Nouns and noun phrases
By the end of this chapter you will be able to
- Find the nouns in a sentence, and say what each one names
- Add describing words before a noun to make an expanded noun phrase
- Make a noun with -ness or -er, and spell it correctly
- Join two small words to make a compound noun
- Write the plural of a noun with s or es
- Use a capital letter for the names of people and places
You should already know
- Words and sentences, and capital letters at the start (Year 1, Chapter 6)
- Spelling rules and endings, such as changing y to i (Chapter 2)
Where this leads
- Verbs and tense (Chapter 5)
- Adjectives, adverbs and sentences (Chapter 6)
- Writing stories with expanded noun phrases (Chapter 11)
National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 1 English, Year 2. Content: Name a noun: a person, a place, a thing or an animal, with the terms noun and noun phrase, Use expanded noun phrases to describe and specify, such as the blue butterfly and the tall green tree, Make nouns with the suffixes -ness and -er, such as kindness and teacher, Make compound nouns by joining two words, such as sunshine and football, Spell plural nouns, and use capital letters for names of people and places.
Exercise P Do you remember?
Method. Look at the first two letters of the word.
- Look at write. The first two letters are w and r.wr-ite
- Find the sound. The w is silent, and wr makes the r sound.wr = r sound
- Write the answer. wr
Check. wr-ite: the r sound is at the start. ✓
Watch out. The w is written but not said.
Method. Double the last letter of a short word with one vowel.
- Look at sit. One vowel, i, with one consonant at the end.sit
- Double the consonant, then add -ing. Add t, then ing.sit + t + ing = sitting
- Write the answer. sitting
Check. sitting has two t letters. ✓
Watch out. Write sitting, not siting.
Method. Match the meaning to the tricky word.
- Read the meaning. Sixty minutes is one hour.sixty minutes
- Find the word. The h is silent, and ou makes the ow sound.hour
- Write the answer. hour
Check. hour starts with a silent h. ✓
Watch out. The h in hour is not said.
Method. A sentence starts with a capital letter.
- Look at the first letter. The first word must start with a capital letter.the / The
- Look at the first word again. The is the sentence start, so it needs a big T.The cat sat.
- Write the answer. The cat sat.
Check. The cat sat. starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop. ✓
Watch out. Start every sentence with a capital letter.
Method. Look for the letters s and h next to each other.
- Look at each word. Look for s and h together.shop, fox, cup
- Find the two letters. The s and h are together in shop.sh-op
- Write the answer. shop
Check. fox and cup do not have s and h together. ✓
Watch out. The letters sh make one sound.
Naming words: nouns
A noun is a naming word. It names a person, a place, a thing or an animal.
Nurse and friend name people. Park and school name places.
Table and kite name things. Frog and duck name animals.
Try this test. Put the in front of the word. The park makes sense, so park is a noun.
Key ideas
- A noun is a naming word.
- Nouns name a person, a place, a thing or an animal.
- You can put the in front of most nouns.
- Words that say what someone does, or describe something, are not nouns.
Method. Find the words that name a person, a place, a thing or an animal.
- Read the sentence. Look at each word, one at a time.The frog hopped on the log.
- Find the naming words. Frog names an animal. Log names a thing.frog (animal), log (thing)
- Check the other words. Hopped says what the frog did, so it is not a noun.hopped: not a noun
- Write the answer. frog, log
Check. The frog and the log both make sense with the in front. ✓
Watch out. Hopped is an action word, so it is not a noun.
Method. Ask: does the word name a person, a place, a thing or an animal?
- Read the word. Happy tells us how someone feels.happy
- Test it. The happy does not name anything.the happy: no thing is named
- Decide. It describes something, so it is not a noun.not a noun
- Write the answer. No. Happy describes something, so it is not a noun.
Check. Happy describes; it does not name. ✓
Watch out. Describing words are important, but they are not nouns.
Method. Ask: is it a person, a place, a thing or an animal?
- Read the word. Think about what the word names.kite
- Decide what kind of thing it names. It names a thing.kite names a thing
- Write the answer. thing
Check. kite names a thing, so thing is the group. ✓
Watch out. A noun can name a person, a place, a thing or an animal.
Watch out
Watch out: a describing word such as happy or an action word such as hop is not a noun. Ask: does this word name a person, a place, a thing or an animal?
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Point to things in the room and ask: “Is it a person, a place, a thing or an animal?” Then try the test: put the in front. Your child can say the table, the door, the cat.
Exercise 4A Practice: naming words
Method. Find the words that name something.
- Look at owl. Owl names an animal.owl (animal)
- Look at tree. Tree names a thing.tree (thing)
- Check sat and in. Sat says what the owl did. In is a small word.not nouns
- Write the answer. owl, tree
Check. The owl and the tree both make sense with the in front. ✓
Watch out. Sat is an action word, so it is not a noun.
Method. Check each word with the test: can you say the in front?
- Look at hop. Hop is an action, so it is not a noun.hop: not a noun
- Look at quickly. Quickly tells how something is done, so it is not a noun.quickly: not a noun
- Look at frog. The frog names an animal, so it is a noun.frog: a noun
- Write the answer. frog
Check. the frog makes sense, and frog names an animal. ✓
Watch out. A noun names something, so check for a name.
Method. Ask: is it a person, a place, a thing or an animal?
- Read the word. Think about what the word names.nurse
- Decide what kind of thing it names. It names a person.nurse names a person
- Write the answer. person
Check. nurse names a person, so person is the group. ✓
Watch out. A noun can name a person, a place, a thing or an animal.
Method. Ask: is it a person, a place, a thing or an animal?
- Read the word. Think about what the word names.park
- Decide what kind of thing it names. It names a place.park names a place
- Write the answer. place
Check. park names a place, so place is the group. ✓
Watch out. A noun can name a person, a place, a thing or an animal.
Method. Ask: is it a person, a place, a thing or an animal?
- Read the word. Think about what the word names.table
- Decide what kind of thing it names. It names a thing.table names a thing
- Write the answer. thing
Check. table names a thing, so thing is the group. ✓
Watch out. A noun can name a person, a place, a thing or an animal.
Method. Ask: is it a person, a place, a thing or an animal?
- Read the word. Think about what the word names.frog
- Decide what kind of thing it names. It names an animal.frog names an animal
- Write the answer. animal
Check. frog names an animal, so animal is the group. ✓
Watch out. A noun can name a person, a place, a thing or an animal.
Method. Ask: is it a person, a place, a thing or an animal?
- Read the word. Think about what the word names.friend
- Decide what kind of thing it names. It names a person.friend names a person
- Write the answer. person
Check. friend names a person, so person is the group. ✓
Watch out. A noun can name a person, a place, a thing or an animal.
Method. Ask: is it a person, a place, a thing or an animal?
- Read the word. Think about what the word names.beach
- Decide what kind of thing it names. It names a place.beach names a place
- Write the answer. place
Check. beach names a place, so place is the group. ✓
Watch out. A noun can name a person, a place, a thing or an animal.
Method. Ask: is it a person, a place, a thing or an animal?
- Read the word. Think about what the word names.kite
- Decide what kind of thing it names. It names a thing.kite names a thing
- Write the answer. thing
Check. kite names a thing, so thing is the group. ✓
Watch out. A noun can name a person, a place, a thing or an animal.
Method. Ask: is it a person, a place, a thing or an animal?
- Read the word. Think about what the word names.rabbit
- Decide what kind of thing it names. It names an animal.rabbit names an animal
- Write the answer. animal
Check. rabbit names an animal, so animal is the group. ✓
Watch out. A noun can name a person, a place, a thing or an animal.
Method. Find the noun that names an animal.
- Read the sentence. Look for the animal.The duck swam on the pond.
- Find the animal. Duck names an animal. Pond names a place.duck (animal)
- Write the answer. duck
Check. Duck is the animal, and pond is a place. ✓
Watch out. Pond is a place, so it is not the animal.
Method. Find the noun that names a place.
- Read the sentence. Look for the place where they played.The children played in the park.
- Find the place. Park names a place. Children names people.park (place)
- Write the answer. park
Check. Park is the place where they played. ✓
Watch out. Children is a noun for people, but the question asks for the place.
Method. Find the word that names a place, a thing, a person or an animal.
- Look at sing. Sing is an action, so it is not a noun.sing: not a noun
- Look at slowly. Slowly tells how, so it is not a noun.slowly: not a noun
- Look at school. School names a place.school (place)
- Write the answer. school
Check. School names a place. ✓
Watch out. Sing and slowly are not names.
Method. Think of a thing that you can sit on.
- Think of a thing. A chair is a thing you sit on.chair (thing)
- Check it is a noun. The word names a thing, so it is a noun.chair names a thing
- Write the answer. Any noun for something to sit on, for example: chair
Check. Put the in front: the chair makes sense. ✓
Watch out. Any thing you sit on will do, such as a stool or a bench.
Method. Check what the word does in a sentence.
- Read the word. Happy tells us how someone feels.happy
- Check what it names. Happy does not name anything, so it is not a noun.not a name
- Write the answer. No. Happy describes something. It does not name a person, place, thing or animal.
Check. Being a word is not enough: a noun must name something. ✓
Watch out. Every noun is a word, but not every word is a noun.
Method. Find the words that name a living thing or a thing.
- Look at bee. Bee names an animal.bee (animal)
- Look at flower. Flower names a plant, which is a thing.flower (thing)
- Check red and sat. Red describes and sat says what the bee did.not nouns
- Write the answer. bee, flower
Check. The bee and the flower make sense with the in front. ✓
Watch out. Red describes the flower, so it is not a noun.
Method. Compare the words: which one names something?
- Look at hop, sing and swim. Each of these says what someone does.hop, sing, swim: actions
- Look at teacher. Teacher names a person, so it is a noun.teacher (person)
- Write the answer. teacher, because it names a person. The others say what someone does.
Check. Hop, sing and swim are actions; teacher is a name. ✓
Watch out. Teacher is a noun, so it names something.
Method. Think of one animal and one person.
- Think of an animal. A dog is an animal.dog (animal)
- Think of a person. A friend is a person.friend (person)
- Write the answer. Any noun for an animal and any noun for a person, for example: dog and friend
Check. Dog names an animal, and friend names a person. ✓
Watch out. Check each noun with the test: can you put the in front?
Noun phrases and expanded noun phrases
A noun phrase is a noun with the small words that go with it, such as the or a. The dog and a park are noun phrases.
An expanded noun phrase has describing words too. The blue butterfly tells us which butterfly.
Describing words go before the noun. The tall green tree tells us what the tree is like.
Some words come after the noun, and say where. The cup on the table tells us which cup.
Key ideas
- A noun phrase is a noun with words like the or a.
- An expanded noun phrase adds describing words.
- Describing words go before the noun: the tall green tree.
- Words such as on, in and under can say where: the cup on the table.
Method. Put the describing word between the and the noun.
- Start with the noun phrase. It is the and the noun: the tree.the tree
- Add the describing word. Tall tells us what the tree is like. It goes before tree.the tall tree
- Write the answer. the tall tree
Check. Read it aloud: the tall tree. ✓
Watch out. Describing words go before the noun, not after it.
Method. Look for the words that say where.
- Look at the cup. The cup tells us what, but not where.the cup
- Look at the longer phrase. On the table tells us where the cup is.the cup on the table
- Write the answer. the cup on the table
Check. On the table says where. ✓
Watch out. Words such as on and in can tell us where.
Method. Put each describing word before the noun, in the gaps.
- Start with the noun phrase. It is the, then two gaps, then bird.the ___ ___ bird
- Fill the gaps. Small and brown both describe the bird. Put them in order.the small brown bird
- Write the answer. the small brown bird
Check. Small comes first, then brown, then bird. ✓
Watch out. The describing words go before the noun, one after the other.
Watch out
Watch out: the noun is the main word. In the tall green tree, the noun is tree. The other words describe it.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Describe a toy: “the small red ball”. Then take away one describing word, and ask your child what changes. Let them add two describing words to a noun such as cat.
Exercise 4B Practice: noun phrases and expanded noun phrases
Method. A noun phrase is a noun with a small word, such as the, before it.
- Look at hop. Hop is an action word, not a noun phrase.hop: no
- Look at dog. Dog is a noun, but it has no small word before it.dog: a noun only
- Look at the dog. The dog is a noun with the in front, so it is a noun phrase.the dog: a noun phrase
- Write the answer. the dog
Check. The dog is a noun with the in front. ✓
Watch out. Dog on its own is a noun; the dog is a noun phrase.
Method. Find the main word of the phrase.
- Look at the phrase. The, blue, butterfly.the / blue / butterfly
- Find the naming word. Butterfly names an animal. The others describe or go with it.butterfly (animal)
- Write the answer. butterfly
Check. Blue describes the butterfly, so butterfly is the noun. ✓
Watch out. The other words in the phrase describe the noun.
Method. Find the words that describe the tree.
- Read the phrase. The, tall, green, tree.the / tall / green / tree
- Find the describing words. Tall says how tall, and green says the colour.tall, green
- Write the answer. tall and green
Check. Tall and green both describe the tree. ✓
Watch out. The and tree are not describing words.
Method. Put the describing word between the and butterfly.
- Start with the phrase. The, a gap, and butterfly.the ___ butterfly
- Fill the gap. Blue is the colour, so it goes in the gap.the blue butterfly
- Write the answer. the blue butterfly
Check. Read it aloud: the blue butterfly. ✓
Watch out. Describing words go before the noun.
Method. Put the two describing words in the two gaps, before tree.
- Look at the two gaps. There are two gaps before tree.the ___ ___ tree
- Fill the gaps. Tall goes in the first gap, and green goes in the second.the tall green tree
- Write the answer. the tall green tree
Check. Tall comes before green, and both come before tree. ✓
Watch out. Put the describing words in the order that makes sense.
Method. Put the describing words between a and mouse.
- Start with the phrase. A and mouse.a mouse
- Add the describing words. Small and grey go between a and mouse.a small grey mouse
- Write the answer. a small grey mouse
Check. Small and grey both describe the mouse. ✓
Watch out. Mouse starts with a consonant sound, so it keeps a, not an. The describing words go between a and mouse.
Method. Describing words go before the noun.
- Look at the first order. Sweet comes after pear, which is not right.the pear sweet: no
- Look at the second order. Sweet comes before pear, so it describes the pear.the sweet pear: yes
- Write the answer. the sweet pear
Check. Sweet is before pear. ✓
Watch out. Describing words go before the noun.
Method. Use in to say where the bird is.
- Start with the noun. The bird is the main word.the bird
- Add the words that say where. In the tree tells us where the bird is.the bird in the tree
- Write the answer. the bird in the tree
Check. In the tree says where the bird is. ✓
Watch out. Words after the noun can say where, such as in, on or under.
Method. Choose the word that says where.
- Look at sweet and blue. Sweet and blue describe things. They do not say where.sweet, blue: no
- Look at under. Under says where the cat is, so it fits the gap.under: yes
- Write the answer. under
Check. the cat under the bed says where the cat is. ✓
Watch out. Words such as under, on and in say where.
Method. Pick a noun and add two describing words before it.
- Pick a noun. Dog is the noun.dog
- Add two describing words. Small and brown go before dog, and the phrase is the small brown dog.the small brown dog
- Write the answer. Any correct sentence with an expanded noun phrase, for example: The small brown dog ran home.
Check. The small brown dog is the expanded noun phrase. ✓
Watch out. Check that the describing words come before the noun.
Method. Compare a noun phrase with an expanded noun phrase.
- Look at the dog. The dog is a noun phrase, because the goes with dog.the dog: a noun phrase
- Check for describing words. An expanded noun phrase needs describing words, such as big or brown.no describing words
- Write the answer. No. The is a small word, so this is a noun phrase, but it has no describing words.
Check. Add a describing word, such as big, and it becomes expanded. ✓
Watch out. Expanded means it has describing words as well as the small words.
Nouns made with -ness and -er
A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a word. It can make a new noun.
-ness makes a noun for a feeling or a quality. Kind becomes kindness.
-er makes a noun for someone who does something. Teach becomes teacher. Bake becomes baker.
Some words change before the suffix. Happy becomes happiness, with an i. Swim becomes swimmer, with two m letters.
Key ideas
- -ness makes a noun for a feeling or a quality: kind, kindness.
- -er makes a noun for someone who does something: teach, teacher.
- Change y to i before -ness: happy, happiness.
- Drop the e before -er: bake, baker. Double the last letter after one short vowel: swim, swimmer.
Method. Add -ness to make a noun for a feeling or a quality.
- Look at the root word. This is the word we start with.kind
- Add -ness to the end. Add -ness straight on the end of the root word.kind + ness
- Write the answer. kindness
Check. Say kindness out loud. It has kind at the start and -ness at the end. ✓
Watch out. Keep the root word whole, then add -ness.
Method. Add -er to the verb, so that it means someone who teaches children in a school.
- Look at the verb. It is the action the person does.teach
- Add -er to make a noun for a person. Add -er straight on the end of the verb.teach + er
- Write the answer. teacher
Check. The noun names someone who does the action: someone who teaches children in a school. ✓
Watch out. Drop the e first: baker, not bakeer. Double the consonant after one short vowel: swimmer.
Method. Add -ness to make a noun for a feeling or a quality.
- Look at the root word. This is the word we start with.happy
- Add -ness to the end. Change the y to i first, then add -ness.happi + ness
- Write the answer. happiness
Check. Say happiness out loud. It has happy at the start and -ness at the end. ✓
Watch out. Change the y to i: happiness, not happyness.
Watch out
Watch out: happy becomes happiness, not happyness. Also, the -er ending can make a comparison, such as taller. Here, -er makes a noun for a person who does something.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Say a verb, such as teach or bake, and ask: “Who does this?” Then add -er together. For -ness, write happy on paper and change the y to an i before you add -ness.
Exercise 4C Practice: nouns with -ness and -er
Method. Add -ness to make a noun for a feeling or a quality.
- Look at the root word. This is the word we start with.kind
- Add -ness to the end. Add -ness straight on the end of the root word.kind + ness
- Write the answer. kindness
Check. Say kindness out loud. It has kind at the start and -ness at the end. ✓
Watch out. Keep the root word whole, then add -ness.
Method. Add -ness to make a noun for a feeling or a quality.
- Look at the root word. This is the word we start with.dark
- Add -ness to the end. Add -ness straight on the end of the root word.dark + ness
- Write the answer. darkness
Check. Say darkness out loud. It has dark at the start and -ness at the end. ✓
Watch out. Keep the root word whole, then add -ness.
Method. Add -ness to make a noun for a feeling or a quality.
- Look at the root word. This is the word we start with.bright
- Add -ness to the end. Add -ness straight on the end of the root word.bright + ness
- Write the answer. brightness
Check. Say brightness out loud. It has bright at the start and -ness at the end. ✓
Watch out. Keep the root word whole, then add -ness.
Method. Add -ness to make a noun for a feeling or a quality.
- Look at the root word. This is the word we start with.fair
- Add -ness to the end. Add -ness straight on the end of the root word.fair + ness
- Write the answer. fairness
Check. Say fairness out loud. It has fair at the start and -ness at the end. ✓
Watch out. Keep the root word whole, then add -ness.
Method. Add -ness to make a noun for a feeling or a quality.
- Look at the root word. This is the word we start with.sad
- Add -ness to the end. Add -ness straight on the end of the root word.sad + ness
- Write the answer. sadness
Check. Say sadness out loud. It has sad at the start and -ness at the end. ✓
Watch out. Keep the root word whole, then add -ness.
Method. Add -ness to make a noun for a feeling or a quality.
- Look at the root word. This is the word we start with.ill
- Add -ness to the end. Add -ness straight on the end of the root word.ill + ness
- Write the answer. illness
Check. Say illness out loud. It has ill at the start and -ness at the end. ✓
Watch out. Keep the root word whole, then add -ness.
Method. Add -ness to make a noun for a feeling or a quality.
- Look at the root word. This is the word we start with.weak
- Add -ness to the end. Add -ness straight on the end of the root word.weak + ness
- Write the answer. weakness
Check. Say weakness out loud. It has weak at the start and -ness at the end. ✓
Watch out. Keep the root word whole, then add -ness.
Method. Add -er to the verb, so that it means someone who teaches children in a school.
- Look at the verb. It is the action the person does.teach
- Add -er to make a noun for a person. Add -er straight on the end of the verb.teach + er
- Write the answer. teacher
Check. The noun names someone who does the action: someone who teaches children in a school. ✓
Watch out. Drop the e first: baker, not bakeer. Double the consonant after one short vowel: swimmer.
Method. Add -er to the verb, so that it means someone who bakes bread and cakes.
- Look at the verb. It is the action the person does.bake
- Add -er to make a noun for a person. The word ends in e, so drop the e before -er.bak + er
- Write the answer. baker
Check. The noun names someone who does the action: someone who bakes bread and cakes. ✓
Watch out. Drop the e first: baker, not bakeer. Double the consonant after one short vowel: swimmer.
Method. Add -er to the verb, so that it means someone who works on a farm.
- Look at the verb. It is the action the person does.farm
- Add -er to make a noun for a person. Add -er straight on the end of the verb.farm + er
- Write the answer. farmer
Check. The noun names someone who does the action: someone who works on a farm. ✓
Watch out. Drop the e first: baker, not bakeer. Double the consonant after one short vowel: swimmer.
Method. Add -er to the verb, so that it means someone who sings to other people.
- Look at the verb. It is the action the person does.sing
- Add -er to make a noun for a person. Add -er straight on the end of the verb.sing + er
- Write the answer. singer
Check. The noun names someone who does the action: someone who sings to other people. ✓
Watch out. Drop the e first: baker, not bakeer. Double the consonant after one short vowel: swimmer.
Method. Add -er to the verb, so that it means someone who swims in the water.
- Look at the verb. It is the action the person does.swim
- Add -er to make a noun for a person. One short vowel between two consonants: double the last letter.swim + m + er
- Write the answer. swimmer
Check. The noun names someone who does the action: someone who swims in the water. ✓
Watch out. Drop the e first: baker, not bakeer. Double the consonant after one short vowel: swimmer.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the right one.
- Look at happyness. Happy ends in y, and it changes to i before -ness.happyness
- Change the y to i. The y becomes an i, then -ness is added.happi + ness
- Write the answer. happiness
Check. Say happiness: the i comes before -ness. ✓
Watch out. Change y to i: happiness, not happyness.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the right one.
- Look at bakker. Bake ends in e, so the e is dropped before -er. The k is not doubled.bakker
- Write the noun. Drop the e, and add -er.bak + er
- Write the answer. baker
Check. The baker bakes bread: one k, not two. ✓
Watch out. Bake ends in e: drop the e, then add -er.
Method. Think about which word names a feeling or a quality.
- Look at kind. Kind describes someone, so it is not a noun.kind: describing
- Look at kindness. Kindness names a quality, so it is a noun.kindness: a noun
- Write the answer. kindness, because -ness makes it a noun.
Check. Kindness names a quality. ✓
Watch out. The suffix -ness changes a describing word into a noun.
Compound nouns: two words joined to make one
A compound noun is made when two small words join to make one new noun.
Sun and shine make sunshine. Foot and ball make football.
A compound noun is written as one word, and it names one thing.
Sunflower names a flower. It is not a sun. Look at the whole new word.
Key ideas
- A compound noun joins two small words to make one new noun.
- It is written as one word.
- Sunflower names a flower, so the new word has its own meaning.
- Look for the two small words inside the word.
Method. Join the two small words to make one new noun.
- Say the first word. This is the first small word.sun
- Say the second word. This is the second small word.flower
- Join them with no gap. Together they name a tall yellow flower.sun + flower = sunflower
- Write the answer. sunflower
Check. sunflower is one word, and it names a tall yellow flower. ✓
Watch out. A compound noun is written as one word, with no gap.
Method. Look for two small words joined together.
- Read the sentence. Look for a word made of two smaller words.We, played, football, at, break
- Check football. Foot and ball are joined to make one new noun.foot + ball = football
- Check break. Break is one small word, not two joined words.break: one word
- Write the answer. football
Check. Foot + ball = football. ✓
Watch out. Look for two small words inside the big word.
Method. Find the two small words inside the word.
- Look at teapot. Look for a small word at the start.tea-pot
- Find the second small word. Pot is the second small word.tea + pot
- Write the answer. tea and pot
Check. Tea + pot = teapot. ✓
Watch out. The two small words join with no gap.
Watch out
Watch out: two words side by side are not always a compound noun. The sun shines is a sentence, not one noun. A compound noun is one new word.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Put two toy names together, such as sun and flower, and say the new word. Ask your child what the new word names, and where they have seen one like it.
Exercise 4D Practice: compound nouns
Method. Join the two small words to make one new noun.
- Say the first word. This is the first small word.sun
- Say the second word. This is the second small word.shine
- Join them with no gap. Together they name bright light from the sun.sun + shine = sunshine
- Write the answer. sunshine
Check. sunshine is one word, and it names bright light from the sun. ✓
Watch out. A compound noun is written as one word, with no gap.
Method. Join the two small words to make one new noun.
- Say the first word. This is the first small word.rain
- Say the second word. This is the second small word.bow
- Join them with no gap. Together they name a curved band of colours in the sky.rain + bow = rainbow
- Write the answer. rainbow
Check. rainbow is one word, and it names a curved band of colours in the sky. ✓
Watch out. A compound noun is written as one word, with no gap.
Method. Join the two small words to make one new noun.
- Say the first word. This is the first small word.bed
- Say the second word. This is the second small word.room
- Join them with no gap. Together they name a room where you sleep.bed + room = bedroom
- Write the answer. bedroom
Check. bedroom is one word, and it names a room where you sleep. ✓
Watch out. A compound noun is written as one word, with no gap.
Method. Join the two small words to make one new noun.
- Say the first word. This is the first small word.tooth
- Say the second word. This is the second small word.brush
- Join them with no gap. Together they name a brush for cleaning your teeth.tooth + brush = toothbrush
- Write the answer. toothbrush
Check. toothbrush is one word, and it names a brush for cleaning your teeth. ✓
Watch out. A compound noun is written as one word, with no gap.
Method. Join the two small words to make one new noun.
- Say the first word. This is the first small word.note
- Say the second word. This is the second small word.book
- Join them with no gap. Together they name a book for writing notes in.note + book = notebook
- Write the answer. notebook
Check. notebook is one word, and it names a book for writing notes in. ✓
Watch out. A compound noun is written as one word, with no gap.
Method. Join the two small words to make one new noun.
- Say the first word. This is the first small word.tea
- Say the second word. This is the second small word.pot
- Join them with no gap. Together they name a pot for making and pouring tea.tea + pot = teapot
- Write the answer. teapot
Check. teapot is one word, and it names a pot for making and pouring tea. ✓
Watch out. A compound noun is written as one word, with no gap.
Method. Join the two small words to make one new noun.
- Say the first word. This is the first small word.cup
- Say the second word. This is the second small word.cake
- Join them with no gap. Together they name a small cake for one person.cup + cake = cupcake
- Write the answer. cupcake
Check. cupcake is one word, and it names a small cake for one person. ✓
Watch out. A compound noun is written as one word, with no gap.
Method. Look for a word made of two smaller words that names something.
- Look at quickly and happy. Quickly and happy are not compound nouns.quickly, happy: no
- Look at football. Foot and ball join to make one noun, so it is a compound noun.football: yes
- Write the answer. football
Check. Foot + ball = football. ✓
Watch out. A compound noun joins two words to make a noun.
Method. Find the two small words inside the word.
- Look at playground. Look for two small words joined together.play-ground
- Write the two words. Play and ground are the two small words.play + ground
- Write the answer. play and ground
Check. Play + ground = playground. ✓
Watch out. Playground is one word.
Method. Look for a word made of two smaller words.
- Look at beach. Beach is one small word.beach: one word
- Look at sandcastle. Sand and castle are joined to make one noun.sand + castle = sandcastle
- Write the answer. sandcastle
Check. Sand + castle = sandcastle. ✓
Watch out. Look for the joined word, not the one with on the.
Method. Look for a word made of two smaller words.
- Look at raincoat. Rain and coat are joined to make one noun.rain + coat = raincoat
- Check school. School is one small word.school: one word
- Write the answer. raincoat
Check. Rain + coat = raincoat. ✓
Watch out. A raincoat keeps you dry in the rain.
Method. Join the two small words to make one new noun.
- Say the first word. This is the first small word.white
- Say the second word. This is the second small word.board
- Join them with no gap. Together they name a smooth white board for writing on.white + board = whiteboard
- Write the answer. whiteboard
Check. whiteboard is one word, and it names a smooth white board for writing on. ✓
Watch out. A compound noun is written as one word, with no gap.
Method. Join the two small words to make one new noun.
- Say the first word. This is the first small word.play
- Say the second word. This is the second small word.ground
- Join them with no gap. Together they name an outdoor place to play.play + ground = playground
- Write the answer. playground
Check. playground is one word, and it names an outdoor place to play. ✓
Watch out. A compound noun is written as one word, with no gap.
Method. Check the two small words, and what the new word names.
- Look at sun. Sun names a thing in the sky, so it is a noun.sun: a noun
- Look at flower. Flower names a plant, so it is a noun.flower: a noun
- Check the new word. Sunflower joins them and names a flower.sunflower names a flower
- Write the answer. Yes. Sun and flower are both nouns, and they join to make one new noun, sunflower.
Check. Two nouns joined make a compound noun. ✓
Watch out. Check both small words, then the new word.
Plural nouns: more than one
A plural noun means more than one. Most nouns add s: cat becomes cats.
Nouns that end in s, x, ch or sh add es: bus becomes buses, box becomes boxes, dish becomes dishes, and watch becomes watches.
Some words do not follow the rule. Child becomes children. You learned this in Chapter 3.
Key ideas
- A plural noun means more than one.
- Most nouns add s: cat, cats.
- Add es after s, x, ch and sh: bus, buses; box, boxes.
- Look at the end of the word before you choose the ending.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.dog
- Add the ending. Add s to make more than one.dog + s
- Write the answer. dogs
Check. Say it out loud: one dog, two dogs. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.bus
- Add the ending. It ends in s, so we add es.bus + es
- Write the answer. buses
Check. Say it out loud: one bus, two buses. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.box
- Add the ending. It ends in x, so we add es.box + es
- Write the answer. boxes
Check. Say it out loud: one box, two boxes. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Watch out
Watch out: do not add s to a word that ends in x, s, ch or sh. Write boxes, not boxs.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Count real things at home, such as cups, socks or spoons, and say the plural together. Ask your child to look at the end of each word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Exercise 4E Practice: plural nouns
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.cat
- Add the ending. Add s to make more than one.cat + s
- Write the answer. cats
Check. Say it out loud: one cat, two cats. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.pig
- Add the ending. Add s to make more than one.pig + s
- Write the answer. pigs
Check. Say it out loud: one pig, two pigs. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.tree
- Add the ending. Add s to make more than one.tree + s
- Write the answer. trees
Check. Say it out loud: one tree, two trees. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.kite
- Add the ending. Add s to make more than one.kite + s
- Write the answer. kites
Check. Say it out loud: one kite, two kites. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.bike
- Add the ending. Add s to make more than one.bike + s
- Write the answer. bikes
Check. Say it out loud: one bike, two bikes. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.bus
- Add the ending. It ends in s, so we add es.bus + es
- Write the answer. buses
Check. Say it out loud: one bus, two buses. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.box
- Add the ending. It ends in x, so we add es.box + es
- Write the answer. boxes
Check. Say it out loud: one box, two boxes. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.dish
- Add the ending. It ends in sh, so we add es.dish + es
- Write the answer. dishes
Check. Say it out loud: one dish, two dishes. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.watch
- Add the ending. It ends in ch, so we add es.watch + es
- Write the answer. watches
Check. Say it out loud: one watch, two watches. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.fox
- Add the ending. It ends in x, so we add es.fox + es
- Write the answer. foxes
Check. Say it out loud: one fox, two foxes. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.glass
- Add the ending. It ends in s, so we add es.glass + es
- Write the answer. glasses
Check. Say it out loud: one glass, two glasses. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.star
- Add the ending. Add s to make more than one.star + s
- Write the answer. stars
Check. Say it out loud: one star, two stars. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Look at the end of bus, then choose the plural.
- Look at bus. Bus ends in s.bus
- Choose the plural. Words that end in s add es, so the plural is buses.bus + es = buses
- Write the answer. buses
Check. Say it aloud: two buses. ✓
Watch out. Words ending in s add es.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the right one.
- Look at boxs. Box ends in x, so it needs es.boxs
- Add es. The plural of box is boxes.box + es = boxes
- Write the answer. boxes
Check. Two boxes: box + es. ✓
Watch out. Words ending in x add es: boxes.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.bench
- Add the ending. It ends in ch, so we add es.bench + es
- Write the answer. benches
Check. Say it out loud: one bench, two benches. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Look at the singular word for each plural.
- Look at cats and dogs. Cat and dog end in t and g, so they add s.cat, dog: add s
- Look at dishes and buses. Dish and bus end in sh and s, so they add es.dish, bus: add es
- Write the answer. Add s: cats, dogs. Add es: dishes, buses.
Check. cats and dogs: s. dishes and buses: es. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the singular word, not the plural.
Method. Look at how each singular word ends.
- Look at bus. Bus ends in s, so we add es.bus + es
- Look at cat. Cat does not end in s, x, ch or sh, so we add s.cat + s
- Write the answer. Bus ends in s, so we add es. Cat does not end in s, x, ch or sh, so we add only s.
Check. Buses and cats: each ending follows its rule. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the singular word.
Capital letters for names of people and places
The name of a person or a place starts with a capital letter.
Names of people: Amira, Leo, Yusuf. Names of places: Bristol, York, London.
Words such as park and school are not names. They start with a small letter.
Key ideas
- Names of people start with a capital letter: Leo.
- Names of places start with a capital letter: Leeds.
- Ordinary nouns, such as park and school, start with a small letter.
- A name can be in the middle of a sentence.
Method. Give the name a capital letter at the start.
- Look at the word. Names of people and places start with a capital letter.ruby
- Change the first letter. The first letter becomes a capital.r → R
- Write the answer. Ruby
Check. Ruby starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Names start with a capital letter, but park and school do not.
Method. Find the word with a capital letter that names one place.
- Look at park and school. These are ordinary nouns, not names.park, school: ordinary
- Look at York. York is the name of one city.York: a name
- Write the answer. York
Check. York is one place, so it is a name. ✓
Watch out. A name starts with a capital letter.
Method. Correct the capital letters in the names, and check the rest of the sentence.
- Read the sentence. Look for the names of people and places.priya and tom went to school.
- Find the names. Priya and Tom are names of people. School is an ordinary noun, so it stays small.Priya and Tom went to school.
- Write the answer. Priya and Tom went to school.
Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓
Watch out. Each name starts with a capital letter. Ordinary nouns stay small.
Watch out
Watch out: a name starts with a capital letter even in the middle of a sentence. Write Ali went to London, not Ali went to london.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Read a few sentences from a book together. Ask your child to find the names of people and places, and to point to each capital letter. Then ask: is park a name?
Exercise 4F Practice: names with capital letters
Method. Give the name a capital letter at the start.
- Look at the word. Names of people and places start with a capital letter.amira
- Change the first letter. The first letter becomes a capital.a → A
- Write the answer. Amira
Check. Amira starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Names start with a capital letter, but park and school do not.
Method. Give the name a capital letter at the start.
- Look at the word. Names of people and places start with a capital letter.noah
- Change the first letter. The first letter becomes a capital.n → N
- Write the answer. Noah
Check. Noah starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Names start with a capital letter, but park and school do not.
Method. Give the name a capital letter at the start.
- Look at the word. Names of people and places start with a capital letter.leo
- Change the first letter. The first letter becomes a capital.l → L
- Write the answer. Leo
Check. Leo starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Names start with a capital letter, but park and school do not.
Method. Give the name a capital letter at the start.
- Look at the word. Names of people and places start with a capital letter.mei
- Change the first letter. The first letter becomes a capital.m → M
- Write the answer. Mei
Check. Mei starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Names start with a capital letter, but park and school do not.
Method. Give the name a capital letter at the start.
- Look at the word. Names of people and places start with a capital letter.yusuf
- Change the first letter. The first letter becomes a capital.y → Y
- Write the answer. Yusuf
Check. Yusuf starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Names start with a capital letter, but park and school do not.
Method. Give the name a capital letter at the start.
- Look at the word. Names of people and places start with a capital letter.leeds
- Change the first letter. The first letter becomes a capital.l → L
- Write the answer. Leeds
Check. Leeds starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Names start with a capital letter, but park and school do not.
Method. Give the name a capital letter at the start.
- Look at the word. Names of people and places start with a capital letter.cardiff
- Change the first letter. The first letter becomes a capital.c → C
- Write the answer. Cardiff
Check. Cardiff starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Names start with a capital letter, but park and school do not.
Method. Give the name a capital letter at the start.
- Look at the word. Names of people and places start with a capital letter.glasgow
- Change the first letter. The first letter becomes a capital.g → G
- Write the answer. Glasgow
Check. Glasgow starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Names start with a capital letter, but park and school do not.
Method. Give the name a capital letter at the start.
- Look at the word. Names of people and places start with a capital letter.london
- Change the first letter. The first letter becomes a capital.l → L
- Write the answer. London
Check. London starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Names start with a capital letter, but park and school do not.
Method. Find the word that names one place by its name.
- Look at park and school. These are ordinary nouns, so they stay small.park, school: not names
- Look at York. York is a name, so it starts with a capital letter.York: a name
- Write the answer. York
Check. York starts with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Park and school are ordinary nouns.
Method. Correct the capital letters in the names, and check the rest of the sentence.
- Read the sentence. Look for the names of people and places.ben lives in liverpool.
- Find the names. Ben is a name of a person, and Liverpool is a name of a place.Ben lives in Liverpool.
- Write the answer. Ben lives in Liverpool.
Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓
Watch out. Each name starts with a capital letter. Ordinary nouns stay small.
Method. Correct the capital letters in the names, and check the rest of the sentence.
- Read the sentence. Look for the names of people and places.mia and chloe went to brighton on a bus.
- Find the names. Mia and Chloe are names of people, and Brighton is a name of a place. Bus stays small.Mia and Chloe went to Brighton on a bus.
- Write the answer. Mia and Chloe went to Brighton on a bus.
Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓
Watch out. Each name starts with a capital letter. Ordinary nouns stay small.
Method. Find the words that name one person or one place.
- Look at Zainab and Arjun. These are the names of two people.Zainab, Arjun
- Look at Manchester. This is the name of one place.Manchester
- Write the answer. Zainab, Arjun and Manchester
Check. Three names, each with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Visited is a verb, so it is not a name.
Method. Find the names and the word I.
- Look at i. The word I always has a capital letter.I
- Look for names. Sam is a person, and Cardiff is a place. Park is an ordinary noun.Sam, Cardiff
- Write the answer. I, Sam and Cardiff
Check. Park stays small, because it is not a name. ✓
Watch out. The word I is always a capital letter.
Method. Check each word: is it a name, or an ordinary noun?
- Look at bristol. Bristol is the name of a place, so it needs a capital letter.Bristol: a name
- Look at park. Park is an ordinary noun, so it stays small.park: ordinary noun
- Write the answer. Yes. Bristol is a place name. Park is an ordinary noun, so it stays small.
Check. Priya is right about both words. ✓
Watch out. Capital letters are for names only.
Chapter summary
| Skill | Method |
|---|---|
| Nouns: naming words | A noun names a person, a place, a thing or an animal. Check with the in front. |
| Noun phrases | A noun with a small word such as the or a: the dog. |
| Expanded noun phrases | Describing words go before the noun: the tall green tree. Words after it say where: the cup on the table. |
| Nouns with -ness and -er | kind, kindness; happy, happiness (y to i); teach, teacher; bake, baker (drop e); swim, swimmer (double m). |
| Compound nouns | Two small words join to make one noun: sun + flower = sunflower. |
| Plural nouns | Most add s. Add es after s, x, ch and sh: bus, buses; box, boxes. |
| Names of people and places | Start with a capital letter: Leo, York. Ordinary nouns like park stay small. |
Can you…?
- I can say whether a word is a noun, and what it names
- I can make an expanded noun phrase with describing words before the noun
- I can say where something is with a word after the noun
- I can make a noun with -ness, such as happiness, and with -er, such as teacher
- I can join two small words to make a compound noun, such as sunflower
- I can write the plural of a noun with s or es
- I can use a capital letter for the names of people and places
Key terms
- noun
- a naming word for a person, a place, a thing or an animal
- noun phrase
- a noun with a small word such as the or a before it
- expanded noun phrase
- a noun phrase with describing words, such as the tall green tree
- suffix
- a group of letters added to the end of a word, such as -ness or -er
- compound noun
- a new noun made by joining two small words, such as sunshine
- plural noun
- a noun that means more than one, such as cats or boxes
- capital letter
- a big letter, used at the start of a name of a person or a place
Exercise 4Z Check-up
Method. Find the noun that names an animal.
- Read the sentence. Look for the animal.The frog sat on the log.
- Find the animal. Frog names an animal. Log names a thing.frog (animal)
- Write the answer. frog
Check. Frog is the animal in the sentence. ✓
Watch out. Log is a thing, not an animal.
Method. Put the two describing words before house.
- Look at the gaps. There are two gaps before house.the ___ ___ house
- Fill the gaps. Big and red both describe the house.the big red house
- Write the answer. the big red house
Check. Big comes before red, and both come before house. ✓
Watch out. Describing words go before the noun.
Method. Add -ness to make a noun for a feeling or a quality.
- Look at the root word. This is the word we start with.weak
- Add -ness to the end. Add -ness straight on the end of the root word.weak + ness
- Write the answer. weakness
Check. Say weakness out loud. It has weak at the start and -ness at the end. ✓
Watch out. Keep the root word whole, then add -ness.
Method. Add -er to the verb, so that it means someone who bakes bread and cakes.
- Look at the verb. It is the action the person does.bake
- Add -er to make a noun for a person. The word ends in e, so drop the e before -er.bak + er
- Write the answer. baker
Check. The noun names someone who does the action: someone who bakes bread and cakes. ✓
Watch out. Drop the e first: baker, not bakeer. Double the consonant after one short vowel: swimmer.
Method. Join the two small words to make one new noun.
- Say the first word. This is the first small word.bed
- Say the second word. This is the second small word.time
- Join them with no gap. Together they name the time you go to bed.bed + time = bedtime
- Write the answer. bedtime
Check. bedtime is one word, and it names the time you go to bed. ✓
Watch out. A compound noun is written as one word, with no gap.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.glass
- Add the ending. It ends in s, so we add es.glass + es
- Write the answer. glasses
Check. Say it out loud: one glass, two glasses. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.brush
- Add the ending. It ends in sh, so we add es.brush + es
- Write the answer. brushes
Check. Say it out loud: one brush, two brushes. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Correct the capital letters in the names, and check the rest of the sentence.
- Read the sentence. Look for the names of people and places.ali went to london.
- Find the names. Ali is the name of a person, and London is the name of a place.Ali went to London.
- Write the answer. Ali went to London.
Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓
Watch out. Each name starts with a capital letter. Ordinary nouns stay small.
Method. Find the word that says where.
- Read the phrase. The cat is the noun. On the mat tells where.the cat on the mat
- Find the word that says where. On says where the cat is.on
- Write the answer. on
Check. The cat is on the mat. ✓
Watch out. Words such as on, in and under say where.
Method. Check which word is a name of a person or a place.
- Look at Ali. Ali is the name of a person.Ali: a name
- Look at London and Bristol. Both are names of places.London, Bristol: names
- Look at park. Park is an ordinary noun, so it is not a name.park: not a name
- Write the answer. park, because it is an ordinary noun, not a name.
Check. The other three each start with a capital letter. ✓
Watch out. Ordinary nouns start with a small letter.
Total 14 marks. Allow about 14 minutes.
Exercise 4X End-of-chapter quiz
Method. Find the word that names something.
- Look at sing and quickly. Sing is an action, and quickly tells how.sing, quickly: not nouns
- Look at cat. Cat names an animal, so it is a noun.cat (animal)
- Write the answer. cat
Check. Cat names an animal. ✓
Watch out. A noun names something.
Method. Put the two describing words before tree.
- Fill the gaps. Tall and green describe the tree.the tall green tree
- Write the answer. the tall green tree
Check. Tall comes before green. ✓
Watch out. Describing words go before the noun.
Method. Add -ness to make a noun for a feeling or a quality.
- Look at the root word. This is the word we start with.dark
- Add -ness to the end. Add -ness straight on the end of the root word.dark + ness
- Write the answer. darkness
Check. Say darkness out loud. It has dark at the start and -ness at the end. ✓
Watch out. Keep the root word whole, then add -ness.
Method. Add -er to the verb, so that it means someone who teaches children in a school.
- Look at the verb. It is the action the person does.teach
- Add -er to make a noun for a person. Add -er straight on the end of the verb.teach + er
- Write the answer. teacher
Check. The noun names someone who does the action: someone who teaches children in a school. ✓
Watch out. Drop the e first: baker, not bakeer. Double the consonant after one short vowel: swimmer.
Method. Join the two small words to make one new noun.
- Say the first word. This is the first small word.rain
- Say the second word. This is the second small word.bow
- Join them with no gap. Together they name a curved band of colours in the sky.rain + bow = rainbow
- Write the answer. rainbow
Check. rainbow is one word, and it names a curved band of colours in the sky. ✓
Watch out. A compound noun is written as one word, with no gap.
Method. Make the plural: more than one.
- Say the word for one. Look at the last letters of the word.box
- Add the ending. It ends in x, so we add es.box + es
- Write the answer. boxes
Check. Say it out loud: one box, two boxes. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the word: s, x, ch and sh take es.
Method. Correct the capital letters in the names, and check the rest of the sentence.
- Read the sentence. Look for the names of people and places.sam went to bristol.
- Find the names. Sam is the name of a person, and Bristol is the name of a place.Sam went to Bristol.
- Write the answer. Sam went to Bristol.
Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓
Watch out. Each name starts with a capital letter. Ordinary nouns stay small.
Method. Find the two small words inside the word.
- Look at toothbrush. Look for two small words joined together.tooth-brush
- Write the two words. Tooth and brush join to make toothbrush.tooth + brush
- Write the answer. tooth and brush
Check. Tooth + brush = toothbrush. ✓
Watch out. Toothbrush is one word.
Method. Put two describing words before dog.
- Start with the noun. The noun is dog.dog
- Add two describing words. Small and brown go before dog.the small brown dog
- Write the answer. Any expanded noun phrase with two describing words, for example: the small brown dog
Check. The describing words come before the noun. ✓
Watch out. Put both describing words before dog.
Method. Check what the word names.
- Look at happiness. It names a feeling, which is a thing you can have.happiness: a feeling
- Check the suffix. The suffix -ness makes a noun from happy.happy + ness
- Write the answer. Yes. Happiness names a feeling, so it is a noun.
Check. Happiness names a feeling. ✓
Watch out. The suffix -ness can make a noun from a describing word.