Nouns are words that name people, places, things, and ideas. There are different types of nouns including proper nouns, which name specific people, places or things; common nouns, which name general people, places or things; count nouns, which can be counted; and non-count nouns, which cannot be counted. Nouns can also be singular or plural, concrete or abstract, collective, compound, and possessive. Possessive nouns show ownership or possession through the use of apostrophes.