Gender
Gender in grammar tells us whether a noun is masculine (male) or feminine (female). Many nouns come in pairs -- one word for a boy or man, and another word for a girl or woman.
What You'll Learn
- Know common masculine and feminine noun pairs for people
- Choose the correct masculine or feminine noun in a sentence
- Match a masculine noun to its feminine partner and vice versa
When to Use
- Talking about family members: "My father reads to me every night. My mother sings to me."
- Talking about boys and girls: "The boy kicked the ball. The girl caught it."
- Talking about important people: "The king sat on the throne. The queen waved to the crowd."
- Describing people in stories: "The brave prince saved the princess from the dragon."
How to Form
Common Masculine and Feminine Pairs
These are pairs you should know. The masculine noun is for males, and the feminine noun is for females.
| Masculine (Male) | Feminine (Female) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| boy | girl | The boy and the girl are in the same class. |
| man | woman | The man is tall. The woman is tall too. |
| father | mother | My father cooks dinner. My mother bakes cakes. |
| brother | sister | My brother is older than my sister. |
| son | daughter | They have one son and one daughter. |
| uncle | aunt | My uncle lives in Jurong. My aunt lives there too. |
| grandfather | grandmother | My grandfather tells me stories. My grandmother knits scarves. |
| husband | wife | The husband and wife walked in the park. |
| king | queen | The king wore a crown. The queen wore one too. |
| prince | princess | The prince rode a horse. The princess rode one too. |
How to Remember
Think of each pair as a team. Every masculine noun has a feminine partner:
| Family Pair | Other Pairs |
|---|---|
| father -- mother | king -- queen |
| brother -- sister | prince -- princess |
| son -- daughter | boy -- girl |
| uncle -- aunt | man -- woman |
| grandfather -- grandmother | husband -- wife |
Key Rules
- Masculine nouns are for males: Use masculine nouns when talking about boys, men, or male characters. "The brother helped his sister."
- Feminine nouns are for females: Use feminine nouns when talking about girls, women, or female characters. "The sister helped her brother."
- Each pair is a separate set of words: Most pairs at this level are completely different words, not just a small change. "Father" and "mother" look very different from each other.
- Match the gender to the person: If the sentence talks about a man, do not use a feminine noun. "The king ruled the land" -- not "The queen ruled the land" if the sentence is about a male ruler.
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| My brother is a kind lady. | My sister is a kind lady. | "Lady" tells us the person is female, so use "sister". |
| The queen is a brave man. | The king is a brave man. | "Man" tells us the person is male, so use "king". |
| My uncle baked a cake. She is a good cook. | My aunt baked a cake. She is a good cook. | "She" tells us the person is female, so use "aunt". |
| The son wore a pretty dress to the party. | The daughter wore a pretty dress to the party. | Context tells us the person is female, so use "daughter". |
Clue Words
Look for these clue words in the sentence to decide if you need a masculine or feminine noun:
Clue words for masculine (male):
he, him, his, boy, man, Mr, brother, father, son
Clue words for feminine (female):
she, her, hers, girl, woman, Mrs, Miss, sister, mother, daughter
Tip: Look for "he" or "she" in the sentence. If you see "he" or "him", pick the masculine noun. If you see "she" or "her", pick the feminine noun.
Practice Tips
- Pair them up: Write each masculine noun on one card and its feminine partner on another card. Mix them up and try to match the pairs as fast as you can.
- Family tree check: Draw your family tree and label each person with the correct gender noun -- father, mother, brother, sister, grandfather, grandmother, uncle, aunt.
- Pronoun clue hunt: When you read a sentence with a blank, look for "he" or "she" first. That tells you whether the missing word is masculine or feminine.
Quick Reference
| Masculine (Male) | Feminine (Female) |
|---|---|
| boy | girl |
| man | woman |
| father | mother |
| brother | sister |
| son | daughter |
| uncle | aunt |
| grandfather | grandmother |
| husband | wife |
| king | queen |
| prince | princess |