A common noun is a generic term for something that belongs to a group or class—for example, a tablet or country. (This is in contrast to a proper noun, which names specific things within a group or class; for example an iPad 2 or the United States of America).
Common nouns are not capitalized, unless they begin a sentence or appear as part of a title. For example:
Tablets distract me from my homework.
I’m taking my family to Bear Country U.S.A.
You’ll often see a common noun used with a determiner, which precedes the noun:
My wife bought me a shirt.
Robert took me to see the movie.
Let’s eat some cake.
I’ve been working for a few hours.
This car is not worth its price.
Three Types of Common Nouns
Common nouns can be categorized into three types:
- Concrete nouns
- Abstract nouns
- Collective nouns
A concrete noun is something perceptive to the five senses (table, shirt). An abstract noun is something not perceptible to the physical senses (irony, hours). A collective noun, a type of concrete noun, refers to things or people considered as a group (a committee, a panel of judges).
More Examples of Common Nouns
- Television
- Water
- Book
- Hope
- Love
- Team
- Client
- Cadre
- Network
- Song
- Floor
- Program
- Light
- Air
- Quandary
- Babysitter
- Backpack
- Chairwoman
- Basketball
- Swimming pool