A concrete noun is noun that you can experience, in some shape or form, physically. Concrete nouns are things that we can detect or manipulate with our human sense. You can either touch it, hear it, taste it, feel it, and/or smell it. In most cases concrete nouns can be detected by several of the human senses. An example of a concrete noun would be a baseball mitt, you know the glove that we catch baseballs with. You can definitely touch, feel, and smell a baseball mitt. I wouldn't recommend it, but you can taste a mitt as well. When you are catching a baseball, you can also here the mitt.
Nouns fall into two categories concrete, as we have discussed, and abstract. These are the nouns (people, places, or things) that we cannot detect or perceive with our five senses. In many cases these are human emotions and feelings. For example, honesty is an abstract noun. You cannot detect honesty with your senses unless you are a superhero, but honesty is a noun. This is why we call it abstract. The worksheets below will have you classifying nouns as concrete or abstract in an attempt to help improve your language skills. This series is very similar in teaching approach as you will find in must of our language arts worksheets. We explore the craw-walk-run (three part) strategy. We crawl by first identifying the use of these words within pre-written sentences. At the same time, we classify the use of nouns in sentences based on surrounding parameters. Students then walk by brainstorming their own nouns that would make concise use of the words in sentences. We run by expressing ourselves with this skill that we have explored. Students will learn to write with these words with proper sentence construction technique.
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Printable Concrete Noun Worksheets
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Practice using concrete nouns by rewriting each sentence below. Add as many concrete nouns as you can to make each sentence more vivid. You may substitute concrete nouns for any words in the sentence.
Knowing how to speak a language is easier than learning the different grammar rules. English is particularly confusing with its different word forms that can be used interchangeably as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Young students find the concepts particularly confusing, which is why so many of us drift further and further away from language studies!
We want to help rectify that by helping familiarize our readers with the English language. Today's article is all about concrete nouns. Even if it sounds unfamiliar, we can assure you that you come across them on a daily basis! So, let's dive right in!
What Are Concrete Nouns?
They are not a confusing concept to grasp. They simply refer to a person, place, or thing that can be experienced through either of the five senses. For a more specific definition, we can say that:
They represent something that can be touched, smelled, heard, tasted, or seen.
They can either be perceived through just one sense or all of them. For instance, fried pork belly is a concrete noun that can be smelt, tasted, seen, and tasted. On the other hand, salt is a concrete noun that can be seen or tasted.
Consequently, you can tell something is a concrete noun if you can perceive it with any of your senses. It is not a concrete noun if you can't see, touch, hear, smell, or taste something. It will help if you think of them in terms of tangibility or as being set in stone.
Additionally, it helps if you contrast concrete nouns and abstract nouns. We'll attempt to differentiate between them before looking at more examples of concrete nouns.
Abstract Nouns vs. Concrete Nouns
Nouns are generally classified into two categories: abstract nouns and concrete nouns. While the latter can be perceived through our senses, the former cannot. Abstract nouns are intangible and refer to ideas and concepts that cannot be physically experienced.
The word "motherhood" is an abstract noun that can be understood, but you cannot experience it through your sense of touch or taste. However, "metal" and "cheese" are nouns you can perceive with your senses, so they're classified as concrete nouns.
However, sometimes it can be difficult to tell them apart; this usually happens when the writer uses the word in a particular context. Take a look at the following examples:
- The atmosphere of the Earth is slowly deteriorating.
Here, the word atmosphere refers to the mixture of gases surrounding our planet. Therefore, it will be considered a concrete noun.
- The conference room had an intense atmosphere because of the presence of rival factions.
In this context, the word atmosphere is associated with the general mood in the conference room. Therefore, it is considered an abstract noun.
As a result, the same noun can be abstract or concrete, depending on what context it's being used in by a writer.
Examples
Concrete nouns can be proper nouns, common nouns, countable nouns, uncountable nouns, or collective nouns. At the same time, they can either be singular or plural. Since we've established them as perceivable through the senses, let's split them up accordingly.
Sight
Visually observable concrete nouns, such as:
- Susan (proper noun) - Men (common noun) - Air (uncountable noun) - Dogs (countable noun)
Concrete nouns are an essential tool in a writer's literary arsenal. They can help you draw comparisons and write more clearly. Plus, writers even use them to explain abstract feelings and concepts. Poets often use concrete nouns to explain things like hurt, grief, love, and other intangible emotions.
We hope you like reading this article. If you've understood the different examples of concrete nouns, now might be the best time to start practicing! It's an easy concept to grasp once you get the hang of it!
