1. Activity
Write a short letter to your best friend about a trip that you took this summer. Describe where you went, what you saw and what you did.
(5 minutes)

2. With a highlighter, highlight all the nouns.
Assignment
With a highlighter, highlight all the nouns.

3. Nouns

4. What is so important about nouns?
Nouns allow us to communicate about things or ideas around us.
Without nouns, we would not be able to communicate with others.
Assuming you were only allowed to communicate in writing, what would society look like if you couldn’t communicate with nouns?

5. What is the definition for a noun?
A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing or idea.
Examples:
Car, leader, Texas, exploration

6. Kinds of Nouns Common nouns vs. Proper nouns
Concrete nouns vs.Abstract nouns
Collective nouns & Mass nouns
Compound nouns
Possessive nouns
Pronouns

7. Common vs. Proper Nouns
A common noun is a general name for a person, place, thing, or idea.
A proper noun is the name of a particular person, place, thing, or idea.
Example:
singer vs. Jennifer Lopez
player vs. Michael Jordan

8. Identity a correct proper noun for each in the right hand column.
Common Noun
country
 lake
day
singer
restaurant
city
president
holiday
 month
 planet
Proper Noun
_________________

9. Activity
Worksheet page 1 – “Common Nouns and Proper Nouns” 9

10. Concrete vs. Abstract Nouns
A concrete noun names a thing that can be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, or touched.
An abstract noun names an idea, feeling, quality, or characteristic.
Love vs. flowers
Happiness vs. food

11. Noun Exercise
Write each noun and label it concrete or abstract and common or proper.
We went to Graywood Park and got an idea when we saw the birds in the pond.
Using a piece of wood, we saw that Robert could actually lift the men sitting on the benches next to us.
Because we live in Hawaii, all we see is water, sand, and waves.
Communication is a very important process for all people.
Mary is filled with happiness today because justice has been served by the judge.

12. Answers:
Graywood Park - concrete, proper; idea - abstract, common; birds - concrete, common; pond - concrete, common__
piece - concrete, common; wood - concrete, common; Robert - concrete, proper; men - concrete, common; benches - concrete, common_
Hawaii - concrete, proper; water  - concrete, common; sand - concrete, common; waves -concrete, common_
communication - abstract, common; process - abstract, common; people - concrete, common_
Mary - concrete, proper; happiness - abstract, common, justice - abstract, common, judge -concrete, common__

13. Noun Exercise (continued)
My folder fell out of my briefcase and landed somewhere on Green Drive.
During the storm, the Raymonds lost their power, but nevertheless, they were still happy.
The Statue of Liberty displays love to everyone.
The ability to talk is a very powerful advantage.
The muffins sat in the oven as the fire crackled.

14. Answers (continued)
folder - concrete, common; briefcase - concrete, common; Green Drive - concrete, proper
storm - concrete, common; Raymonds - concrete, proper; power - concrete, common
Statue of Liberty - concrete, proper; love - abstract, common
ability - abstract, common; advantage - abstract, common
muffins - concrete, common; oven - concrete, common; fire - concrete, common

15. Collective Nouns & Mass Nouns
A collective noun is a word that names a group of people or things.
Examples: crew, team, neighborhood, colony
A mass noun is a word that names something that cannot be separated into individual units.
Examples: sand, water, wood, fruit, bread,
Can you think of any others?

16. Activity
Worksheet page 2 – “Collective Nouns and Mass Nouns

17. Compound Nouns
A compound noun is a noun that is made up of two or more words. Most compound nouns in English are formed by nouns modified by other nouns or adjectives.
For example:
The words tooth and paste are each nouns in their own right, but if you join them together they form a new word - toothpaste.
The word black is an adjective and board is a noun, but if you join them together they form a new word - blackboard.

18. Combine words from column one with words from column two to create compound nouns.
tooth +
cut
black
cleaning
swimming
board
under
put
hair
paste
dry
pool
out
ground

19. Collective & Compound Nouns
Write each collective and compound noun and label it collective or compound.
We saw a flock of birds fly across the sky.
The doghouse was broken after a herd of cattle ran over it.
We brought a flashlight to the playground.
At high school, you can observe a colony of ants.
My family is obsessed over the printing press.

20. Answers flock – collective doghouse - compound; herd – collective
flashlight - compound; playground – compound
high school - compound; colony – collective
family - collective; printing press - compound

21. Possessive Nouns 1. If a singular noun does not end in s, add 's
The delivery boy's truck was blocking the driveway.
Bob Dole's concession speech was stoic and dignified.
The student's attempts to solve the problem were rewarded
2. If a singular common noun ends in s, add 's—unless the next word begins with s. If the next word begins with s, add an apostrophe only. (This includes words with s and sh sounds.)
The boss's temper was legendary among his employees.
The boss' sister was even meaner.
The witness's version of the story has several inconsistencies.
The witness' story did not match the events recorded on tape.

22. Possessive Nouns
3. If a singular proper noun ends in s, add an apostrophe.
Chris' exam scores were higher than any other students.
4. If a noun is plural in form and ends in an s, add an apostrophe only, even if the intended meaning of the word is singular (such as mathematics and measles.)
The instructor asked us to analyze ten poems' meanings.
The dog catcher had to check all of the dogs' tags.
It is hard to endure the Marine Corps' style of discipline.
5. If a plural noun does not end in s, add 's
Many activists in Oregon are concerned with children's rights.
Everyone was disappointed with the American media's coverage of the Olympics in Atlanta.

23. Possessive Nouns Exercise
Complete each sentence by filling in the blanks with the possessive form of the nouns in the parentheses.
The _____________ bikes were seen left on the ground. (brothers)
The _____________ helmets were very shiny. (policemen)
Mary could not catch the ___________ ball. (children)
That was _________ idea. (Melissa)
The __________ car is a Ford. (Henrys)

24. Possessive Nouns Exercise (cont.)
Write each group of words using a possessive noun
the room of the teachers
the bubbles of the four fish
the house of Mr. Williams
the baton of the conductor
the cameras of the photographers

25. Answers The brothers' bikes were seen left on the ground. (brothers)
The policemen's helmets were very shiny. (policemen)
Mary could not catch the children's ball. (children)
That was Melissa's idea. (Melissa)
The Henrys' car is a Ford. (Henrys)

26. Answers (cont.) the room of the teachers the teachers' room___
the bubbles of the four fish      the fish's bubbles_____
the house of Mr. Williams      Mr. Williams's house___
the baton of the conductor      the conductor's baton_
the cameras of the photographers      the photographers' cameras

27. Pronouns Pronouns take the place of one or more nouns.
The noun or phrase replaced by the pronoun is called the antecedent.
Example: When Robert was fixing the car, he cut his hand.
(Robert is a noun. He is a pronoun that refers to the antecedent, Robert.)

28. Personal Pronouns Refer to people or things
Examples: I, me, you, we, us, our

29. Fill in the correct pronouns.
Skateboards are fun, but _______ can be dangerous.
Speed bumps help to slow down cars _______ are found in many parking lots.
Marisa and Nora made their own costumes because ________ wanted to save money.

30. Activity
Worksheet page 3 – “Pronouns” 30