Parts of Speech: Nouns
A noun can be defined as a word that names a person, place, thing, idea or emotion. The grammatical rules for using nouns depend on the type of noun being used. All nouns can be classified as being either concrete or abstract nouns. Any noun that can be identified with the senses is a concrete noun. All tangible objects are concrete nouns. However, objects that cannot be identified with senses directly are abstract nouns. Things such as love, bravery and deceit are all abstract nouns.
Common Nouns
A common noun is a noun that names something general. Country, police officer, and lake are all examples of common nouns. Common nouns are not to be capitalized except when they appear at the beginning of a sentence.
Proper Nouns
A proper noun is a noun that names something, or someone, specific. Croatia, Officer Bob, and Lake Baikal are all examples of proper names. Any specific person’s name is also a proper noun. Titles, such as officer, are only proper nouns when accompanied with a name or when used to address a particular person. Proper nouns are always capitalized.
Common: That is my dad.
Proper: I asked Dad to help me with homework.
In the first sentence, dad is describing a role, so it is not proper. In the second sentence, dad is a specific person, and it is a proper noun.
Compound Nouns
Certain nouns are made up of more than one word, and these nouns are known as compound nouns. Compound nouns can be both proper and common, which determines if the compound noun is capitalized. Compound nouns can come in the three forms:
- Separate words, such as high school.
- Hyphenated words, such as ex-wife
- Combined words, such as football.
It’s important to use the correct compound form when using compound nouns. For example, the only correct spelling of the word “keyboard” is just that. Key-board and key board would both be grammatically incorrect. However, in some cases dialect differences cause multiple forms of the same compound noun to exist. When in doubt over spelling, check a dictionary.