Nouns

What Is a Noun?

Beginner 1 min read 4-question quiz

A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing or idea. Almost every sentence you read or write contains at least one noun.

The four main kinds of noun

  • Person: teacher, doctor, Sara
  • Place: school, city, Lahore
  • Thing: book, table, phone
  • Idea: freedom, happiness, honesty

Common and proper nouns

A common noun names something general, such as “city”. A proper noun names something specific and begins with a capital letter, such as “Karachi”.

The teacher reads a book in the library.

Quick tip

If you can put “the”, “a” or “my” in front of a word and it still makes sense, the word is probably a noun.

Practice

Check your understanding

4 questions · pass mark 70%

1Which word is a noun in this sentence: "The children play quickly in the garden"?
2Which of these is a proper noun?
3The word "happiness" names what?
4Which sentence contains a noun that names a place?
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