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I find abstract nouns to be very tricky.
An abstract noun is a word for something that can't be experienced by any of the five physical senses; they can't be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, or touched. An abstract noun is a word for something that is known, understood, learned, believed, or felt emotionally.
Many of the abstract nouns are relatively easy to understand, hope, love, faith, or knowledge are easy.
There are some nouns that can go either way depending on use. For example, there's the physical heart that you can feel beating in your chest and the heart of the matter or a broken heart. Or the noun road, a thing that you can see, touch, walk on, drive on; but then there's the road to ruin, the road to riches, and the road less traveled.
Then there are the tricky ones, the ones that you have to think about. For example, the abstract noun anger; you can see the angry face, you can hear the angry words, you can see the person twitching with anger, but those are faces and words, the anger is what the person is feeling inside.
Even more tricky abstract nouns are such words as friend or wife. They seem to be concrete nouns because you can see and touch your friend or your wife. However, if I said, 'Look, there's my wife Janet and her friend Janice.' When you look at the two women that I'm indicating, you can't tell my wife from the friend. This is something I know and I will let you know when I introduce them. Nouns like wife, cousin, friend, or enemy are concepts, abstract nouns. Or nouns like oxygen and carbon dioxide, you can't see them, hear them, or know that you're touching them, but they can be detected and measured with instruments; oxygen and carbon dioxide are physical and they are concrete nouns. There are some nouns that even the experts can't agree on the designation, and nouns that I can't understand why they're designated as concrete or abstract.
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∙ 11y ago
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What are some abstract nouns that begin with the letter I?
Some common nouns that start with 'i' are:ibexibisiceiconideaidentityidolimaginationimpinchinformationinkinninsightinspirationinventioninundationionirisironironyislandisolationissueisthmusitem
What are some examples of quality of mind nouns?
Some examples of 'quality of mind' nouns, also called abstract nouns, are:anxietybraveryconfidencedecisivenesseuphemismfungenerosityhappinessisolationjoyknowledgeluxurymemorynewsopinionpurposequestionreasonsorrowtroubleurgevaluewealthyearzeal
Abstract nouns with m and a?
Some abstract nouns with M and A are:ambiguityanimositycamaraderiedemocracydramagrammarimaginationlimitationmagicmanners
What nouns end in e y?
Some nouns that end in EY are:abbeyalleyattorneybarleychimneydonkeygalleyhockeyhoneyjerseyjockeyjourneykeykidneylampreymoneymonkeyodysseyparsleysurveytrolleyturkeyvalleyvolleywheywhiskey
What nouns describe desert?
Nouns do not describe, nouns are persons, places, things, or ideas. Adjectives are words that describe nouns. Some adjectives to describe desert:hotdrylonelybeautifuldangerousinterestingbrightvastshimmeringgritty
What are some nouns to countries?
Some nouns to countries are:airplanesshipstrainsferriestouristsimportsSome nouns for countries are:homelandsdemocraciesmonarchiesrepublicsplacesterritories
Can't the nouns basically divide into concrete and abstract why is that?
No, it's not as simple as dividing nouns into one group or the other. There are some words that fit neatly into the category of concrete noun (apple) or abstract noun (anger). There are tricky ones that confuse people who thought they knew the abstract from the concrete. Nouns like oxygen and carbon dioxide, you can't see them, hear them, or know that you're touching them, but they can be detected and measured with instruments; oxygen and carbon dioxide are physical matter and they are concrete nouns. There are some nouns that can go either way depending on use. For example, there's the physical heart that you can feel beating in your chest and the heart of the matter or a broken heart. There are some nouns that even the experts can't agree on the designation, and nouns that it's difficult to understand why they're designated as concrete or abstract. Some teachers of English use a simpler method of determining if the noun is an abstract noun. They tell the student to draw a picture of the word; if you can't draw it, it must be an abstract noun. That doesn't help with the tricky nouns but it is a place to start.
What is a sentence for tricky?
The upcoming curve is a bit tricky at this speed.
What are some nouns about fish?
Some nouns related to fish are:vertebratefinsgillsnutritionspeciesschoolshoalsealakestreamresourceichthyology
What are some nouns for mountains?
Some nouns that are synonyms for mountains are:hillsrisespeaksbluffsbutteelevationrangeridgeformationvolcano
What are some nouns for Halloween?
Some nouns for Halloween are:costumespartiescandyghostswitchesangelssuperherosprincessesvampiresdecorationsapple ciderpranks
What are some nouns about chickens?
Some nouns related to chickens are:chickscoopdrumstickeggfeatherfoodhenroostersoupwings
What are some nouns for autumn?
Some nouns for autumn are season and fall.
What are some nouns that start with an A?
Some nouns that start with A are:apple,avocado,armarmadilloarchArchiealleyallergyAmyarmyanvilangel
What are some abstract nouns that begin with the letter I?
Some common nouns that start with 'i' are:ibexibisiceiconideaidentityidolimaginationimpinchinformationinkinninsightinspirationinventioninundationionirisironironyislandisolationissueisthmusitem
What are some examples of quality of mind nouns?
Some examples of 'quality of mind' nouns, also called abstract nouns, are:anxietybraveryconfidencedecisivenesseuphemismfungenerosityhappinessisolationjoyknowledgeluxurymemorynewsopinionpurposequestionreasonsorrowtroubleurgevaluewealthyearzeal
Finding abstract nouns in a sentence?
Recognizing abstract nouns in a sentence: Is the noun something that you can be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, or touched in some way? Is it a something physical? If you can say yes, then it's a concrete noun. Abstract nouns are things that can't be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, or touched; they are things that can only be known, understood, learned, believed, or felt emotionally. There are some nouns that can go either way depending on use. For example, there's the physical heart that you can feel beating in your chest and the heart of the matter or a broken heart. Then there are the tricky ones, the ones that you have to think about. For example, the abstract noun anger; you can see the angry face, you can hear the angry words, you can see the person twitching with anger, but those are faces and words, the anger is what the person is feeling inside. Even more tricky abstract nouns are such words as friend or wife. They seem to be concrete nouns because you can see and touch your friend or your wife. However, if I said, 'Look, there's my wife Janet and her friend Janice.' When you look at the two women that I'm indicating, you can't tell my wife from the friend. This is something I know and I will let you know when I introduce them. Or nouns like oxygen and carbon dioxide, you can't see them, hear them, or know that you're touching them, but they can be detected and measured with instruments; oxygen and carbon dioxide are physical and they are concrete nouns. There are some nouns that even the experts can't agree on the designation, and nouns that I can't understand why they're designated as concrete or abstract. Some teachers of English use a simpler method of determining if the noun is an abstract noun. They tell the student to draw a picture of the word; if you can't draw it, it must be an abstract noun. That doesn't help with the tricky nouns but it is a place to start.
