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Автор ответа: VladimirMazmanyan
49
Ответ:
Pills
Объяснение:
Concrete nouns — это существительные, которые существуют в материальной форме и не абстрактны. В этом случае это pills — то есть таблетки.
sekennurbol63:
спасибо правельно
olesakononenko42:
спасибо все верно!
Автор ответа: ilonamatveeva20748
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sagyndykovanurka:
Скажите другие задание пж
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Подскажите 2 задание
Интересные вопросы
Предмет: Алгебра,
автор: vikusiadrachek
Предмет: Физика,
автор: Кирилл121121
Published on
24 February 2023
by
Jack Caulfield.
Revised on
11 March 2023.
A concrete noun is a noun that refers to a physical thing, person, or place – something or someone that can be perceived with the five senses (touch, hearing, sight, smell, and taste). Examples include ‘pencil’, ‘dog’, ‘Timbuktu’, and ‘Patricia’.
Concrete nouns are contrasted with abstract nouns, which are words such as ‘politeness’ describing concepts that you can’t perceive directly with the senses.
A cat ran across the garden and climbed the fence.
Jan was supposed to be flying to Amsterdam, but he forgot his passport and didn’t realise until he got to the airport.
Concrete nouns vs abstract nouns
Concrete nouns differ from abstract nouns in terms of the things they describe:
- Concrete nouns refer to anything that can be perceived with the senses, including things, people, animals, and places.
- Abstract nouns refer to anything that is not directly observable. These might be qualities, time designations and measurements, or philosophical ideas.
Terry experienced some anxiety about her reputation.
The same word may often be considered abstract in one sense and concrete in another. For example, consider words that have distinct literal and figurative meanings.
The atmosphere in the house is tense due to Mundheep’s insensitive comments.
Concrete noun examples
Concrete nouns only refer to things that can be perceived in some physical way, but that’s obviously a huge number of different things. The table below provides examples of concrete nouns referring to various different kinds of things.
It’s important to note that, as shown in the table, a noun is still generally regarded as concrete if it describes something physical that can’t be perceived with the senses alone (e.g., an atom that can only be perceived using a powerful microscope).
Objects and substances | smartphone, pencil, glasses, chair, window, skirt, rice, water, oxygen |
---|---|
Types of living beings (by species, profession, etc.) | duck, human, oak, bacteria, dog, postal worker, president, schoolteacher, criminal, mathematician, foodie, vampire |
Individual living beings (real, fictional, or mythical) | Fido, Nathalie, Dr. Wilson, Grandma, Julius Caesar, Confucius, Emily Dickinson, Parvati, Lisa Simpson |
Types of places | house, river, street, field, mountain, forest, peninsula, galaxy, seabed |
Specific places | Vienna, Libya, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, Jupiter, Delhi, the Nile, the University of Amsterdam, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Himalayas |
Worksheet: Concrete vs. abstract nouns
Want to test your understanding of the difference between concrete and abstract nouns? Try the worksheet below. Just decide whether each highlighted noun is concrete or abstract.
- The dog seemed to enjoy its dinner.
- The price of adhering to one’s principles can be high.
- The name of my cat is Whiskers.
- The foundations of the house have begun to sink due to a lack of maintenance.
- My neighbour John has some questionable ideas about politics.
- The dog seemed to enjoy its dinner.
- Both ‘dog’ and ‘dinner’ are concrete nouns, since they represent physical entities in the world.
- The price of adhering to one’s principles is sometimes high.
- ‘Price’ and ‘principles‘ are both abstract nouns because you can’t touch or see a principle or a price (although you might see something representing a price, so a noun like ‘price tag’ would be considered concrete).
- The name of my cat is Whiskers.
- The concept of a name is abstract. ‘Cat’ is a concrete noun because a cat is a physical being. ‘Whiskers’ is concrete whether you take it to mean the speaker’s cat or simply the word ‘Whiskers’ in its use as a name – both of these can be perceived with the senses.
- The foundations of the house have begun to sink due to a lack of maintenance.
- ‘Foundations’ and ‘house’ both represent specific physical things and are therefore concrete nouns. ‘Lack’ and ‘maintenance’ are both more conceptual and are therefore abstract.
- My neighbour John has some questionable ideas about politics.
- Both the common noun ‘neighbour’ and the proper noun ‘John’ (here used as an appositive) are concrete nouns, since they refer to people. ‘Ideas’ and ‘politics’ are both abstract because they refer to concepts rather than physical things.
Other interesting language articles
If you want to know more about commonly confused words, definitions, common mistakes, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.
Verbs
- Verb tenses
- Phrasal verbs
- Sentence structure
- Active vs passive voice
- Subject-verb agreement
Other
- Articles
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- Adjectives
- Determiners
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Frequently asked questions
-
What is a concrete noun?
-
A concrete noun is a noun describing a physical entity that can be perceived with the senses. Concrete nouns may refer to things (e.g., “phone,” “hat”), places (e.g., “France,” “the post office”), or people and animals (e.g., “dog,” “doctor,” “Jamal”).
Concrete nouns are contrasted with abstract nouns, which refer to things that can’t be directly perceived—ideas, theories, concepts, and so on. Examples include “happiness,” “condemnation,” “ethics,” and “time.”
-
What is an abstract noun?
-
An abstract noun is a noun describing something that can’t be directly perceived with the senses.
Abstract nouns may refer to general or philosophical concepts (e.g., “art,” “democracy,” “evidence”), emotions and personal qualities (e.g., “happiness,” “impatience”), time measurements (e.g., “hours,” “January”), or states of being (e.g., “solidity,” “instability”).
Abstract nouns are the opposite of concrete nouns, which refer to physical things that can be perceived with the senses: objects, substances, places, people and animals, and so on. For example, “window,” “Dorian,” and “sand.”
Sources for this article
We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.
This Scribbr article
Caulfield, J.
(2023, March 11). Concrete Noun | Definition, Examples & Worksheet. Scribbr.
Retrieved 12 April 2023,
from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/nouns/concrete-nouns/
Sources
Aarts, B. (2011). Oxford modern English grammar. Oxford University Press.
Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015). Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Show all sources (3)
Garner, B. A. (2016). Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
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We are surrounded by concrete nouns. Although you might think this is limited to objects and the like, it is not. Concrete nouns are a large category of noun, which together with the abstract noun can cover all forms of nouns. Concrete nouns are frequently described in order to create vivid imagery.
Concrete Noun Definition
Although concrete nouns often come in the form of objects, this is not strictly the case. Here is an effective, testable definition for concrete noun:
Concrete nouns are forms of matter and energy.
This includes anything from people to objects to air to sound waves to light. The term “concrete” can trip people up, because it sounds very physical, as though only solids and liquids are concrete nouns. However, concrete nouns encompass anything in the scientifically quantifiable spectrum of things: in other words, all forms of matter and energy.
Nouns that are not concrete are abstract nouns.
Abstract nouns are nouns that are not forms of matter and energy.
These are emotions such as «love» and concepts such as «accountability.»
Before we get into further distinguishing the two, it’s important to understand all the forms that a concrete noun can take. This will provide a stronger point of reference for delving into the concrete vs. the abstract, which despite these clear definitions can get murky.
Types of Concrete Nouns
There are various kinds of concrete nouns, which can be clustered in a few subcategories.
Countable Nouns
Countable nouns can be counted directly. Examples include person, car, ball, and lamp.
There is one person, two cars, three balls, and four lamps.
Countable nouns do not have to be material things, however. They can be other forms of matter or energy and still be concrete.
This beaker contains two distinct gases.
Three lights shone from the pier.
I only heard one sound. Did you hear something besides those footsteps?
Uncountable Nouns
Uncountable nouns cannot be directly counted. Examples include luggage, water, money, and coffee. These nouns require other words in order to be counted.
An easy way to check if a noun is uncountable is to try to pluralize it. If it just doesn’t work in a plural form, it’s uncountable.
There is a piece of luggage in here.
It doesn’t make sense to say there is a luggage in here or there are luggages in here.
The track team has forty gallons of water.
It doesn’t make sense to say the track team has forty waters.
Fig. 1 — Bottle it before you count it.
I haven’t seen the two stacks of money.
It doesn’t make sense to say I haven’t seen the two monies.
Collective Nouns
Collective nouns indicate groups of nouns. Examples include: team, cluster, family, and stack.
The team played well tonight.
The cluster of tables vibrated.
It was once a happy family.
This is a big stack of old CDs.
In American English, the collective noun generally agrees with a singular verb. This is because of the singular construction of collective nouns
The football team is really good.
Collective names for animals: Animals are grouped into some very interesting categories. Obviously, you will have heard of “flocks” and “herds,” but have you heard of a congress of ravens or a murder of crows? When playing with descriptions using collective nouns, explore some of these interesting words to describe groups of all kinds of things.
Proper Nouns
Finally, proper nouns are the proper names of people and places.
Ben Franklin just lept out of that time machine!
The Leaning Tower of Pisa should not have a rooftop restaurant, for obvious reasons.
Dusty is my pet cat.
Don’t Get Confused
Note, however, that all of these noun types can appear as abstract nouns as well. For instance, the word “idea,” which is not a form of matter or energy, is a counting noun (one, two, three ideas). To give another example, the Pythagorean theorem is a proper noun, as it is the name of something, yet it also is not a form of matter or energy.
The differences between concrete and abstract nouns are not always straightforward, so it is well worth the time to examine them in detail.
Concrete Nouns and Abstract Nouns
While concrete nouns are forms of matter and energy, abstract nouns are the inverse. Abstract nouns are nouns that are not forms of matter and energy.
Abstract nouns are not scientifically quantifiable, such as «fear.» There is no scientific way to quantify “fear” into units, the way you can with solids, liquids, gases, and energy.
Virtually all concepts are abstract nouns. For example, “thought” is an abstract noun. On the other hand, brain waves are concrete nouns because they are themselves a form of matter or energy and can be detected by scientific equipment.
Distinguishing Concrete and Abstract Nouns
Some words can be both concrete and abstract. As such, whether a given noun is concrete or abstract might depend on the context.
Example 1
Is the underlined word a concrete noun or an abstract noun?
The railroad through her mind was long and dark.
Metaphors are tricky. In this example, although the “railroad” is obviously not real, it does functionally exist in the sentence as a concrete noun. Think of it this way. A railroad is not a concept on its own; it can only be employed as a concept through metaphor. Abstract nouns can and do exist independently from metaphor. Use this same process to break down a simile.
At the end of the day, terms like “concrete” and “abstract” exist to understand the rhetoric of the English language. Thus, 99 times out of 100, a close call will be determined by function rather than form. Rhetoric is more about “how” than “what.”
Example 2
Is the underlined word a concrete noun or an abstract noun?
The statistic frightened her.
Because a statistic is not a form of matter or energy, it is an abstract noun. Yes, the word «statistic» might be written somewhere, but what’s frightening is the statistic as an idea, not the statistic as a sketch of graphite. Besides, this example contains no such context. Read into only what is written, not what you think is implied.
Fig. 2 — What does the noun really refer to?
Example 3
Is the underlined word a concrete noun or an abstract noun?
After what I went through that day, the rain was like a slap in the face.
Because a “slap” has no physical properties, it is an abstract noun. A slap is an action noun. Action nouns describe actions in the form of nouns. A “shout,” a “leap,” and a “lick” are all action nouns because they refer only to an action, not to any lasting physical presence. Action nouns include gerunds, which are verb-to-nouns ending in -ing such as my “asking,” the “dancing,” and your “sleeping.”
Any noun that refers to an action is an abstract noun.
Concrete Nouns — Key Takeaways
- Concrete nouns are forms of matter and energy, while abstract nouns are conceptual.
- Nouns can be countable, uncountable, collective, and proper.
- If you can’t decide if a noun is concrete or abstract, look at how it functions in the sentence.
- Concrete things referred to in metaphor and simile are concrete nouns, despite not technically existing.
- Action nouns, including gerunds, are abstract nouns.
Concrete nouns along with definitions, examples, lists, etc., are explained in this article to understand the basics. We use a lot of concrete nouns in our day-to-day life. We will learn here all the details about these nouns. Let’s explore!
Concrete nouns are one of the most widely used nouns in English grammar. This noun came from a Latin word.
‘Concrete’ comes from the Latin word ‘concretus‘.
Hence, concrete means together grow or grow together. Now, when something is growing together, what will happen? It will become more in quantity or it will be thick or compact or hard. In a simple way, we can say, it will form a physical existence. So, a concrete noun means a noun that has physical existence.
Concrete Noun Definition and Concrete Noun Examples
Concrete Noun Definition
Let’s try to learn, what is a concrete noun? A concrete noun is a noun that has physical existence and can be sensed through one of our five senses.
Concrete Noun Examples
- Book, pen, pencil
- Rahul, Maya
- Apple, fish, chocolate
- Flower, lemon
- Flute, music, etc.
Concrete Noun Explanation
In the above example,
- We can see or touch a book
- We can see or touch or hear Rahul, Maya
- We can see, touch or taste an apple, fish, or chocolate, etc.
- We can see, touch, and smell a flower, lemon, etc.
- We can hear a flute, music, etc.
Hence, these all the above examples, we can see or touch or taste or smell or hear and these all are concrete nouns. Refer to our ANIMATED video, for understanding Concrete Nouns & Abstract Nouns
Comparison Between Concrete and Abstract Nouns
Rimi is very happy after reading a storybook. Here, Rimi and book are two nouns and both have a physical existence. It means you can touch, you can see, you can hear, etc. Do you think it has a physical existence?
No, it doesn’t have. You cannot see happiness, maybe you can see the smile of a happy person. Hence, happiness is an abstract noun but a smile which we can see is a concrete noun. So don’t you think this type of noun is interesting! Let’s see a few examples to see the differences between concrete and abstract nouns.
Concrete Nouns | Abstract Nouns |
Book | Determination |
Pen | Love |
Chair | Kindness |
Table | Knowledge |
Now, there are a few differences between concrete nouns and abstract nouns:
Sl. No | Concrete Nouns | Abstract Nouns |
1 | It has a physical existence | No physical existence |
2 | It can be sensed by any of our five senses | It can not be sensed by any of our five senses |
3 | Lina, Book, etc. | Popularity, Integrity, etc. |
There are so many worksheets for concrete nouns, you can solve them easily.
Concrete Noun Examples in Sentences
We will try a few sentence example for a better understanding,
Example-1: Renu has two dogs in her house. Here, Renu, the dog, and the house can be sensed and these all have a physical existence.
Example-2: A have a laptop and I am working on it. Here, a laptop can be touched or seen which means we can sense it. Hence, a laptop is a concrete noun.
Example-3: I am reading a nice storybook. Here, the storybook can be touched or seen which means we can sense it. Hence, the storybook is a concrete noun.
Example-4: There are beautiful houses and many trees in front of it. Here, the house and tree can be touched or seen which means we can sense it. Hence, houses or trees are concrete nouns.
Example-5: I am always afraid of snakes. Here, we can see a snake that means we can sense it. Hence, the snake is a concrete noun.
Example-6: We have visited the zoo last time and we have seen many tigers there. Here, we have visited a zoo and seen tigers that means zoo or tigers have a physical existence. Hence, a zoo or tiger is a concrete noun.
Example-7: We have planted two mango trees yesterday. Here, the mango tree means it has physical existence. Hence, the mango tree is a concrete noun.
Example-8: We use to play football in the afternoon. Here, football means we can see, we can touch which means we can sense it. So, football has a physical existence. Hence, football is a concrete noun.
Example-9: She has made a beautiful painting of a tree. Here, painting a well as the tree has physical existence. Hence, these are concrete nouns.
Example-10: I have written a letter to you. Here, the letter means a paper that has a physical existence. Hence, the letter is a concrete noun.
Concrete Nouns List
There are a lot of concrete nouns, few of them are listed,
- Airbus,
- Air Conditioner
- Aircraft
- Airport
- Alligator
- Almira
- Ankle
- Ant
- Antelopes
- Antlers
- Apartment
- Apple
- Apron
- Ambulance
- Antenna
- Architect
- Armchair
- Arrow
- Aunt
- Baby
- Badger
- Bag
- Bakery
- Bald eagle
- Ball
- Balloon
- Banana
- Bank
- Barrage
- Bat
- Bermuda
- Beans
- Bear
- Bed
- Belt
- Bengal Tiger
- Bikini
- Bill
- Bird
- Bison
- Bitterness
- Black
- Blazer
- Blender
- Blouse
- Blue whale
- Board
- Boat
- Bones
- Book
- Bookcase
- Bookstore
- Boots
- Boxers
- Boy
- Bow
- Brain
- Brass
- Bread
- Bridge
- Brown bear
- Brother
- Buckles
- Bucket
- Buffalo
- Bulb
- Bull shark
- Bus
- Bus stop
- Butter
- Butter fish
- Cabbage
- Cabin
- Cabinet
- Cafe
- Candy
- Cane
- Cap
- Camel
- Canoe
- Cappuccino
- Car
- Cardigan
- Carpet
- Cashier
- Casino
- Castle
- Cat
- Catfish
- Cattle
- Caterpillar
- Cave
- Cello
- Chair
- Chaise longue
- Cheeks
- Cheese
- Cheetah
- Chest
- Chicken
- Chinchilla
- Children
- Chocolate
- Choker
- Church
- Cinema
- City
- Clock
- Cloth
- Cobra
- Coffee
- Composer
- Comedian
- Computer
- Costume
- Couch
- Country
- Cow
- Cookware
- Cooker
- Crab
- Cravat
- Credenza
- Crest
- Crew
- Crib
- Crow
- Charlie Chaplin
- Daughter
- Dancer
- Deer
- Desert tortoise
- Dentist
- Designer
- Desk
- Desktop
- Detective
- Dingo
- Dinosaur
- Director
- Disc
- Doctor
- Dodo
- Dog
- Dolphin
- Donkey
- Dress
- Dresser
- Designer
- Drum
- Duck
- Ears
- Earrings
- Egg
- Eggplant
- Eagle
- Egret
- Elephant
- Elephant seal
- Elk
- Emu
- Emperor
- Engine
- Envelope
- Eyes
- Eyeglasses
- Estate
- Factory
- Falcon
- Fan
- Farm
- Fern
- Father
- Ferret
- Fig
- Film
- Finch
- Finger
- Fish
- Fishing cat
- Flag
- Flat
- Flamingo
- Flat-headed cat
- Flying fish
- Flying frog
- Flower
- Foot
- Forest
- Fork
- Fox
- Freezer
- Frock
- Frog
- Fruit
- Fulmar
- Galaxy
- Garage
- Garlic
- Gas station
- Gazelle
- Gerbil
- Gift
- Ginger
- Giraffe
- Girl
- Glasses
- Gloves
- Goat
- Goldfish
- Goose
- Gooseberry
- Gorilla
- Governor
- Government
- Gown
- Grains
- Grandfather
- Grandmother
- Grapes
- Grapefruit
- Grass
- Guava
- Guest
- Guinea pig
- Guitar
- Gun
- Hair
- Hand
- Hamburger
- Hammer
- Hamster
- Hare
- Harpy eagle
- Hat
- Hawk
- Head
- Heart
- Heels
- Hen
- Herbs
- Heron
- Hero
- Hippopotamus
- Honey
- Horn
- Horse
- Hospital
- Hostel
- Hotel
- House
- Host
- Hummingbirds
- Hyena
- Jackal
- Jacket
- Jackfruit
- Jackrabbit
- Jaguar
- Jaw
- Jelly
- Jelly palm
- Jellyfish
- Jersey
- Jewelry
- Judge
- Juicer
- Jumper
- Kangaroo
- Keyboard
- Kid
- Killer whale
- King
- Kite
- Kitten
- Kiwi
- Knife
- Koala
- Ladder
- Lamb
- Lamp
- Lantern
- Laptop
- Latter
- Lawyer
- Leaves
- Leg
- Leggings
- Lemon
- Library
- Light bulb
- Lighter
- Lion
- Lips
- Lock
- London
- Lunch box
- Luggage
- Lung
- Machine
- Magazine
- Magnet
- Mall
- Man
- Mango
- Mangrove
- Market
- Medicine
- Microscope
- Milk
- Mirror
- Mobile
- Model
- Mole
- Moon
- Moonlight
- Mosquito
- Mother
- Monkey
- Mouse
- Mouth
- Mug
- Music
- Museum
- Mushroom
- Musician
- Muskrat
- Nail
- Nail polish
- Neck
- Necklace
- Neem fruit
- Nescafe
- Newspaper
- Nightingale
- Noodles
- Noise
- Nose
- Notebook
- Nurse
- Nuts
- Oat
- Oatmeal
- Ocean
- Ocelot
- Octopus
- Oil
- Oil tanker
- Okapi
- Onion
- Opossum
- Orange
- Ornament
- Osprey
- Ostrich
- Otters
- Oven
- Owl
- Pad
- Painter
- Palm
- Pancake
- Panda
- Panther
- Pants
- Pagoda
- Papaya
- Paper
- Perfume
- Park
- Parrot
- Pasta
- Peacock
- Pelican
- Pen
- Pencil
- Penguin
- Petrol station
- Pharmacy
- Pharmacist
- Phone
- Photographer
- Physician
- Piano
- Pickle
- Pig
- Pigeon
- Pipe
- Plane
- Plant
- Polar bear
- Police
- Police station
- Pony
- Popcorn
- Porcupine
- Potato
- Pouch
- Prairie dog
- Professor
- Pumpkin
- Purse
- Pyramid
- Python
- Rabbit
- Raccoon
- Radio
- Rail
- Rainbow
- Rat
- Rattlesnake
- Razor
- Red chilly
- Refrigerator
- Remote
- Restaurant
- Ribs
- Rice
- Rickshaw
- Ring
- Road
- Salmon
- Salt
- Sambar
- Sand
- Sandals
- Sandwich
- Sari
- Sawfish
- Saxophone
- Sea
- Scale
- School
- Scissors
- Scorpion
- Sealion
- Senator
- Sink
- Shampoo
- Shark
- Sheep
- Shoes
- Shoulder
- Shower
- Ship
- Shirt
- Shrimp
- Shorts
- Singer
- Sister
- Skirt
- Sky
- Skyscraper
- Slippers
- Smile
- Smoke
- Snowman
- Snake
- Soap
- Socks
- Sofa
- Son
- Soup
- Sparrow
- Spaghetti
- Spoon
- Stadium
- Stairs
- Star
- Stomach
- Stove
- Strawberry
- Street
- Suit
- Suitcase
- Sun
- Sunglasses
- Supermarket
- Surgeon
- Swan
- Sweater
- Sweet potato
- Swimming pool
- Table
- Tablet
- Tail
- Tang
- Tapir
- Taxi
- Tea
- Teacher
- Team
- Teen
- Telephone
- Television
- Temple
- Theater
- Tie
- Tiger
- Tissue
- Toes
- Tomato
- Tongue
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Tortoise
- Town
- Toy
- Tractor
- Train
- Train station
- Treadmill
- Tree
- Trench coat
- Trousers
- Truck
- Tunnel
- Turkey
- Turtle
- Umbrella
- University
- Uncle
- Underwear
- Vase
- Vest
- Vehicle
- Veterinarian
- Villa
- Village
- Violin
- Voice
- Waist
- Wallet
- Walnut
- Washing machine
- Watch
- Water
- Watermelon
- Wax
- Whale
- Wheelchair
- Whisker
- Wings
- Wolf
- Woman
- Wound
- Wrist
- Xylophone
- Zebra
- Zebra shark
- Zebu
- Zoo
Conclusion
Hence, we have learned the basic details of concrete nouns, its definition, examples. Any questions, please let us know. Further Study
Nouns that starts with A
Noun that starts with B
What is noun
Types of noun
Collective nouns
Concrete nouns
Irregular plurals
Reference Articles
Concrete Nouns in English! A concrete noun is a noun which refers to people and to things that exist physically and can be seen, touched, smelled, heard or tasted. In this article, you will learn the list of concrete nouns in English.
Here is the list of popular concrete nouns for ESL learners:
- Whale
- Tiger
- Nose
- Head
- Arrow
- Fish
- Salt
- Paper
- Radio
- Finger
- Coffee
- Soap
- Music
- Mouse
- Bed
- Cat
- Grapes
- Hamburger
- Frog
- Table
- Teacher
- Phone
- London
- Water
- Voice
- Bitterness
- Egg
- Car
- Apple
- Children
- Taxi
- Dog
- Truck
- House
- Flag
- Soup
- Chair
- Notebook
- Pencil
- Pen
- Television
- Plane
- Heart
- Sand
- Shower
- Wallet
- Smoke
- Parfume
- Belts
- Newspaper
- Foot
- Carpet
- Book
- Ocean
- Lemon
- Police
- Train
- Ball
- Shoes
- Hand
List of Concrete Nouns | Infographic
Have you ever heard of a concrete noun? Right away we’ll establish that it isn’t a noun that weighs more than others—rather, it is a division of nouns. Being familiar with concrete nouns can help you further improve your grammar and your communicative skills.
In this quick post, we’ll discuss what a concrete noun is, explain what makes it different from an abstract noun, and provide a few examples.
What Are Concrete Nouns?
As you examine sentences from a grammatical point of view, there are two types of nouns to be aware of. The first is a concrete noun, which is an object that can be perceived with the senses (sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste).
An abstract noun, on the other hand, is one that can’t be identified by its physical or sensory properties.
At first this might seem complex. However, a few examples should easily reinforce the distinction. Consider the following sentence:
The flower was a vivid orange.
In this sentence, the noun (flower) is one that can be seen, touched, and smelled. That makes it a concrete noun. Now consider this sentence:
The key sits on the counter.
This sentence has two concrete nouns, key and counter. Both are items you can see and touch (you might not be inclined to try to hear, smell, or taste them).
Finally, let’s look at a third example:
Integrity is hard to find.
The word integrity is a noun in this sentence, but it isn’t something that can be thought of as having physical or sensory qualities. You can’t touch, hear, taste, smell, or see integrity, but you can understand it as a concept. That makes it an abstract noun.
Simply put, anything that isn’t a concrete noun will be an abstract one. You can either sense the noun according to its characteristics (concrete) or you can conceive of what the word means despite its lack of physical properties (abstract).
You should now be able to recognize a concrete noun. Test your knowledge below!
Pop Quiz
Identify whether the nouns in the following sentences are concrete or abstract.
1. The phone keeps ringing.
2. Arrogance isn’t attractive.
3. Coffee makes me happy.
4. Good health is a personal wealth.
5. I need a tuner for my guitar.
Pop Quiz Answers
1. The phone keeps ringing. concrete noun
2. Arrogance isn’t attractive. abstract noun
3. Coffee makes me happy. concrete noun
4. Good health is a personal wealth. abstract noun (both)
5. I need a tuner for my guitar. concrete noun (both)
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