We know about nouns, but many people still want to know what a common noun is, and it is essential to add value to our grammar knowledge. In this article, we’ll explain it in an easy way. But first, let’s understand what a common noun is.
Let’s have a look.
What is a common noun?
A common noun is a general term we use to name people, places, ideas, objects, animals, birds, reptiles, and so on. Common nouns also include the names of different plants, geographical features, and many other things. In the previous chapter, we discussed how we differentiate nouns. That is, common nouns differ from proper nouns. In this chapter, we will discuss the difference between common nouns and proper nouns.
Definition of a common noun
We can define a common noun properly as:
A common noun is a type of noun. It is the name of a class of person, place, or thing. These are generic names. We use those to refer to a group of similar items, such as places and people. We don’t use common nouns for a specific person, place, or thing; that is, common nouns refer to general names.
Examples of a common noun
Here are some examples of common nouns.
- places – park, zoo, state, city, mall, garden, ground, college, airport
- kitchen – sink, ladle, dish, gas stove, refrigerator, mixer grinder
- mall – manager, shopkeeper, beautician, jeans, chair, trolley
- school – chair, table, bench, desk, whiteboard, marker, duster, registers, maps, globe
- hotel – waiter, chef, manager, napkin, finger bowl, dishes, glasses
- people – son, daughter, mother, father, grandson, woman, man
- ideas – feeling, expression, poverty, cleanliness
- things – stationery, shoes, spray, car, water bottle, lunch box
- reptiles – lizard, snake, crocodile
How to use a common noun in sentences
We should keep some ideas in mind when we use a common noun in a sentence.
Let’s see –
- We should not write the beginning letter of the common noun in capital if it is not the starting word of a sentence.
- In English, we may use common nouns with articles or modifiers such as ‘another’ or ‘any’.
- Common nouns are used for singular as well as plural numbers.
Examples of common nouns used in sentences
Here are some examples of common nouns.
We have used common nouns in the sentences below. Common nouns are in bold letters.
- That school is for girls.
- Can you tell me where the restaurant is?
- The dog is a pet animal.
- She dyed her hair to look more beautiful.
- He bought a new phone yesterday.
- Today we will go for a walk with my sister.
- There were so many dresses for boys.
- I opened the door in the morning.
- She cleaned all the utensils in the kitchen.
- He borrowed two books from the library.
- There are ten members in his family.
- Her mother is too old to climb the mountain.
- Please pass that book to me.
- There are so many beautiful parks near Mumbai that we should visit.
In the above sentences, the words ‘school’, ‘girls’, ‘dog’, ‘animal’, ‘dresses’, ‘boys’, and ‘parks’ are common nouns.
Frequently asked questions about a common noun
What is the difference between a common noun and a proper noun?
Common nouns and proper nouns are two types of nouns, but they contrast with each other. This means any noun is either common or proper, depending on the context of a sentence.
The difference between common and proper nouns is as follows:
♦ A common noun is a general name and refers to a group of the same things.
♦ A proper noun is a specific name given to a person, thing, place, and so on.
Give some examples of common nouns.
Here are some common nouns: television, car, teacher, shopkeeper, door, rabbit, etc.
Common nouns have two parts.
- Collective Noun
- Abstract Noun
There is a description of these parts in the lessons themselves.
Go over –
- Proper Noun
- Abstract Noun
- Collective Noun
I hope you might get the term common noun.