Material nouns are types of nouns that are tangible objects that synthesize other things. In contrast to the Abstract Nouns, you can perceive material nouns with five senses. Examples include gold, oil, cotton, water, honey, plastic, etc.
What are Material Nouns?
Let’s have a look at Definition of Material Nouns and Examples.
Material Nouns Definition:
These are tangible objects or raw materials and can synthesize other things that human senses can sense called material nouns.
Material Noun Examples
Here are examples of material nouns.
- Silver
- Leather
- Cotton
- Gold
Material Noun Example Sentences:
Below are the material noun example sentences.
- The furniture is made of wood.
- She bought a plastic chair.
- These windows are made of clear glass.
- She has a diamond ring.
Types of Material Nouns:
- Material Noun from Nature
- Material Noun from Plants
- Material Noun from Animals
- Man-made things
- Ceramics
- Minerals
- Organic Materials
- Textiles
- Metals
- Precious Stones and Metals:
- Synthetic Materials
- Building Materials
| Category | Examples |
| Material Noun from Nature | Water, Soil, Air, Stone, Sand, Rain, Clay, Wood, Sunlight, Minerals |
| Material Noun from Plants | Wood, Cotton, Bamboo, Silk, Linen, Jute, Rubber, Hemp, Oil, Paper |
| Material Noun from Animals | Feathers, Wool, Silk, Leather, Fur, Ivory, Bone, Shell, Honey and Wax |
| Man-made things | Metal, Plastic, Concrete, Fabric (synthetic), Glass, Ceramic, Rubber, Nylon, Polyester and Paper |
| Ceramics | Porcelain, Earthenware, Stoneware |
| Minerals | Quartz, Marble, Granite |
| Organic Materials: | Wood, Cotton, Leather, Wool |
| Textiles | Cotton, Silk, Wool, Linen |
| Metals: | Gold, Copper, Silver, Aluminum, Iron, Brass |
| Precious Stones and Metals: | Diamond, Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald |
| Synthetic Materials | Plastic, Polyester, Nylon, Acrylic |
| Building Materials: | Brick, Cement, Concrete, Glass |
Rules to use Material Nouns:
Consider the following rules while using material noun in sentence.
| Rules | Description | Example |
| Rule 1 | Always used in Singular Forms with Singular Verbs | Rice is cooked in our house every friday. |
| Rule 2 | Don’t use articles before material noun. | I love Diamond. |
| Rule 3 | Don’t use numerics/numbers right before material noun. | Pass me a bowl of salad. |
| Rule 4 | Quantifiers (some, few, a lot) can be used before material noun to indicate quantity. | Could you please give me some rice? |
| Rule 5 | These are capitalized when used at the start of a sentence and not in the middle. | I like rice. |
Material Nouns List:
Following is the List of Material Nouns.
- ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)
- Acetate
- Acrylic
- Adhesive
- Air
- Alcohol
- Aluminum
- Aluminum foil
- Aramid fiber
- Asphalt
- Bamboo
- Bandage
- Brass
- Bricks
- Bristol board
- Bronze
- Bubble wrap
- Canvas
- Carbon
- Carbon dioxide
- Carbon fiber
- Cardboard
- Cardstock
- Carpet
- Caulk
- Cellophane
- Cement
- Ceramics
- Chalk
- Chipboard
- Chromium
- Clay
- Claystone
- Concrete
- Concrete flooring
- Copper
- Corduroy
- Cotton
- Cotton fabric
- Crystal
- Denim
- Diamond
- Diesel
- Dolomite
- Down (feathers)
- Drawing paper
- Dye
- Earthenware
- Elastane
- Emerald
- Enamel
- Epoxy
- Epoxy resin
- Eraser
- Fiberglass
- Fiberglass insulation
- Fiberglass resin
- Flannel
- Fleece
- Foam
- Foamcore
- Gasoline
- Gauze
- Gel
- Glass
- Glass fiber
- Glassware
- Glue
- Gold
- Granite
- Granite flooring
- Graphite
- Gravel
- Grout
- Gypsum
- HDPE (High-density polyethylene)
- Hydrogen
- Ink
- Insulation
- Iron
- Jet fuel
- Kapok
- Kerosene
- Knitwear
- Lace
- Lacquer
- Laminates
- Latex
- LDPE (Low-density polyethylene)
- Leather
- Leatherette
- Limestone
- Linen
- Linen fabric
- Linoleum
- Magazine paper
- Marble
- Marble flooring
- Mat
- MDF (Medium-density fiberboard)
- Memory foam
- Mesh
- Metal
- Methane
- Mortar
- Neoprene
- Netting
- Newsprint
- Nickel
- Nitrogen
- Nylon
- Oil
- OSB (Oriented strand board)
- Oxygen
- Packaging material
- Paint
- Paper
- Paperboard
- Particleboard
- Pebbles
- Pencil lead
- PET (Polyethylene terephthalate)
- Petroleum
- Photocopy paper
- Plaster
- Plastic
- Plastic film
- Plasticine
- Plywood
- PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate)
- Polyester
- Polyethylene
- Polyfill
- Polypropylene
- Polystyrene
- Polyurethane
- Polyurethane foam
- Porcelain
- Posterboard
- Pottery
- Printer paper
- PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene)
- Pulp
- Putty
- PVC (Polyvinyl chloride)
- Quartz
- Quartzite
- Rayon
- Resin
- Rubber
- Rubberized fabric
- Rug
- Sand
- Sandstone
- Sandstone flooring
- Sapphire
- Satin
- Sealant
- Shale
- Shellac
- Silicon
- Silk
- Silk fabric
- Silver
- Slate
- Soil
- Spandex
- Sponge
- Stain
- Steel
- Stone
- Stucco
- Styrofoam
- Tar
- Terrazzo
- Tiles
- Tiles (flooring)
- Titanium
- Tulle
- Tweed
- Varnish
- Velvet
- Veneer
- Vinegar
- Vinyl
- Vinyl flooring
- Water
- Watercolor paper
- Wax
- Wood
- Wool
- Wool fabric
- Zinc
Material Nouns, Definition, Examples, Types and List.
Material Noun Exercise:
Here is a material nouns quiz with answer keys. Solve this exercise of Material Nouns to have a better understanding.
What do you think a material noun is?
A) Name of a person, place, or thing
B) Nouns that denote a physical substance
C) Any event or object
D) An abstract concept
Answer: B) Nouns that denote a physical substance
2- Indicate the material noun.
A) Love
B) Gold
C) Anger
D) Dream
Answer: B) Gold
3- Indicate the material noun: “The chair is made of wood.”
A) Chair
B) Made
C) Wood
D) Is
Answer: C) Wood
4- Identify the material noun: “I have to buy plastic for my project.”
A) Have
B) Buy
C) Plastic
D) Project
Answer: C) Plastic
5- Which one is NOT a material noun?
A) Glass
B) Learning
C) Cotton
D) Wood
Answer: B) Learning
6- Indicate the material noun: “She is wearing a silk dress.”
A) Dress
B) wearing
C) She
D) Silk
Answer: D) Silk
Material Nouns Exercise with Answer key
