Short lecture on Nouns

Nouns serve functionally as subjects of verbs.

                Can also be:

-direct objects of verbs: I watered the plant. (S-TV-DO)

-subject noun predicates: We are all learners. (S-LV-C)

-object noun predicates: The class elected Vincent president.(S-TV-DO-OC)

-indirect objects of verbs: John gave June flowers. (S-TV-IO-DO)

-appositives: Taytay, a municipality of Rizal, is progressive.

-object of  prepositions: They are in the province.

Three types of Nouns

1. Common nouns-kind of person, name or idea (abstract or concrete)

a. count nouns

b. mass nouns (water, clothing, luggage(baggage), equipment)

Confusing:          information and furniture- noncount nouns in English but count nouns in French and Spanish; chalk-noncount in English but count noun in Japanese

Mass to Count Noun Shifts

-          If we conceive of such a noun as “a kind or a type of,” we make it countable

Ex.:                         (generic)              (type)

                                cheese                 a cheese              cheeses

                                tea                         a tea                      teas

                                wine                      a wine                   wines

-If we conceive of the mass noun as “a unit or a serving of” we make it countable

Ex. :                        (substance)        (unit or serving)

                                coffee                   a coffee                               two coffees

                sugar                     a sugar                  two sugars

2. Proper noun

3. Collective nouns-can either take singular or plural verb forms, depending on the interpretation given   

     to the noun.

Ex.          A flock of birds was circling the field.      It was looking for prey. (singular)

                                                                                                They were looking for prey. (plural)

Collective Nouns derived from adjectives ( Ex. :the rich, the meek)

                -when they have human reference, they are always preceded by the

- They may refer to a whole group in general terms rather than to a particular or unique group.

-always take plural verbs

Ex. :        The elderly are increasingly asserting their rights.

                Blessed are the meek.

Note: Nouns occurring in sets of two take the singular when the noun pair is present but take the plural when pair is absent.

Ex. :        A pair of trousers is on the sofa.                               Tommy’s trousers are on the sofa.

                My pair of scissors is new.                                           My scissors are new.

Refrerence : Murcia, M. and Freeman, D. (1999). The Grammar Book. USA:Heinle &Heinle Publishers