subject: What Is A Noun? [print this page] Nouns are the part of speech utilized to label or name an abstract idea, an animal, a person, a place, or a thing. Nouns are normally the first words an infant learns, understands, and uses. There are plenty of different types of nouns, along with differing uses.
These following sentences include words in bold, which are all different types of nouns:
Ella Fitzgerald is one of the most popular jazz singers in history.
Avant-garde is a celebrated type of art.
Computer graduates have good jobs awaiting them.
The onset of summer brought cheer to many.
Was Nietzche an existentialist?
As I'm sure you noticed, nouns vary based on the type and usage. Nouns can be used in sentences as a subject, a subject complement, an indirect object, a direct object, an object complement, an adjective, an adverb, or an appositive. This article includes some of these uses and types of nouns.
Plural Nouns
Many nouns are changed from the singular form into the plural form to suggest a number of two or more through the addition of "s" or "es." Other nouns of the singular form can be changed into the plural form by altering the final letter of the word before adding "s." There are various procedures for different words. Some of the words that end in the letter F can be changed into the plural form by taking off the "f" and appending "ves". Words that end in "y" become plural by removing of the "y" and adding "ies."
Examples:
Half (singular) - halves (plural)
Rash (singular) - rashes (plural)
Story (singular) - stories (plural)
Fruit (singular) - fruits (plural)
Some nouns use irregular rules to form the plural. A writer who is well-versed in the language should have a good understanding of what these nouns are. Seek out a reliable reference, such as language sites on the Internet or a reputable dictionary.
Examples:
Criterion (singular) - criteria (plural)
Cactus (singular) - cacti (plural)
Gender in Nouns
Almost all common nouns, such as "helper" or "student", can be used for both men and women. In the past, the form of many nouns would change based on gender, with the addition of "ess," and other suffixes, to the male form of the noun. Because of recognition of gender equality, it is very rare for gender-specific nouns to be used these days. However, some nouns with male and female forms still continue today, particularly in categories that relate to occupations.
Apart from the uses and types talked about above, there are other types of nouns with different purposes. If English is not your first language, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with well-written English literature to become more confident in your use of nouns and other parts of speech.
