CHAPTER - 5

THE NOUN:THE KINDS OF NOUNS:

(12)  A Noun is the name of a person,  place, or things ; as, Arsalan,   Delhi,   Cat,   table,   steel,   cleverness,   goodness,   beauty.

NOTE:--In ordinary language  the word thing denotes that which  has no life,but

here the word thing means any object or abstract idea we can think about,whether

it has a real existence or not.

                              KINDS OF NOUNS

13.Nouns are of five different kinds:---

1).Concrete        {Proper,Common,Collective,Material}

2).Abstract

14.Study the following sentences:---

>) Akbar was a  wise king.

>) Rama is a clever boy.

>) Bombay is a big city.

*).Here Akbar is the name of a particular king,while the Noun king can be applied

    to allkings.

*).Similarly,Rama is the name of a particular boy,while boy can be applied to

    all boys.

*).Bombay, is the name of a particular city,while city can be applied to all cities.

So Akbar,Rama,Bombay which refer to a particular person or place are

called Proper Nouns.

A Proper Noun is the name of a particular person or place.

[A Proper Noun is always written with a  Capital Letter.]

King,boy,city which denotes no one person  or thing in  particular,but are common

to any and every person or thing of the same kind,are called Common Nouns.

A Common Noun is a name which is common to any and every person or thing of

the same kind.

NOTE:--A Proper Noun may be used as a  Common Noun.

1). He is a Burke(=the greatest orator) of  his age.

2). He is the shakespeare(=the greatest dramatist) of India.

15. A Collective Noun denotes a number  of persons or things grouped together as

      one  complete whole;as,

        

e.g;Crowd,..flock,..fleet,..herd,..committee,..family,...nation,...team,.

      .parliament,...mob,..regiment,...assembly.

*)The crowd was very big.                   

A crowd=a collection of people.

*)The English army  won the day.         

A flock=a collection of sheep.

*)The jury found him guilty.                 

A fleet=a collection of ships.

*)A fleet of fifty ships left the harbour.

16. A distinction is generally made between a Collective Nouns and a Noun of  Multitude.

(1). A Collective  Noun denotes one individual whole;and hence the Verb is singular;as

      e.g;..The Committee consists of twelve members.

(2). A Noun  of Multitude denotes the individuals of the group;and hence the Verb isplural,although the Noun is singular

     e.g;..The Committee (=the members  composing the Committee) are quarrelling among     themselves.

17.A Noun of Material denotes the matter or substance of which things are

     made;as.gold,silver,iron,glass,cotton,wool,clay,steel,stone.

eg;..>) Ornaments are made of silver and gold

       >) Bottles are made of glass
       >) Clothes are made of cotton,wool, and silk.


18.An Abstract Noun is the name of some quality ,state or action considered(or
     imagined) to be apart from the thing to which it belongs.

*)Quality:---Cleverness,goodness,kindness,wisdom.

*)State:---Poverty,youth,manhood,childhood,boyhood,death,sickness,slavery.

*)Action:--Laughter,theft,movement,flight,revenge.



NOTE:--A Concrete Noun denotes a thing which can be perceived by the senses.It
can be seen ,touched,heard,smelt, or tasted; and has also a separate existence.


*)An Abstract Noun relates to something which cannot actually be perceived by
   the senses,and which is considered apart from the object to which it belongs.

e.g;..,we know iron is hard,..stone is hard,..marble is hard


They all possess the quality of hardness.We can think  of this quality,i.e.,
hardness apart from  iron,stone or marble.Hence hardness is an Abstract
Noun;while iron,stone, and  marble are Concrete Nouns.


Exercise 8:-.Point  out the  Nouns in the following sentences ,and say whether
they are   Proper,Common,Collective,Material or Abstract:--

1).A black-board is made of wood.

2).Poverty is a curse.

3).Sweet are the uses of adversity.

4).A gang of robbers entered the city at night.

5).The army was defeated.

6).Delhi is the capital of India.

7).The committee has approved of his appointment.

8).Engines are made of iron.

9).Work is worship.

10).Gold  and silver have I noun.

11).The jury were divided in their opinions.

12).London is the capital of England.

13).Calcutta stands on the Hooghly.

14).Health is wealth.

15).The crew  was a fine one.

16).Parliament will meet next month.

17).I saw a flock of sheep in the field.

18).Patience and preseverance can overcome mountains.

19).Our school team won the match.

20).Our class consists  of twenty boys and ten girls.

21).Cleanliness is next to godliness.