English grammar - Noun for class 6

 

Nouns are the basic and the most important building blocks of a sentence. They allow us to identify and relate with people and things around them. The placement and usage of nouns can be tricky sometimes. If not appropriately guided, students learning class 6 English nouns can confuse them with other components of a sentence, such as a verb or an adjective. In any language, grammar is the key to understanding it better. If your child understands its grammar, he or she can master the language in no time. Our study material will not only help your child learn nouns for class 6 but also teach them about their correct usage.

If you have a child enrolled in Class 6, they are already aware of nouns in the English language. Now, we need to simplify the distinction between nouns and other parts of speech for your child. Our noun activities for class 6 will help your child improve their existing knowledge. We follow the guidelines for CBSE class 6 English nouns. PlanetSpark’s course material is aligned with the books approved by the school. Teachers and educators can also refer to the information about nouns and their usage in the following passages.

What is a noun?

A noun is a word that we use to identify something or someone. It is the name we put to a person, a place or a thing. It usually refers to something we can see. A noun can also be something we feel or recognise such as touch, taste or sound. For these qualities, a noun is also called a ‘naming word’. The following examples of nouns for class 6 will explain the topic better.

 

Examples (General)

 

People: Father, girl, uncle, president

Places: House, pool, Japan, garden

Things: Pen, television, pumpkin, kite
Abstract: Happiness, strength, height, pain

 

The above examples help a student learn nouns for class 6 and outline their use in our everyday lives. When it comes to usage, there are different kinds of nouns. These nouns define the kind of subject or feeling we are referring to. They refine the nouns and offer clarity about their usage.

Kinds of nouns

There are five different kinds of nouns. They are proper nouns, common nouns, collective nouns, abstract nouns, and material nouns. To learn class 6 English nouns better, we have provided examples in every section for the students.

1. Proper noun

Names we give to people, places or things are called proper nouns. These nouns are used to address a subject. Proper nouns refer to a specific or unique person, place or thing. An important point to remember is that proper nouns are always spelt out in capital letters at the beginning of each word. The following examples of nouns for class 6 tell us how a proper noun is written in the English language.

Examples

Person: Narendra Damodardas Modi is our prime minister.
Thing: Mercedes-Benz is a popular car.
Place: Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia.

 

2. Common Noun

Common noun, as the name suggests, is generic in nature. When we refer to anything in general, whether a person or an animal or a place, we use a common noun.

 

People/animals: Teacher, actor, driver, tiger

Things: Apple, laptop, fridge, tree

Places: Hospital, office, garden, museum

 

 

3. Collective Noun
   A collective noun describes a collection or a group of things. Such a noun clubs together many persons, animals or things of the same kind under one name. An important distinction to remember is that plural forms of nouns are not collective nouns. A collective noun is a word for similar kinds of people, animals or things. A plural form, on the other hand, refers to more than one of the same thing. Let us show you how this works with some examples of nouns for class 6.

        

        Examples

A pride of lions
        A deck of cards

 

4. Abstract Noun

Nouns that tell us of a feeling or state of mind are called abstract nouns. You cannot see the things they are pointing to. You may not be able to touch them, either. But you can definitely feel them and acknowledge their presence. That is why abstract nouns are qualitative in nature.

 

Examples

1. Wisdom (Describes a qualitative aspect)
2. Pain (Tells you about a feeling)

 

Tip: An important point to remember while learning class 6 English nouns is that abstract nouns will refer to something that you cannot see. They are neither visible to you, nor can you touch them. You can feel or sense them. That is why they are called abstract nouns.

 

 

5. Material Noun

When a noun describes the make or state of a thing, it is called a material noun. A material noun tells us about what a thing is made of or what is its state. When you use a material noun, you can tell if the thing you are referring to is solid, liquid or gas. Material nouns are used in the singular form.

 

        Examples

1. Rock
2. Air
3. Steel

Rules for usage

 

Like in every language, there are basic rules to learn class 6 English nouns. These rules help you choose the correct noun while framing a sentence. They also tell you how to differentiate one noun from another. Their usage is illustrated with examples of nouns for class 6 students for easier comprehension.

 

1. Using nouns as subjects
   While learning nouns for class 6, we must remember that nouns essentially represent subjects. Without them, a sentence is incomplete and lacks meaning. It is, therefore, absolutely essential for a sentence to have a subject.

 

Example
The apples are green.

In this sentence, ‘apples’ is the noun, which is being used as a subject. Here ‘apples’ has been used as a plural form of the noun, ‘apple’.

 

2. Using nouns as objects
   Nouns can also be used as an object of a verb.

 

Example

He gifted his friend a book.
In this sentence, book is the noun. It is being used as an object of the verb, which is ‘baking’.

 

3. Plural form of nouns

Nouns have plural forms. The plural forms of most nouns can usually be created by adding the letter ‘s’ as a suffix.

 

Examples

Singular                         Plural

King                                Kings

Piano                                Pianos

 

There are other ways in which plural forms of nouns are created.

Examples

Potato                         Potatoes                         

Economy                         Economies

Knife                                 knives

Mouse                         Mice

Woman                         Women

Tooth                                 Teeth

 

 

4. Making abstract nouns
   Abstract nouns can be created by using simple suffixes.

        

        Examples

1. Kind                 Kindness
2. Marry                 Marriage
3. Brother         Brotherhood
4. Fail                 Failure
5. Strong         Strength

 

5. Exceptions in usage of nouns

1. Nouns that are always in plural forms: Nouns such as ‘trousers’ are always used in their plural form with plural verbs.
2. Nouns that are singular but plural in meaning: ‘Police’ denotes a singular noun and refers to a plural set up. For example: Police have solved the crime. We use the plural form of the verb with these nouns.
3. Nouns that are plural but singular in meaning: ‘Maths’ as a noun is always used with a singular form of the verb and not plural. For example: Maths becomes tougher in high school.
4. Nouns that remain the same in singular and plural forms: Nouns such as fish and dice can be used both for singular and plural forms of the verb.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a noun in the English language?
   A noun is an important part of speech in the English language. It usually describes a person, a place, or a thing. It usually defines something we can see or touch.

 

2. Are there different kinds of nouns?

Yes. There are five different kinds of nouns. These are known as proper nouns, collective nouns, common nouns and material nouns. Abstract nouns are those that describe a feeling or a quality.

 

3. What is the difference between a proper noun and a common noun?

A proper noun calls attention to a specific person, place or a thing, whereas a common noun is a general reference to any of the above.

 

4. Is water a material noun or a common noun?

Water, like milk and sand, is a material noun. It refers to a thing in a particular state; in this case liquid. That is why a material noun describes it better than a common noun.

 

5. How are proper nouns differentiated from other nouns?

While learning class 6 English nouns, students must remember that the first letter of all proper nouns, unlike the remaining nouns, is always in capital. The capital letters are used to emphasise the subject that is being discussed.

 

6. Are collective nouns and plural forms of nouns the same?

Collective nouns are different from plural forms. When we say, ‘a class of students’, we are using the word ‘class’ as a collective noun to describe a group of children. The word ‘children’ is the plural form of ‘child’.

Summary

A noun is a basic part of a sentence structure in the English language. It tells us about a person, an animal, a place, or a thing. Nouns are also called ‘naming words’ because they point to something or someone and help in identifying the subject. They, sometimes, refer to things we cannot see and or point to. There are five different kinds of nouns: proper nouns, common nouns, collective nouns, abstract nouns and material nouns. Nouns are used in everyday conversation, whether written or verbal. Therefore, its usage is the stepping stone to learning the English language. Our literature on online nouns for class 6 students follows the curriculum of CBSE class 6 English nouns. This allows your child to speak and write in English with ease.