Answers: writing about nouns (Text 1)

Nouns in Text 1

The nouns are printed in red, and then listed in categories by noun type underneath.

The Woodstock. There are some loose components and 5 bundles contained in this Green Fingers greenhouse pack. Check all items before starting construction. Loose items consist of 1 door head, 1 bottom door guide, 3 door panels, 4 wall ties, 2 panel edge clamps, 3 roof ties, 105m glazing strip, 1.25m x 6mm woolpile, 4.6m x 9mm woolpile, 1.7m x door seal, assembly instructions, 1 vent hinge, 1 screw kit …

COMMON: components, bundles, greenhouse, pack, items, construction, door head, door guide, door panels, wall ties, panel edge clamps, roof ties, strip, woolpile, door seal, assembly instructions, vent hinge, screw kit

PROPER: Woodstock, Green Fingers

CONCRETE: components, bundles, greenhouse, pack, items, door head, door guide, door panels, wall ties, panel edge clamps, roof ties, strip, woolpile, door seal, instructions, vent hinge, screw kit

ABSTRACT: construction, assembly

COUNT: components, bundles (plural),  greenhouse, pack (singular), items (plural), door head, door guide (singular), door panels, wall ties, panel edge clamps, roof ties (plural), strip, door seal, vent hinge, screw kit (singular)

NON-COUNT: Woodstock, Green Fingers, woolpile, instructions (always plural form)

COMPOUND: door head, door guide, door panels, wall ties, panel edge clamps, roof ties, door seal, vent hinge

Nouns and text type

This text is an example of self-assembly instructions. The audience is specific: the text is designed for people who have purchased a product and who have the tools and skills required to construct it. The purpose is very narrow and unambiguous since every reader will interpret the language in the same way, achieving exactly the same end result. The context is also narrow – private and domestic.

Five key points about the nouns:

1. dominated by concrete nouns: the focus is on a physical product
2. most are count nouns because quantities are important
3. high occurrence of compound nouns which are subject specific – they clearly label parts in relations to their location (door guide, roof tie) and function (panel end clamp, vent hinge)
4. proper nouns indicate brand (Green Fingers) and model (The Woodstock)
5. the only abstract nouns are linked to the process of building – many abstract nouns are related to verbs (construction, assembly)