Use these identifying nouns practice questions to review common nouns, proper nouns, abstract nouns, collective nouns, compound nouns, plural nouns, possessive nouns, gerunds, and uncountable nouns. Read each complete sentence before deciding how the selected word functions.
Topics Covered
- Common and concrete nouns
- Proper nouns
- Abstract nouns
- Collective nouns
- Compound nouns
- Plural nouns
- Possessive nouns
- Gerunds functioning as nouns
- Uncountable nouns
- Distinguishing nouns from verbs, adjectives, adverbs, determiners, conjunctions, and prepositions
Sample Questions
The lantern glowed softly beside the doorway.
- A. Glowed
- B. Softly
- C. Lantern
- D. Beside
Show Answer
Lantern is a common concrete noun because it names a physical object.
Glowed is a verb, softly is an adverb, and beside is a preposition.
During April, the museum offers guided tours each weekend.
- A. During
- B. April
- C. Offers
- D. Guided
Show Answer
April is a proper noun because it is the name of a specific month.
During is a preposition, offers is a verb, and guided is an adjective describing the tours.
Her patience helped the group finish calmly.
- A. Her
- B. Patience
- C. Helped
- D. Calmly
Show Answer
Patience is an abstract noun because it names a quality that cannot be physically touched.
Her is a possessive determiner, helped is a verb, and calmly is an adverb.
The committee reached a decision after meeting privately.
- A. Committee
- B. Reached
- C. After
- D. Privately
Show Answer
Committee is a collective noun because it names a group considered as a unit.
Reached is a verb, after is a preposition in this sentence, and privately is an adverb.
Please place the notebook carefully on the upper shelf.
- A. Place
- B. Notebook
- C. Carefully
- D. Upper
Show Answer
Notebook is a closed compound noun formed from the words note and book.
Place is a verb in this sentence, carefully is an adverb, and upper is an adjective.
Several volunteers arrived early and organized the supplies.
- A. Several
- B. Volunteers
- C. Arrived
- D. Early
Show Answer
Volunteers is a plural noun because it names more than one person.
Several is a determiner, arrived is a verb, and early functions as an adverb.
The teacher’s instructions were unusually clear.
- A. Teacher’s
- B. Were
- C. Unusually
- D. Clear
Show Answer
Teacher’s is a possessive noun showing that the instructions belong to the teacher.
Were is a verb, unusually is an adverb, and clear is an adjective.
Swimming requires steady breathing and controlled movement.
- A. Swimming
- B. Requires
- C. Steady
- D. Controlled
Show Answer
Swimming is a gerund: a verb form ending in -ing that functions as a noun. It serves as the subject of the sentence.
Requires is a verb, while steady and controlled are adjectives.
Those hikers moved cautiously across the narrow bridge.
- A. Those
- B. Hikers
- C. Cautiously
- D. Narrow
Show Answer
Hikers is a plural noun naming people.
Those is a determiner, cautiously is an adverb, and narrow is an adjective.
The equipment remained outside because it was extremely heavy.
- A. Equipment
- B. Remained
- C. Because
- D. Extremely
Show Answer
Equipment is an uncountable noun that refers collectively to tools or materials used for a purpose.
Remained is a verb, because is a conjunction, and extremely is an adverb.
How to Use These Questions
Determine what each answer choice is doing in the sentence. A noun names a person, place, thing, or idea, but some forms can be misleading. For example, an -ing word may function as a verb, adjective, or gerund depending on its role in the sentence.
When reviewing an incorrect answer, identify both the correct noun and the part of speech used by each distractor.