The Noun and its Gender English Grammar For Class 6
The Noun and its Gender
Nouns that refer to male persons or animals are said to be of Masculine Gender.
Nouns like boy, man, brother, father, king, nephew, dog, etc. are of Masculine Gender.
Nouns that refer to female persons or animals are said to be of Feminine Gender.
Nouns like girl, woman, sister, mother, queen, niece, bitch, etc. are of Feminine Gender.
Nouns that refer to both males and females are said to be of Common Gender.
Nouns like baby, child, parent, teacher, pupil, student, person, doctor, cousin, friend, neighbor, bird, etc. are of Common Gender.
Nouns that refer to non-living things are said to be of Neuter Gender. Examples: pencil, chair, day, Sunday, stove, book.
FORMATION OF FEMININE GENDER
We can change Masculine Gender to Feminine Gender in the following ways:
1. By using an entirely different word.
Examples: boy-girl, husband-wife, brother-sister, father-mother, king-queen, cock-hen, dog-bitch, drake-duck, gander-goose, horse mare, lord-lady, man-woman, nephew-niece, sir-madam, son-daughter, uncle aunt, wizard-witch.
2. By adding -ess’ at the end of a Masculine Noun.
Examples: author-authoress, host-hostess, poet-poetess, lion lioness, priest-priestess, shepherd-shepherdess, prophet-prophetess, heir-heiress.
3. By adding-ess’ after dropping the final vowel of a Masculine Noun. Examples: tiger-tigress, actor-actress, waiter-waitress, prince princess, hunter-huntress, emperor-empress, master-mistress, god-goddess.
4. By changing a word before or after a Masculine Noun. Examples: landlord-landlady, stepfather-stepmother,
grandfather-grandmother, manservant-maidservant,
milkman-milkmaid, peacock-peahen, fisherman-fisherwoman.
Exercise 1
Write the following nouns in appropriate columns.
[Common Gender, Masculine Gender, Feminine Gender, Neuter Gender]
Bus
Saint
Class fellow
Telescope
Engine
Forest
Lamp
Mare
Snake
Traveler
Train
Aunt
Truth
Wrestler
Birds
Friend
Book
Deer
Dwarf
Maidservant
Pigeon
Box
Companion
Mother-in-law
Wood
Stars
Dinosaur
Nest
Sky
Driver
Apple
Butterfly
Servant
Earth
Camel
Engineer
Noise
Shopkeeper
Bull
Bitch
Exercise 2
Change the Gender of the following Nouns.
Son
Nun
Colt
Lord
Hunter
Male
Fox
Bull
Dog
Mare
Witch
Hostess
Author
Heroine
Bride
Headmaster
God
Niece
Mr.
Emperor
Lady
Tiger
Actress
Brother-in-law
Maidservant
Madam
Prince
Papa
Uncle
Count
Exercise 3
Write Masculine Gender of the following Nouns:
Maid
She-goat
Widow
Daughter
Countess
Authoress
Empress
Cow
Bitch
Queen
Aunt
Wife
Madam
Lass
Niece
Hostess
Goose
Sister
Huntress
Poetess
She-bear
Princess
Milk-maid
Goddess
Mare
Lady
Tigress
Duke
Bride
Hen
Exercise 4
The following sentences have been rewritten using opposite Gender of the Nouns and Pronouns in three different ways. Tick () the correct option.
1. The tiger pounced upon the hunter.
(a) The tigress pounced upon the hunter.
(b) The tiger pounced upon the huntress.
(c) The tigress pounced upon the huntress.
2. The bridegroom was a lad of twenty-four.
(a) The bride was a lass of twenty-four.
(b) The bridegroom was a lass of twenty-four.
(c) The bride was a lad of twenty-four.
3. She does not like cats.
(a) He does not like cats.
(b) She does not like kittens.
(c) He does not like catty.
4. He came to see his mother.
(a) She came to see her mother.
(b) He came to see his father.
(c) She came to see her father.
5. The author of this book is very learned.
(a) The author of this book is very learned.
(b) The authoress of this book is very learned.
(c) The writer of this book is very learned.
6. The shepherd takes care of the sheep.
(a) The shepherd takes care of the sheep.
(b) The shepherdess takes care of the sheep.
(c) The shepherd takes care of the goats.
7. The dog was barking at the man.
(a) The bitch was barking at the woman.
(b) The dog was barking at the woman.
(c) The bitch was barking at the man.
8. The hero of this movie is an army officer.
(a) The hero of this movie is an army officer.
(b) The hero of this movie is a lady officer.
(c) The heroine of this movie is an army officer.
9. My manservant gave clothes to the washerman.
(a) My woman-servant gave clothes to the washerwoman.
(b) My maidservant gave clothes to the washerwoman.
(c) My female servant gave clothes to the washerwoman.
10. The lion killed the small he-goat.
(a) The lioness killed the small she-goat.
(b) The lion killed the small she-goat.