Richbaub's Introduction to Middle School Grammar Book 1

1.3 – Introduction to Nouns & Pronouns
Armed with a sound knowledge of nouns and pronouns, you will be more skilled at telling where a prepositional
phrase ends as well as better able to identify subjects in a sentence, which is something coming up in Chapter 5.
Advanced writing concepts are also linked to an understanding of nouns and pronouns, things like when to use “I”
vs. when instead to use “me,” how subject-verb agreement works, and how using concrete nouns can improve the
detail and imagery in your writing.
In addition, all prepositional phrases end with either a noun or a pronoun, so this is an excellent time to review
nouns and pronouns.
Noun Basics
A. A noun is the most basic part of speech in the universe. Nouns are the words we use for
the people, places, things, and ideas all around us, words like boat, freedom, Africa, fork, grass,
pencil, etc.
B. The nouns that we always capitalize, like the names of people and countries, are called
Proper Nouns. All other nouns are considered Common Nouns.
C. The nouns that describe things you experience with one of your five senses (touch, taste,
sight, smell, or hearing) are called Concrete Nouns. For example, paper, car, breeze, aroma,
flower, and thunder are all concrete nouns.
D. Nouns that describe things you cannot experience with one of your five senses, things like
liberty, fairness, sin, hope, etc. are called Abstract Nouns.
E. And be sure to recognize that nouns can be proper and concrete at the same time, or
abstract and common at the same time, etc.
"An abstract noun," the teacher said, "is something you can think of, but you can't touch it. Can you give me an
example of one?"
"Sure," a teenage boy replied, "my father's new car."
RICHBAUB’S INTRODUCTION TO MIDDLE SCHOOL GRAMMAR, BOOK 1
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