Functions of Noun: Definition, Examples

Functions of Noun: Nouns are words that name people, places, things, or ideas. They are everywhere in sentences and are super important for making sense of what we are saying. But they play a different role in sentences with different functions of nouns. Sometimes they act as a subject of a verb and an object of a verb or other. Understanding the function of nouns helps us to express better, write effectively, and speak with clarity. This blog will help you break down the function of nouns and help you to learn step by step 

What is a Noun?

A noun is a part of speech that names a person, place, thing, or idea. It can function as the subject, object, or complement in a sentence and can be classified into various types, including proper, common, abstract, concrete, collective, countable, and uncountable nouns.

Also Read: Noun Exercises with Answers for Practice

What are Grammatical Functions of Noun?

The grammatical function of a noun is to name people, places, things, or ideas. It acts as the subject, object, complement, or modifier in a sentence, providing essential information about the main elements and actions being described.

Nouns play many important roles in a sentence. Here are the key functions of noun that show how nouns help us to communicate clearly: 

1. Subject of a verb
2. Object of a verb
3. Complement of a verb
4. Object of a preposition
5. Apposition

1. Nouns as the Subject of a Sentence 

The subject is the person or thing that does the action in a sentence. This is one of the most common roles of a noun.

In each of the following sentences, the nouns (Ravi, dig, happiness) are doing something, playing, barking, or existing.  That’s the subject 

(Ravi, dog, happiness) They are performers in the action in a sentence

Examples:

• Ravi plays football.
• The dog barked loudly.
• Happiness is important in life

2. Nous as the Object of a verb 

In a sentence, nouns can also serve as objects if they are the objects of the action. In a sentence, a noun is an object when it receives the action of the subject through the verb. Direct object, indirect object, and object of the preposition are the three subclassifications of objects, though. This is one of the most important functions of noun.

There are two types of objects: 

• Indirect object
• Direct object

Direct object 

The acts of the person are directly transmitted to these objects.  They get an action and are personally affected by it.  It answers the question ‘what?’ Or ‘whom’ after the verb

Example: She reads a book

In the given examples book is the direct object.

Indirect object

The direct objects are received by these objects.  They are not directly impacted by the subject’s actions, but they are indirectly impacted by them.  Instead, the actual object that has been directly impacted by the subject’s activities is given to them.

It answers the question ‘to whom’ or ‘for whom’ the action is done 

Examples: He gave his sister a gift.

In this example, the gift is a direct book (gave what? Gift), and the sister is the indirect object

(gave it to whom? sister)

Also Read: What are Nouns? Check Definition, Types & Examples

3. Nouns as the Object of a Preposition

In a sentence, a noun comes about after a preposition when it acts as the preposition’s object. When nouns come after a preposition, it is called the object of a preposition.

For example, ‘Rahul’ is the object of the preposition ‘to’ in the sentence: I gave the book to Rahul. 

In the above-mentioned example, ‘Rahul is functioning as the object of the preposition ‘to.

Examples: 

• The pen is on the table.
• He went to the market.
• She sat beside her mother.
• I trust in God.

You can observe from the previously mentioned examples that all of the nouns that are highlighted come after prepositions, making them objects of the prepositions in question.

4. Nouns as a Subject Complement

A noun serves as the complement of a verb, where it follows a linking verb or state-of-being verb, and no action is performed by the verb on it. Examples of linking verbs in English are: is, are, am, be, are, was, were, been, being, seem, taste, appoint, become, feel, smell, sound, appear, etc.

Examples: 

• The man is a trader.
• John is the winner

In the sentences above, every noun that is highlighted functions as a complement to the linking verb.

5. Nouns in Apposition

A noun in apposition comes right after the noun. When two nouns are placed side by side, and one explains or gives more information about the other, the second noun is said to be in apposition.

In the sentence ‘My best friend, Ananya, is moving to Canada,’ there are two nouns placed next to each other: ‘best friend’ and ‘Ananya.’ 

The noun ‘Ananya’ gives us more information about who the best friend is. If we remove “Ananya,” the sentence still makes sense: ‘My best friend is moving to Canada.’ We could also say, ‘Ananya is moving to Canada.’ 

This shows that “Ananya” is simply giving more detail about “best friend,” so it is said to be in apposition to it.

Examples:

• My dog, Bruno, loves to play.  ‘Bruno’ is in apposition to ‘dog.’
• The teacher, Mr. Verma, is very kind. ‘Mr. Verma’ is in apposition to ‘teacher.’

Also Read: 8 Types of Nouns You Must Know [with Definitions

FAQs on Functions of Noun

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