There are many kinds of nouns that are used in the English language. Nouns are classified based on their role in the sentence. One of the most commonly used classifications is dependent on whether the word is abstract or concrete. Nouns that are concrete refer to things that are recognized by the five senses (sight and hearing, as well as smell as well as taste) While an abstract noun refers to something that is not recognized by the five senses. One type of concrete word is the term “material noun”. Material nouns refer to substances or materials that are used as raw materials to make various other purposes. Like, milk, gold, oil, wool, cotton, plastic,, paper, etc. These are all utilized as is or are used in the making of something else. They are tangible items and, as such, you can feel and see them. They are physical in nature. They are not countable. This means that they don’t exist as units and they are not counted but instead, weigh or measured. They therefore follow the rules of grammatical usage for non-countable nouns. Nouns that are material usually come from animals, nature or plants, but can also be made by humans. Examples of material terms include air, water, sand, cement metal, stone, wood glass, plastic and cloth. These are only a few examples of nouns that refer to material.
Definition of Material Noun | What is a Material Noun?
A material noun is a term that describes an object that is perceived through the senses. For instance, the term “water” is a material noun since it describes a thing which can be seen as well as felt and heard. Common material nouns are air, water, sand, cement metal, stone, plastic, glass, cloth etc.
Classification of Material Noun
Material nouns are names of materials or substances which are used to make other things. This can be obtained from natural, plants, animals or artificially created by man. On the basis of material obtained, material nouns have been divided into four categories, which are as follows:
- Material Noun from Nature: Sand, Water, Silver, Copper etc.
- Material Noun from Plants: Cotton, Food, Jute, Oil etc.
- Material Noun from Animals: Egg, Meat, Milk, Honey etc.
- Material Noun from Man-Made: Plastic, Alcohol, Brick etc.
Material Noun Examples
Here a list of material noun which will help to understand about the material noun.
Metals:
- Gold
- Silver
- Copper
- Iron
- Steel
- Aluminium
- Bronze
- Brass
- Platinum
- Zinc
Building Materials:
- Wood
- Cement
- Brick
- Sand
- Clay
- Marble
- Granite
- Limestone
- Glass
- Concrete
Fabrics / Fibers:
- Cotton
- Wool
- Silk
- Nylon
- Polyester
- Jute
- Rayon
- Denim
- Linen
- Velvet
Liquids:
- Water
- Milk
- Oil
- Juice
- Honey
- Vinegar
- Ink
- Alcohol
- Petrol
- Kerosene
Food Items / Edibles:
- Rice
- Wheat
- Sugar
- Salt
- Flour
- Butter
- Cheese
- Tea
- Coffee
- Spices
Chemicals / Elements:
- Oxygen
- Hydrogen
- Nitrogen
- Carbon
- Mercury
- Sulphur
- Chlorine
- Helium
- Iodine
- Acid
Miscellaneous Materials:
- Leather
- Rubber
- Plastic
- Paper
- Cardboard
- Wax
- Charcoal
- Soap
- Thread
- Foam
Material Noun Rules in English Grammar
How to use material nouns in sentences? It is very important to remember the following rules when you use material nouns in sentences. You should know the right grammar rules to ensure correct usage in sentences. Below are the important rules of material nouns along with examples for better understanding.
Rule 1 – Material nouns are uncountable and always singular.
They do not have plural forms and must be used with singular verbs like is/was/has.
Example :
Sand are hot in the desert. ( Incorrect)
The sand is hot in the desert. (Correct)
Rule 2: Articles “a” or “an” are used only with objects made from material nouns, not with the material itself.
Example :
He wore an iron. ( Incorrect)
He wore an iron helmet. (Correct)
Here, helmet is a countable noun made of iron (material noun).
Rule 3: Use determiners like “some”, “much”, “a little”, “a lot of” with material nouns.
Example :
She drank few juice. ( Incorrect)
She drank a little juice. ( Correct)
Rule 4: Material nouns do not take “s” or “es” at the end.
Example :
The furniture is made of woods. ( Incorrect)
The furniture is made of wood. ( Correct)
Rule 5: Do not use numbers directly before a material noun. Instead, use a container or measure.
Example :
He gave me two butters. ( Incorrect)
He gave me two packets of butter. ( Correct)
Rule 6: Capitalize material nouns only when they start a sentence.
Example: :
I love Silver. ( Incorrect)
I love silver. ( Correct)
Correct (Start of sentence): Silver is a precious metal.
Note: Material nouns represent substances, not objects or items. Always treat them as singular, uncountable nouns and use proper determiners and measures when necessary.
Material Noun Sentences
Here are 50 example sentences using material nouns,
- This necklace is made of gold.
- He bought a bar of silver.
- The gate is made of iron.
- Copper is a good conductor of electricity.
- She has a bracelet made of platinum.
- The workers mixed cement and water.
- The floor is covered with marble.
- He used brick to build the wall.
- The house was made with wood.
- We need more sand for the construction.
- Her dress is made of silk.
- I wear cotton clothes in summer.
- This sweater is made of pure wool.
- The ropes were made from jute.
- Nylon is used to make fishing nets.
- We bought some rice from the market.
- Please add some salt to the soup.
- She added sugar to her coffee.
- He spilled milk on the table.
- The cake contains butter and flour.
- Water is essential for life.
- She applied oil to her hair.
- I drank a glass of juice.
- They refilled the car with petrol.
- He uses ink to write letters.
- The balloon was filled with helium.
- The plant needs nitrogen to grow.
- Oxygen is necessary for breathing.
- They studied the properties of mercury.
- Chlorine is used to clean water.
- The sofa is made of leather.
- This bottle is made of plastic.
- He burned some charcoal for the barbecue.
- The candle is made of wax.
- We packed the gift with paper.
- She wore a diamond necklace.
- Glass is used in window panes.
- They used thread to stitch the cloth.
- He cleaned the floor with soap and water.
- The tyres are made of rubber.
- The pot is made of clay.
- He gifted me a gold coin.
- The bridge is built with steel.
- We need more foam for the cushion.
- I poured vinegar into the bowl.
- Limestone is used in cement production.
- She added a few drops of honey to the tea.
- The bag is made from denim.
- Carbon is found in all living things.
- The lab stored dangerous acid in glass containers.
Material Noun Worksheet
Underline the material noun(s) in each sentence.
- The necklace is made of gold.
- She spilled milk on the table.
- The wall was built with bricks and cement.
- I love clothes made of cotton.
- The glass is filled with water.
- He wrote the letter with blue ink.
- The spoon is made of silver.
- The tyres are made of rubber.
- He drank a glass of juice.
- The furniture is made from wood.
Fill in the blanks with suitable material nouns
- The ring is made of __.
- He bought a bag of __ to build the wall.
- We added some __ to the tea.
- My blanket is made of __.
- The window is made of __.
- The car runs on __.
- Please add some __ to your food.
- I wrote the note with __.
- She wore a beautiful __ necklace.
- I washed my hands with __.
Put ✔ mark to the right and ✖ for wrong sentence
- The water is clean. ( )
The water are clean. ( ) - He bought a gold chain. ( )
He bought gold chain. ( ) - There is little milk in the bottle. ( )
There is few milk in the bottle. ( ) - She bought a silk saree. ( )
She bought silk saree. ( ) - We need two litres of oil. ( )
We need two oils. ( )
Correct the following sentences
- She put some sugars in her coffee.
- The golds are kept in the locker.
- He drank two waters.
- I like Copper.
- She bought an iron.
Material Noun Worksheet – Answer Key
Identify the Material Nouns
- The necklace is made of gold.
- She spilled milk on the table.
- The wall was built with bricks and cement.
- I love clothes made of cotton.
- The glass is filled with water.
- He wrote the letter with blue ink.
- The spoon is made of silver.
- The tyres are made of rubber.
- He drank a glass of juice.
- The furniture is made from wood.
Fill in the blanks with suitable material nouns
- The ring is made of gold.
- He bought a bag of cement to build the wall.
- We added some sugar to the tea.
- My blanket is made of wool.
- The window is made of glass.
- The car runs on petrol.
- Please add some salt to your food.
- I wrote the note with ink.
- She wore a beautiful diamond necklace.
- I washed my hands with soap.
Choose the correct sentence
- The water is clean.
- He bought a gold chain.
- There is little milk in the bottle.
- She bought a silk saree.
- We need two litres of oil.
Correct the following sentences
- She put some sugar in her coffee.
- The gold is kept in the locker.
- He drank two bottles of water.
- I like copper.
- She bought an iron rod. (or “an iron box”, depending on the context)