Nouns Flashcards
What are nouns?
Nouns are words for people, places, or things.
What is the subject in a sentence?
The subject is who or what is doing the action of the verb.
What are the three grammatical roles of objects?
Objects have three roles: direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition.
What are direct objects and how are they used?
Direct objects receive the action of the verb. For example, in “The dog chased its tail,” “tail” is the direct object.
What do indirect objects do in a sentence?
Indirect objects receive the direct object of the verb. In “Please pass Jeremy the salt,” “Jeremy” is the indirect object.
What are objects of prepositions and how are they formed?
Objects of prepositions are nouns used after prepositions to create phrases. In “Your backpack is under the table,” “table” is the object of the preposition “under.”
What are predicate nouns?
Predicate nouns are nouns that follow linking verbs and serve to rename or re-identify the subject.
Can you provide examples of predicate nouns in sentences?
Certainly! For example: “Love is a virtue.” (“Virtue” renames the subject “love” after the linking verb “is”).
What are the different categories of nouns?
There are different categories of nouns, each with its own usage. Categories include common nouns, proper nouns, nouns of address, concrete nouns, and abstract nouns.
What is the difference between common nouns and proper nouns?
Common nouns identify people, places, or things in general, while proper nouns identify unique people, places, or things and begin with a capital letter.
What are nouns of address used for, and can you provide examples?
Nouns of address are used in direct speech to identify the person or group being spoken to directly or to get their attention. For example: “James, I need you to help me with the dishes.”
What is the difference between concrete nouns and abstract nouns?
Concrete nouns refer to physically tangible people, places, animals, or things, while abstract nouns refer to intangible concepts, ideas, feelings, and characteristics. For example: “table” (concrete) and “love” (abstract).
What are countable nouns?
Countable nouns can be considered as individual, separable items and can be counted with numbers or used with “a” and “an” for singular or plural forms.
Example: Countable noun - “I have two apples.”
What are uncountable nouns?
Uncountable nouns cannot be separated and counted as individual units, and they cannot take indefinite articles (a/an) or be made plural.
Example: Uncountable noun - “I have some milk.”
What are collective nouns, and how do they function in a sentence?
Collective nouns refer to a group of multiple individuals but function as singular nouns in a sentence because they represent one thing—the group as a whole.
Example: “The flock of birds flew south for the winter.”
What are attributive nouns, and how are they used?
Attributive nouns, also called noun adjuncts, are nouns used to modify other nouns, creating compound nouns.
Example: “The boy played with his toy soldier.”
What are compound nouns, and how are they formed?
Compound nouns are formed by combining two or more words to name a person, place, or thing. The first word describes the type or purpose, while the second word identifies the person or object
Example: “water bottle” - (a bottle used for water)
What are noun phrases?
Noun phrases are groups of two or more words that function together as a noun in a sentence, consisting of a noun and modifying words.
Example: “He brought the shovel with the blue handle.” In this sentence, “the shovel with the blue handle” is a noun phrase.
What is nominalization, and how are nouns created from verbs or adjectives?
Nominalization is the creation of nouns from verbs or adjectives, often done using suffixes.
Example: “The verb ‘act’ becomes the noun ‘actor.’
What are the categories of proper nouns, and can you provide some examples?
Proper nouns can belong to various categories, including names of people, places, events, brands, appellations, job titles, and familial roles.
Examples:
Names of people: “Jeff”
Places: “Cincinnati”
Events: “Woodstock”
Brands: “Pepsi”
Appellations: “Prince William”
Job titles: “Coach”
Familial roles: “Mom”
What are common nouns and proper nouns?
Common nouns name general people, places, or things, while proper nouns are used for unique individuals or entities and always start with a capital letter.
What are nouns of address, and how are they used in sentences?
Nouns of address, also known as vocatives or nominatives of address, identify the person or group being directly spoken to. They are used to get someone’s attention or indicate who is being addressed.
Example: “Can I have some money, Mom?”
How are nouns of address punctuated in sentences?
Nouns of address are set apart from the rest of the sentence by one or two commas, depending on their position within the sentence.
Example: “James, I was wondering if you could help me with the dishes.”
When should proper nouns be capitalized in nouns of address?
Proper nouns, such as names or titles of people, should always be capitalized in nouns of address. If a professional title is used with the name, it is also capitalized.
Example: “Thank you, Mrs. Smith, for being here.”
When should common nouns be capitalized in nouns of address?
Common nouns used as titles of jobs or family members in place of a person’s name should be capitalized. However, other common nouns generally remain in lowercase unless they begin a sentence.
Example: “How are you doing, Coach?”
What are abstract countable nouns?
Abstract countable nouns are intangible concepts or ideas that can be counted as separate units.
Example: “aspiration” - “many aspirations.”
What are concrete countable nouns?
Concrete countable nouns are physical objects or people that can be counted as separate units.
Example: “phone” - “two phones.”
What are concrete uncountable nouns?
Concrete uncountable nouns are substances or collective categories of physical objects that cannot be counted as separate units.
Example: “water” - “some water.”
What are abstract uncountable nouns?
Abstract uncountable nouns are intangible concepts or attributes that cannot be counted as separate units.
Example: “knowledge” - “a great deal of knowledge.”
What pronouns do we use when representing plural countable nouns for people, places, animals, and things?
When representing plural countable nouns for people, places, animals, and things, we use “they,” “them,” and “theirs.”
Example: “The parade floats are spectacular! I love watching them go down the street.”
What pronouns do we use when representing singular countable nouns?
When representing singular countable nouns, we use “he,” “him,” or “his” (masculine) or “she,” “her,” or “hers” (feminine). If the noun is a place, thing, or non-domestic animal, we use “it.”
Example: “The man left early, so I didn’t get a chance to talk to him.”
Why is subject-verb agreement important with countable nouns?
Subject-verb agreement is important with countable nouns because it determines which conjugations of verbs to use for singular and plural subjects in the present simple tense.
Example: “My brother is back from college.” (singular subject)
Example: “Many people are getting frustrated with the government.” (plural subject)
What happens in the conjugation of verbs in the present simple tense when referring to third-person singular and plural countable nouns?
In the present simple tense, when referring to third-person singular countable nouns, we add an “-s” to most verbs. For third-person plural countable nouns, we use the base form of verbs without adding an “-s.”
Example for singular: “My father runs his own business.” (singular)
Example for plural: “His sons run it when he’s away.” (plural)
How do we treat measurements of distance, time, or amount with uncountable nouns?
Countable nouns describing measurements of distance, time, or amount are considered singular amounts and must take singular forms of verbs.
Example: Correct: “$20,000 has been credited to your account.”
How does subject-verb agreement work with uncountable nouns?
Uncountable nouns are grammatically singular, so they must take singular forms of verbs.
Example: Correct: “The furniture in my living room is old.”
Can uncountable nouns take the indefinite articles “a” or “an”?
No, uncountable nouns cannot take the indefinite articles “a” or “an” because these articles indicate a single amount of something.
Example: Incorrect: “Would you like a tea?” Correct: “Would you like tea?”
When can uncountable nouns take the definite article “the”?
Uncountable nouns can take the definite article “the” when a specific uncountable noun is being described.
Example: Correct: “Have you heard the news?”
How can we make uncountable nouns countable?
o make uncountable nouns countable, we add more information to specify what we want to count or identify specific “units” of the noun.
Example: “Can I give you a piece of advice?”
When do we use “too much” and “too many”?
We use “too much” with uncountable nouns and “too many” with countable nouns to mean “beyond what is needed or desirable.”
Example: Incorrect: “It is too much big.” Correct: “It is too big.”
What is the difference between “fewer” and “less”?
We use “fewer” with countable nouns and “less” with uncountable nouns to indicate a smaller quantity or number.
Example: Incorrect: “I have less friends than Jill has.” Correct: “I have fewer friends than Jill has.”
How do we use “less” with measurements of distance, time, or amount?
“Less” is used with measurements of distance, time, or amount for nouns that are typically countable, but it takes singular verbs.
Example: “$20,000 is less than we expected to pay.”
Can “less” be used with countable nouns, and when?
While it is generally recommended to use “less” with uncountable nouns, in informal or colloquial writing and speech, “less” can be used with countable nouns as long as it doesn’t sound awkward.
Example: “That is one less problem to worry about.”
What are some examples of collective nouns?
Here are some examples of collective nouns: “group,” “collection,” “tribe,” “fleet,” “band.”
What is the difference between collective nouns and plural nouns?
Collective nouns refer to a group of individuals acting as a single unit, while plural nouns refer to multiple individuals separately.
How are collective nouns usually used in a singular manner?
Usually, collective nouns are used singularly when referring to the group as a unit. For example, “The team hopes to score a touchdown on its next play.”
How are collective nouns used in a plural manner?
Collective nouns are used in a plural manner when referring to group members as separate individuals. For example, “The jury eats lunch before they deliberate.”
What are some common terms used to describe groups of animals in English?
Here are some common terms used to describe groups of animals: “flock of birds,” “pod of whales,” “pack of wolves,” “pride of lions,” “gaggle of geese,” “band of coyotes,” “gatling of woodpeckers,” “huddle of penguins,” “mob of kangaroos,” “school of fish.”
What are some examples of plural-only collective nouns?
Some examples of plural-only collective nouns include “police,” “people,” “children,” “poultry,” “vermin,” “cattle.”
For example, it’s incorrect to say “The police is investigating,” but you can make it countable to refer to a single officer by saying, “A police officer is investigating.” In British English, collective nouns are more commonly used as plurals in all instances.
How are compound nouns formed?
Compound nouns are formed by combining two or more words. The most common combinations include noun + noun or adjective + noun, but other combinations are also possible. For example, “water” + “bottle” becomes “water bottle” (a bottle used for water).
What are the three written forms of compound nouns?
Compound nouns can be written in three different forms: as two separate words (open compound nouns), with a hyphen (hyphenated compound nouns), or as a single word (closed compound nouns). The chosen form may depend on the variety of English, style guidelines of a publication, or the writer’s personal preference.
How is the plural of compound nouns formed?
Usually, compound nouns are made plural by adding an “-s” or “-es” to the main word, which is typically the second word. However, it’s essential to note that some compound words have the plural embedded within the word itself, rather than at the end. For example:
Singular: toothbrush
Plural: toothbrushes
Singular: man-of-war
Plural: men-of-war
How are compound nouns typically pronounced?
In general, compound nouns are pronounced with the emphasis on the first part of the word. For example, “BEDroom” or “BLACKbird.” This helps distinguish compound nouns from other situations where the same words might appear together.
What does “nominalization” mean?
Nominalization refers to the creation of a noun from verbs or adjectives, often using suffixes. It can also occur through zero conversion or derivation, where the word remains unchanged but is used differently.
How do you turn a verb into a noun using gerunds?
Gerunds are formed by adding the suffix “-ing” to the end of a verb, turning it into a noun. Examples include “walking” from “walk,” “reading” from “read,” and “baking” from “bake.”
What is the commonly used suffix to form nouns representing the receiver of an action?
The suffix “-ee” is often used to form nouns representing the recipient of an action, such as “employee” from “employ” and “payee” from “pay.”
How are nouns representing an agency or occupation formed?
The suffixes “-or,” “-er,” or “-r” are used to turn a verb into a noun representing someone who performs the action professionally. Examples: “actor” from “act,” “teacher” from “teach,” “writer” from “write.”
What are some suffixes used to describe a general action?
Suffixes like “-tion,” “-sion,” “-ance,” “-ment,” and “-ence” are used to describe general actions. Examples: “acceptance” from “accept,” “government” from “govern,” “enjoyment” from “enjoy.”
How do you transform adjectives into nouns using the suffix “-ness”?
The suffix “-ness” is added to the end of many adjectives to form a noun. For example, “hard” becomes “hardness,” “meek” becomes “meekness.” For adjectives ending in “-y,” we change “y” to “i,” such as “happy” becoming “happiness.”
When is the suffix “-y” used to transform adjectives into nouns?
We use “-y” for adjectives ending in “t” preceded by a consonant. Examples include “difficult” becoming “difficulty,” “modest” becoming “modesty,” and “honest” becoming “honesty.”
How are nouns formed from adjectives ending in “-e” or “-ble”?
For adjectives ending in “-e,” we often add “-ity” by removing the “e.” For example, “scarce” becomes “scarcity.” For adjectives ending in “-ble,” we change “le” to “il,” such as “responsible” becoming “responsibility.” A unique case is “hilarious,” which becomes “hilarity.”
When are the suffixes “-ance” and “-ence” used to transform adjectives into nouns?
“-ance” is used for adjectives ending in “-ant,” like “important” becoming “importance.” “-ence” is used for adjectives ending in “-ent,” like “independent” becoming “independence.”
What is a suprafix, and how is it used in conversion?
A suprafix is a change in stress on a syllable to indicate the transition from a verb to a noun. For example, “conVERT” (verb) becomes “CONvert” (noun) with a shift in the tonic accent.
What is zero conversion or zero derivation in the English language?
Zero conversion or zero derivation occurs when a verb or an adjective is used as a noun without changing its spelling. For example, “answer” can be both a verb and a noun, depending on the context.
How does the word “use” change when converted from a verb to a noun?
“Use” as a verb is pronounced as “yooz,” while as a noun, it is pronounced as “yuce.” This is an example of pronunciation change in conversion.
How are adjectives converted into nouns?
Adjectives can become nouns without changing their spelling by adding the article “the” in front of them. For example, “the wealthy” or “the poor” are adjectives used as nouns.
In what ways can infinitives function as nouns?
Infinitives, which are the base form of verbs preceded by “to,” can be used in various ways as nouns:
As the Subject of a Sentence: “To study mathematics at Harvard was her dream.”
As the Object of a Verb: “I agree to go with you.”
As the Object Complement: “I don’t expect you to understand.”
After Certain Prepositions: “He had no choice but to leave.”
In Idiomatic Expressions: “To tell the truth, I was not surprised.”
