Rowing is Juan’s favorite exercise.

I don’t like studying when there’s a test coming up.

Paula enjoys reading on a rainy day.

My nephew likes performing, especially in front of a lot of people.

Test Your Noun Knowledge

There are many types of nouns, each designed to serve a different purpose in a sentence. Test your
knowledge with a quick noun quiz.

Noun Types Quiz

Review the bold words in the sentences below, and decide what type, or types, of noun each one is.
Work through the questions on your own, then review the answers to see how you did.

I'm planning a trip to Pennsylvania later this year.

Your room is such a mess.

Our countertops are made of granite.

My daughter is enrolled in softball camp this year.

That’s Eunice’s new puppy.

My uncle has anxiety about his new job.

I am looking forward to going to the beach.

The class behaved well for the substitute teacher.

Noun Types Quiz: Answer Key

Check your work using the answer key below.

Pennsylvania - proper noun

mess - uncountable noun or common noun

countertops - plural noun or countable noun

daughter - singular noun or common noun

Eunice’s - possessive noun

anxiety - abstract noun

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beach- common noun or singular noun

class - collective noun

Abstract Nouns: Definition and Use Made Clear

Abstract nouns are defined as a type of noun that you can’t see, touch or otherwise directly experience
by any of the human senses. These nouns represent an aspect, concept, idea, experience, state of being,
trait, quality, feeling, or other entity that can’t be experienced with the five senses.

What Is an Abstract Noun?

A noun is a person, place, thing, concept, or idea. There are many types of nouns, including concrete and
abstract nouns. Concrete nouns are people, places, or things that can be experienced by one of the five
senses. Abstract nouns are concepts or ideas that a person cannot see, hear, touch, taste, or smell.
Instead, abstract nouns are intangible concepts or ideas.

The word abstract refers to something that exists apart from concrete existence, which is why the term
is used to describe nouns that can't be directly perceived in a sensory way. For example, freedom cannot
be directly experienced by any of the five senses, though it is, in fact, a noun.

Recognizing When a Noun Is Abstract

It can be difficult to recognize when a noun is abstract because there are so many words that can
function as different parts of speech. For example, some words might function as verbs in some cases
and abstract nouns in other cases. The words love and taste are examples.

love as a verb - I love my husband. (In this sentence, the word love expresses an action, so it is acting as
a verb.)

love as a noun - Send them my love. (In this sentence, the word love functions as a noun. It is an abstract
noun because love itself cannot be directly observed via five senses.)

taste as a verb - Sarah could taste cilantro in the salsa. (In this sentence, the auxiliary verb "could"
functions with "taste" to illustrate an action.)

taste as a noun - Sarah has great taste in clothes. (In this sentence, taste functions as an abstract noun.
Taste refers to Sarah's preferences.)

Keep in mind that when a word represents an action, it is a verb. When a word represents a person,
place, thing, concept or idea, it is a noun. If it can't be directly perceived, then it is an abstract noun.

Common Abstract Noun Examples in Sentences

Abstract nouns can be countable or uncountable (mass). They can also be singular or possessive.
Abstract nouns follow the same grammar rules as other nouns. Consider a few common examples,
broken out by category and paired with sample sentences. For even more words that are abstract
nouns, see examples of abstract nouns.

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Emotions and Feelings

Words used to express what a person's emotional state is or how the individual is feeling are abstract
nouns.

agony - I have been in a constant state of agony since injuring my back.

disgust - She could not hide her disgust.

elation - I can't describe the state of elation I was in after being offered the promotion.

exuberance - Her exuberance is contagious.

hopelessness - I'm trying not to give in to hopelessness.

indifference - His indifference is shocking.

States and Attributes

Some abstract nouns describe a person's state of mind or an attribute that a person has.

determination - I am approaching the job interview with a sense of determination.

dotage - Now that she's in her dotage, my grandmother doesn't hesitate to voice her opinion.

confusion - Things have been in a state of confusion at work since the office manager resigned.

optimism - Her optimism is refreshing.

pessimism - His pessimism is discouraging.

troubled - She is a troubled young lady.

Ideas, Concepts and Ideals

Abstract nouns can also represent various concepts, ideas or even ideals.

camaraderie - There is great camaraderie among the team.

hospitality - I greatly appreciate the hospitality you have shown to me.

sensitivity - This issue needs to be handled with great sensitivity.

leisure - Everyone deserves a bit of leisure.

education - There is no substitute for a good education.

tact - When dealing with delicate situations, tact is of utmost importance.

Movements and Events

Abstract nouns are often used to name events or different types of movements.

activism - For some, activism is a way of life.

commencement - Will you be attending my commencement?

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future - What are your goals for the future?

moment - Qualifying for the Olympics represents an incredible moment in an athlete's life.

performance - That was quite a performance she put on.

progress - There has been much progress over the last year.

Forming Abstract Nouns Using Suffixes

Abstract forms of nouns are very common and an important part of communication. In many cases,
these nouns are derived by adding a suffix or making another alteration to a root word. For example, the
word "child" is a concrete noun. However, "childhood" is an intangible state, so that word is an abstract
noun.

The suffixes listed below are often used to form abstract nouns, as illustrated by a few examples for
each one.

-acy - adequacy; bureaucracy

-ance - defiance; intolerance

-ism - favoritism; racism

-ity - civility; variability

-ment - ailment; argument

-ness - fitness; fondness

-ence - deference; violence

-ship - kinship; scholarship

-tion - coalition; devotion

- ty - certainty; unity

Using Abstract vs. Concrete Nouns in Writing

Abstract nouns name things that can't be seen, heard, tasted, smelled, or touched. They're often used to
convey meaning, from everyday conversation to creative, academic or technical writing. It's important
to keep in mind that abstract nouns can mean different things to different people. To one person, good
taste may mean an eclectic and original style. To another, good taste may mean a clean and modern
look. That's why context clues are so important. Learn about the types and importance of context in
writing so you'll be able to effectively incorporate abstract nouns into your work.