trainer's manual on nouns

8/4/2019 Trainer's Manual on Nouns

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Trainers manual on English Usages

Noun: Anoun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea. Whatever exists, we assume, canbe named, and that name is a noun.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittensBrown paper packages tied up with strings

These are a few of my favorite nouns

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes

Silver white winters that melt into springs

These are a few of my favorite nouns

When the dog bites

When the bee stings

When I'm feeling sad

I simply remember my favorite nouns

And then I don't feel so bad.

Apologies to Oscar Hammerstein II,

lyricist of "My Favorite Things"

from The Sound of Music

Source:http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/nouns.htm

Late last yearourneighbours bought a goat.Portia White was an opera singer.The bus inspectorlooked at all the passengers' passes.According to Plutarch, the library at Alexandria was destroyed in 48 B.C.Philosophy is of little comfort to the starving.

http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/nouns.html

Kinds of Noun:

Common Noun:A common noun is a noun referring to a person, place, or thing in a generalsense.In each of the following sentences, the common nouns are highlighted:

According to the sign, the nearest town is 60 miles away.All the gardens in the neighbourhood were invaded by beetles this summer.I don't understand why some people insist on having six different kinds ofmustard in theircupboards.The road crew was startled by the sight of three large moose crossing the road.Many child-care workers are underpaid.


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Proper Nouns:The noun represents the name of a specific person, place, or thing. Thenames of days of the week, months, historical documents, institutions, organisations, religions,their holy texts and their adherents.

In each of the following sentences, the proper nouns are highlighted.

The Marroons were transported from Jamaica and forced to build the fortifications in Halifax.Many people dread Monday mornings.Beltane is celebrated on the first ofMay.Abraham appears in the Talmud and in the Koran.Last year, I had a Baptist, a Buddhist, and a Gardnerian Witch as roommates.

Collective Nouns:A collective noun is a noun naming a group of things, animals, or persons.You could count the individual members of the group, but you usually think of the group as a

whole is generally as one unit.

The flock of geese spends most of its time in the pasture.

The collective noun "geese" takes the singular verb "spends."

Thejury is pronouncing its verdict on O.J. Simpson tonight.

In this example the collective noun "jury" is the subject of the singular compound verb (You constructa compound verb out of an auxiliary verb and another verb: e.g. were destroyed,was looking,willmeet,has been barking,will call) "is pronouncing."

The steering committee meets every Wednesday afternoon.

Here the collective noun "committee" takes a singular verb, "meets."

Some more examples of collective nouns are: A column of accountants, A troupe of acrobats, Ashuffle of bureaucrats, A rabble of butterflies, A fleet of cars, A bouquet of flowers, A huddle oflawyers, caucus of mediators,Aflotilla of boats,A pack of hounds/rats, A pontification of preachers ,Aclamber of assistant professors, A string of camels,A volley of bullets/Shots, A clutter of spiders, Adray of squirrels, A streak of tigers, A knot of toads.

Abstract Nouns:An abstract noun is a noun which names anything which you can notperceive through your five physical senses. The highlighted words in the following sentences areall abstract nouns:

Buying the fire extinguisher was an afterthought.Tillie is amused by people who are nostalgic about childhood.Justice often seems to slip out of our grasp.Some scientists believe that schizophrenia is transmitted genetically.

more examples of Abstract:Goodness,Kindness,Whiteness,Darkness,Hardness,Brightness,honesty,Wisdom,

Laughter,Theft,Movement,Judgement,Hatred,Childhood,Boyhood,Youth,Slavery,ckness,Death,Poverty.


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Countable Nouns:A countable noun (or count noun) is a noun with both a singular and aplural form, and it names anything (or anyone) that you can count. You can make a countablenoun can be made plural and attach it to a plural verb in a sentence.

In each of the following sentences, the highlighted words are countable nouns:

We painted the table red and the chairs blue.Since he inherited his aunt'slibrary, Jerome spends every weekend indexing his books.Miriam found six silverdollars in the toe of a sock.The oak tree lost three branches in the hurricane.Over the course of twenty-seven years, Martha Ballad delivered just over eight hundredbabies.

Non-Countable Nouns :A non-countable noun (or mass noun) is a noun which doesnot have a plural form, and which refers to something that you could (or would) not usually count.

A non-countable noun always takes a singular verb in a sentence.

The highlighted words in the following sentences are non-countable nouns:

Joseph Priestly discovered oxygen.

The word "oxygen" cannot normally be made plural.

Oxygen is essential to human life.

Since "oxygen" is a non-countable noun, it takes the singular verb "is" rather than the pluralverb "are."

We decided to sell the furniture rather than take it with use when we moved.

You cannot make the noun "furniture" plural.

The furniture is heaped in the middle of the room.

Since "furniture" is a non-countable noun, it takes a singular verb, "is heaped."

The crew spread the gravel over the roadbed.

You cannot make the non-countable noun "gravel" plural.

Gravel is more expensive than I thought.

Since "gravel" is a non-countable noun, it takes the singular verb form "is."

Nouns Usually UnCountable in English but Countable in other languages:Accomodation,behaviour,damage,luck,permission,traffic,advice,bread,furniture,luggage,business,progress,weather,baggage,chaos,information,news.scenery,work..

Case Classificaton of Nouns:

Subjective Case(Nominative Case):When a noun is used as the subject of a Verb,it issaid to be in the Subjective Case. The highlighed word in the given sentence is in the Subjectivecase.


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The book is on the desk.

Objective Case(Accusative Case): When a noun is used as the Object of a Verb,it is saidto be in the Accusative Case. The highlighed word in the given sentence is in the Accusative case.

The book is on the desk.

Possessive Case:When a noun is used wih apostrophe and s, it indicates possession orbelongingness. E.g. The boys book,The Kings crown, Rajeevs house.

Rules of nouns usage:

(I)the following nouns are always plural and are followed by verbs in the plural:

alms, bowels, contents, customs ,fireworks, goods, spectacles, scissors, shears, trousers,drawers,breeches,jeans,tights,shorts,stairs,wages,thanks,annals,thanks,proceeds,tidings,environs,nuptials,

e wares, chattels, riches, eaves, tongs, pincers, surroundings, movables, eatables, stocks, fetters

1. In India, alms are given to beggars on sacred days.

1. Riches do many things and they have wings.2. Where are my trousers/shorts/spectacles/jeans?3. Aishvarya and Abhishek are getting married and their nuptials have been planned on January 3,

2009.

(II)The following nouns have the singular and plural alike:Swine, sheep, deer, cod, trout, salmon, aircraft, spacecraft, series, species,Foot, pair, dozen, score, gross, thousand (when used after numeral).

Rajeev is six foot (And not six feet) tall.

(III) The following nouns look plural but are in fact singular:Mathematics, physics, electronics, measles, mumps, rickets, billiards, draughts, innings, gallows,summons.

I. India defeated Bangladesh by an innings and two hundred twenty-nineII. No news is good news.

III. Billiards is my favourite game.IV. Mathematics is not a very popular subject.

(IV)The following Collective nouns, though they are singular in form, are always used as

plurals.

Poultry, cattle, vermin, people, gentry, police, public, clergy, peasantry, summons, gallows,gymnastics

1. These poultry are mine.2. Whose are these cattle?3. Vermin destroy our property and carry diseases.

4. Police are investigating the matter.5. Clergy of this country have a considerable influence on the government of the day.6. There are few gentry in this town.


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7. Peasantry of this country have always been victimized by the Landlords.

(VI)Some nouns have only one meaning in the singular and two in the plural

The Noun in theSingular

Its meaning The noun inplural

Its meanings

Arm Upper Limb Arms (i) Weapons(ii) Upper limbs

Pain Suffering Pains (i) Troubles(ii) Care

Manner Method Manners (i) Methods(ii) Behavior

Custom Habit Customs (i) Habits(ii) Duties levied on imports

Letter Alphabet Letters (i) Letters of the alphabet(ii) Learning

Spectacle Sight Spectacles (i) Sights(ii) Eye glasses

Colour Hue Colours (i) Hues(ii) Flags

Minute Unit of time Minutes (i) Units of time(ii) The Proceedings of a

meetingMoral A moral

lessonMorals (i) Moral Lessons

(ii) ConductPremise Proposition Premises (i) Propositions

(ii) Buildings

Provision condition

(i) Conditions(ii) Food

(VII) Some nouns have different meanings in singular and plural

Nouns in Singular Its meaning Nouns in plural Its meaning

Advice Counsel Advices Information

Air Atmosphere Airs Proud Behavior

Authority Command Authorities Persons in power Good Nice Goods Property(things)Iron Metal Irons Fetters, chains

Force Strength Forces Army

Content Satisfaction Contents Things contained

Respect Regard Respects Compliments

Work Job Works Composition,Factories

Earning Income Earnings Savings

Quarter One-fourth Quarters Houses

Compass Extent, range Compasses An instrument for drawing circle


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Copper A kind of metal Coppers Copper Coins

Physic medicine Physics Natural Science

(VIII) The following nouns are always used in the singular

Abuse, advice, rice, issue, offspring, abuse, advice, rice, gram, fuel, furniture, stationery, scenery,

poetry, poetry, information, cavalry, infantry, mischief, alphabet, hair, bunting, bedding.

Some important Facts About Nouns

1. Cousin is never followed by brother or sister.

2. Boarding is a wrong use. It should be Boarding House.3. Poor people is a slang use. It should be the poor.4. Signature should be used in place of the abbreviation sign.5. Food taken once is meal and not meals. Meals means both lunch and Dinner.

6. Vacation is one term and hence singular.

7. Tickets means the number of tickets. Ticket means mode of entry8. Alphabet is generally used in the Singular sense. But it can also be used in a plural sense

when different languages are referred to at the same time..9. Inning is no word. The actual wrd is innigs and is always used in the singular sense.10. English Teacher is a slang. It should be the teacher of English11. Family members is a slang use. The correct form is members of the family .

12. The use of double possessive should be avoided. It is better to write the son of my unclesfriend than my uncles friends son.

13. The use of (s) is usually limited to living things. Of is used in the case of lifeless things. e. g.The girls leg; but the leg of the table (and not the tables leg)14. When the members of the group are thought of as acting separately, the verb should be

plural.

The team are arguing over who should be the captain. The Committee were not in agreement on the action to be taken.

The audience were cheering and laughing; even crying.

15. When nouns expressing periods of time,amounts of time, or quantities are considered as asingle unit, singlar verbs are used.

Ten rupees seems too much for the job.

Three months is too long a time to wait.

The number of board members is very small.

That Rs. 1,00,000 was an inheritance from my father.

Yes, 5 meters is ample for a suit.

16. After such expressions as one- half of, two-thirds of, a part of, a majority of,a) Use a singular verb ifa singular noun follows of.

A part of the office is closed.

Two- thirds of the mailing list has been typed.

A majority of 3500 indicates his popularity in the constituency.

b) Use a plural verb ifa plural noun follows of.c)

Part of the walls are to be painted.

Two- thirds of our workers live in the suburbs.

The majority of our staff members live in the suburbs.


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The majority of our staff members live in villages.

17. The expression the number has a singular meaning and requires a singular verb, whereasthe expression A number has a plural meaning and takes a plural verb.

The numberof Board members is very small.

A numberof Board members were absent.

The numberof orders still to be executed is estimated at nearly a hundred.

A numberof our staffare going on leave.

17. In sentences containing the words one of, the verb is chosen as follows:(a) In simple form one oforone of the, a singular verb is used.

one of the reasons for his dismissal is his carelessness.

one of the pens is missing from my desk.

(b) The sentences containing phrases one of those who,one of our,one of the things that, aplural verb is required .

He is one of those managers who favour increasing the staff.

Mr. Verma Is one of our officers who are acompanying me.However when only precedes one of/one of those, a singular verb is used.

Ramesh is the only one of our employees who is always alert.

Mr. Verma is the only one of our officers who is accompanying me.

Common Errors in the use of Nouns

1. Though my means is small, I help my younger brother with money.2. I must help him. After all, we are brothers of the same profession.

3. He does everything for consciences sake.4. Custom on exports and imports is collected at airport.5. My uncles friends son is a doctor.6. The jury consist of ten members.7. The jury was divided in its opinion.8. Womens clothes are generally more expensive than men.9. All his family members are fond of music and good food.10. I may spend these summer vacations with one of my friends in Bombay.11.If the cattles enter the field, please drive them out.12.My cousin sister is a lecturer.13.The magistrate has passed order for Robins release.

14.There is no place for you in this Bench.15. Mr. Bhatia, our English teacher, works hard.16.The police is investigating the matter.17.The weather of Delhi does not suit me.18.We should be always true to our words.19.I have learnt these poetries by memory.20.What is your date of birth?21.He does not know even alphabets of English.22.I met him in the hospital and enquired about his state of health.23.The Scientists have not been able to tell the reasons of the earth quake.24.No summon has yet been issued from the court.25.The students who live in the boarding have an interesting life.


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26. I finished the three fourth of the work in a record period of four days.27.His service has been terminated.28.Entry to the cinema is by tickets.29.I want to know what is the content of the letter.30.She has lost a hundred rupee note.

Answers with necessary explanations

1. Though my means are small, I help my younger brother with money.2. I must help him. After all, we are brethren of the same profession.3. He does everything forconscience sake.4. Customs on exports and imports are collected at airport.5. The son of My uncles friend is a doctor.6. The jury consists of ten members.7. The jury were divided in theiropinion.8. Womens clothes are generally more expensive than mens.9. All members of his familyare fond of music and good food.10. I may spend this summer vacation with one of my friends in Bombay.11. If the cattle enter the field, please drive them out.12. My cousin is a lecturer.13. The magistrate has passed orders for Robins release.14. There is no room for you in this Bench.15. Mr. Bhatia, ourteacher of English, works hard.16. The police are investigating the matter.17. The climate of Delhi does not suit me.18. We should be always true to ourword.(Wordin the sentence meanspromise)19. I have learnt thesepoems by memory.20. What is the date of your birth?21. He does not know even alphabetof English.22. I met him in the hospital and enquired about the state his of health.

23. The Scientists have not been able to tell the cause of earth quake.24. No summons has yet been issued from the court.25. The students who live in the boarding house have an interesting life.26. I finished the three fourths of the work in a record period of four days.27. His services have been terminated.28. Entry to the cinema is by ticket.29. I want to know what are the contents of the letter.30. She has lost a hundred rupees note.

trainer's manual on nouns

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