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Concrete and Abstract Words

Concrete words

Everyday life is concerned with the concrete - that is, things we perceive through the senses (things we can touch, smell, taste, hear, see). Language enables us to name them. Then we can talk about them.

Abstract words

Academic language across the subject areas is about ideas. These are abstract concepts, which we perceive with our minds.

Academic language could not exist without our ability to give names to abstract ideas. Concepts are intangible, but our ability to name them enables us to think and write about them.

Examples of concrete words are: curtain, mouse, pizza, aeroplane, boot ...

Examples are: truth, education, love, conflict, capacity, amazement, thinking, gratitude, thankfulness ...

We can see, hear, touch, smell and/or taste all these things.

We cannot see, hear, taste, smell or touch ideas.