The noun is the first of the eight parts of speech. Just for the record, here are all eight:

noun, pronoun, adjective, verb, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.

Nouns can be used in different ways. They can be common or proper. They can be subjects of sentences or direct objects, predicate nominatives, objects of prepositions, and indirect objects. There are also nouns of address, objects of infinitives, and gerund nouns. Nouns, nouns, nouns … where do we begin?

First, let's start with a basic definition:

Nouns name persons, places, things, or ideas. 
Persons: Mr. Johnson, mother, woman, Maria
Places: city, home, Texas, Canada
Things: house, ring, shoe, table, desk, month, light
Ideas: grief, democracy, courage, obedience

Concrete nouns can be touched. Abstract nouns (like love, bitterness, happiness, or joking) cannot be touched but are, nonetheless, still nouns because they name entities.

Nouns can be proper or common.

Nouns that begin with a capital letter are proper nouns. They have a specific name or title and refer to a particular person, place, thing, or idea. Common nouns do not begin with capital letters because they are less specific.

Here is a comparison: Common nouns are country, language, mother, brother, teacher, pastor.
Those same nouns as Proper nouns might be England, German, Mother Theresa, Sammy, Ms. Holstrom,
Pastor Hill.

Nouns of address

This is a noun used to call upon a person for his or her attention. It can be the person's name or the name by which he or she is known. Here are some examples:

Cindy, why are you here?  (Noun of direct address is Cindy)
Mom, please help me.  (Mom)
I didn't understand, Judge, that I had to tell the truth. (Judge)
Don't you dare leave this room, Kelly!  (Kelly)

Nouns of direct address are "set off" by commas. This means that if the
noun of direct address comes at the first of the sentence, it is
followed by a comma as in the first two examples. If the noun of direct
address is in the middle of the sentence, put commas before and after.
If the noun of direct address is at the end of the sentence, put the
comma before it.

List the nouns in the following sentences. Mark C for common and P for proper.

 . The mayor suggested that the boy clean up Wilmington Statue for his community service project. 

                   __________ __________ _______________ ___________

2. Two friends water-skied on Lake Erie. 

                   __________ ______________

3. The twins, who are from the large city of Houston, are vacationing in Canada all next month. 

                   _________ _________ _________ _________ __________

4. The teacher asked the student to report on the country of France. 

                   __________ __________ __________ __________

5. The address on the envelope clearly read Mexico. 

                   __________ __________ __________

6. The witness's story was about a man fleeing from a building. 

                   __________ __________ __________

7. The factory blew into a thousand pieces. 

                   __________ __________

8. Mary was so excited that she ran all the way home. 

                   __________ __________

9. The journal by Hemingway was found after his death. 

                   __________ __________ __________

10. Tractors are good for farming and also for young boys and girls who want to practice their driving skills.

              __________ __________ _________ __________ __________

For the Answer Key, Click Here

Submitted by:  © Elaine Ernst Schneider  is a freelance writer and a teacher. She has been writing since high school and has published articles, songs, and children's work. Presently, Elaine is a curriculum author for Group Publishing and also writes the City Songs column for www.newcolonist.com ezine.