In the previous lesson you learnt that – Noun is the name of a person, place, animal or things. All naming words such as boy, girl, Delhi, cow, tiger, scale etc. are nouns.

There are five types of Noun:

1. Proper Noun: A Proper Noun is the special name of a particular person or place
   Examples:
   Shweta is my friend.
   I live in Kolkata.
   Chandigarh is a beautiful place.
   Harsh is an intelligent boy.
   All the words in italics are Proper Nouns. Sweta is the name of a particular person. Kolkata is the name of a particular place. Such nouns that are all names of particular persons, places or things are called Proper Nouns.
   Note: A Proper Noun always begins with a capital letter.
2. Common Noun: A Common Noun is a name given in common to every person or thing of the same class or kind.
   Examples:
   I like bananas.
   It is a beautiful park.
   He flies a kite in the sky.
   Girls are playing.
   All the words in italics are Common Nouns. Bananas are the names of common fruits or things. Park is the name of a common place. Kite is the name of a common thing and girls are names of common persons.
3. Collective Noun: When a noun stands for a collection of persons or things, considered as one complete whole, it is called Collective Noun.
   Examples:
   I purchased a bunch of grapes.
   I saw a herd of cattle.
   Our class consists of forty students.
   There was a big crowd on the road.
   All the words in italics are Collective Nouns. The word bunch is the name given to a collection of grapes. Similarly, the word crowd is the name given to a collection of people.
4. Material Noun: A noun which stands for the matter or substance of which things are made is called Material Noun.
   Examples:
   This chair is made of wood.
   The chain is made of gold.
   Clothes are made of cotton, wool and silk.
   All the words in italics are Material Nouns. They are the names of the material of which chair, chain and clothes are made respectively.
5. Abstract Noun: An Abstract Noun is the name given to a quality, a state or a concept. These are something which we can neither see nor touch but which we can only feel or think of them.
   Examples:
   I always speak the truth.
   King Solomon is known for his wisdom.
   The beauty of the place attracted me.
   Kindness is always rewarded.
   All the words in italics are Abstract Nouns. They are the names of something that we can only think of or feel.

A List of Collective Nouns

• an army of soldiers                               ●   a band of musicians
• a board of directors                              ●   a bouquet of flowers
• a bunch of grapes, bananas, keys      ●   a bevy of girls
• a bench of judges                                  ●   a bundle of sticks
• a crew of sailors                                    ●    a clump of trees
• a constellation of stars                         ●   a flock of birds, sheep
• a fleet of cars, ships                              ●   a gang of thieves
• a herd of cattle, buffaloes                    ●   a litter of pigs, puppies
• a library of books                                  ●   a mob of people
• a pack of wolves, thieves, cards         ●   a swarm of bees
• a set of clubs, tools                               ●   a string of beads
• a suite of rooms                                     ●   a shoal of fish
• a team of oxen, players                        ●   a troupe of dancers
• a tuft of grass                                         ●   a troop of lions, monkeys

Exercise 1

Pick out the Nouns in the following sentences and say whether they are Proper, Common, Material, Collective or Abstract.

1. Raman is a good boy.
2. One should believe in truth.
3. A soldier is respected for his bravery.
4. Ornaments are made of gold and silver.
5. The case was decided by a bench of judges.
6. Mumbai is a big city.
7. The team won the match.
8. Blindness is the greatest curse.
9. Wisdom is better than strength.
10. This table is made of steel.

Answer:

Exercise 2

Each of the phrases given below contains a Collective Noun. Complete each phrase by putting in the missing word. Choose from the box:

cattle,            soldiers,          sticks,              sheep,           ships,          flowers

fish,               wolves,            musicians,      dancers,       sailors,        grapes

1. A bunch of __________           2. A bundle of  __________
3. A bouquet of __________       4.  a herd of __________
5. a band of __________              6. a regiment of __________
7. a flock of  __________             8. a troupe of__________
9. A crew of __________             10. a pack of  __________
11. a fleet of  __________            12. a shoal of __________