Of all the different types of nouns, learning to recognize a singular noun and understanding when to use them is hands down the easiest. There are no particular rules to follow…you don’t have to add letters to the end or change the spelling as you do with plural nouns and irregular plural nouns.
Sound simple enough? It is simple… but there is a little bit more to a singular noun. Let’s look at a more in depth description and a few examples.
What Is A Singular Noun?
Quite simply, a singular noun is a noun that refers to only one person, one place, one thing, or one idea.
Examples of a Singular Noun
If you look at one object and name it, you have an example of a singular noun. For example there is one lamp on my bookcase and one chair at my desk. In these examples the nouns lamp, bookcase, chair, and desk are all singular because they indicate only one.
Here are more examples of a singular noun:
Singular nouns that refer to a person
| Girl | Boy | Mother |
| Father | Friend | Woman |
| Man | Grandmother | Grandfather |
| Waiter | Doctor | Nurse |
Singular nouns that refer to a place
| City | Town | State |
| Country | Park | Ocean |
| River | Sea | Continent |
Singular nouns that refer to a thing
| Bicycle | Doll | Train |
| Yacht | Baseball | Glove |
| Letter | Computer | Picture |
| Shelf | Floor | Ruler |
Singular nouns that refer to an idea
| Dream | Truth | Pride |
| Thought | Love | Hate |
A singular noun groups more than one person, place, or thing together. Even though the group contains more than one, the noun is still considered as singular. These types of nouns are called collective nouns.
| Colony | Team | Neighborhood |
| Litter | Covey | Pride |
Remember, singular means one. Whether it’s one person, one place, one idea, or one thing, a singular noun refers to a single, solitary object or concept.