Abstract nouns vs. concrete nouns
Most nouns are things we can see and touch: a car, your friend, a book. Anything we can feel, see, and hold is a concrete noun.
Abstract nouns are non-physical ideas, traits, or emotions.This includes feelings like sadness, ideas and concepts (e.g., “democracy”, “justice”), or states we experience (“motherhood”, “childhood”).
I felt a surge of happiness after hearing the good news.
The dog chases the ball.
What are concrete nouns?
Books, pens, tables, and puppies are all things we can see and touch because they exist in a physical form and take up space in the world. Concrete nouns are things we can sense through sight, touch, sound, smell, or taste.
Examples of concrete nouns include things that are material or perceivable:
- TV shows
- light
- social media
- Pride and Prejudice
Places:
- Paris
- An island
- The grocery store
- Yosemite National Park
Living things:
- Cacti
- A school teacher
- Mark Carney.
What are abstract nouns?
Because abstract nouns are non-phyiscal, we cannot sense them through sight or touch. Nevertheless, though these nouns are nontangible, they are concepts or states that are familiar and internal.
Characteristics and qualities:
- kindness
- courage
- ambition
- weakness
- honesty
Ideas, beliefs, or concepts:
- Existentialism
- Buddhism
- religion
- freedom
- democracy
Time:
- A decade
- An hour
- Tomorrow
- Wednesday
States of being:
- peace
- sympathy
- childhood
- marriage
- anxiety
Forming abstract nouns
Abstract nouns are formed from adjectives, verbs, and nouns. See the common suffixes tied to the end of the word:
| Root Word + Suffix | Abstract Noun |
|---|---|
| noun + hood | motherhood, adulthood, childhood |
| noun + ship | ownership, relationship, friendship |
| verb + ment | punishment, development, government |
| adj. + ness | dryness, sadness, bitterness, abjectness |
Abstract nouns might end in suffixes:
| Suffix | Examples |
|---|---|
| -y, -ty, or -ity | joy, beauty, responsibility |
| -ion, -tion, -sion, or -ation | collection, destruction, admission, admiration |
| -ence, -cy, or -ice | intelligence, agency, advice |
Countable vs. uncountable nouns
Just as traits like kindness and bravery cannot be physically counted, there are other things that exist in the world that are also unable to be counted. Water, for example, would be difficult to count. Likewise, substances such as oil, sand, or gold defy basic measurements or count-ability.
Anything that is either too plentiful or cannot be counted are what we refer to as a mass noun. Like most abstract nouns, uncountable or mass nouns stay singular and do not use plural noun or verb forms, for the most part.
Though both abstract and mass nouns are treated as singular nouns, this doesn't make them the same. Abstract nouns are conceptual and nonphysical; whereas mass nouns stay singular because they are not in a form that is impossible to count. See the difference?
Worksheet: Abstract vs. concrete nouns
Abstract vs. Concrete Nouns Quiz
Nouns that are easily perceivable by our senses are known as:
Why do abstract nouns typically stay singular?
Select the abstract noun:
Select the concrete noun:
Abstract nouns are:
Children have the right to go to school.
FAQs
What are concrete nouns?
What are abstract nouns?
Are abstract nouns singular or plural?
Can abstract nouns be counted?
How are abstract nouns formed?
Sources
-
Oxford English Dictionary, "kindness (n.)," March 2025, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/9506573150.
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