Nouns, Adjectives, and Pronouns

Nouns, Adjectives, and Pronouns

Typically, nouns are used with articles and adjectives. Nouns are also replaced by pronouns. When we use articles and adjectives to give more information about a noun, we create noun phrases. Nouns and noun phrases act the same when we use them in sentences.

• noun (word) = students                                                                       → they (pronoun)

• noun (phrase) = the students (article + noun)                                  → they (pronoun)

• noun (phrase) = the smart students (article +adjective+noun)      → they (pronoun)

• Students can learn English very fast.                                               → They can learn English very fast.

• The students can learn English very fast.                                        → They can learn English very fast.

• The smart students can learn English very fast.                             → They can learn English very fast.

• noun (word) = apartment                                                                     → it (pronoun)

• noun (phrase) = an apartment (article + noun)                                 → it (pronoun)

• noun (phrase) = a small apartment (article + adjective + noun)     → it (pronoun)

Sources:

Information about numbers adapted from Lumen Learning,  https://courses.lumenlearning.com/styleguide/chapter/regular-plural-nouns/
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Information about types of nouns adapted from The Nature of Writing,  https://natureofwriting.com/courses/parts-of-speech/lessons/nouns/topic/introduction-to-nouns-2/
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License.

Videos: TEFL and TESOL Courses, ITTT
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Nouns

When we look at nouns in more detail, we can easily see how they are very different from the other parts of speech. We already learned that nouns can name a person, place, thing or idea. Let's see what other information we can add to that to learn more about nouns.

1. Nouns can be common or proper. This is important to know because proper nouns begin with a capital letter in Standard English, no matter where they are used in a sentence, whereas common nouns only begin with a capital letter at the start of a sentence. 

Note: In English, names of languages, months of the year, and days of the week are proper nouns, so they will always be capitalized: Chinese, Arabic, January, Monday, June, Friday. 

2. Nouns can also be concrete or abstract. This is important to know because sometimes abstract nouns are easily confused with verb forms.

3. Nouns also have both a singular and plural form. This is called number. A plural noun shows that there is more than one of that noun. 

Generally, plural forms of nouns are created by adding an -s or -es to the end of a singular noun. However, there are irregular plural nouns that do not follow that same rule. Here are some examples:

Adjectives

When we look at adjectives in more detail, we can easily see how they have a special relationship with nouns. We already learned that adjectives describe nouns or pronouns. 

1. When adjectives describe nouns, it is important to remember that in Standard English, adjectives come before nouns. This is specific to English, as other languages may place adjectives after nouns. Also, adjectives can describe nouns and pronouns when the sentence uses state or linking verbs. In this case, the adjective appears after the state or linking verb instead.

• Robert's black cat only eats expensive food. (adjective + noun)

• The cat is cute, but it is picky. (noun + linking verb + adjective | pronoun + linking verb + adjective)

Also, unlike nouns or pronouns, adjectives do not have number. Adjectives do not have a plural form. We cannot add -s or show that there is more than one of that adjective. Let's see what we can add to that to learn more about adjectives.

Pronouns

When we look at pronouns in more detail, we can easily see how they have a special relationship with nouns, too. We already learned that pronouns take a noun's place. Unlike nouns, pronouns are not used with articles or come right after an adjective.

1. When pronouns replace nouns, it is important to remember how the noun is used in the sentence to choose the correct form of the pronoun to replace that noun.

• Robert lives in a small apartment.      → He loves living in it.

• Robert loves his wife.                            → He loves her. 

2. Pronouns are similar to nouns because they also have plural forms. However, plural pronouns are not formed by adding -s.

• Robert is a teacher.                                 → He is a teacher. 

• Robert and his wife are teachers.        → They are teachers.

Let's see what we can add to that to learn more about pronouns.