AN INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR & LANGUAGE
An army = a collection of soldiers.
NOUN A crowd = a collection of people.
A Noun is a word used as the name of a person, place A herd = a collection of cattle.
or thing. A library = a collection of books.
For example : Ram, Mohan, Sita,Gita, Delhi, America, Thus, when a name denotes a group of similar indi-
Shakespeare, pen, paper, cigarette, soldier etc. viduals, considered as one undivided whole, it is called a
Classification of Noun Collective Noun.
Noun is classified into four groups. They are : 4. An Abstract Noun is usually the name of a quality,
1. Common Noun action or state considered apart from the object to which
2. Proper Noun it belongs. For example,
3. Collective Noun Quality Action State
4. Abstract Noun Goodness Laughter Childhood
Look at the sentences : Kindness Theft Boyhood
Vikramaditya was a great king. Whiteness Movement Youth
The Noun Vikramaditya refers to a particular king, Darkness Judgement Slavery
but the Noun king might be used with any other king. We Hardness Hatred Sleep
call Vikramaditya a Proper Noun and king a Common Brightness Heroism Sickness
Noun.
Honesty Death
Similarly,
Wisdom Poverty
Gauri is a girl.
Bravery
Here, Gauri is a Proper Noun, while girl is a Common
Noun. The names of the Arts and Science (e.g., grammar,
Ramesh is a boy. music, chemistry, physics etc.) are also Abstract Nouns.
Here, Ramesh is a Proper Noun, while boy is a Com- [We can speak of a brave soldier, a strong man, a
mon Noun. beautiful flower. But we can also think of these qualities
Delhi is a city. apart from any particular person or thing, and speak of
Here, Delhi is a Proper Noun, while city is a Common bravery, strength, beauty by themselves. So, we can also
Noun. speak of what persons do or feel apart from the persons
themselves, and give it a name. The word abstract means
Canada is a country.
drawn off.]
Here, Canada is a Proper Noun, while country is a
Common Noun. Formation Of Abstract Nouns
The words – girl, boy, city, country – in the above Abstract Nouns are generally formed from Common
examples are all Common Nouns, because they are the Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives by adding such suffixes as :
names common to all girls, boys, cities and countries; while ___hood, ____cy, ____ism, ____ship, ____ment, _____ ice,
Gauri, Ramesh, Delhi and Canada are all Proper Nouns _____ness, ____ter, ____ty, ____ th, etc.
because, they are the names of particular girl, boy, city (a) From Common Nouns :
and country. boy boyhood girl girlhood
Thus, infant infancy agent agency
1. A Common Noun is a name given in common to thief theft hero heroism
every person or thing of the same class or kind. slave slavery bond bondage
2. A Proper Noun is the name of some particular per- friend friendship leader leadership
son or place. judge judgement coward cowardice
[Proper means one"s own. Hence, a Proper Noun is a (b) From Verbs :
person"s own name.] live life govern government
Note 1 : Proper Nouns are always written with a capi- know knowledge serve service
tal letter at the beginning. see sight obey obedience
Note 2 : Proper Nouns are sometimes used as Com- advise advice practise practice
mon Nouns; laugh laughter think thought
For example, please pleasure prepare preparation
Sachin is the Bradman of India. grow growth
Kalidas is often called the Shakespeare (the greatest (c) From Adjectives :
dramatist) of India. brave bravery good goodness
3. A Collective Noun is the name of a number (or great greatness honest honesty
collection) of persons or things taken together and spoken poor poverty just justice
of as one whole. For example, young youth true truth
Crowd, mob, team, flock, herd, army, fleet, family, wise wisdom broad breadth
nation, jury, committee, parliament, troop, navy, library. long length wide width
A fleet = a collection of ships or vessels. deep depth sole solitude
grand grandeur kind kindness
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