Nouns (Test)

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[instructions]

	Click on the common noun: bat/Bertie/blue

	Click on the proper noun: bat/Bertie/blue

	Have you seen our latest Leaflet/leaflet?

	The Eiffel Tower/tower is very impressive.

	Click on the collective noun: baker/team/walls

	The committee is/are electing their chairman.

	That is more than two spoonsful/spoonfuls.


	Nouns are naming words. A common** noun is the word used for something (e.g. dog, boat, leaf, butter, owl, church).**

	bat "Bat" is the word for a type of flying mammal or a type of sporting implement. It is a common noun. Bertie "Bertie" is the name of a person or a thing. It is a "proper noun" and is always written with a capital letter. blue "Blue" is a describing word (i.e. an adjective).


	Nouns are naming words. A proper** noun is the name used for something (e.g. Charlie, Nelson's Column, Thames, David, Rover, St Paul's Cathedral).**

	Bertie "Bertie" is the name of a person or a thing. It is a "proper noun". A proper noun is always written with a capital letter. bat "Bat" is the word for a type of flying mammal or a type of sporting implement. It is a common noun. blue "Blue" is a describing word (i.e. an adjective).


	Do not capitalise a word just because it is an important word in your sentence.

	Have you seen our latest leaflet? The word "leaflet" is a common noun (see question 1). There is no need for a capital letter. Have you seen our latest Leaflet?


	Proper nouns (i.e. the names of things or people) are written with capital letters.

	The Eiffel Tower is very impressive. "The Eiffel Tower" is the name of a structure in France. It is a proper noun (see question 2) and should be written using capital letters. The Eiffel tower is very impressive. "Tower" is part of the name and should have a capital "T".


	A collective noun is the word used for a group of people of things (e.g. choir, committee, school).

	team "Team" is the word for group of people. It is a collective noun. baker "Baker" is the word for type of trade. It is a common noun (see question 1). walls "Walls" is the plural of the common noun "wall".


	Treat a collective noun as plural if you are considering the individuals within the group. If the group is considered as one entity, treat the collective noun as singular.

	The committee are electing their chairman. The individuals are electing their chairman. In this example, the word "their" makes it clear that the individuals within the group are being considered by the writer. The committee is electing their chairman.


	*The plural of a word like "spoonful" or "cupful" is formed by adding s to the end.*

	spoonfuls Nouns formed from two words are called "compound nouns". As a general rule, the plural of a compound noun is formed by adding s to the principal word (e.g. "cups of tea" not "cup of teas"). spoonsful