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Ever since you first toddled into a school house door, your teachers have been
telling you that a noun is a person, place or thing.
Unfortunately, some erudite linguists have demonstrated that such a
definition is entirely too simple.
But since we arent linguists, we will lock those fellows in the closet
(metaphorically speaking, of course) and hang on to the definition we
know: A noun is a person place or thing.
Remember
1. A noun is a part of speech.
2. Subjects and objects are parts of a sentence.
3. Nouns function as subjects or objects.
4. Therefore: Nouns = subjects or objects.
Example:
The burrito gave me heartburn.
("Burrito" and "heartburn" are the nouns in this sentence. "Gave" is the verb
and "burrito" is the subject.)
Remember
To find the subject of a sentence, locate the verb and ask who or what about
the verb.
"But wait," you say. "I thought a noun was a person place or thing"?
It is. Think about "what I had for breakfast" as being a thing or things.
The wonderful thing about English teachers is that they all get along so well.
(This noun clause is used as a subject complement)
The students don't know whether or not they can stay awake during the
lecture.
(This is a noun clause used as a direct object)
Anyone who says that English teachers are boring will be punished.
(This is another tricky one. This is a noun clause inside an adjective clause. The adjective clause is "who
says that English teachers are boring." The verb of the adjective clause is "says." The subject of the
clause is "who." The object of the adjective clause is "that English teachers are boring." Isn't that
neat? Doesn't that make you want to become an English teacher? Or at least marry one?)