Nouns

What is a Noun?

• A noun is a word that names something.
• It is the most common type of word we use when we speak or write.
• You can think of a noun as a label for everything in the world!

The Four Types of Nouns To remember what a noun is, just think of these four categories:

1. A Person This can be a specific name or a general job/role.

• Examples: Teacher, sister, doctor, boy, Grandma, astronaut.

2. A Place This is anywhere you can go or visit.

• Examples: School, park, kitchen, beach, library, Mars.

3. A Thing These are objects you can usually see or touch.

• Examples: Pencil, apple, car, flower, book, computer.

4. An Animal Even though animals are "things," we often group them on their own!

• Examples: Cat, dog, elephant, bird, shark.

Special Nouns: Proper vs. Common Not all nouns are treated the same way in writing.

Common Nouns (General) These are general names and do not start with a capital letter.

• Example: "The dog went to the park."

Proper Nouns (Specific) These are names of specific people, places, or brands. They always start with a capital letter.

• Example: "Buddy went to Central Park."

How to Find a Noun in a Sentence Try the "The" Test: If you can put the word "the" in front of it and it makes sense, it is usually a noun.

• The chair? (Yes! Noun)
• The run? (No, that's an action!)
• The happy? (No, that's a feeling!)

Lesson Summary

• A noun is a person, place, thing, or animal.
• Common nouns are general (city).
• Proper nouns are specific and capitalized (London).