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Text Comments (18)

3 answers

Last reply by: Aimet Ruiz
Wed Feb 6, 2013 4:30 PM

Post by Danno Allgrove on June 19, 2012

We have a restaurant in our town called, "Thomas' Diner." My wife insists that the pronunciation of this is 'Thomases' where I believe it is pronounced 'Thomas'.

Which one of us is correct, please?

0 answers

Post by Samuel Bass on June 24, 2012

nice video! I really like viewing it. English is my second language and its always good to know the base fundamental components of the language.

1 answer

Last reply by: Aimet Ruiz
Wed Feb 6, 2013 4:32 PM

Post by Nathaniel Humphrey on September 16, 2012

Can someone explain why: sort, lot, things, and difficulty are nouns?

0 answers

Post by Professor Hendershot on September 17, 2012

"Sort" has a variety of meanings in English. It's most commonly used as a noun when it's a synonym for "variety" or "type" (as in "that sort of plant", etc.). In this case, "sort" is describing an idea, and it's not taking the place of another noun (which would make it a pronoun), and so it must be a noun.

Similarly, "lot" and "difficulty" describe abstract concepts. Because English uses nouns to describe persons, places, things, or ideas, idea-words are nouns. "Things", of course, describes things!

Just because a term isn't specific doesn't mean it's not a noun. While your English teacher has probably told you to use specific nouns whenever possible, and it IS better to use more specific terms, sometimes vague terms are the best we can do. Vague nouns are still nouns. Nouns are good for everything!

Does that answer your question?

2 answers

Last reply by: Aimet Ruiz
Wed Feb 6, 2013 4:33 PM

Post by Simon Lee on October 4, 2012

In the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle passage (10:24), why is "nothing" (last sentence), not a noun?

2 answers

Last reply by: Aimet Ruiz
Wed Feb 6, 2013 4:33 PM

Post by Nathanael Shim on December 3, 2012

The word "patience" is an abstract noun, right?

0 answers

Post by Aniket Dhawan on December 17, 2012

Thanks

1 answer

Last reply by: Professor Hendershot
Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:30 PM

Post by vito lupis on December 27, 2012

Curious, that the word "strolling is not a noun" but "run" and "jump" are considered nouns; where is the logic in that?

0 answers

Post by Aniket Dhawan on December 31, 2012

could you please tell me that in noun lesson, why the word 'sour' is not a noun?

Nouns

  • A noun is a name for a person, place or thing.
  • Singular nouns describe single items; plural nouns name multiple items.
  • Collective nouns are singular nouns that name groups of items: choir, team, squad, etc.
  • Concrete nouns name items that can be perceived with the senses (cat, water, etc.); abstract nouns name items that cannot be perceived with the senses (mercy, sadness, etc.).
  • Proper nouns are capitalized and name specific people, places, and things; common nouns are not capitalized and name non-specific people, places, and things.
  • Count nouns can be singular or plural and name things that can be counted; non-count nouns are always singular and name things that cannot be counted.

Nouns

Lecture Slides are screen-captured images of important points in the lecture. Students can download and print out these lecture slide images to do practice problems as well as take notes while watching the lecture.

English: English Grammar

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