Noun types – Noun types

Nouns are the words we use to name things.
There are five types of nouns: common, proper, concrete, abstract, and collective.

Common names
A common noun is an everyday item.
It is the name given to a generic element: chair, fish, concrete, cloud, tree, nail, screwdriver, pencil, coffee, arm, hair, kangaroo, table, wall or finger. It is everything and anything.

Own names
This is the exact opposite of a common noun. Proper nouns refer to all things that are unique. They have their own distinguishable identity.
All proper names begin with a capital letter: London (a city), Napoleon Bonaparte – (a historical figure), Amazon (a waterway), Avatar (a movie), McDonalds (a restaurant), The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (a book) and Sydney Harbor Bridge (a landmark).

Concrete nouns
A concrete noun is anything that can be perceived with our senses. We can see it, hear it, smell it, taste it, or touch it.
We can perceive clouds, flowers, earth, water, music, talk, laughter, smoke, perfume, stench, sugar, salt, vanilla, velvet, silk and bricks.

Abstract nouns
An abstract noun is a state, quality or feeling that cannot be perceived by the senses.
We cannot use our five senses to perceive happiness, jealousy, beauty, trust, loyalty, betrayal, or love.

Collective nouns
A collective noun is used to describe a group of objects.
For example, a herd of cows, a colony of ants, a school of fish, a flock of seagulls, a herd of rats, and a horde of zombies.