Abstract, Concrete, and

Non-Count Nouns

What’s the difference?

Source: Grammar Bytes

An Abstract Noun
 Nouns name people, places, and things.
 One class of nouns is abstract.
 Your five senses cannot detect them.
– You cannot see them.
– You cannot hear them.
– You cannot smell them.
– You cannot taste them.
– You cannot touch them.

Source: Grammar Bytes

Example?
 When Farley dove into the water to save April, his
bravery amazed the Patterson family.
 Bravery, one of the nouns in this sentence, is an
abstract noun. You can see Farley, the water, and
the family. You cannot see bravery itself.
 It has no color, size, shape, sound, odor, flavor or
texture.
 Any noun that escapes your five senses is an
abstract noun.

Source: Grammar Bytes

Concrete Nouns
 Many nouns are concrete, not abstract.
 Concrete nouns register on your five
senses.
– You can see them.
– You can hear them.
– You can smell them.
– You can taste them.
– You can touch them.

Source: Grammar Bytes

Example?
 John cuddled the English sheepdog puppy
under his warm jacket.
 Puppy is an example of a concrete noun.
You can see a puppy, stroke its fur, smell
its breath, and listen to it whine. You can
even taste the puppy if you don’t mind
pulling dog hair off your tongue.
 Because a puppy will register on all five
senses, puppy is a concrete noun.
Source: Grammar Bytes
Non-count Noun
 Non-count nouns have only a singular form
 Godzilla ate three pizzas, two delivery boys, and six parked
cars.
 Pizzas, boys, and cars = count nouns. Godzilla didn't have t
be such a pig; he could have eaten only one pizza, one
delivery boy, and one car.
 After overindulging at Antonio's, Godzilla got severe
indigestion.
 Indigestion = non-count. You cannot write, "Godzilla got
eleven indigestions."
Source: Grammar Bytes
Wrap It Up. . .
 Can you think of some other abstract
nouns?
 Can you think of some other examples of
concrete nouns?
 Did you think of other non-count nouns?

 What is the difference between abstract

and concrete nouns?

Source: Grammar Bytes