English Fundamentals

2.3 Proper Nouns and Common Nouns

Understanding the difference between proper nouns and common nouns is crucial for effective writing and proper capitalization.

Proper Nouns

Proper nouns are specific names of individuals, places, organizations, and sometimes events. They are always capitalized to denote their uniqueness. Examples include:

• People: Sarah, Dr. Smith, and Barack Obama

• Places: Africa, Mount Everest, and London

• Organizations: Apple Inc., the United Nations, and Harvard University

• Days and Months: Monday, January, and Christmas

Proper nouns give specificity and clarity to your writing, signaling to the reader that you are referring to a distinct entity.

Common Nouns

Common nouns, on the other hand, refer to general items, categories, or concepts and are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. Examples are:

• Objects: book, car, and house

• People: teacher, doctor, and engineer (referring to professions, not names)

• Places: city, school, and country

In sentences, common nouns are often preceded by articles (a, an, the) or other modifiers to clarify which specific item you are referring to, while still lacking the specific identity provided by proper nouns.

Capitalization Rules

When using these nouns in your writing, remember:

• Capitalize proper nouns whenever they appear in your text.

• Leave common nouns in lowercase unless they initiate a sentence.

Mastering the difference between proper and common nouns is essential and will enhance both the clarity and professionalism of your writing.

Exam questions related to nouns:

Which of the following is a proper noun?

1. city

2. car

3. Mount Everest

4. teacher 

Identify the common noun in the following sentence: 'The Eiffel Tower is a famous landmark in Paris.'

1. Paris

2. famous 

3. Eiffel Tower

4. landmark