Nouns and Vocabulary (Stein)
Activity 1
Show the leaners the the list of nouns. After hearing their ideas, explain what concrete nouns are, and ask leaners if they can see or find any other examples in the classroom. Explain what abstract nouns are and ask for any other examples.
Next, ask the learners to work in pairs and small groups. Copy down the table and decide which nouns are concrete or abstract. Check the answers as a whole class.
Concrete: spoon, bed, grass, snow, clock, panda, pillar
Abstract: idea, joy, happiness, truth, difficulty
Activity 2
Next learners will focus on nouns to do with places. Ask learners how many places they can think of in one minute. Ask them to share and compare with a partner.
Move to the next slide. Show the quiz questions and ask learners to identify the correct place noun. Check answers as a whole class.
Activity 3
Finally, ask learners to list as many concrete and abstract nouns that they can spot in the classroom.
This lesson is adapted (with permission) from Words and Meanings: A Systematic Guide for the Teaching of English Vocabulary, by Gabriele Stein.
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Nouns and vocabulary
Objective
To explore the meaning of simple, everyday nouns, and how they relate to your experience of the world.
Activity 1
Look at this list of nouns: chair, fork, dog, house, person, football player
What do they all have in common?
Nouns like chair, fork, dog, house, person, football player are all things that we can see and touch.
They exist in reality and are observable. They are all examples of concrete nouns.
Can you think of another type of nouns that are not concrete?
This other type of nouns refers to ideas or feelings which we cannot see or touch.
Nouns like happiness, time or fear
Such nouns are called abstract nouns.
The box below contains concrete nouns and abstract nouns. Can you sort them into the correct group?
Activity 2
Another type of concrete noun are those naming places.
How many different words for places can you think of in a minute?
Here are some familiar names denoting places. Can you match them with their descriptions?
Answers
Activity 3
Look around the classroom and talk to your partner.
- How many concrete nouns can you see?
- How many abstract nouns can you think of?
This lesson is adapted (with permission) from Words and Meanings: A Systematic Guide for the Teaching of English Vocabulary, by Gabriele Stein.