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Nouns (Abstract) 02
In the sentence 'The children enjoyed the peace and quietness' both 'peace' and 'quietness' are abstract nouns.

Nouns (Abstract) 02

Abstract nouns are often qualities or attitudes but they can also be feelings and ideas. Feelings and ideas are especially important to describe when writing a story or poem.

How many abstract nouns can you think of? Feelings such as sadness, contentedness, anger, sorrow, fear, excitement, apprehension, anxiety, calmness and boredom are examples of abstract nouns. Testing these words with "the" and "a" is not especially useful, although many abstract nouns can take one or the other of these articles in certain circumstances, for example: "the anger in the room was overwhelming".

What types of ideas count as abstract nouns? How about: freedom, justice, equality, citizenship, friendship, belonging, accountability, dependability, belief....the list goes on!

To give you a good grasp of abstract nouns, try this second English quiz on the subject.

1.
Select the abstract noun(s) from the sentence below.
Pride and Prejudice is a novel written years ago.
ago
is
novel
Pride and Prejudice
This is a bit of a trick question! Novel titles are not abstract, just like a personal name is not abstract. "Pride" and "prejudice", however, are both attitudes and therefore they are abstract nouns
2.
Select the abstract noun(s) from the sentence below.
After the storm in the night came peace and calm.
After, storm
peace, calm
storm, night
storm, peace
We all know what "calm" feels like, but the quality is nevertheless an abstract one
3.
Select the abstract noun(s) from the sentence below.
The mountaineers showed great courage.
courage
great
mountaineers
showed
"Courage" is an abstract concept
4.
Select the abstract noun(s) from the sentence below.
The nurse's kindness helped the patient greatly.
helped
kindness
nurse's
patient
"Kindness" is a quality
5.
Select the abstract noun(s) from the sentence below.
Thea's sadness at losing the race was obvious.
losing
race
sadness
Thea's
"Sadness" is a feeling or attitude, so is therefore an abstract noun
6.
Select the abstract noun(s) from the sentence below.
Her loyalty meant so much to him.
loyalty
him
meant
much
"Loyalty" is an attitude; you can write "the" in front of it but you cannot touch it
7.
Select the abstract noun(s) from the sentence below.
The hostility between the lands gave rise to war.
hostility
lands
rise
war
"Hostility" is an attitude and is therefore an abstract noun
8.
Select the abstract noun(s) from the sentence below.
It was always her intention to become a doctor.
always
intention
become
doctor
"Intention" cannot be experienced through the senses, although it can be deduced through evidence provided by the senses
9.
Select the abstract noun(s) from the sentence below.
Tom's eagerness to be the first one caused him to fail.
caused
eagerness
first
Tom's
Remember that an abstract noun cannot be a verb, adjective or adverb!
10.
Select the abstract noun(s) from the sentence below.
The commitment of the leaders kept the group going.
commitment
going
group
leaders
"Commitment" is an abstract concept
You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - What is a noun?

Author:  Sue Daish

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