What is a noun?

A noun is a word that names a person, a place, or a

thing.

Common or Proper?

A common noun names any one of a class of person, places, or things.

A proper noun names a particular person, place or thing. Proper nouns begin with capital letters.

On the next slide, tell which words are common, and which are proper.

For additional help, review p. 314-315 in your VOYAGES IN ENGLISH book.

Singular or Plural

Do you know how to make singular nouns into plural nouns?

Some Plural Rules

1. The plural of most nouns is formed by adding –s to the singular form. girl-girls pencil-pencils top-tops

2. Add –es to form the plural of nouns ending in s, x, z, ch, and sh.

box-boxes watch-watches wish-wishes

3. For nouns ending in y after a consonant, change the y to I and add –es.

story-stories lady-ladies ally-allies

Some More Plural Rules4. For nouns ending in y after a vowel,

simply add –s. Monday-Mondays toy-toys tray-trays

5. For most nouns ending in f or fe, add –s. safe-safes chief-chiefs reef-reefs6. For some nouns ending in f or fe, form the

plural by changing the f or fe to v and adding –es. leaf-leaves shelf-shelves life-lives

For additional practice/review, go to p. 316-319 in your English book.

Rules for Forming the Possessive

– Form the possessive of nouns not ending in s by adding an apostrophe plus the letter s.

• the cat's kittens• the children's toys• the women's room

– Form the possessive of nouns that end in s by adding just an apostrophe.

• both boys' parents • two squirrels' nuts• girls' dresses • Jesus’ law of love

Rules for Forming the Possessive

– The possessive of a singular proper Noun ending in s is formed by adding ‘s.• James’s song• Tess’s rainbow

– The plural possessive of a proper noun is formed just as the plural possessive of a common noun is formed. • Phillipses’ house (the house belonging

to Tom Phillips and Mary Phillips)

There are a number of exceptions including:

• In some cases, to added ‘s would make the word difficult to pronounce as in the case of many biblical or classical names. In those cases it is acceptable and often preferred to not add the ‘s when the proper noun ends in an s. Just the apostrophe is added.

» Jesus’ Law of Love » Moses’ Journey

Collective Nouns, Count and Noncount Nouns

A collective noun names a group of persons, animals, places, or things that are considered a unit. A collective nouns usually acts as a singular noun.

Collective Nouns, Count and Noncount Nouns

A count noun names items that can be counted separately.

one boy, two boys

one orange, two oranges

Noncount nouns name items that cannot be counted separately. Noncount nouns generally take singular verbs. Some noncount nouns name ideas.

Which of these noncount nouns

name IDEAS?

Uses of Nouns

Nouns can be used in different ways in different sentences.– Subject– Subject Complement– Direct Object– Indirect Object– Object of a Preposition– Direct Address

SubjectSubject• The subject tells what a sentence is about.

The girlgirl had a great idea.

• The subject answers the question “who” or “what” before the verb.

WhoWho had a great idea?The girlgirl had a great idea.

• The subject tells what a sentence is about.

The girlgirl had a great idea.

(Girl is a simple subjectsimple subject.)

• The simple subject with all all the words that the words that describedescribe it is called the complete subjectcomplete subject.

The young, athletic girlThe young, athletic girl had a great idea.

Complete Subject

Subject linking verb subject complement

The Subject Complement

• Follows a linking verb

• Renames the subject

Debbie is friend

The Subject Complement

• Friend follows the linking verb is.

• Debbie is the subject. Friend renames Debbie in this sentence.

Nouns Used as Objects

Direct Object Indirect ObjectObject of

a Preposition

___________________________________

Direct Object

• Answers the question “who” or “what” after an action verb

___________________________________

Direct Object

• What did Reggie scorescore? Touchdowns

• Touchdowns is the direct object in this sentence because touchdowns answer “what” after the action verb scoredscored.

__________________________________

_________________

Indirect Object• Tells “to whom” or “for whom” an action action is done• There must be a direct object for the action verbaction verb

in the sentence.

__________________________________

_________________Indirect Object• For whom did Mom bake cookies? SusanSusan• Cookies is the direct object for the

action verbaction verb in this sentence.

__________________________________

________________________Object of the Preposition• Object of the Preposition follows a preposition.• Object of the Preposition has a special

relationship with another word in the sentence.

__________________________________

_________________

Object of the Preposition• Church follows the preposition in.• Church tells the place where dad satsat.

These are some words often used as prepositions.

Direct Address• A direct address is the name of the

person (normally) who is being directly spoken to.

• It is always a proper noun. • Use a comma to separate the name of

someone who is being addressed from the message.

Direct Address

• A direct address is the name of the person (normally) who is being directly spoken to. – Kelly, please eat your soup.– Where are you going, Tom?

• It is always a proper noun.

Direct Address

• Use a comma to separate the name of someone (Direct Address) who is being addressed from the message and the rest of the sentence.

– Please hand me the sharpener,, Theresa.

– Cindy,, where is your mom?

– Did you know,, Class,, that we are going to study jazz in Louisiana History?

Need more help???

• Go to Voyages in English , Fifth Grade.