PARTS OF SPEECH
1. NOUN (Naming word)
2. PRONOUN (Substituting Word)
3. ADJECTIVE (qualifying word)
4. VERB (saying word)
5. ADVERB (modifying word)
6. PREPOSITION (Governing word)
7. CONJUNCTION (Connecting Word)
8. INTERJECTION (Exclamatory Word)
CHAPTER 1 - THE NOUN (Naming word)
A Noun is a word which is used as the name of a person, a place, a thing, an action, quality or state as:
There are five kinds of nouns:
1. Proper noun 2. Common noun 3. Collective noun 4. Material noun 5. Abstract noun
MODERN CLASSIFICATION OF NOUNS
RULES TO BE FOLLOWED DURING USAGE OF NOUNS
1. Articles are not used before material nouns.
E.g.- The leather is used for making shoes (x)
Leather is used for making shoes. (√)
2. Material nouns and abstract nouns are NOT used in plural
E.g. This building is made up of bricks and stones (x)
This building is made up of stone and brick (√)
We should loves all mankind (x)
We should love all mankind (√)
3. Proper nouns are sometimes used as Common nouns. They are used while giving the particular attributes of the Proper noun to a common noun. Mainly used as a comparison.
E.g. Samudragupta is the Napolean of India
Vijay stood like the Himalayas.
4. A collective noun usually takes a singular verb and is substituted by a singular pronoun. Used when the Collective noun acts as a single entity.
E.g. The jury have given their verdict (x)
The jury has given its verdict (√)
5. A collective noun takes a plural verb and is substituted by a plural pronoun when the group members do not behave as a whole.
E.g. The jury is divided in its decision (x)
The jury are divided in their decision (√)
6. Units of counting i.e. pair, dozen,score,hundred,thousand,etc used after numbers retain their singular form Such as- ten pair, five dozen, five hundred,etc
E.g. My friend bought two dozen oranges .
My friend brought dozens of oranges.
7. Uncountable nouns are used in the singular form only . Indefinite articles are not used before them, nor are they
Used with plural verbs. Such as Advice , information,hair, luggage, business,work, word (promise),
mischief,scenery ,abuse stationary,
E.g. -He gave me an information (x)
He gave me information (√)
You should be true to your words (x)
You should be true to your word. (√)
8. Some plural forms are used in singular forms only. Such as, Mathematics,Statistics, Physics (all subjects),
Gymnasium, News, Innings,Series, Measles, Rabies, Mumps, Rickets,etc.
9. Uncountable Nouns are used in singular form only. Indefinite articles are not used before them, nor are they used with plural verbs. `Much` is used in place of `Many` for denoting plurality. These nouns are Advice, information, hair,luggage,business,work,word(Promise), mischief, bread, scenery,abuse,vacation, evidence, employement, alphabet,poetry,furniture, baggage,trouble, fuel, wheat,rice,stationary
The scenery of this place is worth seeing.
He has received no information so far.
CASES OF NOUN
1. Nominative case:
A noun is said to be in the Nominative case if it is the subject of a verb. (SUBJECT is the person or the thing who or which carries out the action of the verb in the sentence)
Examples:
• Mr. Ram is an intelligent boy.
Mr. Ram is a proper noun in Nominative case.
• The painter paints the portraits.The painter is a common noun in Nominative case.
2. Objective case (or Accusative case):-
Nouns or pronouns are said to be in Objective cases if they are the direct objects of verbs or if they are the objects of preposition. (Direct object is the person or the thing upon whom or upon which the action of the verb is carried out).
Examples:
• I met your sister.
“Your sister" is in objective case.
• The vendors sell mangoes.
“Mangoes" is in objective case.
3. Possessive case (Genitive case):
A noun is said to be in possessive case, if it denotes possession or ownership. A noun or pronoun in the possessive case is governed by the noun that follows it.
Examples:
• This is your pencil.
(“Your" is in possessive case.
• It is our idea.
“Our" is in possessive case.
Rules of possessive cases
With the addition of ‘s (or sometimes just the apostrophe), a noun can change from a plain old person, place or thing to a person, place or thing that owns something.
If the noun doesn’t end with an s, add ‘s to the end of the noun.
This is Mary and a dog. The dog is Mary’s; Mary is not the dog’s.
This thick blind is capable of shutting out the summer sun’s heat and light.
If the noun ends with an s, add just the apostrophe to the end of the noun.
This is the boys’ bedroom.
My parents’ house is a lovely old one.
If you have a compound noun, change only the last one to the possessive.
Mike and Amanda’s new loft apartment is really neat.
Please tell Annie and Mary’s mother that they’ll be late getting home from school.
If the possessor is a building, an object, or a piece of furniture, then you don’t need to add an apostrophe to show possession.
The maid cleaned the hotel’s room.
The hotel’s room – the hotel room
The office’s lobby – the office lobby
ERRORS IN USE OF NOUNS
1. Nouns which are used in singular form:-
(i) Scenery, information, furniture, advice, machinery, stationery, news, poetry, business, mischief, fuel, issue, repair, bedding.
The scenery of this place is worth seeing.
He has received no information so far.
(ii) Physics, Mathematics, Economics, Classics, Ethics, Athletics, innings, gallows.
e.g. Economics is a very interesting subject.
The Indian team defeated the Australian by an innings.
(iii) Brick, bread, fruit, word (as promise’)
e.g. Let me busy some fruit.
He is true to his word.
(iv) Words like dozen, score, hundred, thousand, million when preceded by a numeral.e.g. He bought ten dozen oranges.
I have four pair of shoes.
(v) Expressions as a ten-rupee note, a two-hour journey, a four-mile walk, a five-year plan, a six-man committee etc.
2. Nouns used only in plural form
(i) Cattle, police, poultry, people, gentry, peasantry, artillery.
e.g. The police have caught the thief.
Cattle are grazing in the field.
(ii) Scissors, trousers, stockings, spectacles, shorts, alms, remains, riches, goods, measles.
e.g. My scissors, are very sharp.
My spectacles are missing.
3. Nouns used both as singular and plural in the same form.
(i) Dear, sheep, fish, apparatus, wages
e.g. The wages of sin is death.
The wages of the workers have been raised.
I saw a sheep grazing in the field.
Sheep are sold cheaper than goat.
(ii) Collective nouns as jury, public, team, audience, committee, government, audience, congregation, orchestra.
e.g. The team are looking quite fit.
The team has not turned up yet.
5. One of or any of is allowed by plural words.
e.g. I want one of the books kept on the table.
Any of these tools may serve the purpose.
6. Plural nouns are used with fractions and decimal over 1.
e.g. It took us one and a half hours.
EXERCISE
Directions : In each of the following questions, find out which part of the sentence has an error. If there is no mistake, the answer is 'No error'.
1. They have (a) / placed order (b) / for books. (c) / No error (d)
2. My brother-in-laws (a) / who live in Delhi (b) / have come to stay with us. (c) / No error (d)
3.The customer handed over (a) / a five hundred-rupees note (b) / to the shopkeeper. (c) / No error (d)
4. The flock of lions (a) / roamed about (b) / fearlessly in the jungle. (c) / No error (d)
5. I have done my best ; (a) / the whole thing is now (b) / in the laps of the God. (c) / No error (d)
6. One of the most (a) / widely spread (b) / bad habit (c) / is the use of tobacco. (d) / No error (e)
7. Recently I visited Ooty (a) / and found the sceneries (b) / to be marvellous. (c) / No error (d)
8. All the furnitures have been (a) / sent to the newly constructed house (b) / located in a village. (c) / No error (d)
9. The car could not (a) / ascend the steep hill (b) / because it was in the wrong gears. (c) . / No error (d)
10. A trained gang of sailors (a) / was employed (b) / on the ship. (c) No error (d)
11. The sound of (a) / a gun shot (b) / scattered the flock of birds. (c) / No error (d)
12. The Indian force (a) / drove away (b) / the Pakistanis. (c) / No error (d)
13. The polling was marred (a) / at many a place (b) / by attempts at riging. (c) / no error (d)
14. His mouth watered (a) / when he saw (b) / a bouquet of grapes. (c) / No error (d)
15. You can get (a) / all the informations you want (b) / in this library. (c) / No error (d)
16. This article (a) / is not available in (b) / any of the shop (c) / in the market. (d) / No error (e)
17. The blinds (a) / deserve (b) / our sympathy. (c) / No error (d)
18. Students should not take part (a) / in party politics and political demonstrations (b) / as they interfere in serious study. (c) / No error (d)
19. Satyajit Ray, who conceived, co-authored (a) / and directed a number of good films, was (b) / one of India’s most talented film maker. (c) / No error (d)
20. I saw (a) / a few children (b) / playing on sand. (c) / No error (d)
21. These kind (a) / of shirts (b) / are rather expensive (c) / for her to buy. (d) / No error (e)
22. Interviews for (a) / the posts of lecturer (b) / will begin from Monday. (c) / No error (d)
23. The rate of growing (a) / may be different for different people, (b) / but old age spares none. (c) / No error (d)
24. The crowd of angry students (a) / ordered the (b) / closing of shops. (c) / No error (d)
25. They left (a) / their luggages (b) / at the Bus station. (c) / No error (d)
Error Detections : Nouns
1. b. Replace ‘order’ by ‘orders’
2. a. Replace ‘brother-in-laws’ ‘brother-in-law’
3.: b. Replace ‘rupees’ by ‘rupee’
4. : a. Replace ‘flock’ by ‘herd’.
5.:c. Replace ‘laps’ by ‘lap’
6. c. Replace ‘habit’ by ‘habits’.
7. b. Replace ‘sceneries’ by scenery’.
8. a. Replace ‘furnitures’ by ‘furniture’.
9. : c. Replace ‘gears’ by ‘gear’
10. a. Replace ‘gang’ by ‘crew’
11. c. Replace ‘flock’ by ‘flight’.
12. a. Replace ‘force’ by ‘forces’
13. b. Replace ‘a place’ by ‘places’
14. c Replace ‘bouquet’ by ‘bunch’
15. b. Replace ‘informations’ by ‘information’
16. c. Replace ‘shop’ by ‘shops’
17. a. Replace ‘blinds’ by ‘blind’
18. c. Replace ‘study’ by ‘studies’
19. c. Replace ‘maker’ by ‘makers’.
20.c. Replace ‘sand’ by ‘sands’.
21. : a. Replace ‘kind’ by ‘kinds’
22. b. Replace ‘posts’ by ‘post’.
23.a. Replace ‘growing’ by ‘growth’.
24. a. Replace ‘crowd’ by ‘mob’.
25. b. Replace ‘luggages’ by ‘luggage’.