Nouns

 __**Nouns **__

Definition: A person, place, thing, or idea

Types of nouns:

proper nouns vs. common nouns

examples of proper (always capitalized): Katie, Paris, Michigan, Mrs. Roberts examples of common: book, chair, cat

abstract vs. concrete

abstract (ideas, concepts): freedom, happiness, sadness

concrete (objects, people, places): table, chair, face, girl

Collective nouns: always plural //police, people//

Countable vs. uncountable

Countable nouns: one can actually count the noun. Usually individual objects, people or places. One can define how many individual objects there are. The noun can be singular or plural. //trees, dog, house, flower// Possible determiners: a/an, the, specific numbers, many, a lot. BUT not much

Uncountable nouns: material, concepts, information, not individual objects. Always singular can't put a defining determiner (a/an, specific numbers, or many) BUT one can use the and a lot and much. //water, dew, sweat// Abstract nouns (always uncountable): //happiness, knowledge, understanding//

One can make uncountable nouns countable with quantity expressions

//I want a glass of water.

I want two cups of juice.//

Important notes: A good way to distinguish if uncountable or countable: Can you make it plural or not Quantifiers: a lot for both much - uncountable many - countable

The function: The noun is typically the object or subject in the sentence. If a sentence has a thing and an action, the thing is the noun.

Where it appears in the sentence: In English, typically in the front when functioning as a subject. Also following the verb as objects.

Grammatical Forms associated: plural, singular, possessives

Problems a learner might have with it: Agreement with verbs, Article use


 * Determiners**

Definition- "used before the nouns" or "before of and the noun" page 136 - Singular common nouns always need a determiner - Proper nouns, uncountable nouns do not always need a determiner

Types of Determiners: Demonstratives: these, those, that, - decide based on position of noun relative to person (how far away)

Possessives: my, theirs, ours, yours, his, - use based on subject (I eat my food.)

Articles: a/an (us an if noun starts with vowel), the

A/an vs. the the- specific, defines //I have the computer on the right.// a/an- in general, unspecific //I have a computer.//

Quantifiers: say how much or how many of the noun we are talking about. These are not determiners but have the same function Examples: many, much, a lot, several, some, no, any, all, both, half, few, fewer fewest

Swan, Michael //Practical English Usage//



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