Nouns in English can be abstract and concrete.

 

Abstract nouns denote things that don’t have any physical form, like events, ideas, qualities, concepts, emotions, states.

 

Examples of abstract nouns are love, hate, sympathy, honesty, freedom, truth, knowledge, progress, friendship, etc.

 

Concrete nouns denote things that have some physical form and that you can experience through your senses — sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch.

 

Examples of concrete nouns are book, river, air, forest, apple, noise, car, street, pen, bottle, stone, lamp, etc.     

 

Many abstract nouns can be both countable and uncountable, and usually these forms differ a bit in their meaning.

 

Consider the following examples:   

 

Countable	Uncountable
Peter acquired several useful skills on a hike.   What qualities do you need for this job? The Ministry of Culture provides support to young artists. Mary has visited Italy many times. Were there any troubles on your route? Just have a look at those beauties on the beach!	It requires skill to make a fire in the woods. This restaurant is known for it’s superb quality. The Institute develops targeted programmes for different cultures and languages. Hurry up, you don’t have much time left. Please be careful not to get in trouble. People do their best to preserve the beauty of their city.