Nouns

Plot
Paul and Eric explain nouns.

Transcript
(Paul and Eric are at the grocery store. Eric grabs a bag of chips and puts it in the cart)

Paul: More chips? I think we have enough junk food already.

Eric: Ya think?

Caption: Today's Lesson: Nouns.

Narrator: Today, Paul and Eric are going to explain different types of nouns.

Paul: Nouns name a person, place, thing, or idea. There are several different types of nouns, and many of them fit into more than one category.

Eric: For example, the word "chips" is a common noun because it's a general name for a thing. It could mean any chips in the world; it's non-specific. "Super Munchy Chips" is a proper noun since it names a specific brand of chips.

Paul: Another proper noun is a person's name, like "Paul". Proper nouns are always capitalized, so they're easy to spot when you're reading. Listening is a bit trickier since you can't hear a capital letter. But the context, or surrounding words, can give you some clues, like if you heard me say, "Bear is looking for a can of green beans".

Eric: Bears don't normally hang out in supermarkets looking for canned goods. And if Paul meant by the big furry animal, he would've said "a bear" or "the bear".

Paul: Right, Eric. It's pretty clear from the context that Bear is a person's name.

Eric: Can I open this bag of chips now? I'm kinda hungry.

Paul: Wait, Eric!

(Eric opens the bag of chips)

Eric: Want some chips?

Paul: Eric, now we have to buy that!

Eric: But I wanted some chips.

Paul: Oh, well.

(Eric reaches into the bag and pulls out some potato chips)

Eric: "Potato chips": chips made from potatoes. That's what we call a compound noun. Compound nouns are made up of more than one word, and are usually more descriptive, like "grocery store" or "shopping cart". "Potato chips" is also a plural noun, meaning there's more than one. "potato chip" is a singular noun, meaning there's a single potato chip.

Paul: Most nouns are made plural by adding an "s". "Potato chip" is singular. "Potato chips" is plural. All this talk about potato chips is making me hungry. "Hunger" is an abstract noun, because it names a feeling that you can't perceive with your five senses. If it's a noun, but you can't see, hear, smell, taste, or touch it, then it's an abstract noun. It's more of an idea, like love, fear, or bravery.

Eric: The opposite of an abstract noun is a concrete noun. Concrete nouns name things you can sense, like floor, bag, or crushed potato chips.

(With that, Eric stomps on the bag of chips, smashing the chips into bits)

Paul: Eric! Why did you do that?

Eric: Just to give an example of a concrete noun. Now, if you excuse me, I'm off to smash other things in this store.

(Eric runs off)

Paul: Hey! Come back here!

(He hears something crash, followed by a voice on the loudspeaker)

Paul: Uh-oh...

Voice on Loudspeaker: Cleanup on aisle five. Cleanup on aisle six. Uh, cleanup on aisles seven through twelve.

Paul: I can't take that guy anywhere.