1. NOUNS
A noun is a word that names a
person, place, thing, or idea

2. COMMON and PROPER NOUNS
• A common noun names any person, place, thing or idea
– book, dog, girl, building, city
• A proper noun names a specific person, place, or thing. A proper
noun must begin with a CAPITAL LETTER.
– The Hobbit, Spot, Sally, White House, Philadelphia
SINGULAR AND PLURAL NOUNS
– A singular noun names ONE person, place, thing or idea
– A plural noun names more than one

3. CONCRETE and ABSTRACT NOUNS
• A concrete noun names something that can be identified through
one of the senses
– tree, chair, music, school
– An abstract noun names a quality or idea that cannot be seen,
felt, tasted, heard, or smelled
• kindness, health, love; honesty

4. COLLECTIVE NOUNS and COMPOUND NOUNS
• A collective noun names a group or collection of people, animals, or
things. Collective nouns indicate more than one, even in their
singular form.
– flock, army, crowd, team
* A compound noun is a noun made up of two or more words.
Compound nouns may be written as one word, separated with a
space, or joined by a hyphen
- hometown, ice cream, mother-in-law
FYI – Some words may be used as a noun or a verb. You can tell
which part of speech it is by how it is used in a sentence
1) Lisa sat on the step. (step is a noun)
2) You should step around that big rock. (step is a verb)

5. PLURAL NOUNS and POSSESSIVE NOUNS
• Plural indicates more than one. Add an s to form the plural of most
nouns: The students are ready for the quiz.
• Singular possessive shows that one person or thing has or owns
something. Add ’s to form the singular possessive of most nouns:
That student’s desk is a mess.
• Plural possessive indicates that more than one person or thing
owns or has something. Form the plural possessive of most nouns
by adding s’: All the students’ books are new.
• FYI: A contraction may use an apostrophe + s (‘s) to replace
the being verb is: Which student’s competing in the contest?

6. PRONOUNS
• Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns.
• An antecedent is the noun to which a pronoun refers:
– Kerry is my niece. She was born in 1997. She is a pronoun;
Kerry is the antecedent of she.
– Pronouns that refer to people or things are called personal
pronouns.
– Nouns and pronouns can do these jobs in a sentence: subject,
predicate noun, direct object, indirect object, or object of a
preposition
– Nouns and pronouns may also be appositives, show possession,
or be used in direct address

7. POSSESSIVE NOUNS AND PRONOUNS
• In the possessive case nouns and pronouns show ownership
• Possessive nouns and pronouns function as adjectives in a
sentence
• Possessives tell to whom something belongs.
– EX: 1. Roland saved the king’s life.
– 2. The girls’ uniforms are red plaid.
– 3. Our class is always busy.
• REMEMBER – singular possessive nouns usually end in ‘s
plural possessive nouns usually end in s’
PLURAL NOUNS THAT ARE NOT POSSESSIVE DO NOT
NEED AN APOSTROPHE!
EX: We made five pizzas. (plural)
The pizzas’ toppings were varied. (plural possessive)
The pizza’s cheese fell on the floor. (singular possessive)

8. POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
• Singular | Plural
• First Person my, mine | our, ours
• Second Person your, yours | your, yours
• Third Person her, his, its | their, theirs
• hers
– BE CAREFUL WITH HOMOPHONES:
• your ------- you’re
• their - there - they’re