2.4 Nouns

English home language

Grade 5

Fabulous

Module 11

Nouns

Different types of nouns:

Common nouns:

A word used for any person, animal, place or item (not specific) – ordinary, everyday things, e.g. puppy.

Proper nouns:

The name of a particular person, animal, place or item and always begins with a capital letter (specific) –e.g. Pasha.

Here’s a clue concerning the proper noun: because it is the specific name of something or someone, it is written with a capital letter.

Collective nouns:

A word used for a collection or group of similar persons, animals or items e.g. a pile of bones.

Abstract nouns:

Words which name feelings or qualities (cannot feel these with your hands) - (We do not do this in detail at all).

Exercise 1

Identify the different nouns from the following columns.

Put the correct number into the space provided. Refer to the above grid for help if necessary.

COMMON NOUNS

Exercise 2

1. Verbally list words that name:

(a) six occupations

(b) six animals

(c) six foods

(d) six items from your pencil bag

COMMON NOUNS AND PROPER NOUNS

Exercise 3

2. In the sentences below,

(a) pick out the common nouns that name people and circle them in RED .

(b) pick out the common nouns that name objects and underline them in BLUE .

(c) pick out the proper nouns and outline them in GREEN .

(i) Elize Grobbelaar, a neighbour, found the little squirrels.

(ii) Berena’s cat, Kit-Kat, became the orphans’ mother.

(iii) The kittens are fascinated with Snap, Crackle and Pop.

(iv) Pama, the father and farmer, says they eat his pumpkins and butternuts.

Exercise 4

3. Rewrite the following sentences using capital letters to begin the proper nouns:

(a) he is a game ranger in the kruger national park.

(b) my aunt anne works as a secretary for the nature conservation society.

(c) the only lioness left in captivity in natal can be viewed at durban zoo.

(d) port elizabeth is a holiday resort in the eastern cape.

(e) we have an “i love cape town” sticker on the back of our opel astra.

Exercise 5

(a) Find yourself a partner and let’s play the Alphabet Game.

(b) Select a letter of the alphabet in a fair manner.

(c) Try to complete the list before your partner can.

Memorandum

Exercise 1

Common Nouns: ghost; cat

Proper Nouns: Casper; Pretoria; Monday; Pasha; December; World War 1

Collective Nouns: a swarm of bees; a litter of kittens; a crowd of onlookers; bouquet

Abstract Nouns: astonishment; peace; a feeling of freedom; anger; fear

Exercise 3

Common Nouns that name people: neighbour; mother; father; farmer

Common Nouns that name objects: pumpkins; butternuts

Proper Nouns: Elize Grobbelaar; Berena’s; Kit-Kat; Snap; Crackle; Pop; Pama

Exercise 4

(i) -

(ii) Aunt; Nature Conservation Society

(iii) Natal; Zoo

(iv) -

(v) -