Here is a handy one page guide to types of nouns. It is designed to be used in a primary/elementary classroom. It is written in a simple language so that students can use it. Print out a copy for yourself, or one for each student or a larger A3 version for a group activity.

Types of Nouns

A noun is the name we give to a person, place, thing, event, substance, quality, or idea. Nouns can be sorted into a number of sub-categories.

Common:

The name of a thing. It represents one of a type of thing or all of the group. When used in a sentence it will have "the", "a" or "an" in front of it.
(a cat, an elephant, a book, a library)

Proper:

Things that have a clear individual identity: they are one of a kind.
(Melissa, London, Cinderella, King Kong, Disney Land)

Countable:

Things that can become plural.
(snakes, toads, chairs, tables, doors, handles)

Uncountable:

Things that can't become plural
(laughter, cutlery, people, furniture, anger)

Concrete:

Things that can be observed by at least one of the senses.
(grape, perfume, music, sand)

Abstract:

Things that can't be observed by the senses.
(hatred, love, jealousy, hope)

Students can use this guide to categorize a list of nouns. Write 20 or more nouns on the board and ask students to decide which group they belong to. Of course, some nouns can belong to more than one group. Anger is a common noun and an abstract noun: laughter is a common noun and an uncountable noun.

You can find this article in a printable one page version at [http://www.free-teacher-worksheets.com/free-grammar-worksheets.html] as well as noun worksheets, noun lists and noun activities.

For a full range of free teacher worksheets, go to http://www.free-teacher-worksheets.com/index.html.