Nouns That Start With A (Common, Positive, Abstract & Concrete Nouns)
What Are Nouns That Start with A?
Open almost any page of English writing and you’ll spot a noun starting with A within the first few lines — an apple on a lunch table, an airport in a travel story, an artist signing a canvas.
These words turn up in school essays, job interviews, casual conversation, and creative writing alike, which is exactly why they’re worth knowing well.
A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, idea, or quality. Nouns that start with A range from concrete, everyday words like apple, airport, and artist to abstract ones like ambition and anxiety. Any word beginning with the letter A that names someone or something belongs in this group — common or proper, concrete or abstract.
By the end of this guide, you’ll have a working vocabulary of A-nouns for everyday conversation, essays, business writing, and describing people, plus practice exercises to help the words stick.
Quick Vocabulary Challenge
Before you read further, take twenty seconds and think of five nouns that start with A — no scrolling ahead.
Twenty seconds on the clock.
Got your five? Compare them with common answers like:
- apple
- animal
- airport
- artist
- ambition
If your list looked similar, you already have a solid starting vocabulary. If it didn’t, that’s fine too — this guide is about to hand you dozens more.
Common Nouns That Start with A Common
A common noun is simply the general name for a person, place, thing, or idea, and it doesn't get capitalized unless it's opening a sentence. Here are twenty common A-nouns you'll run into constantly in everyday English.
| Noun | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | A round fruit with red, green, or yellow skin | She packed an apple for lunch before her shift at the hospital. |
| Airport | A place where planes take off and land | Our flight was delayed, so we waited at the airport for three extra hours. |
| Animal | A living creature that is not a plant or human | The documentary followed an animal across the grasslands of Kenya. |
| Artist | A person who creates paintings, music, or other art | The gallery owner discovered the artist at a small local exhibition. |
| Author | A person who writes books or articles | The author signed copies of her new novel at the bookstore downtown. |
| Avenue | A wide street, often lined with trees | The parade moved slowly down the avenue toward the town square. |
| Album | A collection of photos or recorded songs | He uploaded the wedding album so relatives could see the photos. |
| Appointment | A planned meeting at a set time | I have a dentist appointment on Thursday morning. |
| Audience | A group of people watching or listening to something | The comedian struggled to win over a quiet audience. |
| Ambulance | A vehicle that carries sick or injured people to the hospital | The ambulance arrived within six minutes of the call. |
| Actor | A person who performs in films, plays, or television | The actor rehearsed her lines backstage before the curtain rose. |
| Article | A piece of writing in a magazine, newspaper, or website | The article explained how remote work changed after 2020. |
| Apartment | A set of rooms used as a home within a larger building | They finally signed a lease for a small apartment near campus. |
| Area | A particular part of a place or region | The construction crew fenced off the area near the entrance. |
| Athlete | A person trained in sports or physical exercise | The athlete adjusted her training schedule before the championship. |
| Attorney | A person qualified to represent others in legal matters | Her attorney reviewed the contract line by line. |
| Autumn | The season between summer and winter | The trees along the avenue turn orange every autumn. |
| Award | A prize given for an achievement | He accepted the award with a short, nervous speech. |
| Angle | The space between two lines that meet at a point | The photographer changed the angle to get better lighting. |
| Ancestor | A family member who lived a long time ago | Her ancestor emigrated from Ireland in the 1800s. |
Fill in the Blank
Complete the sentence with a common A-noun from the table above:
"He forgot his umbrella, so he waited under the café's roof near the busy _______."
Show Answer
Answer: avenue (or area) — either word fits naturally, since both describe a location where someone might stand while waiting out the rain.
Positive Nouns That Start with A Positive
Positive nouns name good qualities, achievements, feelings, and relationships, which makes them handy for compliments, cover letters, and personal writing.
| Noun | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Achievement | Winning the scholarship felt like her greatest achievement. |
| Ambition | His ambition pushed him to apply for the promotion twice. |
| Admiration | The team's admiration for their coach grew after the tough season. |
| Affection | The dog showed affection by resting its head on her lap. |
| Appreciation | The manager expressed appreciation for the extra hours everyone worked. |
| Alliance | The two companies formed an alliance to share research costs. |
| Authenticity | Customers responded well to the brand's authenticity. |
| Awe | The hikers stood in awe at the top of the ridge. |
| Abundance | The farm produced an abundance of tomatoes that summer. |
| Accomplishment | Finishing the marathon was a personal accomplishment. |
| Adventure | The trip to Peru turned into an unexpected adventure. |
| Assurance | Her calm tone gave the nervous interns some assurance. |
| Affinity | He developed an affinity for jazz during college. |
| Altruism | The volunteer's altruism inspired others to join the shelter. |
| Artistry | The chef's artistry showed in every plate she served. |
Word Spotlight: Ambition
Meaning: a strong desire to achieve something, usually something that requires effort.
Pronunciation: am-BISH-uhn
Why it's worth remembering: it works equally well in a job interview, a college essay, or a casual conversation about goals.
Example: "Her ambition was to open a bakery by the time she turned thirty."
Usage tip: ambition can describe a general quality ("She has ambition") or a specific goal ("Her ambitions include traveling to every continent"). Both uses are correct.
Concrete Nouns That Start with A
A concrete noun names something you can see, hear, touch, taste, or smell. If one of your five senses can pick it up, the noun is concrete — these are the physical, sensory nouns of English.
| Noun | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Apple | The apple rolled off the counter and onto the floor. |
| Airplane | The airplane taxied down the runway just after sunrise. |
| Anchor | The sailors lowered the anchor near the rocky shore. |
| Antenna | A storm knocked the antenna off the roof last night. |
| Apron | The baker tied on her apron before the morning shift began. |
| Aquarium | The kids pressed their hands against the aquarium glass. |
| Armchair | Grandpa fell asleep in his armchair during the football game. |
| Avocado | She sliced the avocado for the sandwich. |
| Axe | He used the axe to split firewood for the cabin. |
| Almond | The recipe called for a handful of chopped almonds. |
| Alligator | Tourists watched the alligator from a safe distance on the boat tour. |
| Ankle | She twisted her ankle stepping off the curb. |
| Arrow | The archer's arrow landed just outside the target's center. |
| Attic | Old photographs were stored in boxes in the attic. |
| Awning | Rain drummed steadily on the striped awning outside the café. |
Abstract Nouns That Start with A
An abstract noun names an idea, quality, or feeling — something you cannot physically touch, even though it’s very real.
| Noun | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ambition | A strong desire to achieve something |
| Anxiety | A feeling of worry or nervousness |
| Admiration | Respect and approval for someone |
| Arrogance | An exaggerated sense of one’s own importance |
| Awareness | Knowledge or understanding of a situation |
| Anger | A strong feeling of displeasure |
| Affection | A gentle feeling of fondness |
| Apathy | A lack of interest or concern |
| Ambiguity | Uncertainty about how to interpret something |
| Authority | The power or right to give orders |
| Autonomy | The ability to act independently |
| Awe | A feeling of wonder mixed with respect |
| Anticipation | Excitement about something about to happen |
| Agility | The quality of being quick to think, learn, or adapt |
Quick Quiz: Concrete or Abstract?
Tap your answer for each noun below.
-
1. Anchor
-
2. Anxiety
-
3. Apron
-
4. Authority
Show the answers
1. Concrete · 2. Abstract · 3. Concrete · 4. Abstract
If you can touch it, it’s concrete; if you can only think or feel it, it’s abstract.
Proper Nouns
List of Proper Nouns That Start with A
A proper noun is the specific name of a person, place, organisation, or thing. It always takes a capital letter, no matter where it sits in a sentence.
| Proper Noun | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Africa | Africa is home to more than fifty countries. |
| Antarctica | Very few people live in Antarctica year-round. |
| Asia | Asia is the largest continent by population. |
| Argentina | Argentina is known for tango and its beef exports. |
| Australia | Australia sits entirely in the Southern Hemisphere. |
| Alaska | Alaska became the 49th U.S. state in 1959. |
| Amsterdam | Amsterdam is famous for its canals and bicycles. |
| Athens | Athens is often called the birthplace of democracy. |
| Austria | Austria borders Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. |
| Amazon River | The Amazon River carries more water than any other river on Earth. |
| Abraham Lincoln | Abraham Lincoln served as the 16th President of the United States. |
| April | April is the fourth month of the year. |
| Atlanta | Atlanta hosted the Summer Olympics in 1996. |
Common Mistake
- Incorrect: “we visited africa and argentina last year.”
- Correct: “We visited Africa and Argentina last year.”
Proper nouns keep their capital letter in every position in a sentence — not just at the beginning.
Short Words
Three-Letter Nouns That Start with A
Short words are the easiest place to start, and A gives learners plenty of them. Every word below is three letters long and works as a noun.
- ace
- act
- age
- aid
- aim
- air
- ale
- alp
- amp
- ant
- ape
- app
- arc
- ark
- arm
- art
- ash
- asp
- auk
- awe
- awl
- axe
- aye
| Noun | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Ace | A playing card marked with a single symbol; also an expert at something. | She drew the ace of spades. |
| Act | A single deed, or one main division of a play. | The second act of the play was the funniest. |
| Age | How long someone or something has existed. | Children under the age of six enter free. |
| Aid | Help, support, or supplies given to someone in need. | The charity sent aid to the flooded villages. |
| Aim | A goal or purpose you are working towards. | Her main aim is to finish the course by June. |
| Air | The mixture of gases we breathe. | The air smelled of rain. |
| Ale | A type of beer brewed with a warm fermentation. | He ordered a pint of ale with his meal. |
| Alp | A high mountain, especially one in the Alps. | Snow still covered every alp in view. |
| Amp | Short for ampere, a unit of electric current; also short for an amplifier. | The fuse blew at fifteen amps. |
| Ant | A small insect that lives in large colonies. | An ant carried the crumb across the table. |
| Ape | A large primate without a tail, such as a gorilla or chimpanzee. | The ape swung easily from branch to branch. |
| App | A small program that runs on a phone or computer. | She downloaded an app for practising verbs. |
| Arc | A curved line or curved path. | The ball travelled in a wide arc over the fence. |
| Ark | A large boat, especially the one in the story of Noah. | Pairs of animals boarded the ark. |
| Arm | The upper limb between the shoulder and the hand. | He broke his arm playing cricket. |
| Art | Creative work such as painting, drawing, or sculpture. | The gallery displays modern art from across Asia. |
| Ash | The grey powder left after something burns; also a kind of tree. | A layer of ash filled the fireplace. |
| Asp | A small venomous snake found in Africa and southern Europe. | An asp appears in the legend of Cleopatra. |
| Auk | A black-and-white seabird with short wings. | An auk dived for fish below the cliffs. |
| Awe | A feeling of wonder mixed with respect. | The canyon filled the visitors with awe. |
| Awl | A pointed hand tool for making holes in leather or wood. | The cobbler pushed the awl through the sole. |
| Axe | A tool with a heavy blade, used for chopping wood (spelled ax in American English). | He split the logs with a single axe. |
| Aye | A vote in favour of something. | The ayes outnumbered the noes by twelve. |
Quick Tip
Several of these words double as verbs: act, aid, aim, age, arc and arm can all name a thing or describe an action. The word itself never tells you which — the job it does in the sentence does. In “The play has three acts,” acts is a noun; in “Act quickly,” act is a verb.
Common Mistake
Not every short A word is a noun. Learners often add these to a noun list by mistake:
- Not nouns: add and ail are verbs, apt is an adjective, and ago and aft are adverbs.
- Test: If you can put a, an or the in front of the word and it still makes sense — an ant, the arc, a pint of ale — you have a noun.
Collective Nouns
Collective Nouns Starting with A
A collective noun is a single word that names a whole group of people, animals, or things treated as one unit.
| Collective Noun | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Army | An army of ants marched across the kitchen counter. |
| Audience | The audience clapped as the lights dimmed. |
| Assembly | The whole assembly rose when the principal entered. |
| Arsenal | The museum displayed an arsenal of medieval weapons. |
| Association | The tenants formed an association to negotiate repairs. |
| Alliance | A small alliance of nations signed the trade agreement. |
Quick Tip
Collective nouns usually take a singular verb in American English: “The audience is cheering.” British English allows either a singular or a plural verb, depending on whether the group is acting as one unit or as separate individuals: “The audience are taking their seats.”
Countable & Uncountable
Countable and Uncountable Nouns Beginning with A
Countable nouns can be counted one by one and have a plural form: one apple, two apples. Uncountable nouns cannot be counted individually and usually have no plural form: advice, never advices.
| Noun | Countable or Uncountable | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | Countable | She ate two apples during the hike. |
| Advice | Uncountable | He gave her some useful advice before the interview. |
| Air | Uncountable | The air felt cooler near the lake. |
| Ant | Countable | An ant crawled across the picnic blanket. |
| Assignment | Countable | She submitted three assignments before the deadline. |
| Aluminium | Uncountable | The frame is made of lightweight aluminium. |
| Ambition | Both | She has ambition. / She has several ambitions for the new year. |
| Athlete | Countable | Only one athlete finished the race under record time. |
| Attention | Uncountable | The teacher asked for the class’s full attention. |
| Animal | Countable | The shelter rescued another animal yesterday. |
Spelling note: British English uses aluminium; American English uses aluminum. Both spellings refer to the same uncountable metal.
Common Mistake
- Incorrect: “Can you give me an advice about my resume?”
- Correct: “Can you give me some advice about my resume?”
Advice is uncountable, so it never takes an and never becomes advices. Use some advice, any advice, or a counting phrase such as a piece of advice or two pieces of advice.
List of Noun Words That Begin with A
- ability
- absence
- academy
- accident
- account
- achievement
- acid
- acorn
- acre
- action
- activity
- actor
- address
- adult
- advantage
- adventure
- advice
- affection
- afternoon
- age
- agency
- agenda
- agreement
- air
- aircraft
- airport
- aisle
- alarm
- album
- algebra
- alley
- alligator
- allowance
- almond
- alphabet
- altitude
- ambition
- ambulance
- amount
- amusement
- analysis
- anchor
- anchovy
- angel
- anger
- angle
- animal
- ankle
- anniversary
- announcement
- answer
- ant
- anteater
- antelope
- anxiety
- apartment
- apartment block
- ape
- apology
- appeal
- appearance
- appetite
- applause
- apple
- appliance
- application
- appointment
- approach
- approval
- apricot
- apron
- aquarium
- arch
- archery
- architect
- architecture
- archive
- area
- argument
- arithmetic
- arm
- armadillo
- armchair
- armour
- army
- arrangement
- arrival
- arrow
- art
- article
- artist
- ash
- aspect
- assembly
- assignment
- assistant
- association
- assumption
- astronaut
- athlete
- atlas
- atmosphere
- atom
- attachment
- attack
- attempt
- attention
- attic
- attitude
- attraction
- auction
- audience
- aunt
- author
- authority
- autograph
- automobile
- autumn
- avenue
- average
- avocado
- award
- awareness
- axe
- axis
Quick Tip
Every noun on this list takes an, not a — an apple, an ant, an ambulance, an hour of practice. That is because each one begins with a vowel sound.
Objects and Things Starting with A
Objects are the easiest nouns to learn because you can point at them. Each word below names something you could hold, sit on, or store in a cupboard, and the last column shows the phrase it usually appears in.
Quick Tip
Nouns that start with A almost always take an, not a — an apple, an ant, an ambulance, an hour of practice. That's because each one begins with a vowel sound, and an is easier to say before a vowel. Test it aloud: a apple makes your mouth stumble, while an apple flows.
| Object | What It Is | Common Phrase |
|---|---|---|
| adapter | A small device that lets one plug fit a different socket | a travel adapter |
| alarm clock | A clock that rings at a time you set | set the alarm clock |
| album | A book for photographs, or a collection of songs | a family album |
| anchor | A heavy metal hook that holds a boat in place | drop the anchor |
| antenna | A rod or dish that picks up radio and TV signals | a rooftop antenna |
| anvil | A heavy iron block a blacksmith hammers metal on | hammer on the anvil |
| apron | A cloth worn over clothes to keep them clean | tie on an apron |
| aquarium | A glass tank for keeping fish | clean the aquarium |
| arch | A curved structure over a door or bridge | a stone arch |
| armchair | A soft chair with supports for your arms | sink into an armchair |
| armour | Metal clothing that protects the body in battle | a suit of armour |
| arrow | A thin stick with a point, shot from a bow | shoot an arrow |
| atlas | A book of maps | look it up in the atlas |
| awning | A sheet of canvas stretched over a shop front for shade | under the awning |
| axe | A tool with a sharp blade for chopping wood | swing an axe |
Spelling Note
Two of these words change across varieties of English. British writers use armour and axe; American writers usually use armor and ax. Pick one system and stay with it through a whole piece of writing.
Animals Starting with A
Animal names are common nouns, so they stay lowercase: an alligator, not an Alligator. You only capitalise them when a proper name is built in, as in African elephant.
| Animal | Group | Good to Know |
|---|---|---|
| aardvark | Mammal | Digs at night in Africa and eats ants and termites |
| albatross | Bird | Has one of the widest wingspans of any living bird |
| alligator | Reptile | Lives in fresh water and has a broader snout than a crocodile |
| alpaca | Mammal | Kept in South America for its soft, warm fleece |
| anaconda | Reptile | A heavy South American snake that squeezes rather than bites |
| anchovy | Fish | A small salty sea fish, often sold in tins |
| angelfish | Fish | Flat-bodied and popular in home fish tanks |
| ant | Insect | Lives in a colony built around a single queen |
| anteater | Mammal | Has no teeth at all and feeds with a long sticky tongue |
| antelope | Mammal | A fast grazing animal with horns, found in Africa and Asia |
| ape | Mammal | The group that includes gorillas and chimpanzees; apes have no tail |
| aphid | Insect | A tiny garden pest that sucks sap from plant stems |
| armadillo | Mammal | Covered in bony plates; some kinds curl into a tight ball |
| avocet | Bird | A wading bird with a long bill that curves upwards |
| axolotl | Amphibian | A Mexican salamander that keeps its gills for life and can regrow lost limbs |
Did You Know?
Ape and monkey are not the same noun. Apes have no tails and include gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and gibbons. Monkeys usually have tails. Calling a chimpanzee a monkey is a factual slip that examiners and readers both notice.
Places Starting with A
Place nouns come in two kinds, and the difference shows up in the capital letters. An airport is a general place, so it stays lowercase. Amsterdam is one particular place, so it always takes a capital A.
Common Nouns Everyday Places
| Place | What Happens There |
|---|---|
| abbey | A large church, often with a monastery attached |
| academy | A school for a particular subject or skill |
| airport | Where aircraft land, refuel, and take off |
| alley | A narrow passage running between buildings |
| apartment | A set of rooms making one home inside a larger building |
| arcade | A covered walkway of shops, or a hall of games machines |
| arena | A large space with seats around it for sport or concerts |
| attic | The storage space directly under a roof |
| auditorium | The part of a hall where the audience sits |
| avenue | A wide street, often with trees along both sides |
Proper Nouns Named Places
Each of these needs a capital letter every single time you write it, wherever it sits in the sentence.
- Africa
- Alaska
- Alexandria
- the Alps
- the Amazon
- Amsterdam
- the Andes
- Antarctica
- the Arctic
- Asia
- Athens
- Atlanta
- the Atlantic Ocean
- Auckland
- Abu Dhabi
- Accra
Quick Tip
Watch the small word the. It belongs with ranges, rivers, oceans, and deserts — the Alps, the Amazon, the Atlantic — but not with single cities or most countries. We say I flew to Athens, never I flew to the Athens.
Foods and Drinks Starting with A
Food vocabulary is worth learning early because you use it in shops, restaurants, and recipes almost every week. The third column tells you what kind of item each one is.
| Food or Drink | What It Is | Kind |
|---|---|---|
| aioli | A thick garlic sauce served with bread, fish, or chips | Sauce |
| ale | A type of beer, usually darker and fuller in flavour | Drink |
| almond | A pale oval nut used in baking, milk, and snacks | Nut |
| americano | Espresso coffee lengthened with hot water | Drink |
| anchovy | A small, strongly salted fish used on pizza and in dressings | Fish |
| apple | A round, crisp fruit that grows on trees | Fruit |
| apple pie | A baked pastry filled with sweetened apples | Dessert |
| applesauce | Cooked apples crushed into a soft sauce | Side dish |
| apricot | A small orange fruit with a soft skin and a single stone | Fruit |
| artichoke | A green flower bud eaten as a vegetable | Vegetable |
| arugula | A peppery salad leaf | Salad leaf |
| asparagus | A slim green spear, usually steamed or roasted | Vegetable |
| aubergine | A shiny purple vegetable with soft white flesh | Vegetable |
| avocado | A green fruit with a creamy inside and a large stone | Fruit |
| açaí | A dark purple berry from Brazil, sold frozen or as a powder | Fruit |
British and American English
Two words here depend on where you are writing. Aubergine is British; Americans call the same vegetable an eggplant. Arugula is American; British shoppers call the same leaf rocket. Both pairs are correct — just be consistent.
Did You Know?
Avocado travelled a long way to reach English. It began as āhuacatl in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, passed through Spanish as aguacate, and settled into English with a spelling that looks nothing like where it started.
Names of Leaders That Start with A
Names of real people are proper nouns, so they always begin with a capital letter. Titles follow a simple rule too: capitalise a title when it sits directly in front of the name, and keep it lowercase when it stands alone. So we write President Lincoln, but Lincoln was president during the war.
| Name | Who They Were | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Abraham Lincoln | The sixteenth US president; led the country through its civil war and pushed through the amendment that ended slavery | United States |
| Alexander the Great | King of Macedon, who built an empire stretching from Greece to north-west India before he turned thirty-three | Ancient Macedon |
| Ashoka | Mauryan emperor who turned away from war and spread Buddhist teaching across his empire | Ancient India |
| Akbar | Mughal emperor remembered for his tax and land reforms and his interest in many religions | Mughal India |
| Aurangzeb | Mughal emperor under whom the empire reached its greatest size | Mughal India |
| Augustus | The first Roman emperor, who ended a long stretch of civil war | Ancient Rome |
| Alfred the Great | King of Wessex, who defended his kingdom against Viking invasion and promoted learning | Early England |
| Attila | Ruler of the Huns, whose armies pressed deep into the Roman world | Central Europe |
| Mustafa Kemal Atatürk | Founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey | Turkey |
| Anwar Sadat | Egyptian president and joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize | Egypt |
| A. P. J. Abdul Kalam | Aerospace scientist who later served as president of India | India |
| Angela Merkel | Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021 | Germany |
Quick Tip
Keep the capital letter even in the middle of a phrase built from a name: Lincoln's speech, the Ashoka pillars, Alexander's army. The apostrophe and the extra words change nothing — a proper noun stays capitalised.
Country Names That Start with A
Eleven countries in the world begin with the letter A. Here's the complete list, along with each capital city, which makes it just as useful for geography homework as it is for vocabulary practice.
| Country | Region | Capital City |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Asia | Kabul |
| Albania | Europe | Tirana |
| Algeria | Africa | Algiers |
| Andorra | Europe | Andorra la Vella |
| Angola | Africa | Luanda |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Caribbean | St John's |
| Argentina | South America | Buenos Aires |
| Armenia | Western Asia | Yerevan |
| Australia | Oceania | Canberra |
| Austria | Europe | Vienna |
| Azerbaijan | Western Asia | Baku |
Common Mistake
Australia's capital is Canberra, not Sydney. Sydney is the larger and better-known city, which is exactly why so many people get this wrong in quizzes and exams.
Grammar Note
Each country name has a matching word for its people and its things, and that word keeps the capital letter too: Argentina → Argentinian, Austria → Austrian, Algeria → Algerian, Afghanistan → Afghan. English never lowercases these words, no matter how ordinary they feel in a sentence.
List of Games Starting with A
Sports and games make good practice nouns because you already know the activities. Notice the pattern in the last two rows of the table: when a game's name contains a proper noun, that part keeps its capital letter.
| Game | What It Involves | Where It's Played |
|---|---|---|
| aerobics | Group exercise set to music | Indoors |
| aikido | A Japanese martial art built on redirecting an attacker's force | Indoors |
| air hockey | Two players slide a puck across a table on a cushion of air | Indoors |
| angling | Fishing with a rod, line, and hook | Outdoors |
| arcade games | Coin-operated machine games played in a hall | Indoors |
| archery | Shooting arrows at a target with a bow | Both |
| arm wrestling | Two people push each other's hand down across a table | Indoors |
| artistic gymnastics | Routines on bars, beam, vault, and floor | Indoors |
| athletics | Running, jumping, and throwing events | Outdoors |
| auto racing | Timed races between cars on a circuit | Outdoors |
| American football | A contact team sport played with an oval ball and set plays | Outdoors |
| Australian rules football | A fast team sport played on a large oval field | Outdoors |
Quick Tip
Athletics and aerobics end in -s but take a singular verb: Athletics is my favourite sport, not athletics are. Several activity nouns behave this way, including gymnastics and mathematics.
Nouns That Start with A for Kids
These fifteen words suit primary school learners. Each one is short, easy to picture, and easy to draw — which is the fastest way for a young child to remember a noun.
| Word | Simple Meaning | Easy Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| acorn | The seed of an oak tree | I found an acorn in the park. |
| airplane | A machine that flies people through the sky | The airplane landed on time. |
| alligator | A big reptile with sharp teeth | The alligator rested by the water. |
| ambulance | A van that takes sick people to hospital | An ambulance rushed past our school. |
| animal | A living creature that is not a plant | My favourite animal is a horse. |
| ankle | The joint between your leg and your foot | I hurt my ankle playing football. |
| ant | A tiny insect that lives in a group | One ant carried a crumb up the wall. |
| apple | A round fruit that grows on a tree | She packed an apple in her lunchbox. |
| apron | A cloth you wear to keep your clothes clean | Dad wore an apron to bake the cake. |
| arm | The part of your body from shoulder to hand | He waved his arm at the bus. |
| arrow | A pointed stick you shoot from a bow | The arrow hit the middle of the target. |
| aunt | The sister of your mother or father | My aunt sends me a card every birthday. |
| autumn | The season when leaves fall | In autumn we jump in the leaves. |
| avocado | A green fruit that is soft inside | We spread avocado on our toast. |
| axe | A tool used to chop wood | The axe was kept high on a shelf. |
Watch the Spelling
American English writes airplane; British English writes aeroplane. Both name the same thing. Teachers usually ask children to use whichever spelling their school books follow.
Common Mistakes When Using A-Nouns
-
Incorrect: "I need an advice about my schedule."
Correct: "I need some advice about my schedule."
Advice has no plural form and never takes "a" or "an."
-
Incorrect: "she was born in atlanta."
Correct: "She was born in Atlanta."
Proper nouns keep their capital letter everywhere in a sentence.
-
Incorrect: "The airport tracked twelve aircrafts overnight."
Correct: "The airport tracked twelve aircraft overnight."
Aircraft is the same word in singular and plural.
-
Incorrect: "She has a large amount of apples."
Correct: "She has a large number of apples."
Use amount for uncountable nouns (an amount of advice) and number for countable nouns (a number of apples).
Practice Exercises
Work through these five short exercises to test the A-nouns from this guide. Check your answers as you go, or reveal the full answer key at the end.
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Type the missing noun. The clue in brackets tells you what the word means.
-
The landed safely despite the storm. (a flying vehicle)
-
He felt a wave of before walking onto the stage. (nervous feeling)
-
My told me a story about her childhood in Poland. (mother’s sister)
-
The company signed an with a smaller competitor. (partnership)
-
She keeps her old letters in a box in the . (top room of a house)
Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Noun
Tap the option that fits the sentence.
-
He gave me _______ before my interview.
-
We saw two _______ circling the airport.
-
There is a large _______ of students in the auditorium.
-
_______ has fifty-four recognized countries.
-
The _______ grew quiet as the lights dimmed.
Exercise 3: Match the Noun to Its Meaning
Choose the letter of the meaning that matches each noun.
- a) a strong desire to succeed
- b) a lack of interest or concern
- c) the power to give orders
- d) a feeling of wonder and respect
-
Apathy
-
Ambition
-
Awe
-
Authority
Exercise 4: Countable or Uncountable?
Decide whether each noun can be counted one by one.
-
Air
-
Ant
-
Advice
-
Assignment
-
Attention
Exercise 5: Common or Proper?
The capital letter is your biggest clue.
-
artist
-
Amsterdam
-
apartment
-
Argentina
-
award
Answers
Reveal the full answer key
- Exercise 1: 1. airplane, 2. anxiety, 3. aunt, 4. alliance, 5. attic
- Exercise 2: 1. some advice, 2. aircraft, 3. number, 4. Africa, 5. audience
- Exercise 3: 1-b, 2-a, 3-d, 4-c
- Exercise 4: 1. uncountable, 2. countable, 3. uncountable, 4. countable, 5. uncountable
- Exercise 5: 1. common, 2. proper, 3. common, 4. proper, 5. common
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common examples of nouns that start with A?
Everyday examples include apple, airport, animal, author, article, apartment, and award. These appear regularly in conversation, school writing, and news articles.
What is a positive noun that starts with A?
Achievement, ambition, admiration, appreciation, and authenticity are all positive A-nouns, often used in compliments, résumés, and personal essays.
What is an abstract noun that starts with A?
Ambition, anxiety, arrogance, awareness, and awe are abstract A-nouns — they name feelings or ideas rather than physical objects.
Is “apple” a common noun or a proper noun?
Apple is a common noun when it refers to the fruit. It only becomes a proper noun when it refers to a specific named entity, such as the technology company Apple, in which case it is capitalized.
What are collective nouns that start with A?
Army, audience, assembly, arsenal, association, and alliance are all collective nouns beginning with A, each naming a group treated as a single unit.
Is “advice” countable or uncountable?
Advice is uncountable. It has no plural form, so English speakers say “some advice” or “a piece of advice,” never “an advice” or “advices.”
What nouns describe a person and start with A?
Depending on the angle, useful choices include ambition and arrogance (personality), architect and attorney (profession), anger and admiration (emotion), and ally and aunt (relationship).
What is the difference between “amount” and “number” when both start with A?
Amount is used with uncountable nouns (“a large amount of patience”), while number is used with countable nouns (“a large number of students”). Mixing the two is one of the most common A-noun mistakes learners make.
See also:
