STANDARD 1.2   English Language Conventions w Level 1

SUBJECTS / NOUNS

We have learned that a sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.

We have also learned that in order to express a complete thought, a sentence must have a complete subject, which is all of the words that tell what the sentence is about.

The complete subject usually includes a noun.

A noun is the first of eight basic parts of speech. It is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. Although it can be used in different ways, it is most often used as the simple subject of a sentence. (A simple subject is a single noun [or noun equivalent] all by itself, without any modifiers or other words attached.)

EXAMPLES:

A noun may name a person: Mr. Jones, Father, girl, Mary, lady, child, Beth

A noun may name a place: desert, Los Angeles, galaxy, neighborhood, office

A noun may name a living thing: tree, horse, roach, animal, flower

A noun may name a nonliving thing (inanimate object) that exists physically: rock, wind, city, car, house, bracelet, book, desk, sink, rocket, statue

A noun may name a mental or spiritual idea or concept (an abstract thing): mercy, patriotism, love, mistake, truth, sadness, dictatorship, fear, obedience, courage, equality, self-control, freedom

LESSON EXTENSION:

A noun may also name an action: running, swimming, reading

Note: In the sentence, "Swimming is a good form of exercise," swimming is a noun because it is the name of an act and is the subject of the verb is; but notice that in "He was swimming this morning," swimming is NOT a noun: it is a part of the verb was swimming, which tells what he was doing.

Copyright © 2006 by Fred Duckworth

Objective: Students will identify and correctly use singular and plural nouns.

ENGLISH GRAMMAR