English Grammar: Kinds of Noun
1. The 5 Types of Noun (Overview)
1. Proper
Particular Name
(Specific)
(Specific)
2. Common
General Name
(Class/Category)
(Class/Category)
3. Collective
Group Name
(Collection)
(Collection)
4. Material
Substance Name
(Matter/Metal)
(Matter/Metal)
5. Abstract
Felt Only
(Action/State)
(Action/State)
2. Detailed Examples
-
PROPER: (Always starts with Capital Letter)
Rohan Mumbai The Gita Toyota July -
COMMON: (General names for everyone in that class)
Boy City Book Car Month Dog -
COLLECTIVE: (Groups considered as one unit)
Army (Soldiers) Team (Players) Fleet (Ships) Bunch (Keys) Library (Books) -
MATERIAL: (Raw matter used to make things)
Gold Wood Water Milk Cotton Iron -
ABSTRACT: (Cannot see/touch; FAQS)
Honesty Bravery Childhood Sleep Laughter
3. Distinctions (How one word switches types)
A. Proper vs. Common
| Proper Noun (Specific) | Common Noun (General) |
|---|---|
| Rohan is a good boy. | Rohan is a good boy. |
| India is my country. | India is a country. |
⚠️ Special Case: When Proper becomes Common
Rule: If you put “The/A” before a Proper name to compare qualities, it becomes Common.
Example: “Kalidas is the Shakespeare of India.”
(Here ‘Shakespeare’ refers to the *class* of great writers, so it acts as a Common Noun.)
Rule: If you put “The/A” before a Proper name to compare qualities, it becomes Common.
Example: “Kalidas is the Shakespeare of India.”
(Here ‘Shakespeare’ refers to the *class* of great writers, so it acts as a Common Noun.)
B. Common vs. Material
| Material Noun (The Substance) | Common Noun (The Finished Item) |
|---|---|
| Gold is expensive. | I bought a Ring. |
| This chair is made of Wood. | I planted a Tree. |
| I like to eat Fish. (Food) | I saw a Fish in the pond. (Animal) |
Identity Test:
Material Noun = Uncountable (Weigh/Measure).
Common Noun = Countable (1, 2, 3…).
Material Noun = Uncountable (Weigh/Measure).
Common Noun = Countable (1, 2, 3…).
4. How to Create Abstract Nouns
We can transform Verbs, Adjectives, and Common Nouns into Abstract Nouns by adding Suffixes.
| Source Type | Base Word | Suffix Added | Result (Abstract Noun) |
|---|---|---|---|
| From Adjectives |
Brave | -ry | Bravery |
| Honest | -y | Honesty | |
| Happy | -ness | Happiness | |
| Wise | -dom | Wisdom | |
| From Verbs |
Know | -ledge | Knowledge |
| Grow | -th | Growth | |
| Laugh | -ter | Laughter | |
| Decide | -sion | Decision | |
| From Common Nouns |
Child | -hood | Childhood |
| Friend | -ship | Friendship | |
| King | -dom | Kingdom |
English Grammar: Kinds of Noun
1. The 5 Types with Detailed Examples
1. PROPER NOUN (Particular Name)
Clue: Always starts with a Capital Letter. No A/An/The usually.
A. Rohan lives in Mumbai.
Explanation: “Rohan” is the specific name of a boy. “Mumbai” is the specific name of a city.
B. I drive a Toyota.
Explanation: “Toyota” is the particular name of a brand, not just any car.
2. COMMON NOUN (General Class)
Clue: Shared by all. Can be Singular or Plural (Boys, Cities).
A. The boy reads a book.
Explanation: “Boy” refers to any male child. “Book” refers to any reading material.
B. It is a big city.
Explanation: “City” is a general category. It could be any city (Delhi, New York, etc.).
3. COLLECTIVE NOUN (Group Name)
Clue: A name given to a group treated as ONE unit.
A. The Army marched forward.
Explanation: “Army” is the name for the whole group of soldiers.
B. She gave me a bunch of keys.
Explanation: “Bunch” represents the collection held together.
4. MATERIAL NOUN (Substance)
Clue: Raw matter. Can be weighed/measured, but NOT counted (1, 2, 3).
A. The necklace is made of Gold.
Explanation: “Gold” is the metal (substance). You weigh gold, you don’t count “one gold”.
B. Drink some milk.
Explanation: “Milk” is a liquid substance (measured in liters).
5. ABSTRACT NOUN (Felt Only)
Clue: FAQS (Feeling, Action, Quality, State). No physical body.
A. Honesty is the best policy.
Explanation: “Honesty” is a quality. You cannot touch it, only feel/understand it.
B. Laughter is good for health.
Explanation: “Laughter” is the name of an action.
2. Concept Distinctions (The “Vs” Battles)
A. Proper Noun vs. Common Noun
The Comparison Rule: If you put “The” or “A” before a Proper Name to compare qualities, it becomes a Common Noun.
| Original (Proper Noun) | Transformed (Common Noun) |
|---|---|
| Kalidas is a poet. | Kalidas is the Shakespeare of India. (Means: The Greatest Dramatist) |
| Samudra Gupta was a king. | Samudra Gupta is the Napoleon of India. (Means: The Great Conqueror) |
| Kashmir is beautiful. | Kashmir is the Switzerland of India. (Means: A beautiful place with mountains) |
| Hitler was a dictator. | He is a Hitler. (Means: A strict/cruel person) |
| Surdas was a blind poet. | Surdas is the Milton of India. (Means: A great blind poet) |
B. Common Noun vs. Material Noun
The “Count” Test:
If you can count it (1, 2, 3…) → Common.
If you can only weigh/measure it → Material.
If you can count it (1, 2, 3…) → Common.
If you can only weigh/measure it → Material.
| Material (Substance) – No Article | Common (Thing) – Uses A/An |
|---|---|
| Gold is expensive. | I bought a Ring. |
| The table is made of Wood. | I planted a Tree. |
| I eat Fish. (Meat/Food) | I caught a Fish. (Animal) |
| This shirt is made of Cotton. | I bought a Shirt. |
| The gate is made of Iron. | I used an Iron (for clothes). |
C. Common Noun vs. Collective Noun
The “Who is it?” Test:
Common Noun: Applies to EVERY individual member.
Collective Noun: Applies ONLY to the group as a whole.
Common Noun: Applies to EVERY individual member.
Collective Noun: Applies ONLY to the group as a whole.
| Common Noun (The Member) | Collective Noun (The Group) |
|---|---|
| Soldier Explanation: Every man in the army is a soldier. |
Army Explanation: One man is not an Army. Only the whole group is. |
| Student Explanation: Each child is a student. |
Class Explanation: One child is not a Class. |
| Player Explanation: Virat is a player. |
Team Explanation: Virat alone is not the Team. |
| Judge | Jury (Group of judges) |
| Sheep | Flock (Group of sheep) |
3. Transformation: Making Abstract Nouns
We use Suffixes to change words into Abstract Nouns (Concepts).
| Base Word Type | Base Word | Suffix | Abstract Noun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjective (Quality) |
Honest | -y | Honesty |
| Brave | -ry | Bravery | |
| Wise | -dom | Wisdom | |
| Verb (Action) |
Laugh | -ter | Laughter |
| Grow | -th | Growth | |
| Manage | -ment | Management | |
| Create | -tion | Creation | |
| Common Noun (Person) |
Child | -hood | Childhood |
| Friend | -ship | Friendship | |
| King | -dom | Kingdom |