noun

1. Definition: A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.
Concrete nouns name people, places, or things that you can touch, see, hear, smell, or
taste.
Person Place Thing
Man river dog
Mrs. Jones Paris book
doctor mountains sports car
Maddie home Ferrari
Abstract nouns name ideas, concepts, or emotions. These nouns are intangible, which
means you cannot touch, see, hear, smell, or taste them using your five senses.
Idea Emotion
Love happiness
intelligence Anger
justice Excitement
religion Fear
Time Surprise
Hint:
Remember, pronouns are not nouns.
Definition: Common nouns name any person, place, thing, or idea. They are not
capitalized unless they come at the beginning of a sentence. Proper nouns are the
names of specific people, places, things, or ideas. Proper nouns should always be
capitalized.
Common Proper
Boy ⇒ James
river ⇒ Mississippi River
Car ⇒ Ford
doctor ⇒ Doctor Jefferson
town ⇒ Rockledge
candy bar ⇒ Baby Ruth

2. Hint:
Don't forget to capitalize all parts of proper nouns. Many people forget to capitalize
words like river and county in proper nouns like Yellow River and Orange County.
Definition: Singular means only one. Plural means more than one.
In order to make a noun plural, it is usually only necessary to add s. However, there are
many irregular nouns that add es. The rules for spelling plural nouns are based on the
letters at the end of the word. The chart below breaks up the rules into categories so that
they are easier to remember.
Rule Examples
Most nouns
Add s to form the plural. cat ⇒ cats
truck ⇒ trucks
bug ⇒ bugs
Nouns that end
in s, sh, x, ch, or z
Add es to form the plural. For
words that end in z, add an
extra z before the es.
Hint:
It is too hard to
pronounce the words
without the e. Try it –
buss, brushs, foxs...
You sound like a
snake!
bus ⇒ buses
brush ⇒ brushes
fox ⇒ foxes
beach ⇒ beaches
quiz ⇒ quizzes
Nouns ending in f or fe
Some nouns ending
in f or fe just add s.
Sometimes it is necessary to
change the f to a v. In that
case, always end the word
with es.
Hint:
Check a dictionary if
you are unsure which
rule a noun follows.
roof ⇒ roofs
safe ⇒ safes
shelf ⇒ shelves
wife ⇒ wives

3. In this lesson you will learn the rest of the rules for spelling plural nouns.
Rule Examples
Nouns that end in vowel + y
Add s to form the plural. donkey ⇒ donkeys
highway ⇒ highways
Nouns that end in vowel + o Add s to form the plural. oreo ⇒ oreos
scenario ⇒ scenarios
Nouns that end in consonant + y Change the y to i and add es to
form the plural.
family ⇒ families
trophy ⇒ trophies
Nouns that end in consonant + o Easy rule:
Usually add es except for musical
terms.
Complicated rule:
Some nouns that end in consonant
+ o add es. Many can be spelled
either way. Look in the dictionary
if you want to be sure.
These nouns always add es: potato,
tomato, hero, echo, banjo,
embargo, veto, torpedo.
Here are the preferred spellings of
some plural nouns: buffaloes,
dominoes, mosquitoes, volcanoes,
tornadoes, ghettos, mangos,
mottos, cargos, halos, mementos.
Regular examples:
potato ⇒ potatoes
dingo ⇒ dingoes
piano ⇒ pianos
soprano ⇒ sopranos
The chart below explains some exceptions to the rules.
Exceptions Examples
Words from foreign languages,
including musical terms
Simply add s. taco ⇒ tacos
kimono ⇒ kimonos
aria ⇒ arias
Words that are proper nouns Simply add s. Eskimo ⇒ Eskimos
Picasso ⇒ Picassos

4. Exceptions Examples
Words that are short forms of
longer words
Simply add s. photo (photograph) ⇒ photos
kilo (kilogram) ⇒ kilos
memo (memorandum) ⇒ memos
Hint: If a musical term or proper noun ends in s still add es. chorus ⇒ choruses
Jones ⇒ Joneses
Hint:
Are you confused yet? The easiest way to handle the plural nouns in this lesson is
to remember a few shortcuts:
 Memorize the short list of words that must end in es.
 Add es to words that end in consonant + o.
 For words that end in consonant + y, change y to i and add es.
 Remember that foreign words usually end in s, not es.
Irregular nouns form plurals in unusual ways. Dictionaries will give you the plural spelling if
it is irregular.
one child ⇒ two children
one foot ⇒ two feet
one tooth ⇒ two teeth
one man ⇒ two men
Some nouns are spelled the same way whether they are singular or plural.
one fish ⇒ two fish
one sheep ⇒ two sheep
one deer ⇒ two deer
Nouns with Latin and Greek origins form plurals in strange ways. Because Latin and
Greek plural endings are so unusual, many people try to follow the English rules by
adding s or es. Applying the English rules is acceptable for some nouns, but using the
original spelling is usually better. You will notice in the chart below that nouns with the
same endings form plurals in the same way every time. Impress your friends and family by
knowing the correct forms.
-a ⇒ -ae -us ⇒ -i -is ⇒ -es -on ⇒ -a and -ie ⇒ -ce
amoeba ⇒
amoebae
alumnus ⇒
alumni
analysis ⇒ analyses criterion ⇒ criteria

5. -a ⇒ -ae -us ⇒ -i -is ⇒ -es -on ⇒ -a and -ie ⇒ -ce
antenna ⇒
antennae
cactus ⇒
cacti
axis ⇒ axes phenomenon ⇒
phenomena
alumna ⇒
alumnae
fungus ⇒
fungi
diagnosis ⇒
diagnoses
die ⇒ dice
nucleus ⇒
nuclei
hypothesis ⇒
hypotheses
octopus ⇒
octopi
parenthesis ⇒
parentheses
Note:
Amoebas, cactuses, and funguses are now acceptable spellings even though the
Latin spellings are still preferred. Also, octopuses is now the preferred plural spelling
of octopus, but the Latin octopi is acceptable as well.
Some nouns exist only in the plural form.
binoculars pants
clothes pajamas
glasses scissors
goggles shorts
jitters tweezers
Note: This is not a complete list.
Depending on the style manual you use, there are different rules for making letters,
numbers, and abbreviations plural. The information in this lesson is based on the Chicago
Manual of Style. Use the shortcuts in this lesson to help you remember the rules.
 In order to make capital letters plural, add a lowercase s. Sometimes it is necessary to
use an apostrophe if the plural form could be confused with a word (such as the
word As versus the plural A's or the word Is versus the plural I's), but the apostrophe is
only necessary if the letter is at the beginning of the sentence.
Shortcut: Capital letter + s
I earned straight As on my report card, but my sister received all Bs.
 To make lowercase letters plural, italicize the letter and add an apostrophe + s. It is
important to add the apostrophe because otherwise the letter might be mistaken for a
word (for example, a's versus as). Remember that even though the letter itself is italicized,
the s is never italicized.

6. Shortcut: Lowercase italicized letter + apostrophe + s
Why does algebra use so many x's and y's?
 To make an abbreviation plural, simply add a lowercase s. It is not necessary to add an
apostrophe before the s.
Shortcut: Abbreviation + s
I used to have a lot of CDs, but now I just listen to my mp3 player.
I've heard that M.D.s go to school for at least 7 years!
 One last area that we haven't covered is how to make numbers plural. You can do so by
adding a lowercase s without an apostrophe.
Shortcut: Number + s
2s, 3s, and 4s
Hint:
Many people think that you have to use an apostrophe + s when making years
plural, but most style guides actually suggest that you leave out the apostrophe.
The Industrial Revolution took place between the late 1700s and early 1800s.
I was born in the '90s.
(Notice how the apostrophe in '90s comes before the number. That's because the
apostrophe is being used to replace the 19 in 1990s. It has nothing to do with
whether the number is plural or not.)
Note:
Remember that the Chicago Manual of Style isn't the only guide out there, and
different manuals follow different guidelines. For example, some manuals prefer to
use an apostrophe + s when making all letters and numbers plural. When writing,
consult your manual if you have one. Whether you have a manual or not, make sure
to follow the same rule throughout your essay, article, or story.
Also remember that people use specific guides for certain types of writing. Some
popular guides are the Associated Press Stylebook (also called the AP Stylebook),
APA style (from the American Psychological Association), and the MLA style (from
the Modern Language Association). When you write essays or research papers, you
use MLA or APA style, but when writing a news article, you use the AP Stylebook. If
you're not sure which guide to use, just ask your teacher.
Definition: A compound noun is a noun made up of two or more words. Each word
makes up part of the meaning of the noun.
Compound nouns can be written three ways:
A single word Two words Hyphenated
haircut rain forest self-esteem
toothpaste ice cream brother-in-law
Hint:

7. A compound noun is the sum of its two parts. However, there are some words that
aren't compound nouns even though they can be broken up into two words. One
example is a compound adjective.
A half-eaten pie
(Half-eaten describes the pie, so it is an adjective, not a noun.)
Two-word proper nouns can also be classified as compound nouns. Remember that
proper nouns name specific people, places, and things.
Angkor Wat
Atlantic Ocean
Eiffel Tower
Nelson Mandela
Hint:
Single-word compounds and hyphenated compounds are easy to spot, but two-word
compounds can be tricky. Ask yourself, "Would I find both words together as a
single entry in the dictionary?" For example, if you compare the phrase cold
water with the compound noun ice cream, you can see the difference. In the
phrase cold water, cold is an adjective that describes the noun water. However, ice
cream is a compound noun because ice is not an adjective describing cream. The
two words work together to create a single noun. To check the spelling of a
compound noun, look it up in the dictionary.
When a compound noun is a single word, make it plural by adding s to the end. If the
compound noun is hyphenated or composed of two separate words, remember to
add s only to the word that is plural.
one mother-in-law ⇒ two mothers-in-law
(There are two mothers, not two laws.)
one director general ⇒ two directors general
(There are two directors, not two generals.)
Definition: Collective comes from the same root as collection. A collective noun names
a group, which is like a collection of people or things.
family team choir jury committee herd pod
Hint:
Put the word in this test sentence to see if it works: One ______ is a group.
One team is a group.
One jury is a group.
One herd is a group.

8. Beware of plurals! Students can be a group, but that doesn't make the word collective. It is
plural. Remember to use the test sentence One ____ is a group.
One student is not a group.
Hint:
It is important to be able to identify collective nouns because of the way they agree
with verbs. We will cover this topic in Verbs: Agreement and Challenges, Lesson 3.
Definition: Possessive nouns show ownership. Possessive comes from the same root
as possession, something you own.
Singular Possessives
Add 's to singular words to show possession.
Dog's collar sister's backpack car's engine
(dog + 's) (sister + 's) (car + 's)
If a singular word ends in s, it is still necessary to add 's.
Charles's sneakers Bess's dresses bus's tires
(Charles + 's) (Bess + 's) (bus + 's)
Plural Possessives
If you have added an s to make a word plural (for example, cat ⇒ cats), adding 's will
sound ridiculous (cats's). In that case, add only the apostrophe to the end of the word.
Dogs' collars sisters' backpacks cars' engines
(dogs + ') (sisters + ') (cars + ')
Just like singular possessives, plural possessives that don't end in s add 's.
Children's homework fish's bowls octopi's tentacles
(children + 's) (fish + 's) (octopi + 's)
Hint:
Look at the ending in front of the apostrophe to see if the word is singular or plural.
One dog|'s tail (One dog has one tail.)
Two dogs|' tails (Two dogs have two tails.)
If two people own something together, use an 's after the second person only.
Joe and Mary's car is new. (Both Joe and Mary own the car.)
If two people own two separate things, add 's to each name.

9. Laurie's and Megan's nails are painted the same color. (Each girl has her own nails.)
You may find that certain names ending in s add only an apostrophe. That rule is
somewhat old-fashioned. However, some names, such as Jesus, Moses, Achilles, and
Charles Dickens (historical names that end in a z sound), can end with either an
apostrophe or 's.
Jesus' parables were instructional stories. Jesus's parables were instructional stories.
Moses' first tablets were broken. Moses's first tablets were broken.
Some people prefer to use only the apostrophe, but because we usually pronounce the
extra s, adding 's is correct as well.
Note:
Possessive nouns act as adjectives in sentences. These nouns modify the nouns
that follow them. If you want more information on this topic, you can look
at Pronouns, Lesson 2 and Modifiers: Adjectives and Adverbs, Lesson 2.

10. Questions and Answers
 1.
Boston and Chicago have had great teams. ________is a common noun in this sentence.
o A.
Boston
o B.
Chicago
o C.
Great
o D.
Teams
 2.
She plays center on the all-state team for Maryland. Is Maryland a common or proper noun?
o A.
Common noun
o B.
Proper noun
 3.
Dr. Naismith wrote thirteen rules for basketball. Which is the common noun in this sentence?
o A.
Dr. Naismith
o B.
Wrote
o C.
Thirteen
o D.
Rules

11.  4.
The ball can be thrown in any direction. __________ is a common noun in this sentence.
o A.
Ball
o B.
Could
o C.
Thrown
o D.
Any
 5.
A player must not run with the ball. Identify the common noun in this sentence.
o A.
Player
o B.
Must
o C.
Not
o D.
With
 6.
Not all basketball players are Americans. Which is the common noun in this sentence?
o A.
Not
o B.
Players
o C.

12. Are
o D.
Americans
 7.
Basketball is a popular sport in Asia. __________ is a common noun in this sentence.
o A.
Is
o B.
Popular
o C.
Sport
o D.
Asia
 8.
The inventor of basketball was born in Canada. The proper noun in this sentence is
________.
o A.
The
o B.
Basketball
o C.
Born
o D.
Canada
 9.
James Naismith attended a one-room school. Identify the proper noun in this sentence.
o A.
James Naismith

13. o B.
Attended
o C.
One-room
o D.
School
 10.
He went to college in Montreal, Canada. ______________ is a proper noun in this sentence.
o A.
He
o B.
College
o C.
In
o D.
Canada
 11.
While living in Massachusetts, he invented the game. What is the proper noun in this
sentence?
o A.
While
o B.
Living
o C.
Massachusetts
o D.
Game

14.  12.
There's a girl at Central High who is a basketball star. Is Central High a common or proper
noun?
o A.
Common noun
o B.
Proper noun
 13.
She averages 24 points a game. Game is a ________ type of noun.
o A.
Common noun
o B.
Proper noun
 14.
Her name is Tonya Jumper. Tonya Jumper is a _________ type of noun.
o A.
Common noun
o B.
Proper noun
 15.
That's a great name for a basketball player! Is 'name' a common or proper noun?
o A.
Common noun
o B.
Proper noun