Question

In the following sentence, two words have been italicized. To what category of nouns do they belong?
Wisdom is better than strength.
A) Collective nouns
B) Concrete nouns
C) Abstract nouns
D) None

Answer 1

Hint: A noun is a word that refers to a specific item or set of objects, such as living people, places, activities, characteristics, states of existence, or concepts. In contrast, because a noun is not a semantic category, it cannot be described in terms of meaning.

Complete answer:
Abstract nouns are nouns that are not perceptible through any of our senses, such as sight and smell. They are conceptions, ideas, and states of being.

Let us look at the given options:
A) Collective nouns: A collection of people, animals, or items is referred to as a collective noun. Option A is wrong because the words 'knowledge' and 'strength' do not relate to a group.
B) Concrete nouns: Option B is wrong because concrete nouns are nouns that can be perceived by at least one of our senses. For example, a man is a concrete, but his intelligence and power are abstract.
C) Abstract nouns: The italicised terms 'wisdom' and 'strength' are both abstract nouns in the phrase. 'Wisdom' refers to the characteristic of being smart, while 'strength' refers to the condition of being powerful. Option C is accurate because they're abstract nouns.
D) None: This option is incorrect because the correct answer is Option C.

Thus, the correct answer is Option (C) Abstract noun.

Note: There are several types of nouns:
- A proper noun is a name with capital letters that refers to a specific person, place, or thing.
- The generic term for an object in a class or group is a common noun, which is not capitalised unless it appears at the start of a sentence or in a title.
- A material noun is a substance or material, such as silver, gold, or iron, that is utilised to produce anything.