PINNACLE COACHINGS

CHAPTER-1 THE NOUN

(1.Common noun, 2. Proper noun, 3.Collective noun, 4.Abstract noun, 5.Material noun)

Definition :
A noun is a word, it is used as the name of a person, animal, place, bird, idea, emotion or thing.
For example boy , girl, table, chair, peacock, honesty, happiness, wisdom, book etc.,
e.g.
Person

David, Sister, Woman, Brother

Place

Chennai, London, Delhi, Maxico

Animal

Tiger, Elephant, Lion, Deer

Bird

Parrot, Crow, Swan, Peacock

Emotion

Happiness, Sadness, Thought, Toy

Thing

Pen, Book, Computer, Pencil

Types of nouns
NOUNS ARE NAMING words. The y identify people, things or place in our world. Nouns come in
six different forms: proper, common, abstract, concrete, collective, and compound.
Further, the nouns can be classified into two major types as : countable and uncountable nouns.

1. Common noun :
Definition :
A common noun is a name given in common to every person or thing of the same class of kind.
These common nouns are words for things .
e.g.
chair

bicycle

television

hammer

ladder

computer

axe

calculator

cooker

saw

crayons

book

courage

ruler

printer

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laziness

lawnmower

dictionary

These common nouns are words for animals .

e.g.
cat

kitten

lion

dog

puppy

tiger

horse

foal

elephant

goat

kid

whale

frog

tadpole

kangaroo

sheep

lamb

bear

These common nouns are words for places .

e.g.
airport

hostel

temple

university

hotel

mosque

stadium

bank

school

park

library

college

farm

theater

post office

zoo

mall

police station

These common nouns are words for people who do certain things.
e.g.
artist

teacher

police officer

singer

headmaster

plumber

dancer

manager

driver

director

doctor

writer

magician

lawyer

farmer

artist

clerk

friend

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2. Proper noun :
Definition :
A proper noun is the name of some particular person, place, thing, particular event, or group. This
proper noun begins with a capital letter. If the noun is nonspecific, that is, the noun refers to a
general idea and not a specific person, place, or thing, it is usually not a proper noun, so it it not
capitalized.
e.g.
Specific

Nonspecific

World war II

A war

English class

A class

The American Bar Association

The association

These peoples names are proper nouns.

e.g.
Aladdin

Muhammad Ali

Dad

Harry Potter

George Washington

Mom

Mahatma Gandhi

Hitler

Granny

Santa Claus

Nelson Mandela

Uncle David

Confucius

Jayalalitha

Miss Park

Alex Rodriguez

Jacky chan

Mr.Raj

The names of the days of the week and the months of the year are proper nouns.
e.g.
days of the week

months

Sunday

January

August

Monday

February

September

Tuesday

March

October

Wednesday

April

November

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Thursday

May

Friday

June

Saturday

July

December

The names of special days and celebrations are also proper nouns.
e.g.
New Years Day

Dewali

Valentines Day

Ramadan

Independece Day

Christmas

Labour Day

Memorial Day

Falg Day

Thanksgiving

Republic Day

Veterans Day

The names of famous places , buildings and monuments are proper nouns.
e.g.
The Taj Mahal

The Statue of Liberty

The Eiffel Tower

Chaco Canyon Pueblo

The Golden Gate Bridge

the Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Great Wall of China

Buckingham Palace

The names of people who live in a particular country are also proper nouns.
e.g.
Country

People

Afghanistan

Afghans

Australia

Australians

Britain

The British

Germany

Germans

USA

Americans

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India

Indians

3. Collective noun :
Definition :
i) A collective noun is a name of a number (collection) of persons or things taken together and
spoken of as one whole as:
Crowd, mob, team, flock, herd, army, fleet, jury, family, nation, parliament, committee.
ii) Nouns that refer to a specific group of persons or things are called Collective Nouns.
These are nouns for groups of people. Here are some collective nouns for groups of people.
e.g.
a family

a committee

a community

a company

a band

a gang

a choir

the government

an audience

the army

Many collective nouns can be used with a singular or plural verb .

e.g.

The crowd was orderly.

The people were clapping, yelling and cheering.

Here are more collective nouns we can use for groups of people .
e.g.
A crowd of people

An army of soldiers

a panel of judges

A tem of players

a class of schoolchildren

a company of actors

a gang of thieves

a band of musicians

Many groups of animals have their own special collective nouns.

e.g.
a brood of chickens

a litter of puppies

a school of fish

a flock of birds

a pack of wolves

a swarm of bees

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a drove of sheep

a pride of lions

a troop of monkeys

a herd of cattle

a pod of dolphins

a gaggle of geese

Some groups of things also have their own special collective nouns.
e.g.
a bunch of bananas

a deck of cards

a fleet of vehicles

a bunch of flower

a cluster of grapes

a suite of rooms

a bunch of keys

a grove of trees

a suite of furniture

a bouquet of flower

a fleet of ships

a set of tools

Some nouns name the amount or form of something.

e.g.
a loaf of bread

a bar of soap

a bar of chocolate

The words a piece of mean a single serving or part of something.

e.g.
a slice/piece of bread

a slice/piece of cheese

a sheet/piece of paper

a piece of chalk

a piece of advice

a piece/square of
chocolate

4. Abstract noun :
Definition :
An abstract noun is usually the name of a feelings, ideas, action, state and characteristics, or
qualities considered apart from the object to which it belongs as.
Most abstract nouns end with these suffixes:
e.g.
-ism

-ment

-ity

nationalism

argument

personality

-tion

-ship

-ence

aggravation

friendship

silence

This abstract noun cannot be seen, heard, touched or tasted but it can only be felt by our sense. The
abstract noun is not visible.
e.g.

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wiseness, goodness, kindness, whiteness, darkness, honesty, wisdom,
Quality

bravery

Action

quarreling, jog, laughter, theft, movement, judgement, hatred

State

poverty, childhood, boyhood, manhood, youth, slavery, sleep, death

For example, we cannot be 'happiness' but we can feel that in our heart or mind. The names of the
subject of study (e.g. grammar, music, chemistry, etc.) are also Abstract Nouns.

(i) Concrete nouns :

in opposite to abstract noun, the concrete nouns can be seen or touched by us.
e.g.
building

iron

steel

gold

(ii) Countable nouns :

(countables) are the names of objects, people, etc. that we can count. And they have their own
singular and plural forms.
e.g.
book

apple

doctor

horse

books

apples

doctors

horses

(iii) Uncountable nouns :

(uncountables) are the names of things which we cannot count, e.g. milk, oil, sugar, gold, honesty.
The uncountable nouns generally refer to
e.g.
drinks

coffee, tea

materials

wood, glass, gold, silver

liquids

milk, oil, petrol

games

cricket, tennis, football

gases

air, oxygen

Countable nouns have plural forms while uncountable nouns do not. Even the abstract nouns are also
uncountable nouns.
For example, we say boys but we cannot say oils.

5. Material noun :
Definition :
There are the raw elements or objects existing in nature.

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e.g.
Iron

Gold

Stones

Brass

Aluminium

Mercury

Plastic

Mat

THE NOUN - GENDER

(1.Masculine Gender, 2. Feminine Gender, 3.Common Gender, 4.Neuter Gender)

Definition :
The Gender of noun indicates the sex or the absence of sex.
For example, boy, girl, hero, heroine, lion, lioness, etc.

1. Masculine Gender :
Definition :
A noun that denotes a MALE SEX is called Masculine Gender.
Masculine nouns are words for men, boys and male animals.
e.g.
boy

lion

bull

dog

2. Femine Gender :
Definition :
A noun that denotes a FEMALE SEX is called Femine Gender.
Feminine nouns are words for women, girls and female animals.
e.g.
girl

lioness

cow

bitch

3. Common Gender :
Definition :
A noun that denotes either a male or a female sex is said to be of the common gender.
e.g.
child

student

4. Neuter Gender :

friend

pupil

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Definition :
A noun that denotes a lifeless thing is called Neuter Gender. The noun that denotes a thing that is
neither male nor female is called Neuter Gender.
e.g.
book

pen

room

tree

Ways of forming the feminine of Nouns

1. Here are some more masculine and feminine nouns for people.
Masculine

Feminine

father

mother

son

daughter

brother

sister

nephew

niece

man

woman

uncle

aunt

master

mistress

emperor

empress

bachelor

maid / spinster

sir

madam

2. Here are some masculine and feminine nouns for male and female animals. There is
one general word for the animal and special word for male and female.
Animal

Masculine

Feminine

chicken

rooster

hen

duck

drake

duck

cattle

bull

cow

goose

gander

goose

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fox

fox

vixen

tiger

tiger

tigress

pig

boar

sow

horse

stallion

mare

donkey

jack

jenny

3. By using an entirely different words; as

Masculine

Feminine

boy

girl

bachelor

maid / spinster

brother

sister

dog

bitch

king

queen

drake

duck

monk

nun

hart

roe

buck

doe

earl

countees

4. By adding a syllable (-ess, -ine, trix, -a, etc) as,

Masculine

Feminine

author

authoress

count

countess

giant

giantess

heir

heiress

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lion

lioness

host

hostess

mayor

mayoress

steward

stewardess

shepherd

shepherdess

poet

poetess

4. By adding -ess after dropping the vowel of the masculine ending

Masculine

Feminine

Actor

Actress

Duke

Duchess

Emperor

Empress

Tiger

Tigress

Waiter

waitress

Negro

Negress

Abbot

Abbess

Traitor

Traitress

Executor

Executix

Testator

Testatrix

5. By a word suffix or prefix, like

Masculine

Feminine

Man-servant

Maid-servant

Milk-man

Milk-maid

Grand-father

Grand-mother

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Bull-calf

Cow-calf

Cock-Sparrow

Hen-Sparrow

He-goat

She-goat

Land-lord

Land-lady

Pea-cock

pea-hen

Note : Objects without life are often personified, that is, spoken of as if they were living beings. We
then regard them as males or females.
The Masculine Gender is often applied to objects remarkable for Strength and violence; as,
The Sun

Summer

Winter

Death

The sun sheds his beams on rich and poor alike.

The Feminine Gender is sometimes applied to objects remarkable for beauty, gentleness, and
gracefulness; as,
The Moon

the Earth

Spring

Nature

The moon has hidden her face behind a cloud.

THE NOUN - NUMBER

(1.Singular Number, 2.Plural Number)

Definition :
Numbers are often used before nouns to tell you exactly how many people or things there are.
Numbers are adjectives, too. They tell us how many people, animals, or things there are. Sometimes
they are calledadjectives of quantity.
e.g.
I have two childrens

We bought three books

two princes

seven elves

sixteen snails

one giant

a hundred

many more

1. Singular Number :

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Definition :
A noun that denotes onl y ONE person or thing is said to be in the SINGULAR NUMBER.
e.g.
Book

Basis

Index

2. Plural Number :
Definition :
A noun that denotes MORE THAN ONE person or thing is said to be in the PLURAL NUMBER.
e.g.
Books

Bases

Indices

Formation of Plurals
The usual construction of plural nouns from singular nouns is to add -s to the end of a word.
e.g.
Singular

Plural

Singular

Plural

Bird

Birds

Boy

Boys

Dog

Dogs

Chair

Chairs

Cat

Cats

Table

Tables

Cow

Cows

Desk

Desks

Nouns ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -o, -x, or -z form the plural by adding -es to the singular; as,
e.g.
Singular

Plural

Singular

Plural

Bus

Buses

Match

Matches

Brush

Brushes

Tax

Taxes

Mango

Mangoes

Hero

Heroes

Buzz

Buzzes

Kis

Kisses

A few nouns ending in -o merely add -s; as,

e.g.
Singular

Plural

Singular

Plural

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Dynamo

Dynamos

Piano

Pianos

Ratio

Ratios

Memento

Mementos

Photo

Photos

Stereo

Siereos

Logo

Logos

Canto

Cantos

video

videos

zoo

zoos

kangaroo

kangaroos

hippo

hippos

Nouns ending in -y, preceded by a consonant, form their plural by changing y into i and
adding es,
e.g.
Singular

Plural

Singular

Plural

City

Cities

Duty

Duties

Baby

Babies

Lady

Ladies

Army

Armies

Story

Stories

Nouns ending in -y, preceded by a vowels, form their plural by adding s to the singular,
e.g.
Singular

Plural

Singular

Plural

Boy

Boys

Day

Days

Monkey

Monkeys

Key

Keys

Toy

Toys

Way

Ways

Nouns ending in -f or -fe form their plural by changing -for -fe into v and adding -es ; as,
e.g.
Singular

Plural

Singular

Plural

Calf

Calves

Thief

Thieves

Leafe

Leaves

Knife

Knives

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Self

Selves

Wife

Wives

some nouns that end in f are made plural simpl y by adding s.

e.g.
Singular

Plural

Singular

Plural

chief

chiefs

handkerchief

handkerchiefs

roof

roofs

cliff

cliffs

Some nouns that end in f can be made plural in two wa ys.

e.g.
Singular

Plural

Plural

scarf

scarfs

scarves

hoof

hoofs

hooves

wharf

wharfs

wharves

dwarf

dwarfs

dwarves

Irregular nouns :
A few nouns form their plural by changing the inside vowel of the singlar; as,
e.g.
Singular

Plural

Singular

Plural

Man

Men

Thief

Thieves

Woman

Women

Tooth

Theeth

Analysis

Analyses

Goose

Geese

A few nous form their plural by adding en to singular: as

e.g.
Singular

Plural

Singular

Plural

Ox

Oxen

Child

children

Some nouns have the singular and the plural alike.

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e.g.
Sheep

Deer

Swine

Cod

Trout

salmon

aircraft

spacecraft

Series

species

pair

score

thousand
(when used
Hundred

after numerals)

gross

Some nouns are used onl y in the plural.

These nouns are always plural.
e.g.
Scissors

Spectacles

Tongs

Trousers

Drawers

Draughts

Jeans

pyjamas

Mumps

Measles

Billiards

Assets

thanks

tidings

aims

riches

shorts

pants

binoculars

scissors

Some nouns are used commonly in Singular.

The following nouns look plural but are in fact singular
e.g.
Civics

Maths

News

Physics

electronics

measles

billiards

Politics

Certain collective Nouns though singular in form, are alwa ys used as plurals: as
e.g.
poultry

cattle

people

gentry

Some nouns given different meaning when the y are in singular and plural.
e.g.
Singular

Meaning

Plural

Meaning

Air

Gas around us

Airs

unnatural manners

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Good

Fine, nice

Goods

Luggage

Copper

a kind of metal

Coppers

police men

Wood

Timber

Woods

forest

Compass

Range

Compasses

an instrument for drawing circles

Respect

Regard

Respects

Compliments

Physic

medicine

Physics

natural science

Force

strength

Forces

troops

The plural form for numbers and letters is made by adding apostrophe and s.
e.g.
dos and donts

Two 2s are four

THE NOUN - PERSON

Definition :
A person or thing that is addressed is said to be the Vocative Case or Nominative of Address.

Function of a Noun
A noun can have one of the following five uses or functions
The subject of a verb:

e.g. David sings well

The object of a transitive verb:

e.g. He bought a pen

The complement of an incomplete verb:

e.g. My brother is a doctor

The object of a preposition.

e.g. He went by this door

In opposition to the noun that goes before it.

e.g. David, my cousin, is a great scholar

THE NOUN - CASE

(1.Nominative, 2.Objective or Accusative, 3.Possessive or Genitive, 4.Vocative or Nominative of

Address, 5.Dative)

The Case of a noun can be classified into FIVE.

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1. Nominative Case

Definition :

A noun or a pronoun, when it is used as the SUBJECT OF A VERB, it is said to be in the

Nominative Case.
e.g.

He bought a book

In the given example He is the subject. It is the answer to the question who bought the book?
Bought the book? is the Predicate and it contains the Verb Bought. So the noun He is said to
be in the Nominative Case.

e.g.

Jems was a Singer

Proper Noun

Stars shine at night

Common Noun

Platinum is very precious

Material Noun

The army advanced

Collective Noun

Note :To find the Nominative Case ask the question WHO or WHAT to the verb

2. Objective or Accusative Case

Definition :

A noun or a pronoun, when it is used as the OBJECT OF A VERB, it is said to be in

theOBJECTIVE CASE.

e.g.

John killed a dog.

In the given example A dog is teh answer to the question What did John kill? Therefore the
noun dog is called the OBJECT and it is said in the Objective Case.

e.g.

Jems broke the door

Common Noun

He saw teh crowd

Collective Noun

We went to London

Proper Noun

Dhoni sold all his Gold

Material Noun

Note : To find the Objective or Accusative Case put WHOM or WHAT before the verb and its
object.

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3. Prossessive or Genitive Case

Definition :
A noun or a pronoun, when it is used to show owenership or possession, authority, origin,
kind etc.,
It is said to be in the Possessive or Genitive Case.

e.g.

This is Johns bike.

When the noun is Singular, the Possessive Case is formed by adding S (apostrophe S) to the
noun and when it is S ending Plural by adding an apostrophe after the S (S)

e.g.

Singular

Possessive

Plural

Possessive

Boy

Boys

Boys

Boys

Book

Books

Books

Books

Girl

Girls

Girls

Girls

Man

Mans

Men

Mens

Our

Ours

Women

Womens

My

Mine

Parents

Parents Day

You

Yours

80

80s

2009

2009s

It

Its

Who

Whose

4. Vocative Case or Nominative Case

Definition :
When the noun is the name of a person SPOKEN TO or ADDRESSED, it is said to be in the
Vocative case or we call its case, the Nominative of address
Sit down, Peter

Note : Here Peter is addressed.

Dative Case

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Definition :
When a noun indicates the indirect object of the verb - generall y, GIVE it is said to be in the
Dative Case.
David gave Mirza a pen
In the above sentence Dav i d was the person to whom Mirza gave a pen. The Indirect object of a verb
denotes the person to whome something is given or for whom something is done.
Mirza bought Sachin a letter.

Get Sachin an umbrella.

COMPOUND NOUNS
Definition :
When we put two or more words together to create a new word, we have made a compound noun.
Nouns of more than one word are called compound nouns.
e.g.
noun + noun

police officer

ice-cream

firefighter

noun + verb

carwash

haircut

milkshake

verb + noun

cross-road

cookbook

jump rope

adjective + noun

black eye

blue jeans

hotdog

adverb + noun

on-looker

downtime

overtime

adverb + verb

input

output

upswing

Compound nouns can take three forms: hyphenated, solid and open.

HYPHENATED COMPOUNDS
When two or more words are connected by one or more hyphens, the result is a hyphenated compound.
Some compound words are hyphenated to avoid being misread or ambiguous.
e.g.
sister-in-law

jack-in-the-box

state-of-the-art

shout-out

mind-set

five-year-old

SOLID COMPOUNDS
Solid compounds are words that are used as a single unit of meaning and it is closed up as solid, or
closed, compounds.

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e.g.
rollback

restroom

whatever

breakfast

needlepoint

slingshot

OPEN COMPOUNDS
Sometimes no hyphenating or closing up is necessary to form a compound. Open compounds are words
that are used as a single unit of meaning but are still written separately as two words.
e.g.
wet nurse

roller coaster

whatever

sleeping bag

first aid

mug shot

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