mass noun

Examples of mass noun in the following topics:

• Subject-Verb Agreement

  • When two nouns differing in number are joined by the word "or," the verb should take the form of the noun closest to it.
  • Mass nouns, like "water" or "mud" are neither singular nor plural.
  • Mass nouns represent a generic, unknown amount of whatever they are.
  • [The subject baggage is a mass noun, so the verb was is singular.]
  • Amounts take singular verbs because they are treated as units, which are singular nouns.

• Making Subject and Verbs Agree

  • Some nouns are mass or non-count nouns, meaning that they are neither singular nor plural.
  • Mass nouns always take singular verbs, even if the noun represents an object that may be plural.
  • If a sentence has a compound subject, you should use a plural verb even if all the components of the subject are singular nouns.
  • When two nouns differing in number are joined by the word "or," the verb should take the form of the noun closest to it.
  • "Characteristics," thus, is the noun that should agree with the sentence's verb.

• Adjectives

  • Adjectives describe, quantify, or identify pronouns and nouns.
  • add detail about the qualities of the noun or pronoun being described.
  • specify the amount of whatever noun or pronoun you are modifying.
  • In some situations, two adjectives may be used to describe a noun.
  • Sometimes these two adjectives remain separate, as two distinctive words describing the noun.

• Apostrophes

  • The same holds true for plural nouns, if their plural ends in "s."
  • In sentences where two individuals own one thing jointly, add the possessive apostrophe to the last noun.
  • If, however, two individuals possess two separate things, add the apostrophe to both nouns.
  • In cases of compound nouns composed of more than one word, place the apostrophe after the last noun.
  • If an original apostrophe, or apostrophe with s, is already included at the end of a noun, it is left by itself to perform double duty.

• Nouns as Subjects and Objects

  • Nouns can take on two different roles in a sentence: they can be subjects or objects.
  • Note that the subject includes not just the noun, but also the article (e.g., the, a, an) that goes along with it.
  • A simple way to identify whether a noun is a subject or an object in an active-voice sentence is to note where it is in the sentence.
  • If the noun precedes the verb, it is the subject.
  • In the passive voice, a noun coming after the word "by" is an object, while a noun coming before a form of the verb "to be" (e.g., "was") is the subject.

• Introduction to Adjectives and Adverbs

  • Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns; adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
  • Adjectives describe, quantify, or identify pronouns and nouns.
  • Remember, a noun is a person, place, or thing.
  • offer descriptive details about the noun or pronoun.
  • refer to quantity of the noun or pronoun being described by the adjective.

• Introduction to Inflection

  • For example, you know to say "Call me tomorrow" instead of "Call I tomorrow”; you’ve changed the noun “I” to fit the context (i.e., so it can be used as a direct object instead of a subject).
  • We often need to change nouns based on grammatical context.
  • For example, if you change from singular to plural (e.g., from “cat” to “cats,” or from “syllabus” to “syllabi”), you’re “inflecting” the noun.

• Components of a Sentence

  • The subject of a sentence is a noun or pronoun (and its article, if it has one).
  • In active-voice sentences, it is the noun or pronoun performing the action in the sentence.
  • In example 1, the subject, "the boy," is both a noun and its article.
  • In example 3, the subject is a noun (no article).
  • The object of a sentence is the noun or pronoun which is being acted upon, or at which the action is directed.

• Adverbs

  • Just as adjectives modify nouns and pronouns, adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
  • Hyphens can be used to combine an adverb and adjective to describe a noun.
  • In this situation, the adverb is describing the adjective, and the adjective is describing the noun.

• Hyphens

  • Hyphens are often used to connect adverbs and adjectives when describing a noun.
  • Hyphens can be used to combine an adverb and adjective to describe a noun.
  • In this situation, the adverb is describing the adjective, and the adjective is describing the noun.
  • If the adverb and adjective come after the noun being described, a hyphen is not needed.