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NOUN
NOUN: It can be defined as a naming word. Noun is the name of a person, place, thing, idea and quality.
Different type of NOUN:
1. Proper Noun: It is the name of a particular person, place, and thing.
e.g.
Ram is my friend
I live in Kolkata
2. Common noun: General name or name given in common to a thing or every person of the same class or kind.
e.g. A teacher should pay attention to the students.
3. Collective noun: It is a group name or a name of the collection of persons or things treated and referred to altogether.
e.g.
The class of students in room no. 1 is making noise.
A herd of cattle is grazing in the field.
4. Abstract noun: It is the name of a quality, feeling, idea, state, or concept.
e.g.
Youth can change the world.
The bravery of the soldiers is praiseworthy.
5. Material noun: It is the name of the material.
e.g. The bangle is made of gold.
The rules of using nouns are as under:
Rule 1:
Countable noun: Nouns that can be counted are referred to as countable nouns.
e.g. Chair, Person, Pencils, Dogs, Houses, Schools, Countries, Books, etc.
Note: In the case of countable nouns, we use many to denote plurality.
e.g.
Soham bought many books from the bookfair.
Radhika has not visited many countries due to her busy schedule.
Rule 2:
Uncountable noun: Nouns that can not be counted are referred to as uncountable nouns. They are used in their singular forms and with singular verbs only.
e.g. Sugar, Water, Food, Advice, Information, Fuel, Baggage, Luggage, Hair, etc.
Note: In the case of uncountable nouns, we use much, some to denote plurality.
e.g. Please give me some water.
Note: Indefinite articles (A/An) are not used before such nouns. Some more of those nouns are:
Advice, Equipment, Scenery, Business, Work, Mischief, Material, Food, Poetry, Furniture, Employment, Alphabet, Stationery, Crockery, Knowledge, Postage, Wastage, Jewellery, News, Percentage, Bakery, Dirt, Dust, Music, Traffic, Pottery, Word ( in the sense of discussion, promise, message), etc.
e.g.
He gave me information about the examination.
My hair is black.
My percentage in the examination was not good.
Note: Though these nouns do not have any plural form, we add certain words before them to denote singularity or plurality.
e.g.
He gave me a piece of advice. (singular)
Mother cooked many kinds of food. (plural)
Rule 3:
There are some collective nouns such as Cattle, People, Poultry, Infantry, Peasantry, Clergy, Folk, Majority, Gentry, etc. which are plural in form and used with plural verbs only.
e.g.
Majority are in favour of the proposal.
Cattle are grazing in the field.
Rule 4:
Some other collective nouns denote singular form and used with singular verbs only when they denote as a whole a body or group. Otherwise, the same nouns are used with plural verbs when they denote individuals or members.
Those nouns are:
Committee, Public, Jury, Police, Family, Staff, Board, Ministry, Audience, Crowd, Team, Mob, House
e.g.
(a) The family were unhappy with Ram’s result. (b) Nowadays, the family in India has become smaller in size.
(a) Our team has qualified in the second round. (b) The team are lacking the confidence today.
Rule 5:
Some nouns (Offspring, Fish, Sheep, Fruit, Deer) remain unchanged in both the singular as well as the plural form. They denote both singular and plural form and are used with singular verbs and plural verbs respectively. The choice of form depends on the context of the sentence.
e.g.
(a) Sheep are grazing in the field. (b) A sheep is useful animal.
Note: Fishes and fruits are used to denote variety.
Rule 6:
Certain nouns are used in plural form with plural verbs only.
Surroundings, Thanks, Scissors, Spectacles, Scales, Jeans, Pants, Trousers, Customs, Proceeds, Orders, Credentials, Earnings, Manners, Arrears, Spirits, Requirements, Archives, Refreshments, Alms, Savings, Outskirts, Rations, Regards, Congratulations, Goggles, Shorts, Particulars, etc.
e.g.
Where are my pants?
The net proceeds have been deposited to the bank.
Rule 7:
Some nouns, even ending with ‘s’ or ‘es’, denote singularity and used with singular verbs only.
Innings, Series, News, Summons, Mumps, Aquatics, Athletics, Mathematics, Politics, Economics, Statistics, Physics, Mechanics, Ethics, Rickets, Measles, Billiards, Linguistics, The United Arab Emirates(UAE), The United States of America(USA), etc.
e.g.
The news was so shocking.
Politics is very interesting.
Note: Statistics is used with the plural verb when it means a collection of data.
Rule 8
When a (number + noun) works as an adjective, the noun will be in singular form only.
e.g.
I lost a ten rupee note.
A six man committee has been formed for the investigation of the case.
Exception: If ‘of’ is used with them, such nouns are used with the plural verb and denote plurality.
e.g. Hundreds of people were injured in the blast.
Rule 9:
Common gender nouns or dual gender nouns – Student, Teacher, Child, Clerk, Worker, Advocate, Doctor, Writer, Author, Leader, etc. These nouns are applicable for male, female, transgender
Rule 10:
When two adjectives having two different meanings, describe one particular noun, plural verbs are used.
e.g.
The third and sixth episodes are my favourite.
Morning and evening walks are essential for good health.
Rule 11:
“‘s“is used only with living things, time, distance, amount, weight, personified nouns.
e.g.
Madhuri’s hand was injured.
We will drive two mile’s road.
Rule 12:
“‘s “used with one noun → Singular form. But two nouns in possessive case → Plural form.
e.g.
Piyali and Pamela’s pet dog is very cute.
Piyali’s and Pamela’s mothers are childhood friends.
Exercise: Spot the error
1. His new (a) spectacles has been (b) broken by (c) his naughty son (d). No error (e)
2. Economics (a) are (b) my favourite (c) subject (d). No error (e)
3. The cattles (a) are grazing (b) in the (c) field (d). No error (e)
4. The table’s (a) wood is (b) not of (c) good quality (d). No error (e)
5. Mita and Rahul’s (a) fathers will (b) start a new (c) business (d). No error (e)
6. He gave me (a) an advice (b) before I (c) started my business (d). No error (e)
7. The United Arab Emirates (a) hire workers (b) from different parts (c) of the world (d). No error (e)
8. The ten year (a) old boy was (b) lost in the park (c) in the morning (d). No error (e)
9. The news were (a) so disappointing (b) that it (c) made the day spoilt (d). No error (e)
10. Summer and winter (a) vacations are (b) very short (c) this year (d). No error (e)
Solution
1. (b) Rule 6
2. (b) Rule 7
3. (a) Rule 3
4. (a) Rule 11
5. (a) Rule 12
6. (b) Rule 2
7. (b) Rule 7
8. (e) Rule 8
9. (b) Rule 7
10. (e) Rule 10
