Abstract Nouns

Abstract nouns name things you cannot experience with your five senses -- they describe feelings, ideas, qualities, and states that exist in your mind rather than in the physical world.

What You'll Learn

In this lesson, you will:

• Tell the difference between abstract nouns and concrete nouns with confidence
• Identify abstract nouns formed from adjectives, verbs, and other nouns
• Recognise abstract nouns even when they appear in tricky sentences
• Choose the correct abstract noun form when writing your own sentences

When to Use

1. Describing emotions in detail: "The disappointment on her face was clear when the trip was cancelled."
2. Talking about values and character: "Generosity is one of the most admired qualities in a person."
3. Expressing ideas in writing: "The school promotes equality among all students."
4. Describing experiences and states: "After hours of hiking, exhaustion set in."
5. Comparing abstract and concrete things: "You can buy a gift, but you cannot buy gratitude."

How to Form

Abstract Nouns from Adjectives

You already know basic suffixes like -ness and -dom. At P4 level, you will learn more suffix patterns.

Abstract Nouns from Verbs

Abstract Nouns from Other Nouns

Key Rules

1. Use the senses test to distinguish abstract from concrete: If you can see, touch, hear, smell, or taste it, the noun is concrete. A table is concrete because you can touch it. Loyalty is abstract because you cannot hold it. Some nouns are tricky -- music is concrete because you can hear it, but talent is abstract.

2. Watch out for nouns that look abstract but are concrete: Words like darkness and silence might seem abstract, but think carefully. Darkness describes a state you cannot touch -- it is abstract. However, rain and thunder are concrete because you can hear and feel them.

3. Spelling changes when adding suffixes: The base word often changes when you form the abstract noun. "Generous" drops the "-ous" to become generosity. "Patient" drops the "-t" and adds "-ce" to become patience. You need to memorise these patterns.

4. Do not double up suffixes: If a word is already an abstract noun, do not add another suffix. You would not say "courageness" because courage is already a noun. Similarly, do not say "braveness" -- the correct form is bravery.

5. Some abstract nouns have no suffix at all: Not every abstract noun is formed with a suffix. Words like love, fear, hope, anger, trust, and grief are abstract nouns in their base form. You do not need to change them.

6. Abstract nouns can be subjects or objects: Like all nouns, abstract nouns can appear anywhere a noun fits. As a subject: "Honesty is the best policy." As an object: "She showed great determination."

Common Mistakes

Clue Words

Suffixes that signal abstract nouns

-ness, -ment, -tion, -sion, -ity, -ty, -ence, -ance, -dom, -ship, -hood, -th, -ure, -al, -ry

Abstract nouns with no suffix (base form)

love, fear, hope, anger, trust, grief, pride, peace, faith, joy, calm, rage, shame, guilt, doubt

Words that often pair with abstract nouns

a lot of, a sense of, a feeling of, show, display, with great, full of, lack of

Tip: When you are unsure if a noun is abstract or concrete, try to draw it. If you can draw the exact thing (like a "ball"), it is concrete. If you can only draw a picture that represents it (like a smiley face for "happiness"), it is abstract!

Practice Tips

1. The drawing test: Read a sentence and find the nouns. Try to sketch each noun. If you cannot draw the real thing and can only draw a symbol, it is abstract. "The boy felt pride after his performance." You can draw a boy -- concrete. You cannot draw pride itself -- abstract. A performance involves action you can see -- concrete.

2. Suffix-swap practice: Take a list of adjectives from your spelling book and try forming abstract nouns from each one. Write the adjective and the abstract noun side by side: curious becomes curiosity, sad becomes sadness, generous becomes generosity. Check a dictionary if you are unsure.

3. Sort nouns in your reading: While reading a story or a passage, underline all the nouns. Then sort them into two columns -- concrete and abstract. This helps you spot abstract nouns more naturally in context.

4. The "Can I count it?" check: Most abstract nouns are uncountable. If you find yourself wanting to say "two courages" or "three happinesses," that is a sign the noun is abstract and uncountable. Use "a lot of" or "great" instead.

Quick Reference

Distinguishing Abstract from Concrete

Suffix Reference Table