I.

NOUN
A. Basic Competence
Students are able to comprehend various types and functions of Noun

B. Concept Map

Definition of Noun

Types Functions

Singular and Plural Subject of a Clause

Common and Proper Object of Transitive Verb

Abstract and Concrete Object of a Preposition

Countable and Uncountable Complement

Collective Appositive

Possesssive Modifier

Adverbial

C. Introduction
 Words in all languages basically can be categorised into eight types or
classes, namely: Noun, Pronoun, Verb, Adjective, Adverb, Preposition,
Conjunction, and Interjection. These classes are called parts of speech. This
chapter focuses on the first parts of speech, the noun.

D. Discussion
1. Definition of Noun
A noun is a word used to name a person, animal, place, thing, and
abstract idea.
• My brother plays badminton every Saturday.
• Sophan Sopian was an actor.
• The bus inspector looked at all the passengers' passes.

2. Types of Noun
There are many different types of nouns. In fact, grammarians have
developed a whole series of noun types, including singular noun, plural noun,
common noun, proper noun, abstract noun, concrete noun, countable noun,
uncountable noun, collective noun and possessive noun. A noun may belong
to more than one type: it may be proper or common, abstract or concrete,
and countable or non-countable or collective.

2.1 Singular and Plural

The singular form of a noun refers to one person, place or thing. The
plural form of the noun refers to two or more persons, places or things.
Nouns form the plural in different ways. Most nouns change their form to
indicate number by adding "-s" or "-es" as illustrated in the following pairs of
sentences:

• John threw a ball into the box and three balls under the table.
• She gave me a pencil and five markers for my birthday present.
• The boxes belong to my father.

There are other nouns which form the plural by changing the last letter
before adding "s". Some words ending in "f" form the plural by deleting "f"
and adding "ves," and words ending in "y" form the plural by deleting the "y"
and adding "ies," as seen in the table below:

Singular Plural
Knife Knives
Wife Wives
City Cities
Candy Candies

Other nouns form the plural irregularly, as seen in the table below:

Singular Plural
 Mouse Mice
Man Men
Child Children
Sheep Sheep
Foot Feet

2.2 Common and Proper

A common noun is a noun referring to a person, place, or thing in a
general sense. It is written with a capital letter only when it begins a
sentence. A common noun is the opposite of a proper noun.

• The chair was broken.

• Most people in my town go to the beach at the weekends.
• There are some milk and cereal in the refrigerator.

A proper noun should be written with a capital letter, since the noun
represents the name of a specific person, place, or thing. The names of days
of the week, months, historical documents, institutions, organizations,
religions, their holy texts and their adherents are proper nouns. A proper
noun is the opposite of a common noun:

• I had lived in Indonesia for five years before moving to Europe.

• Many people dread Monday mornings.
• My brother’s birthday is celebrated on the fourth of July.

2.3 Abstract and Concrete

An abstract noun is a noun which names anything which can not be
perceived through five physical senses, and is the opposite of a concrete
noun.

• Everybody pursues happiness in life.

• Buying that gadget is a total waste.
• Justice often seems to slip out of our grasp.

A concrete noun is a noun which names anything (or anyone) that can
be perceived through physical senses: touch, sight, taste, hearing, or smell. A
concrete noun is the opposite of an abstract noun.

• The thief was sent to jail.

• Put all the books on my table!
• The black cat on the roof is licking his foot.

2.4 Countable and Uncountable

Many nouns have two forms, the singular form, which is used to refer to
or person or thing, and the plural form, which is used to refer to more than
one person or thing. These nouns refer to people or things which can be
counted. Thus they are called countable nouns which are the opposite of non-
countable nouns and collective nouns.

• Two cars were parked under the big tree.

• Children like toys and candies.
• Shasa put some books in her school bag.

An uncountable noun is a noun which does not have a plural form, and
which refers to something that could (or would) not be counted. A non-
countable noun always takes a singular verb in a sentence. Non-countable
nouns are similar to collective nouns, and are the opposite of countable
nouns.

• Water is essential to human life.

• The Carters decided to sell their old furniture.
• I always have bread and tea for my breakfast.

There are some nouns that can be uncountable nouns when they refer to a
thing in general and countable nouns when they refer to a particular instance
of it.

• She has long blonde hair.

• My father's getting a few grey hairs now.

2.5 Collective
There are a number of nouns in English which refer to a group of people
or things. The individual members of the group could be counted, but they
are usually considered as one unit. These nouns are called collective nouns.
A collective noun is similar to an uncountable noun, and is roughly the
opposite of a countable noun.

• The family is so poor that they eat once a day.

• The team has physical training every Saturday.
• The class was dismissed earlier because the teacher didn’t come.

2.6 Possessive
A possessive noun shows that it owns or is closely related to something
else. Usually, nouns become possessive by adding a combination of an
apostrophe and the letter "s."
The possessive case of a singular noun that does not end in "s" can be
formed by adding an apostrophe and "s,"

• That is John’s car.

• The teacher’s bag fell from her desk.
• The boy stepped on the cat’s tail.
The possessive case of a singular noun that ends in "s" can be formed by
adding an apostrophe alone or by adding an apostrophe and "s,"

• The bus's seats are very uncomfortable.

• The bus' seats are very uncomfortable.

• My boss’s car is always parked in the garage.

• My boss’ car is always parked in the garage.

• We gathered in Ross’s living room.

• We gathered in Ross’ living room.

The possessive case of a plural noun that does not end in "s" can be formed
by adding an apostrophe and a "s,"

• The children's clothes were scattered on the floor.

• The hunter followed the moose's trail to the wood.
• The men's hockey team will play as soon as the women's team is
finished.

The possessive case of a plural noun that does end in "s" can be formed by
adding an apostrophe:

• The janitors' room is on the second floor.

• Children follow their parents’ footsteps.
• The lecturer is busy correcting his students’ papers.

3. Functions of Noun
A noun can function in a sentence as the subject, the object of a
transitive verb, the object of a preposition, the subject complement, the
object complement, the apposition, the modifier and the adverbial.

3.1 Subject of a Clause

The first grammatical function that noun can perform is the subject of a
sentence. A clause is defined as consisting of a subject and predicate.
• The baby cried.
• Dogs and cats make excellent pets.
• The students will have extensively studied English grammar.

3.2 Object of a Transitive Verb

Another grammatical function that noun can perform is the object of a
transitive verb. A noun can be a direct as well as an indirect object in a
clause.
• The children ate all the cookies.
• The woman has always hated mice.
• The husband bought his wife flowers.
• The salesman sold the company new computers.
3.3 Object of a Preposition
A noun can also be the object of a preposition. The object of a
preposition is also defined as prepositional complements.
• The husband bought flowers for his wife.
• The students studied during their spring break.
• The girl is interested in the famous artist’s works.

3.4 Complement
An intransitive verb cannot accept an object. A noun that follows an
intransitive verb and completes the meaning of a sentence is called a
complement. The word complement means to complete. The complement
may also be called a predicate noun or predicate nominative. Complement
which comes after linking verbs is called subject complement. An object
complement is a complement that is used to predicate a description of the
direct object.
• The man is the new manager in our company.
• My sister turned a fortune teller.
• Indonesian people elected Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono president.

3. 5 Appositive
The next function that nouns can perform is the appositive. Appositives
are defined as nouns that modify or explain another noun or noun phrase.
• My mother the new teacher in your school is teaching English
Grammar.
• The rich farmer, my uncle, bought a new tractor.
• The physician Stevie Nicks won the Pulitzer last year.

3.6 Modifier
A noun can perform the function of modifier. Noun as a modifier
describes another noun.
• The child actor won an award.
• The carpenter fixed the broken table leg.
• We reserved twenty hotel rooms.

3.7 Adverbial
The last function of a noun is the adverbial. Adverbials are defined as
words, phrases, and clauses that modify an entire clause by providing
information such as time, place, manner, condition, reason, or purpose.
• Today the children woke up early.
• Yesterday the children slept in late.
• We decided to go home.

E. Closing
Noun refers to the words used to name person, thing, places or abstract
ideas. Noun can be divided into eight types; singular noun, plural noun,
common noun, proper noun, abstract noun, concrete noun, countable noun,
uncountable noun, collective noun and possessive noun. A noun can perform
seven different functions namely; the subject, the object of a transitive verb,
the object of a preposition, the subject complement, the object complement,
the apposition, the modifier and the adverbial.

F. Evaluation
1. Describe what you know about Noun.
2. Make Sentences using the following kinds of Noun: Common, Proper,
Abstract and
Collective.
3. Make sentences using a noun functioning as a subject, an object of a
preposition, an
object complement and an apposition.

G. Glossary
1. Parts of Speech The types of words based on their functions in
clauses or
sentences
2. Phrase A group of words functioning as one in a clause
or sentence.
3. Clause A group of words containing a subject and a
predicate and forming
part of a compound or complex sentence.
4. Sentence A group of words consisting at least a subject and a
predicate
which makes a complete sense
5. Grammarian A person whose occupation is the study of grammar

H. Reference
1. Fithriani, Rahmah. 2009. English Grammar. Medan: IAIN
2. Frank, Marcella. 1972. Modern English: A Practical Reference Guide.
New Jersey:
Prentice Hall Inc.
3. Swan, Michael. 1980. Practical English Usage. Oxford: Oxford
4. Wren and Martin. 1991. High School English Grammar and Composition.
New Delhi:
S. Chand & Company Ltd.