noun
NOUN
Noun: A word used to name a person, place, thing, an idea or a quality of mind is defined as a noun,
Ex:
mother Theresa was a great social worker.
Africa is a continent.
I enjoy watching football.
Democracy is a form of government in which everyone has a share in the administration.
Pain and pleasure go hand in hand.
Knowledge brings wisdom.
Love and hatred are common to all human beings.
The bold words are the best example of nouns. In the first sentence, mother Theresa is the name of a person.
In the second, Africa is the name of a continent.
In the third, football is the name of a game.
In the fourth, democracy is the name of a form of a government.
In the sixth, pain and pleasure are emotions.
In the seventh, knowledge and wisdom are abstract ideas.
In the eighth, love and hatred are qualities of the mind.
Such words as ‘mother theresa’, ‘Africa’, ‘football’, ‘democracy’, ‘dictionary’, ‘pain and pleasure’, ‘knowledge and wisdom’, and ‘love and hatred’ are known as nouns.
List of names: Muh’d, Umar, Abubakar, Uthman, Aliyu, Mary, khadijat, Blessing.
KINDS OF NOUNS
Noun are divided into eight kinds:
- Common noun
- Proper noun
- Collective noun
- Concrete noun
- Abstract noun
- Countable noun
- Uncountable noun
Common Noun: A common noun is a name given in common to every 'person or thing of the same class or kind.
EX: boy, women, teacher, doctor, girl, officer, poet, dramatist, merchant, traveler, city, village, town, region, district, place.
Proper Noun: A proper noun is the name of some particular person or place.
Ex: Keats, Mother Theresa, Shelly, Brandan, Usman, Nigeria, Kaduna, Abuja.
Collective Noun: A collective Noun is the name of collection of things or persons.
Ex: Crowd, mob, team, block, herd, army, fleet, jury, family, nation, parliament, committee, poultry, cattle, gentry, class.
Concrete Noun: A concrete noun is the name of a thing that can be touched or seen.
Ex: room, sun, girl, boy.
Abstract Noun: An abstract noun is the name of a quality, action or state.
Ex: freedom, liberty, thought, joy, sorrow, love, death, goodness, kindness, childhood, admission, justice, life, truth, beauty.
Countable Noun: A countable noun is the name of a thing that can be counted or divided into singular or plural.
Ex: Student, book, table, pen, photograph, camera, writer, man, woman, studio.
Uncountable Noun: An uncountable noun is the name of a thing that cannot be counted or divide into singular and plural.
Ex: milk, rice, ice, coffee, tea, ink, oxygen, liberty, justice, life, truth, beauty, democracy, iron, wool, me ney, honesty,gold, butter.
A. A LIST OF COLLECTIVE NOUNS- A band of musicians
- A batch/class of students
- A bench of magistrates
- A bevy of ladies
- A board of directors
- A bouquet of flowers
- A box of cigars
- A brood of chickens
- A bunch of flowers
- A bunch of fruits
- A bundle of sticks
- A caravan of travelers
- A choir of singers
- A cloud of locusts
- A cluster/constellation/galaxy of stars
Noun From Adjective: Most noun can be formed from Adjectives.
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capability |
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ignorance |
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loyalty |
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wisdom |
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zeal |
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invite |
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Vote |
Gender: Gender indicates whether a person or animal is male or female. The word ‘gender’ is originated from latin ‘’genus’’ which means kind or sort.
Kinds of gender: in English language genders are of four kinds:
Masculine Gender
Feminine Gender
Common Gender
Neuter Gender
Masculine Gender: A noun which denotes a male person Or animal is known as masculine gender. Ex: boy, brother, father, husband, horse, dog drone, king, Cord, man, monk, nephew, son, stag, uncle, wizard, author.
Feminine Gender: A noun which denotes a female person Or animal is known as feminine gender. Ex: girl, sister, mother, wife, mare, bitch, bees, queen, lady,Woman, nun, niece, daughter, hind, ant, witch, authoress.
Common Gender: A noun which denotes both male andFemale persons or animals is known as common gender. Ex: parents, painter, driver, singer, cousin, child, artists, Cook, judge, rider, friend, pupil, thief, servant, relation, Enemy, person.
Nauter Gender: A noun which denotes neither male and Female person or animal is known as nauter gender. Ex: book, pen, pencil, table, lamp, house, radio, album, Photograph, camera, glass, college, school, science, poetry, Car.
SOME FACT ABOUT GENDER
Note the use of the following words:
Salesman saleswoman or girl
Spokesman spokeswoman
Chairman chairperson or woman
But salesperson, chairperson, spokesperson or woman are preferred.
Ship and countries are treated as feminine gender.
Ex: the ship has lost all her crew.
Nigeria is proud of her heritage and culture.
Objects noted for strength and violence are treated as masculine gender.
Ex: sun, summer, winter, time, death.
The sun sheds his beams on the rich and the poor alike.
Objects notable for beauty, grace, gentleness, and admiration are treated as feminine gender.
Ex: moon, earth, spring, autumn, nature, liberty, justice, mercy, peace, hope, charity.
The moon has hidden her face behind a cloud.
Spring has spread her mantle of greenery over the earth.
Peace has her victories no less renowned than war.
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Masculine Gender |
Feminine
Gender |
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father |
mother |
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uncle |
aunty |
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gentleman |
lady |
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hero |
heroine |
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prince |
princess |
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author |
authoress |
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host |
hostess |
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Great uncle |
Great aunt |
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czar |
czarina |
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peacock |
peahen |
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poet |
poetess |
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shepherd |
shepherdess |
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patron |
patroness |
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steward |
stewardess |
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wizard |
witch |
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load |
lady |
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gender |
goose |
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son |
daughter |
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nephew |
niece |
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monk |
nun |
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bachelor |
spinster |
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king |
queen |
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actor |
actress |
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emperor |
empress |
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heir |
heiress |
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master |
mistress |
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Jack ass |
Jenny ass |
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lion |
lioness |
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priest |
priestess |
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prophet |
prophetess |
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peer |
peeress |
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waiter |
waitress |
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stag |
hind |
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horse |
mare |
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drone |
bee |
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THE NOUN : NUMBER
Number: a word which indicates whether a noun is singular or plural is known as number.
Kinds of Number: A noun has two numbers:
The singular number
The plural number
The singular number: A noun which denotes one person or thing is known as singular number.
Ex: tree, box, ox, man, boy, girl, cow, bird, pens, book.
The plural number: A noun which denotes more than one person or thing is kwon as plural number.
Ex: trees, boxes, oxen, men, boys, girls, cows, birds, pen, books.
HOW TO FORM PLURALS
Most nouns form their plurals by adding ‘s’ to the singular.
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singular |
plural |
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balloon |
balloons |
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face |
faces |
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kite |
kites |
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lion |
lions |
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shoe |
shoes |
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toe |
toes |
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umbrella |
umbrellas |
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day |
days |
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lake |
lakes |
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prince |
princes |
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state |
states |
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tongue |
tongues |
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uncle |
uncles |
Nouns ending with ‘ch’, 's', 'ss', 'sh', 'x' formtheir plurals by adding 'es' to the singular
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Nouns ending with 'y' and which have a consonant form their plural by changing 'y'
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singular |
plural |
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chimney |
chimneys |
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joy |
joys |
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money |
moneys |
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toy |
toys |
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donkey |
donkeys |
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key |
keys |
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ray |
rays |
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valley |
valleys |
Note: But only ‘s’ is added to the singular, if the ‘y comes after a vowel.
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singular |
plural |
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chimney |
chimneys |
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joy |
joys |
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money |
moneys |
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toy |
toys |
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donkey |
donkeys |
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key |
keys |
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ray |
rays |
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valley |
valleys |
singular | plural | ||||||||||||
calf | calves | ||||||||||||
loaf | loaves | ||||||||||||
thief | thieves | ||||||||||||
knife | knives | ||||||||||||
leaf | leaves | ||||||||||||
shelf | shelves | ||||||||||||
wolf | wolves | ||||||||||||
Life But exceptions are
| lives
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Most nouns ending with ‘o’ are turned plural by adding ‘es’ to the singular.
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singular |
plural |
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buffalo |
buffaloes |
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hero |
heroes |
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mosquito |
mosquitoes |
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potato |
potatoes |
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echo |
echoes |
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mango |
mangoes |
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negro |
negroes |
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Tomato With the exceptions of:
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Tomatoes
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Some nouns form their plural by vowel change.
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singular |
plural |
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man |
men |
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foot |
feet |
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goose |
geese |
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ox |
oxen |
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woman |
women |
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tooth |
teeth |
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mouse |
mice |
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child |
children |
Compound nouns are turned plural by adding ‘s’ to the
principal word
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singular |
plural |
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Commander-in-chief |
Commanders-in-chief |
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Looker-on |
Lookers-on |
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Son-in-law |
Sons-in-law |
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Man-of-war |
Men-of-war |
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Daughter-in-law |
Daughters-in-law |
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Handful |
Handfuls |
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Step-daughter |
Step-daughters |
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spoonful |
spoonfuls |
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Step-daughter |
Step-daughters |
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spoonful |
spoonfuls |
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Maid-servant |
Maid-servant |
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cupful |
cupfuls |
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Passer-by |
Passers-by |
Some nouns have the same form for singular and plural
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singular |
plural |
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swine |
swine |
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deer |
deer |
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dozen |
dozen |
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gross |
gross |
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thousand |
thousand |
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sheep |
sheep |
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pair |
pair |
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score |
score |
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hundred |
hundred |
Latin words:
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singular |
plural |
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datum |
data |
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memorandum |
memoranda |
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erratun |
errata |
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terminus |
termini |
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index |
Indices or indexes |
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fungus |
fungi |
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radius |
radii |
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medius |
media |
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formula |
Formulae, formulas |
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stratum |
strata |
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Singular |
plural |
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axis |
axes |
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basis |
bases |
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parenthesis |
Parentheses |
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phenomenon |
phenomena |
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thesis |
theses |
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crisis |
crises |
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analysis |
analyses |
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hypothesis |
hypotheses |
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criterion |
criteria |
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casis |
oases |
THE CORRECT USE OF SOME
NOUN
1. Nouns which are always used in plural
The following Nouns are always used in plural:
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riches |
thanks |
stocks |
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tidings |
surroundings |
premises |
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fetters |
spectacles |
aims |
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breeches |
pantaloons |
measles |
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billiards |
eatables |
arms |
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trousers |
movables |
scissors |
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valuable |
goods |
wages |
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proceeds |
annals |
mumps |
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shorts |
bowels |
tongs
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Use:
Where are my spectacles?
Aims are offered to the beggar.
Billiards is an interesting game.
The goods are delivered.
Measles is kind of disease.
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mathematics |
athletics |
physics |
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gymnastics |
statistics |
gallows |
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news |
mechanics |
economics |
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summons |
innings |
classics |
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politics |
ethics |
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2. Nouns: plural in appearance but singular in use
Use:
Mathematics is a difficult subject to understand.
The news was telecast on television yesterday.
Politics is a part and parcel of the day.
Ethics is meant for self-purification.
Physics is an exact science.
3. Collective Nouns used in plural
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gentry |
mankind |
clergy |
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people |
poultry |
folk |
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vermin |
nation |
cattle |
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public |
Police
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peasantry
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Use:
The gentry of our area are well educated.
The police are trying to find out the details of the case.
People are not so foolish as we think.
The cattle are grazing in the field.
Whose poultry are these?
Vermin destroy our property and health.
4. Nouns used in singular
The following Nouns are used in singular:
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poetry |
physics |
scenery |
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cavalry |
offspring |
rice |
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issue |
fuel |
abuse |
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mischief |
stationery |
alphabet |
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advice |
hair |
furniture |
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infantry |
Information |
bedding |
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luggage |
gram |
Machinery
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The poetry of keats is full of greek allusions.
The scenery of Abuja is very fascinating.
The furniture in the office was damaged.
The machinery for my uncle’s factory was imported from japan.
Her hair has turned white.
My luggage was left at the waiting room.
5. Nouns which have same form in singular and plural
Some Nouns have the same form in singular and plural:
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sheep |
pair |
pan |
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fish |
score |
amends |
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apparatus |
hundred |
cannon |
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corps |
species |
dozen |
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cod |
deer |
gross |
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yoke |
rice |
thousand |
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series |
means |
yoke |
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swine |
heathen |
species |
The sheep are eating grass.
A series of lecture was delivered on the subject.
Three dozen apples were purchased.
A pair of shoes is lost.
6. Abstract Nouns have no plurals
Ex: hope, charity, love, kindness
7. Material Nouns are not used in plurals
Ex: copper, iron, tin, wood, gold, water, milk
Note: they may be used in plural with a different meaning.
Ex:
Coppers copper coins
Irons fetters, chains
Tins cans made of tin
Woods forests
8. Letters, figures and other symbols are turned plural by adding as
apostrophe and ‘s’
Ex: there are two M’s and two T’s in the word committee.
Five 5’s are twenty five.
9. People means a nation and it may be used both as singular and plural
Ex: the Hausas are creative minded people.
There are different people in Africa.
10. Means is used as singular or plural
Ex: cinema is a means of entertainment.
Note: But it is plural in the sense of wealth
Ex: His means are plenty.
NOUNS OFTEN CONFUSED
Some nouns are misunderstood or misused on account of their similarity in meaning and sound. Such wrong use of nouns makes the sentances incorrect. Hence such wrong use must be avoided as far as possible.
- House and Home
House = a building use for living.
My uncle built a nice house in Kaduna.
Home = related to settlement or it means native place.
Umar returned home.
- Cause and Reason
Cause = it produces a result.
There are many causes of unemployment in Nigeria.
Reason = it explains or justifies a result.
You have no reason to insult me.
- Customer and client
Customer = a person who buys things at a shop.
The shop-keeper attracted his customers by discount.
Client = a person who pays for services of lawyer.
The lawyer has been considered to his clients.
- Shade and shadow
Shade = a sheltered place from the sun.
We sat in the shade of a tree.
Shadow = the image of light of a person or an animal.
Man is afraid of his own shadow.
- Man and gentleman
Man = it refers to mankind or in a general way refers to any person.
Man is a social animal.
Gentleman = it refers to human beings in general who are endowed with good manners.
My father is a gentleman.
- Men and people
People = it refers to human beings in general.
people send greeting on the occasion of New Year.
Men = it may refer to mankind or only people.
Men love women.
- Cost and price
Cost = it refers to the amount paid by the shop-keeper.
The cost of production has recently increased.
Price = it refers to the amount paid by the customer.
What is the price of this book?
- Air and wind
Air = it refers to what we breathe.
Fresh air gives us good health.
Wind = it refers to what makes the leaves move.
The strong wind blew my papers away.
- Ground and flour
Ground = it refers to out side part of the house.
The ground was wet with rain.
Floor = it is a part of the room.
She swept the floor clean.
THE AGREEMENT OF NOUN
WITH VERB
1. The verb must agree with the subject (noun) in number and person
Ex: I am I the room.
You are in the garden.
Zee is beautiful.
My sisters are not married.
2. The verb should agree with the real noun (subject)
Ex: the knowledge of social science is essential for a psychologist.
The basics of English grammar are essential for good speaker.
3. Two singular nouns joined by ‘and’ require
a plural verb
Ex: my father and my brother are worried about our sister’s education.
Keats and Shelley are romantic poets.
My sister and her friends are watching T.V.
4. Two singular nouns suggesting one idea or
person must be used with a singular verb
Ex: my friend and teacher has praised my book.
My uncle and doctor visits us daily.
The author and reporter is my best friend.
5. Nous joined by ‘with’ or ‘as well as’ must
be used with a singular verb
Ex: usman with his wife zee is doing to lagos.
Munir as well as his brother Abdullahi is handsome.
My brother as well as my father is good at English.
She as well as her mother is in zaria.
6. two or more nouns connected by ‘or’ or
‘nor’ require singular verb
Ex: Either Titi or Funke is clever.
Neither my father nor my mother is there.
Note: A plural verb is required. If one of the subjects is plural
Ex: Either the principal or the teachers are good at teaching.
Neither Nigerians nor Malians are taking part in the game.
7. Nouns joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’ differing in
person, the verb must agree with the nearest noun
Ex: either she or I am very serious about it
Neither he nor his parents are thing about the matter.
8.‘Either/neither/each/everyone/one’+’of’+plural noun and the phrase ‘many
a’ must be used with a singular verb
Ex: Either of the two books is interesting.
Neither of the two sisters is willing to marry him
Each of the students is given a text book.
Everyone of my sisters was educated.
One of my friends has returned from Abuja
Many of a leaders has paid homage to Azikiwe
9. Two nouns qualified by ‘each’ or ‘every’ and connected by ‘and’ must be
used with a singular verb
Ex: Each actor and actress is very popular.
Every man and every woman was killed by terrorists.
Each poem and story was published.
10. The words ‘pains’ and
‘means’ may be used as singular or plural
Ex: A great deal of pains has been taken.
Car is a means of transport.
Note: But in the sense of income, the nouns ‘means’ is plural.
Ex: His means are plenty.
None may be used as
singular or plural
Ex: His means are plenty.
11. A collective noun treated as a single unit is used as singular but a collective noun treated as separate individuals is used as plural
Ex: The committee has agreed to the proposal.
The army have continued fighting bravely.
12. When a proper noun is
plural name, the verb must be singular
Ex: The glimpses of world History is written by Jawaharlal Nehru.
The adventures of tom sawyer is written by mark twain.
The united states of America is a rich country.
The Arabian Nights is a famous book.
13. Plural nouns denoting
quantity/amount/distance/time must be used with a singular verb
Ex: ten years is a long period
Five hundred Naira is a large amount.
Fifty kilograms of rice is sufficient for us
NOUN AND CASE
Case: A word which
indicates whether a noun or pronoun is used as a subject, object or an indirect
object and a word which is used to address a person or indicate ownership or
possession is known as case.
Kinds of cases: A noun has six cases.
Nominative Case
Objective Case
Possessive Case
Nominative of Address
Dative Case
Noun in Apposition
Nominative Case: A noun or pronoun used as the subject of the verb is known as nominative or subjective case.
Ex: Kabeer wrote a letter. [who wrote a latter? Kabeer]
Hard work brings success. [what brings success? Hard work]
Pronoun is Nominative Case: I, we, you, he, she, it, they
Note: Nominative answers the question ‘who’ or ‘what’
Objective Case: A noun or pronoun used as the object of the verb is known as adjective or accusative case.
Ex: I liked Faruq [who did I like? Faruq]
We enjoy poetry. [what do we enjoy? poetry]
Note: The accusative answers the question ‘whom’ or ‘what’ pronoun in accusative case: me, us, you, him, her, it, them.
(‘me’ and ‘them’ are in the objective case.)
Note: Nominative is used before the verb and accusative after the verb.
Ex: I saw her.
She liked me.
We love them.
They play cricket with us.
The pronoun in the nominative case I, she, we, they, are used before the verbs saw, liked, love and play and the pronouns in the objective case her, me, them, us, are used after verbs.
Possessive Case: A noun with apostrophe and ‘s’ or a pronoun which indicates possession is known as possessive or genitive case.
Ex: this is Abba’s house [whose house is this? Abba’s house]
Note: The possessive answers the question ‘whose’ pronouns in the possessive case: my, our, your, his, her, its, their
Nominative of Address: A noun used to address persons with their names is known as nominative of address.
Ex: come on, Charles.
Ummy, let me tell you something.
Funke, tell me the truth.
Dative Case: A noun or pronoun used as an indirect object of the verb is known as dative case.
Ex: I presented her a watch. [to whom did I present the watch? To her]
We made them beautiful toys. [For whom did we make toys? For them]
Note: dative case answers the questions ‘to whom’ or ‘for whom’
Pronoun in dative case: me, us, you, her, him, them, it.
Note: A noun or pronoun used as the indirect object must be in the accusative case.
Ex: she lent me her book.
We gave them a hearty welcome.
( the pronoun ‘me’ and ‘them’ are in the objective case.)
Note: The indirect speech must be placed after the verb and before the direct object.
Ex: Amaka showed me her photograph.
She gave him the book.
The indirect obects ‘me’ and ‘him’ are placed after the verbs ‘showed’ and ‘gave’ and before the direct objects ‘photograph’ and ‘book’.
Nouns in Apposition: A noun used to refer to another noun is known as noun in apposition.
Ex: Agina, the author of Dimgba, is a Nigerian poet.
I met khadijat, a school teacher.
Note: A noun in apposition must be in the same case of the noun which it explains.
In the first sentence, the author of Dimgba is in the nominative case. In the second sentence, the noun a school teacher is in the objective case.
FORMATION OF POSSESSIVE CASE
The possessive of the singular noun is formed by adding ‘s’ [apostrophe and ‘s’]
Ex: Zainab’s hanbag.
Bayo’s house
Father’s retirement.
Note: ‘s’ is omitted when there are hissing sounds.
Ex: For conscience’ sake.
For goodness’ sake.
For justice’ sake.
The possessive of the plural nouns ending with ‘s’ is formed by adding only an apostrophe.
Ex: Girls’ school.
Boys’ hostel.
Horses’ tails.
The possessive of the plurals not ending with ‘s’ is formed by adding apostrophe and ‘s’.
Ex: Men’s club.
Children’s books.
Nouns having several words must have their possessive only to the last word.
Ex: the president of Nigeria’s speech.
The president of Nigeria’s visit to UK.
The door of my friend’s house.
The possessive of nouns in apposition must be put to the second noun.
Ex: this is Chike, the teacher’s favorite student.
This is Ali, my wife’s friend.
He lives in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
Two nouns having close association must have the possessive to the latter.
Ex: wren and martin’s grammar.
Nana, Nani’s baby face powder.
Hassan and Hussain’s degree college.
Teo different nouns having no relation require separate possessive forms.
Ex: Pemela’s and Victoria’s books.
Shelley’s and keat’s peoms.
America’s and Nigeria’s armies.
USE OF THE POSSESSIVE CASE
Possessive case is used with living things.
Ex: President’s car, tiger’s den, pamela’s beauty
The possessive case is used with personified objects.
Ex: Nigeria’s leader, death’s call.
The possessive case is used with nouns denoting time/space/programme.
With the names of buildings such as church/house/school/college/shop/hospital/theatre.
Ex: I shall go to my aunt’s. [house]
The meeting will take place at the Natiunal’s [stadium]
I was educated at Oxford’s. [university]
She was married as st.paul’s. [church]
The possessive case is used with phrases.
Ex: At his finger’s ends.
For mercy’s sake.
To his heart’s content.
At his wit’s end.
The possessive case is also used to express authorship/origin/kind besides possession.
Ex: keat’s poetry. (poetry written by keats)
Father’s love. (love expressed by Father)
Susan’s speech. (speech delivered by Susan)
Court’s stay. (stay order given by the court)
Nigeria’s win. (win gained by Nigeria)
Diana’s hall (a hall dedicated to Diana)
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