NOUN-GENDER
1. MASCULINE GENDER: - Nouns that express a male figure of a species is called masculine gender.
For example- man, boy, tiger, cock, uncle, father, etc.
2. FEMININE GENDER: - Nouns that express a female figure of a species is called feminine gender.
For example- woman, girl, tigress, hen, aunt, mother, etc.
3. COMMON GENDER: Nouns that are used for a figure of a species but don't specify its gender are called Common gender.
For example- doctor, teacher, cook, professor, etc
4. NEUTER GENDER: - Nouns that are used for things that have no gender are called Neuter gender (non-living things). For example -table, chair, camera, bus, etc.
RULES OF MAKING THE FEMININE FROM THE MASCULINE NOUNS
A. Making feminine nouns by adding a syllable (-ess, -trix, -a, etc):
masculine – feminine | masculine – feminine |
poet – poetess negro – negress executor – executrix sultan – sultana | count – countess abbot – abbess emperor – empress lion – lioness |
C. Masculine and feminine nouns by using an entirely different word:
masculine – feminine | masculine – feminine |
rooster – hen bull – cow fox – vixen cock - hen mother – father brother – sister sir - madam dog – bitch | drake – duck gander – goose stallion – mare boy – girl king – queen drake – duck monk – nun buck – doe |
B. Masculine and feminine nouns that take a suffix or a prefix:
masculine – feminine | masculine – feminine |
bull calf peacock peahen milk-man milkwoman | man-servant maid-servant he-goat she-goat landlord land-lady |
EXERCISE TIME
A. Change the gender for underlined words in the following sentences
a) My friend visited his nephew.
Answer- My friend visited her niece.
b) My master has thirty cocks.
c) His son-in-law has left with his mother.
d) Does your maid have one brother?
e) The daughter is shyer than her mother.
f) Does your grandmother live here?
g) Her aunt is a widow.
h) The Doctor is still a bachelor.
i) Landlord was killed by the hero.
j) The author is writing a book on communication.
B. Change gender of the underlined nouns -
a) The dog barked at the postman.
b) A cock was killed by a fox.
c) The girl has sat next to the nun.
d) The bridegroom spoke politely.
e) His brother works as a conductor.
f) Her husband is a waiter.
g) He was an actor.
h) The lad wants to be a monk.
i) The milkman owns a cow.
j) Her father-in-law is a landlord.
C. Match the opposite gender.
a) lion - mare
b) cock - doe
c) horse - cow
d) duke – empress
e) deer – vixen
f) bull – mistress
g) tomcat – duchess
h) fox – bitch
i) emperor – witch
j) master – hen
k) wizard – cat
D. Identify the following nouns as Common or Neuter gender
Visitor, doctor, minister, books, trees, pen, musician, friend, speaker, singer, flock, television, child, library, neighbour, table, gown, servant, castle, teacher, parents,
a) My niece sings very well.
b) She called my boss to this party.
c) You are a generous hostess.
d) She had been looking for it.
e) I just saw a mouse.
f) A black cat was running across the field.
g) The spider was spinning its web.
h) She is a real beauty.
i) Lioness gave birth to two cubs.
k) A child is playing in the play-ground.
l) Have you invited your bank manager.
m) They were actors from a hit movie.
n) I see many women going to the post office.
q) A boy is playing in the playground.
r) He found his book.
s) He had been looking for it.
t) Your friend found her book.
u) She worked in a studio.
v) The crowd rushed to greet the hero.
w) I received a letter from my father yesterday.
x) The woman was watching a movie.
y) The boatman cleared the hurdle easily.
z) Princess Ruha is the heiress to the throne.
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