NOUN GENDER

NOUN GENDER

In general there is no distinction between masculine, feminine and neuter in English nouns. However, gender is sometimes shown by different forms or different words.

Examples:

Different words:

Masculine	Feminine
man father uncle boy husband	woman mother aunt girl wife

Different forms:

Masculine	Feminine
actor prince hero waiter widower	actress princess heroine waitress widow

Some nouns can be used for either a masculine or a feminine subject:

Examples:

cousin	teenager	teacher	doctor
cook	student	parent	friend
relation	colleague	partner	leader

• Mary is a doctor. She is a doctor
• Peter is a doctor. He is a doctor.
• Arthur is my cousin. He is my cousin.
• Jane is my cousin. She is my cousin.

It is possible to make the distinction by adding the words 'male' or 'female'.

Example:

• a female student; a male cousin

For professions, we can add the word 'woman'

Example: a woman doctor; a woman journalist.

In some cases nouns describing things are given gender.

Examples:

• I love my car. She (the car) is my greatest passion.
• France is popular with her (France's) neighbours at the moment.
  
• I travelled from England to New York on the Queen Elizabeth, she (the Queen Elizabeth) is a great ship