What is a Concrete Noun? | Definition and Examples
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- Concrete Nouns
A concrete noun is a noun that can be perceived by any one of the five senses. The five senses are sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. A concrete noun is also called a tangible noun.
Examples:
How Do We Identify a Concrete Noun?
Read each word, and ask the question "Can I see, hear, smell, taste, or touch it?" If your answer is "yes", the noun is concrete.
Example:
The noise of the firecrackers frightened Sandra.
We can hear the noise, hence it is a concrete noun.
We can see and hear firecrackers, hence it is a concrete noun.
We can see Sandra, hence it is a concrete noun.
Click on the Circles to Spot the Six Concrete Nouns
People, places, or things you can see, hear, smell, taste, or touch are concrete nouns.
Noun Types within Concrete Nouns
All common, proper, and collective nouns are concrete nouns. There are a few exceptions though.
Countable and Uncountable Concrete Nouns
Countable concrete nouns can be used as singular and plural.
Examples:
a city
many cities
Concrete nouns that are uncountable don't have plural forms.
Examples:
sugar
salt
The Difference between Concrete Nouns and Abstract Nouns
The nouns that you can see, hear, touch, smell, or taste are concrete nouns, and those that you cannot are abstract nouns.
Example:
The sight of sunset was an absolute joy.
In the above sentence, the words "sunset" and "joy" are nouns. While "sunset" is a concrete noun, "joy" is an abstract noun.
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