intro to english nouns

The how, the why, the wherefore

Nouns

NounsThe name of anythingCan usually be found by putting the article in front of it.

Dog“The” dog? Yes.

Flee“a” flee? No.

Common vs. ProperThere are two classes of Nouns Common and Proper

A Common Noun is a name which may be applied to any one of a kind or class of objects as boy, child, book, radiation.

A Proper Noun is the name of some particular person place people or thing as Charles, Cincinnati, The French, The Sun.

Man Barack ObamaCity Los AngelesDog American Staffordshire Terrier

Abstract, Concrete,

An Abstract Noun is noun that cannot be sensed in any way; e.g. love, hate, sin, joy, etc.

A Concrete Noun is a noun that can be sensed; e.g. dog, stick, tree, etc.

GenderThere are four genders:

The Masculine Gender denotes males;

as, father, uncle, king, governor, etc.

The Feminine Gender denotes females;

as, mother, aunt, queen, governess, etc.

The Common Gender denotes either

males or females or both; as, parent,

children, bird, cattle, etc.

The Neuter Gender denotes neither

males nor females; as, stove, city, pen,

ink, tree, house, etc.

PersonThe First Person denotes the speaker.I, John, was in the isle that is called Patmos Many evils beset us mortals. The Second Person denotes the person addressed.James, you be more careful Your dog is a good fellow.The Third Person denotes the person or object

spoken of.Milton was a poet Rome was an ocean of flame I am reading Tennyson's Poems

NumberThere are two numbers, singular and plural.

The Singular Number denotes but one; as, apple, flower, boy, girl, etc.

The Plural Number denotes more than one; as, apples, flowers, boys, girls, etc.

Collective nouns are plural but spelled singularly; as, flock, jury, herd, etc.

Noun FunctionsNouns can play three basic functions in a sentence:

Subject,Object,Predicate nominative.

Some refer to these as “Subject Complements”.

Nouns as subjects

Joe built the house

Joe built the house, after he had finished his swim.

“What a great idea!” yelled Joe.

Nouns as Objects

Joe built the house.

We were hiding under the road.

Joe built what?

Try asking “what?”

“house” is the object of the verb “built”.

Under what?

“road” is the object of the preposition “under”.

Any verb that has an object is called

Transitive.

Nouns as Predicate Nominatives

We are good people.

“are” is a linking verb. Linking verbs do not take objects. They are ALWAYS

intransitive.“We are” what? Hence, “people” is the predicate nominative of the verb “are”.

CaseNouns have three cases: Nominative, Possessive,Objective.

News Flash: You cannot determine the case of a noun from its spelling!

Nominative CaseRULE: A noun is in the nominative case when its function is either subject or predicate nominative (sometimes called “subject complements”).Joe built the

house.“Joe” is the subject of the verb “built”. It is nominative case. “house” is the object of the verb built. It is not nominative case.

Nominative Case Cont.Joe is a good feller.

Linking verb“Feller” cannot be an object because linking verbs never take objects. Feller is a predicate nominative and is therefore in the nominative case.

NEWSFLASH: Many people will identify “feller” as the object of the verb “is” forgetting that “is” is a linking verb and is never transitive.

Some people call predicate nominatives “subject complements”

Objective CaseRULE: A noun is in the objective case when its function is any kind of an object.

Joe played the drums.“drums” is the object of the verb “played”. Since it is the object of the main verb, it is usually called a “direct object”. It is in the objective case.

This makes the verb “played” transitive.

Pedaling the bike, Joe stumbled and fell off the bridge.

“Bike” is the object of the participle “Pedaling” and is therefore in the objective case.

“bridge” is the object of the preposition “off” and is therefore in the objective case.

“Joe” is the subject of the verb “stumbled” and “fell” and is therefore in the _________?________ case.

Running relay races is Jeb’s Running relay races is Jeb’s favorite pastime.favorite pastime.

NounsNouns“races” is the object of the gerund “running”. It is objective case.

“pastime” is the predicate nominative of the verb “is”. It is nominative case.

Finishing the race, Jeb raised his Finishing the race, Jeb raised his hands in victory.hands in victory.

“race” is the object of the participle “finishing” and is therefore in the objective case.

“Jeb” is the subject of the verb “raised” and is therefore in the nominative case.

“hands” is the object of the verb “raised” and is therefore in the objective case.

“victory” is the object of the preposition “in” and is therefore in the objective case.

To provoke a beast is an act of great vice.

When the preposition “to” is followed by a verb, it is called an infinitive. “To provoke” is an infinitive.

If you ask yourself, “to provoke what?” the answer is “beast”.

Hence, beast is the object of the infinitive “to provoke” and is, therefore, in the objective case.

Objective Case Objective Case SummarySummary

Verbs can take objectso When they do, they are transitive.o We call these objects “direct objects”.

Prepositions can take objects. We call these Object of the Preposition.

Gerunds take objects.Participles take objects.Infinitives take objects.When a noun is any kind of an When a noun is any kind of an

object, it is in the objective case.object, it is in the objective case.

Possessive CaseThis is the easiest case since every possessive

case noun will have an apostrophe. Nouns in the possessive case function as

adjectives.

Jeb’s bull.The professors’ book. pluralThe professor’s book. singular

When the word already ends in “s” then the apostrophe is placed after the “s”.

Nouns in AppositionA noun is in apposition to another noun

when it renames the preceding noun.Our Greek professor, Jeb, is a very compulsive

fellow.

The noun “Jeb” here is in apposition to “Our Greek professor”.

Jeb, our Greek professor, is a very compulsive fellow.

Here the phrase “our Greek professor” is in apposition to the noun “Jeb”.If you can place an equal sign between the two words/phrases, then you have apposition.