Short version: a noun names a person, place, thing, or idea.
Let's get quizzy!
Jump to the quiz >
Almost all nouns can be singular, meaning one, or plural, meaning more than one.
Singular | Plural | |
---|---|---|
skateboard | skateboards | [Use –s for regular nouns.] |
tax | taxes | [Use –es when the noun ends in s, x, ch, sh, or z.] |
werewolf | werewolves | [For nouns that end in f or fe, change the f to v, and add –es.] |
city | cities | [For nouns that end in a consonant + y, change the y to i and add –es.] |
child | children | [Irregular nouns don't use –s or –es. They take a totally new form.] |
Nouns can also be made possessive to show ownership by slapping an 's on the end… with a few exceptions.
- Elaine's dance moves are horrible. (They really are.)
- The school's dress code forbids wearing porcupine costumes to class.
Nouns are so versatile that they can even be used to modify other nouns (which would technically makes them adjectives):
- Jeff pulled an epic prank on his history teacher. (History is a noun that modifies teacher, which is also a noun.)
There are seven magnificent types of nouns:
- Proper
- Common
- Collective
- Concrete
- Abstract
- Count
- Noncount
Let's get to it.