Lesson 1: What are Abstract Nouns?Lesson 2: Forming Abstract NounsLesson 3: Collective Nouns
Exercises
Ex 1: Concrete or Abstract?Ex 2: The Formation LabEx 3: Choose the Collective NounEx 4: The Naming CeremonyEx 5: Odd One OutEx 6: Find the Abstract NounEx 7: Complete the Story
Quiz
Riddle GateFinal Quiz
What are Abstract Nouns?
Lesson 1 of 3 — The invisible nouns
An abstract noun names something you cannot see, touch, smell, taste or hear. It is a feeling, an idea, a quality or a state.
You already know that nouns name people, places, animals and things. But some nouns name things that have no physical form at all. You cannot pick up courage. You cannot photograph freedom. You cannot hold happiness in your hand. Yet these are all very real things. They are abstract nouns.
📎Concrete Nounsbook, tree, dog, rain, table, sugar, mountain, stoneYou can see or touch these
✨Abstract Nounslove, freedom, anger, courage, wisdom, beauty, sadness, truthYou can only feel or think these
Here is the simplest test: ask yourself can I take a photo of it? You can photograph a dog but you cannot photograph loyalty. You can photograph a fire but you cannot photograph warmth. If you cannot photograph it, it is probably abstract.
Lesson 2 of 3 — Turning other words into abstract nouns
Many abstract nouns are formed by adding a suffix to an adjective, a verb or another noun. Learning these patterns means you can work out the meaning of new words you have never seen before.
From Adjectives — add -ness, -ity, -dom, -ance, -ence, -ty
A collective noun names a group of people, animals or things as one unit. A flock of birds is ONE flock even though there are many birds inside it.
English has hundreds of collective nouns and many of them are wonderfully specific. A group of lions is not just a group, it is a pride. A group of crows is not just a group, it is a murder. A group of owls is a parliament. English speakers invented these names over centuries and some of them are genuinely hilarious.
🦁a prideof lions
🐦a flockof birds or sheep
🐺a packof wolves
🐟a schoolof fish
🐝a swarmof bees
🐘a herdof cattle or elephants
🦩a flamboyanceof flamingos
🦉a parliamentof owls
Collective nouns for people are equally interesting:
🎤a choirof singers
⚓a crewof sailors
⚖a panelof judges
🎓a classof students
Grammar note: A collective noun is usually treated as singular in British English. The flock is flying south. (not are). In American English it is sometimes treated as plural. Both are acceptable depending on context.
☀️ Exercise 1: Cloud Catcher Caught: 0
Words are floating down from the Cloud Tower. Tap only the Abstract nouns before they land. Tap a Concrete noun by mistake and you lose a point. How fast are you?
Tap the Abstract nouns only! ✨
⚙️ Exercise 2: The Suffix Machine 0/12
A word enters the Suffix Machine. Choose the correct suffix to turn it into an abstract noun. The machine will assemble it right before your eyes!
adjective
kind
+
Which suffix turns kind into an abstract noun?
Word 1 of 12
👥 Exercise 3: Choose the Collective Noun 0/8
Each sentence has a blank where the collective noun belongs. Choose the correct one.
🎉 Exercise 4: The Naming Ceremony 0/8
A group arrives at the Cloud Tower for their official naming ceremony! Type the correct collective noun for each group.
🦁🦁🦁
What do you call a group of lions?
Group 1 of 8
🏛 Exercise 5: Which Floor of the Tower? Sort it out!
The Cloud Tower has three floors. Each word belongs on one floor. Tap a word then tap the floor where it belongs!
✨ ABSTRACT feelings, ideas, qualities
👥 COLLECTIVE names for groups
📎 CONCRETE you can touch or see it
✨ Abstract
👥 Collective
📎 Concrete
🕵️ Exercise 6: Abstract Noun Detective 0/6
You are the Abstract Noun Detective. Each case has a sentence with a clue. Read the clue, then tap the abstract noun hiding in the sentence.
📚 Exercise 7: Complete the Story All types
Read this story set at the Cloud Tower. Choose the correct word for each blank. Abstract and collective nouns both appear.
🔐
The Quiz Gate
Seven exercises complete. One riddle to unlock the final quiz.