Nouns that name animals
Every animal has a word for it, and every one of those words is a noun.
- pets: dog, cat, hamster, goldfish
- farm animals: cow, sheep, hen, goat
- wild animals: fox, whale, eagle, beetle
Size does not matter. An ant is an animal and so is an elephant. Both words are nouns.
Nouns that name things
A thing is anything that is not a person, a place, or an animal.
- things you use: cup, pencil, brush, key
- things you play with: kite, ball, puzzle
- things outside: rock, cloud, puddle, branch
A thing does not have to fit in your hand
Some children think a thing has to be something you can pick up. That is not the rule.
A cloud is a thing. So is a mountain and a river and the moon. You cannot hold any of them. They are all nouns.
Sorting takes a second look
| Noun | Which group? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| hen | animal | it is alive and it is not a person |
| nest | thing | the hen made it but it is not alive |
| barn | place | you can go inside it |
| farmer | person | it names somebody |
All four words come from one farmyard. They land in four different groups.
Your turn
Say animal or thing.
- “rabbit”
- “puddle”
- “beetle”
- “key”
- “moon”
Check your answers
- Animal.
- Thing.
- Animal.
- Thing.
- Thing. You cannot hold it and it is still a thing.
Remember
- Every animal word is a noun, from an ant to a whale.
- A thing is anything that is not a person or place or animal.
- A thing does not have to be something you can pick up.