homework is common or proper noun

Common and Proper Nouns: Definition, Examples, & Exercises

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

Do you get confused about the difference between a common noun and a proper noun? Would practice help you become a master? 

Read on to learn about the difference between common and proper nouns, how they are used, and when to use them. 

When you feel like you’ve got it, test yourself with a quiz and practice with our high-quality, standards-aligned questions here . 

What We Review

The Basics of Common and Proper Nouns

What is a common noun?

A common noun is the general, non-specific term for a person, place, thing, or idea. Usually, common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. 

For example, as you work on your homework, think about the things you are using. You might be using a computer, a textbook, or a pencil. All of these are generic items that we encounter on a regular basis and are common nouns . 

What is a proper noun?

A proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized . This is true whether they begin a sentence or not. 

Let’s consider the same example from above, but instead, now we will be more specific about the resources necessary to complete your homework. 

As you work, you may be using a Pearson Algebra 1 textbook, a Google Chromebook, and a Ticonderoga pencil. You are better able to visualize this scenario if proper nouns are provided since they are more specific and unique. 

What is the relationship between common and proper nouns? 

Common and proper nouns are closely related. The most straightforward way of understanding the relationship between common and proper nouns is to think about proper nouns as specific examples of common nouns. 

For example, the word building is a common noun. Examples of buildings include The White House, The Art Institute of Chicago, and Memorial Hall at Harvard University. 

These examples are all proper nouns since they are specific, unique examples of the common noun building . Generally, we can more vividly picture or understand a text when the author uses examples of proper nouns since there is less room for interpretation. 

How do you use common and proper nouns? 

Common and proper nouns can be used in relation to each other or separately. Typically, authors use common nouns when they are describing something broad or ambiguous. 

Proper nouns are used to describe a person, place, thing, or idea that is specific and concrete. Common and proper nouns are often used together in sentences. 

Take the following sentence as an example: The doctor worked long hours at Memorial Hospital to help contain the spread of the common cold. 

In this sentence, we see examples of common nouns, such as doctor, hours, and common cold. Additionally, the sentence has an example of a proper noun– Memorial Hospital. 

If the sentence were not to name the hospital specifically, then it would have remained a common noun (hospital). 

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3 Tips for Understanding Common vs. Proper Nouns

Here are some important tips to help you determine the difference between common and proper nouns:

Tip #1: If it’s a noun and it’s capitalized, then it’s probably a proper noun . 

• For example, book is a generic common noun. 
• The Scarlet Letter is a specific book and, as a result, is a proper noun. 
• For example, Lampshades come in many different colors, varieties, and shapes . Even though lampshades is capitalized in this sentence, it is not a specific brand or size of lampshade. 
• Lampshade is capitalized because it begins the sentence, not because it is a proper noun. 

Tip #2: Make sure it’s a noun. 

• Do not rely solely on the capitalization of words to determine whether or not the word (or words) in question is a common or proper noun. 
• For example, consider the following sentence: It can be difficult for young people to read complicated, Shakespearian language. At first glance, you may quickly classify Shakespearian as a proper noun. Upon further inspection, however, Shakespearian merely describes the common noun language . 
• Therefore, in this instance, Shakespearian is NOT a proper noun even though it is capitalized. Instead, it is a proper adjective. 

Tip #3: When writing, ask yourself, “what message am I trying to communicate?”

• If you are using common and proper nouns in your own writing, it is important to consider what it is that you want the reader to take away from your writing. 
• If you are trying to paint a clear, vivid picture for the reader, then it is important to use more proper nouns. 
• However, if you are attempting to create a more general, vague scene, then using more common nouns is appropriate. 

Remember, if you are trying to figure out whether a word is a common or proper noun, ask yourself if the word in question is a noun and whether or not it’s capitalized. 

If you are writing, ask yourself what message you are trying to communicate before using common or proper nouns. 

Applying the Basics: Common and Proper Noun Review & Practice

Now that you understand what common and proper nouns are, let’s review how and when to use them, and how to tell them apart! Remember, every proper noun has a common noun counterpart, but not every common noun has a related proper noun. 

The Ultimate List of Common and Proper Nouns

Refer to the graphic below for an extensive list of example common and proper nouns:

This list, obviously, does not include all common and proper nouns and is meant to be used as a guide while identifying other nouns. 

Common Noun Exercises & Review

Now that you know the difference between common and proper nouns, test your ability to accurately identify common nouns. 

Select the common noun(s) in the sentences below. Remember, these are generic items that we encounter on a regular basis. They are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence.

1. You’ve probably used Google Earth to look at the roof of your own house.

• In this sentence, roof and house are both common nouns because they are not specific names or titles. They are just general, making them common nouns.

2. In New York City, for example, subways chug along 500 miles of underground track. 

• In this sentence , example, subways, miles, and track are common nouns because they are not specific names or titles. They are just general, making them common nouns.

3. Some people argue that the government should control what goes on underground, and private companies should not be able to profit from the land beneath your house.

• In this sentence , people, government, underground, companies, land , and house are all common nouns because they are not specific names or titles. They are just general, making them common nouns.

4. How would you feel about a public road going under your porch?

• In this sentence, road and porch are common nouns because they are not specific names or titles. They are just general, making them common nouns.

5. The way we answer these questions will help determine how our society grows and changes in the future.  

• In this sentence, way, questions, society , and future are all common nouns because they are not specific names or titles. They are just general, making them common nouns.

Pro tip : When evaluating whether a noun is common, ask yourself, “Is it general, and is it in lower case?”

Proper Noun Exercises & Review

Complete the quick exercise below to assess your mastery of proper nouns. 

Select the proper noun(s) in the sentences below. Remember, a proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized . This is true whether they begin a sentence or not. 

1. In 1890, long before your great-grandparents were born, the U.S. Congress established Yosemite National Park.

In this sentence, U.S Congress and Yosemite National Park are proper nouns because they are specific names or titles. When a noun is specific like this, it is proper and must be capitalized.

2. Before becoming a national park, the Yosemite area was home to the Ahwahneechee and Miwok people for many generations.

In this sentence, Yosemite, Ahwahneechee, and Miwok are proper nouns because they are specific names or titles. When a noun is specific like this, it is proper and must be capitalized.

3. Disney’s “Pocahontas” has a similar happy tone, but the actual life of Pocahontas was more interesting than what we saw on screen.

In this sentence, Disney’s and Pocahontas are proper nouns because they are specific names or titles. When a noun is specific like this, it is proper and must be capitalized.

4. Pocahontas was born around 1595 in modern-day Virginia.

In this sentence, Pocahontas and Virginia are proper nouns because they are specific names or titles. When a noun is specific like this, it is proper and must be capitalized.

5. Heralded as an example of the possibilities in the “New World”, Pocahontas and John Rolfe traveled to England with their son in 1616.

In this sentence, New World, Pocahontas, John Rolfe, and England are all proper nouns because they are specific names or titles. When a noun is specific like this, it is proper and must be capitalized.

Pro tip : When evaluating whether a noun is proper, ask yourself, “Is it specific, and is it capitalized?”

For additional practice, check out Common and Proper Nouns content on Albert.

Try for Yourself: Common and Proper Nouns Quiz

Feeling confident in your understanding of common and proper nouns? 

Take this short six-question quiz to see what you’ve learned:

1. Is a common noun general or specific?

• Answer: General
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A common noun is the general, non-specific term for a person, place, thing, or idea. Usually, common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. 
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, a common noun is the general, non-specific term for a person, place, thing, or idea. Usually, common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. 

2. Is a proper noun general or specific?

• Answer: Specific
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized .
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, a proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized .

3. In this sentence, are the underlined words common or proper nouns ?

Adolescent brains are constantly rewiring and retraining to prune skills that are not being used to make room for the skills being used often. 

• Answer: Common
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A common noun is the general, non-specific term for a person, place, thing, or idea. Usually, common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. Brains, skills, room, and skills are not capitalized in this example.

4. In this sentence, are the underlined words common or proper nouns ?

We enter our REM stage within the first 90 minutes of sleep and repeat this cycle several times throughout the night.

• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A common noun is the general, non-specific term for a person, place, thing, or idea. Usually, common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. In this example, stage, sleep, repeat, times, and night are all general common nouns.

5. In this sentence, are the underlined words common or proper nouns ?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, plastic litter is of the greatest concern as it has the most widespread and harmful impacts on animal populations.

• Answer: Proper
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized . In this example, the Environmental Protection Agency refers to a specific government entity.

6. In this sentence, are the underlined words common or proper nouns ?

What does NASA’s space program cost each of the 328 million people that currently live in the USA?

• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized . In this example, NASA and USA refer to a specific organization and nation.

For additional practice with common and proper nouns, check out our practice on Albert.io: Common and Proper Nouns .

Teacher’s Corner

While it’s true that common and proper nouns are a foundational grammar skill, the Common Core English Language Progressive Skills Chart shows that even elementary-level skills “require continued attention in higher grades as they are applied to increasingly sophisticated writing and speaking.” 

For specific standards addressing common and proper nouns, check out the Common Core State Standards site! 

Albert’s common and proper nouns practice can be used for much more than homework! Our assessments can be used as pre-and post-tests to measure student progress. Our pre-made quizzes can be used as bell-ringers, exit tickets, and more! 

In addition to our pre-made assessments, you can also use our assignments feature to create your own quizzes and assessments.

Summary on Common and Proper Nouns

Common nouns are general, non-specific people, places, things, or ideas. 

Proper nouns are specific, concrete people, places, things, and ideas.

In writing, proper nouns generally provide the reader with a more clear, tangible image of what the author describes. 

Common and proper nouns can be used in tandem with one another or separately. Be sure to check out our grammar course for more common and proper noun practice. 

You can also access over 3,400 high-quality questions that address nearly every grammatical concept. 

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Understanding a Proper Noun (Examples + Grammar Rules)

Proper nouns are an essential element of the English language. They also play a critical element in all other worldwide languages but are referred to by parts of speech . They are one of the primary elements of language and grammar that need to be mastered before learning the more complex language concepts.

• What is a proper noun?

A proper noun refers to a specific word or name given to a person, place, or thing. A proper noun includes, within its scope, the names of individuals, companies , and places. An essential thing to remember about proper nouns is that these words always start with the capital first letter. If a proper noun is spelled in all lowercase letters, it will be grammatically incorrect. 

Proper noun examples

To better illustrate this, let’s look at some examples of proper nouns:

• John is a deputy manager at Sony. 
• The capital of India is Delhi. 
• The world’s largest producer of android smartphones is Samsung, a South Korea-based multinational conglomerate. 
• Today is a very important match between Arsenal and Chelsea FC. 
• My favorite car brand is Ferrari.

Proper noun relationships to common nouns

Nouns are of various types. Proper nouns, common nouns, and concrete nouns are the most essential of all. Proper nouns, as established, are a type of noun used to refer to a specific person, place, or other entity. On the other hand, a common noun is a generic name to refer to a person, place, or thing. Common nouns are used to refer to a class of things.

For instance, the words: books, birds, girl, women, father, boys, and palace; are examples of Common nouns.

Alternatively, the following are examples of proper nouns:

• The Buckingham Palace

Types of proper nouns

Proper nouns are often confused with pronouns and prepositions . This leads them to be classified into 6 main categories.

The next time you see any of the following categories be referred to as proper nouns, know that they are either pronouns or related to prepositions and not proper nouns.

There is no such thing as a subject proper noun. Subject pronouns are often confused and referred to as subject proper nouns. However, these are part of the pronoun speech and are related to verb performance. These are words that perform an action.

Direct object

Similar to subject pronouns, there is also no such thing as a direct object proper noun. Direct objects are also related to the performance of verbs. However, contrary to proper subject nouns, these words receive action.

Indirect object

Continuing on the pattern above, indirect object proper nouns are also not a thing. Indirect object verbs are words that receive action from the direct object. This may sound confusing. However, let’s look at an example to understand this concept better:

• The teacher gave the students homework. 

In this sentence , the word “homework” is the direct object. 

What did the teacher give the students? Homework. Thus, homework is the direct object.

“Students,” on the other hand, are indirect objects in this sentence. 

To whom did the teacher give homework? To the students. 

Object of the preposition

The noun (or word/phrase acting as a noun) that joins a preposition to produce a prepositional phrase is known as the object of a preposition. The preposition affects or refers to the objects. Prepositions are followed by their objects, which link the object and the section of the sentence they are changing.

Predicate nominative

The noun or pronoun which follows a connecting verb is known as the predicate nominative (or a predicate noun). The subject of a sentence is given a new identity with these nouns. If the subject and the predicate nominative are switched, the phrase would still make sense and be grammatically correct.

Proper noun grammar rules

As with every part of speech, proper nouns are also regulated by specific grammar rules that must get followed at all times. 

• Firstly, grammar rules dictate that a proper noun should always get used with the first letter capitalized . An exception is certain cases when the noun acts as a common noun instead of a proper noun.
• The second important rule determines when a proper noun can be used with the word “the.” Typically, the word “the” can only be used in specific cases, which would be grammatically incorrect outside of that scope. We will discuss this in further detail in the coming paragraphs.

Common noun and proper noun comparisons

Here are some comparisons of proper nouns versus common nouns:

• Common Noun: Books

Proper Noun: It Ends with Us

• Common Noun: Birds

Proper Noun: Falcon

• Common Noun: Dogs

Proper Noun: Husky

• Common Noun: Snacks

Proper Noun: Doritos

• Common Noun: Banks

Proper Noun: The Bank of America

Proper noun examples (with “the”)

Typically, proper nouns do not start with the word “the.” However, they can be under certain circumstances. Let’s look at proper noun examples starting with “the” to understand this better.

First names

First names are proper nouns that will never begin with the word “the”. Designations like “the king” or “the president” that come before the actual name can start with “the”. However, the name itself will not start with that letter. 

Surnames or family names can begin with the word “the.” Let’s look at some examples of the same: 

• The Windors
• The Clintons
• The Newtons

Full names may be used with the word “the” preceding them in some instances. Some examples of the same are:

• The William Jones’
• The Brian Jeffords’ 
• The Jake Peraltas 
• The Rosa Diaz’s 
• The Chuck Boyle’s 
• The Amy Santiago’s 

Various shops’ names can start with the word “the.” Some of the most common examples are:

• The ambrosia store
• The Polka Boutique
• The Mall of America
• The House of AND

The names of banks can be preceded by the word “the.” Some examples of the same include:

• The Bank of America
• The Bank of France
• The Bank of India
• The Bank of Westminster

Some hotel names that start with “the” include:

• The Marriott
• The Burj-al arab
• The Four Seasons
• The Lemon Tree

Churches, too, can have their names started with the word “the.” Some examples of the same include:

• The Church of Mary and Jesus
• The Church of Our Lady of Fatima
• The Church of Our Savior Lord Jesus
• The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day saints
• The Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception

Some examples of states starting with the word “the” are:

• The United Kingdom
• The United States of America

Some examples of Republics starting with the word “the” include:

• The Republic of France
• The Republic of India

Proper nouns with “the”

States: .

Some examples of states or countries starting with “the” include:

• the United States of America
• the United Kingdom
• the Netherlands
• the Bahamas and the Maldives

Some examples of canals starting with the word “the” include:

• The Suez Canal 
• The Panama Canal
• The Kiel Canal
• The Corinth Canal

Some examples of rivers starting with the word “the” are:

• The Hudson River
• The Han River
• The Indus River

Some examples of oceans starting with the word “the” are:

• The Pacific ocean
• The Indian ocean
• The Arctic ocean
• The Atlantic ocean

Some example of people starting with the word “the” are:

• The King of England
• The President of the United States
• The Prime Minister of India
• The Prince of Wales
• The Princess of Wales

Proper nouns ending in “s” possessive examples

In certain situations, proper nouns can end with an “s” and represent a possessive tone. A possessive tone refers to when a sentence shows ownership of an object.

Some examples of proper nouns ending in “s” are:

• Mary’s dog was very playful.
• London’s Buckingham Palace is a sight to appreciate. 
• Martin’s ice cream shop serves the best swirl ice creams in town .
• Johnny’s bride is a real looker.

Common questions

There are a lot of questions commonly asked about proper nouns. Some of the most common ones include the following:

Is “mom” a proper noun?

No. The word “mom” is not a proper noun. 

Is “earth” a proper noun?

Yes. The word “Earth” signifies a specific planet or place to live on. As such, it is a proper noun. This also means that the word “Earth” must start with a capitalized “E.” However, it can also be used as a common noun, which should be used with a lowercase ‘e.’ 

What is the proper noun of the word “teacher?”

The word “teacher” is a generic noun. There is no proper noun for the word. However, the teacher’s name would need to be used to make it a proper noun.

Let’s take a look at some examples;

• Mrs. Stephanie

What is the proper noun of the word “car?”

A proper noun for the word “car” would be the brand or name of the car itself—for example, Ferrari, Honda, etc.  

What is the proper noun of the “country” or “countries?”

The words “country” and “country” represent a category of things. Hence, these words are not proper nouns

Some examples of proper nouns for country or countries are:

• South Korea

What is the proper noun for the word “dog?”

The correct proper noun for the word dog can be the name of the dog like Bruno, Brandy, Pugsly, etc. Alternatively, the dog’s breed names can also be proper nouns, for example: Golden Retriever, Husky, German Shepherd, etc.

No, one is used to refer to people and the other is used to refer to places.

Common nouns are words for types of things, people, and places, such as “dog,” “teacher,” and “city.” They are not capitalized and are typically used in combination with articles and other determiners . Only proper nouns are capitalized.

In English, proper nouns are words derived from a person’s name.

Typically, yes.

No. North, East, South, and West are common nouns.

Some proper nouns have the definite article before the person’s name.

More on nouns

More resources about nouns:

• Possessive nouns
• Irregular plural nouns
• Proper nouns
• Concrete nouns
• Collective nouns
• Possessive and plural nouns
• What are proper nouns, How do I use them?
• Proper Noun- Merriam Webster
• 20 examples of Proper nouns in English
• Proper Noun
• Proper noun
• What is a proper noun: Definition and Usage
• Proper nouns and common nouns
• Possessive case of Noun
• Grammar Rules about Proper Nouns

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Fact checked: Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Learn more.

About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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Understanding Common And Proper Nouns

• Common Vs. Proper Nouns
• Common Nouns
• Proper Nouns
• How To Use Them
• Try Grammar Coach!

A noun is a word that refers to a person, place, thing, or idea. We use nouns to refer to general things like friends or pizza and specific things like Leonardo Da Vinci or Canada. We use a lot of different nouns like these to describe everything around us, but all of the nouns we use can be separated into just two different types: common nouns and proper nouns .

Common noun vs. proper noun

The difference between a common noun and a proper noun is what type of thing they are referring to. Common nouns refer to generic things while proper nouns refer to specific things. For example, the noun country is a common noun because it refers to a general, non-specific place. On the other hand, the noun Spain is a proper noun because it refers to a specific country located in Europe (another proper noun). Grammatically, there is one main difference between common and proper nouns: proper nouns are always capitalized whereas common nouns are only capitalized in very specific situations.

Common nouns

As has been said, common nouns refer to generic people, places, and things. You’ll more easily understand what we mean by this with some examples.

Examples of common nouns

Common nouns can refer to people, places, things, and ideas.

• People: man, woman, child, cop, criminal, butcher, baker, neighbor, friend, enemy, person, stranger, judge, jury, executioner, knights, bishops, kings, queens
• Places: city, town, country, neighborhoods, islands, beaches, province, state, outside, upstairs, basement, hallway, lobby, rooms, alleys, campsites
• Things: guitar, drums, apples, oranges, snow, rain, ice, fire, dirt, cars, trucks, knee, elbows, food, water, sky, stars, day, weeks, month, years
• Ideas, emotions, concepts: happiness, sadness, fear, courage, questions, answers, government, chaos, hunger, confusion, doubt, loneliness, friendship, science

Want a closer look at common nouns? Set your sights on this handy article about them!

Proper nouns

Proper nouns can also refer to people, places, things, and ideas. However, proper nouns refer to more specific people and things.

Examples of proper nouns

As you read each of these proper nouns , you can test your understanding of common nouns. Can you think of a common noun that could also refer to each item referred to by a proper noun?

• People: Harriet Tubman, King Richard the Lionheart, Miles Davis, Emily Dickinson, Helen of Troy, Superman, Lady Gaga, Captain Crunch
• Places: New York City, Moscow, Cairo, Portugal, Zimbabwe, Peru, Europe, Asia, Australia, Main Street, Rocky Mountains, Colorado River, Sahara Desert
• Things: Jupiter, Google, Twitter, Kawasaki Ninja, Playstation 5, Star Wars , Band-aids, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , Apollo 13, Great Wall of China
• Ideas and Concepts: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Romanticism, Cubism, Industrial Revolution, Dark Ages, Monday, November

How do you use common and proper nouns?

Grammatically, the biggest difference between common and proper nouns has to do with capitalization. Proper nouns are always capitalized no matter where they appear in a sentence. One exception to this rule is brand names that use lowercase letters for stylistic reasons: the word iPad is a proper noun even though the first letter is lowercase.

Common nouns, on the other hand, are only capitalized at the beginning of sentences or when used in the title or name of something. For example, the word captain is a common noun and will be lowercase in most sentences. However, it has a capital letter when it is used in a title such as in the name Captain Hook.

Both common and proper nouns are used in most of our sentences. For the most part, it is pretty easy to use them, but you should be careful to always capitalize proper nouns and to only capitalize a common noun when it is appropriate to do so.

Visit the full discussion on proper nouns at our article dedicated to them here.

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Tips for differentiating common vs. proper nouns

If you are trying to determine if a word is a common or proper noun, look at the capitalization. Is the noun capitalized in the middle of a sentence? If so, you most likely have a proper noun. Things are trickier if the noun is the first word in the sentence. In that case, ask yourself if the noun is referring to a specific person or thing. If it is, you have a proper noun again. If it isn’t, you are instead looking at a common noun. A good rule of thumb is that all names and titles are proper nouns and will always be capitalized.

Let’s test to see if you have mastered common and proper nouns. Read the following sentences and see if you can figure out if the nouns are common or proper nouns.

• We went to school yesterday.
• We learned about the history of France.
• Jennifer is my older sister.
• She likes to read novels by Stephen King.

Finally, look at these example sentences and see if you can find the three mistakes involving common and proper nouns. (You can find the answers at the end of this article.)

• My favorite American president is theodore roosevelt.
• I like all kinds of animals. dogs are the cutest of them all.
• When we went to Arizona, I took tons of pictures of the Grand canyon.

No more grammar errors

We’ve got a noun for you: genius! And that’s what you’ll be when you check your writing on Thesaurus.com’s Grammar Coach™ . This uncommon tool can definitely spot the difference between your proper and common nouns—and more! Grammar Coach™ uses machine learning technology uniquely designed to catch grammar and spelling errors. Its Synonym Swap will find the best nouns, adjectives, and more to help say what you really mean, guiding you toward clearer, stronger, writing.

Whether you’re writing about a person, place, or thing, perfect grammar has never been easier!

Answers: Theodore Roosevelt, Dogs, Grand Canyon

If you want more of a challenge, head over to our quiz on common vs. proper nouns.

How many other types of nouns are there? Find out here.

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Common and Proper Nouns: What's the difference?

What to Know A proper noun names a particular person, place, or thing. Some proper nouns are: Noah Webster , North America , and The Statue of Liberty . A common noun refers to a person, place, or thing (also to a quality, idea, or action), but it doesn’t name it. Some common nouns are: writer , continent , and statue . Proper nouns are always capitalized.

What’s a noun?

Nouns are words that refer to a person, place, or thing, as well as to a quality, idea, or action. They can be made up of multiple words.

Proper Nouns vs. Common Nouns

Proper nouns are nouns that actually name one of the things a noun refers to. Because they name, they’re always capitalized:

Noah Webster Aunt Betty Harry the Dog Chicago Africa Jupiter Lake Erie National Public Radio

Proper nouns that name a place or thing are often preceded by the , which does not get capitalized:

the Atlantic Ocean the U.S. Constitution

Common nouns are all the other nouns:

dictionaries family members dogs city bodies of water radio comfort justice

Distinguishing Between Proper and Common Nouns

Sometimes a common noun refers to a particular person, place, or thing, but does not actually name it.

Common Nouns

the president of the college the people who helped us the other day the highest peak on that continent my favorite dictionary publisher

Proper Nouns

President Jones Jack and Jill Denali Merriam-Webster

Can a noun be both?

Some nouns can function as both common and proper nouns. For example:

seeds planted in the warm brown earth on one of Earth’s farms the former mayor will introduce Mayor Smith the lakes of the region including Lake Erie

What's up with seasons?

The days of the week and the months of the year are considered proper nouns and are therefore capitalized:

Sunday July

The seasons are considered common nouns and are therefore not capitalized unless they are in a title, as in the name of an event:

summer travels the school’s annual Spring Fling

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• Common Versus Proper Nouns

Common versus Proper Nouns

In this lesson we'll look at Common versus Proper Nouns.

Learners often find the difference perplexing but understanding the difference between these two types of nouns is crucial for effective communication.

In this article, we'll explore these two types of noun, provide examples, and offer tips on how to recognise and use them correctly.

Common Nouns

Common nouns are everyday words that refer to general things, people, places, or ideas. They are not capitalised unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence. Common nouns help us classify objects and concepts into broad categories and they are usually used in combination with articles and other determiners.

Generic References

Common nouns are used to refer to general or unspecified entities. Note the use of articles or determiners (i.e. a, the, some ).

• I saw a dog in the park. (Referring to any dog, not a specific one). 
• The city is bustling with activity . (Referring to any city in general)
• There's some milk in the fridge . (referring to milk generally)

Common nouns can be pluralised by adding "s" or "es" to indicate more than one.

• Dogs make great pets.
• Many cities have public transportation systems.

More Examples

• I think many people will come to the party . 
• The television is quite loud.
• It was a great book . 

Proper Nouns

Proper nouns are specific names of people, places, things, or entities. They are always capitalised, regardless of their position in a sentence. Proper nouns help identify unique individuals or unique instances of common nouns.

Specific Identification

Proper nouns are used to identify and specify particular entities:

• Mary is my best friend.  (a person's name)
• I visited New York City last summer.  (a specific place)

Capitalisation

Always capitalise proper nouns, even in the middle of a sentence.

• Harry Potter is a famous wizard.  (a character's name)
• I love drinking Coca-Cola  every day. (a brand name)

More examples

• Jennifer is a talented pianist who has won numerous awards for her performances.
• I'm planning a trip to Paris next summer to visit the Louvre Museum and see the Eiffel Tower up close.
• Harry and Hermione , along with their friend Ron , embarked on a magical adventure at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry .
• NASA's Perseverance rover recently made significant discoveries on Mars , including evidence of ancient life.
• My favorite author is J.K. Rowling , who created the enchanting world of Harry Potter.

Nouns that are both Common and Proper Nouns

One intriguing aspect of nouns and something you'll have noticed from the examples above is that some can be both common and proper, depending on their usage.

This is best illustrated by looking at some examples.

• Common Noun: I love to swim in the river. ( Referring to any river )
• Proper Noun: I visited the Mississippi River last summer. ( Referring to a specific river )
• Common Noun: I live on a quiet street. ( Referring to any street )
• Proper Noun: The party is at Elm Street. ( Referring to a specific street )
• Common Noun: Climbing a mountain is a challenging endeavour. ( Referring to any mountain )
• Proper Noun: I ascended Mount Everest last year. ( Referring to a specific mountain )

North/South/East/West

• Common Noun: The north is known for its cold winters. ( Referring to the general direction of the north )
• Proper Noun: I'm planning a trip to North Dakota. ( Referring to a specific state, North Dakota, which contains "north" in its name )

Tips for Recognising Common & Proper Nouns

• Capitalisation: Proper nouns are always capitalised, while common nouns are not unless they start a sentence.
• Specific vs. General: Proper nouns refer to unique, specific entities, whereas common nouns refer to general categories or ideas.
• Articles and Determiners: Common nouns commonly come after articles (a, an, the) or determiners (e.g. some, any, one)

Common versus Proper Nouns: Summing Up

Understanding common versus proper nouns is a fundamental aspect of English grammar. By recognising their differences and following the rules of capitalisation, you can use these nouns effectively in your writing and speech.

Remember, common nouns encompass general ideas, while proper nouns specify unique individuals or entities. Practice identifying and using them correctly, and you'll be well on your way to mastering English nouns!

Test yourself in this common versus proper nouns quiz >>

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Understand Possessive Gerunds

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What is a Predicate Nominative? Definition and Examples

What is a predicate nominative? They are nouns or pronouns that appear in the predicate part of a sentence and rename or identify the subject.

Gerund Definition and Examples

Here we look at a gerund definition and examples to reveal the different grammatical ways that gerunds can be used in sentences.

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< noun worksheets

Common and proper nouns worksheets, definitions, and examples.

Welcome to our common and proper noun worksheets! Students typically start learning about common and proper nouns in the early elementary grades, around first or second grade. We’ve included some great resources below to help.

What are common nouns?

Students learn that a noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. A common noun is a general name for a person, place, thing, or idea, such as “toy,” “car,” or “rabbit.” On the other hand, a proper noun is the specific name of a person, place, thing, or idea, such as “New Jersey,” “Jenna Roberts,” or “The Mona Lisa.”

It’s important for students to understand the difference between common and proper nouns. For example, proper nouns are always capitalized, while common nouns are not. Proper nouns are used to identify specific people, places, or things, while common nouns refer to general categories.

We’ve included a variety of printable common and proper noun worksheets below to help your child or student understand more about common and proper nouns.

Common nouns are one of the two main types of nouns. They refer to general categories of people, places, things, or ideas, and are important grammar concepts. Common nouns are typically not capitalized unless they begin a sentence or are part of a proper noun.

There are many different categories of common nouns! These can include animals, food and drink, occupations, clothing, vehicles and more. Here are some categories of common nouns:

• Animals: My favorite pet is a dog .
• Food and drink: I had a delicious pizza for dinner last night.
• Occupations: My dad is a doctor and my mom is a teacher .
• Clothing: I need to buy a new pair of shoes for work.
• Vehicles: The train was delayed by 30 minutes this morning.
• Colors: She looks great in a red dress.
• Shapes: The street signs are in the shape of a triangle .
• Materials: This table is made of wood .
• Plants: I planted some flowers in my garden this weekend.
• Household items: We need a new lamp for the living room.
• Sports: My favorite sport is football .
• Music: I’m learning how to play the piano .
• Technology: I need to upgrade my computer soon.
• Education: The textbook for this class is really expensive.
• Geography: The Amazon River is the longest river in the world.
• Emotions: He expressed his anger by shouting at the other driver.
• Family: My sister is coming to visit me this weekend.
• Time: I have a meeting at 2 pm today.
• Money: How much is a euro compared to a dollar ?
• Weather: It’s really cold today, the snow is starting to pile up.

What are proper nouns?

Proper nouns refer to specific, unique entities, such as people, places, organizations, and events, and they are always capitalized. Proper nouns can refer to individuals or groups, and are important for accurately and specifically identifying specific people, places, organizations, and events. Here are some example categories:

• People : John Smith is a famous actor.
• Places: I’ve always wanted to visit Paris , France.
• Brands: I really like Nike sneakers.
• Events: The Olympic Games are held every four years.
• Works of art: The Mona Lisa is a famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci.
• Positions: President Joe Biden gave a speech yesterday.
• Organizations: I’m a member of the Red Cross charity.
• Books: I recently read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
• Films: The Godfather is considered one of the greatest films of all time.
• Songs: My favorite song is Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.

Common Noun Examples

Animal common noun examples:

Food and drink common noun examples:

Occupations common noun examples:

• Electrician

Clothing common noun examples:

Vehicles common noun examples:

Colors common noun examples:

Shapes common noun examples:

Materials common noun examples:

Plants common noun examples:

Household items common noun examples:

Sports common noun examples:

Music common noun examples:

Technology common noun examples:

Education common noun examples:

Geography common noun examples:

Emotions common noun examples:

Family common noun examples:

• Grandmother
• Grandfather

Time common noun examples:

Money common noun examples:

Weather common noun examples:

• Thunderstorm

Proper Noun Examples

Proper nouns related to people:

• Oprah Winfrey
• LeBron James
• J.K. Rowling
• Abraham Lincoln
• Princess Diana
• Ronald Reagan
• Serena Williams
• Albert Einstein
• Nelson Mandela

Proper nouns related to brands:

• McDonald’s

Proper nouns related to events:

• Olympic Games
• World Series
• Cannes Film Festival
• Grammy Awards
• Tour de France
• New Year’s Eve
• Oktoberfest
• Burning Man

Proper nouns related to works of art:

• The Great Gatsby
• Beethoven’s 9th Symphony
• Les Misérables
• The Godfather
• The Shawshank Redemption
• The Beatles’ Abbey Road
• Michelangelo’s David

Proper nouns related to organizations:

• United Nations
• World Health Organization
• American Red Cross
• Amnesty International
• International Monetary Fund
• International Olympic Committee
• Doctors Without Borders
• World Wildlife Fund
• National Geographic Society

Proper nouns related to positions:

• Prime Minister
• Team Leader

Proper nouns related to places:

• Paris, France
• Machu Picchu
• The Great Barrier Reef
• Yellowstone National Park
• The Acropolis
• The Colosseum
• The Alhambra
• The Golden Gate Bridge

Common and Proper Noun Worksheets

This is a common and proper noun worksheet, where students Sort the words in the bank into the correct category.

In this sentence activity, students underline the common nouns in each sentence.

This is a noun match activity where students draw a line to match the common noun with the proper noun.

Students sort the words in the bank into the correct category, read the common nouns and write a proper noun to match, and in the last activity, match the common noun with the proper noun.

Students read each sentence and underline the proper noun.

Students read the common nouns and then write a proper noun to match.

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Proper Nouns & Common Nouns

• Common & Proper Nouns

It's time to learn about proper nouns and common nouns. Are you ready? Great!

You probably already know what a noun is, but I'm still going to give you a little refresher. :) Nouns are words that name people, places, things, or ideas. There are many different types of nouns , and in this lesson, we'll go over two of them: common and proper. 

Learning about common nouns will help you understand proper nouns, so let's focus on common nouns first, and then we'll see what the relationship is between them. 

What are common nouns?

Common nouns are usually the first words that we learn when we learn a new language, so they're pretty important! They name people, places, things or ideas that are generic/general .  

woman, city, dog

Notice that we don't know exactly which woman, city, or dog we're referring to. That's because these words are general rather than specific. (Think of these as opposed to proper nouns in those categories, which would name a specific woman, city, and dog. Examples of proper nouns for these categories would be Elizabeth, Chicago, and Rex .) Let's go over some of the important points to know about common nouns.

• Lowercase:  Since these nouns aren't naming anything specific, they don't need to start with a capital letter unless they begin a sentence.
• Broad Categories: Common nouns represent broad categories of things. They are used to talk about things in a general sense rather than in a specific sense. For example, bird is a common noun that includes various species like sparrows, eagles, and robins.
• Articles and Determiners:  Common nouns are often accompanied by articles ( a, an, and the ) or other determiners ( some, many, etc.). 

Common nouns really are the building blocks of language! Now, let's focus on proper nouns...

What are proper nouns?

These are nouns that name specific people, places, things, or ideas.

Maya, Paris, Rover

Do you see how these are different? Maya is naming a specific woman, Paris is naming a specific city, and Rover is naming a specific dog. Let's go over some of the important things to know about proper nouns!

• Capitalization : Proper nouns are always capitalized, regardless of their position within a sentence. This capitalization helps signal that the noun is a specific name or title, setting it apart from common nouns.
• Capitalizing Compound Nouns:  Sometimes, proper nouns contain two or more words.                     Maya Angelou, Central Park Zoo, the Gulf of Mexico If this is the case, the important words are capitalized , and the whole thing is still considered to be one noun even though it's made up of more than one word. Don't capitalize small words like of and the .
• Names and Titles: Proper nouns include personal names ( John Smith ), geographical names ( Mount Everest ), brand names ( Coca-Cola ), and titles ( President ).
• Context Needed : Proper nouns often require some context for full comprehension. People may need to know the background or context of a proper noun to understand its significance. For example, if you tell your friend that you're going to Paris, she would need to know that Paris is a city in order to understand what you were telling her. 
• Articles: Singular proper nouns usually don't use articles ( David, Chicago ). 
• Proper Adjectives: Proper adjectives are formed from proper nouns ( Mexico --> Mexican ). 

Now let's look at how common nouns and proper nouns are related to each other, shall we? 

What is their relationship?

Every proper noun has a common noun equivalent.

Proper --> Common

Kleenex --> tissue

Honda Odyssey --> van

V8 --> juice

However, not every common noun has a proper noun equivalent.

Common --> Proper

hand --> -

dirt --> -

space --> -

What Can They Do?

Both of these kinds of nouns can perform many jobs in sentences. Below, you'll find five noun jobs. (All of the nouns in these example sentences are common.) 

These examples also include sentence diagrams . Sentence diagrams are pictures of sentences that basically make the grammar in the sentence visual. That sounds kind of strange, but it's true. Figuring out a sentence's diagrams is like solving a puzzle. Diagrams are a great way to learn grammar!

1. Subject   The students happily studied grammar.

2. Direct Object   The students happily studied grammar .

3. Indirect Object   They taught their friends grammar.

4. Object of the Preposition   Their friends smiled with glee .

5. Predicate Nominative   They were grammar champions !

Instructions : Decide whether the underlined word is a common noun or a proper noun.

• What is your favorite book to read at bedtime? 
• The Amazon River flows through the heart of the rainforest. 
• Have you ever visited the city of Rome ?
• The team celebrated their victory with a parade. 
• My aunt is an excellent cook; she made a delicious cake.
• The Eiffel Tower is a famous landmark in France. 
• We studied ancient civilizations in history class. 
• John loves to play the piano in his free time. 
• The company's headquarters are located in New York City.
• Shakespeare's plays are still performed on stages around the world.
• common noun (book)
• proper noun (Amazon River)
• proper noun (Rome)
• common noun (team)
• common noun (aunt)
• proper noun (Eiffel Tower)
• common noun (civilizations)
• common noun (piano)
• proper noun (New York City)
• This is kind of a trick question! Shakespeare's is a proper adjective. It's formed from the proper noun Shakespeare . :)

How did that go? Do you feel like you have a good handle on these types of nouns? Let's review what we covered on this page.

• Common nouns name general people, places, things, or ideas. 
• Proper nouns name specific people, places, things, or ideas. 
• While every proper noun has a corresponding common noun, not every common noun has a corresponding proper noun.
• Common nouns and proper nouns can do many things in sentences. They can be subjects, objects, predicate nouns, and more.  
• Sentence diagramming is fun and helps us see what each word in a sentence is doing. :) 

Hello! I'm Elizabeth O'Brien, and my goal is to get you jazzed about grammar. 

Thank you for your website. It helps solidify my attempts at getting my students thrilled about proper grammar! 

- Marie, Teacher

If you'd like to teach or learn grammar the easy way—with sentence diagrams—check out our  Get Smart Grammar Program .

It starts from the very beginning and teaches you grammar and sentence diagramming in easy, bite-size lessons. 

This is original content from  https://www.english-grammar-revolution.com/proper-nouns.html

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Mastering Common and Proper Nouns: The Key to Writing Like a Pro

By: Author ESLBUZZ

Posted on Last updated: August 2, 2023

Sharing is caring!

Welcome to our article on common and proper nouns! If you’re learning English, understanding the difference between common and proper nouns is essential. Nouns are the building blocks of sentences, and knowing how to use them correctly can make all the difference in your writing and communication skills.

In this article, we’ll cover the basics of what common and proper nouns are, how to identify them, and when to use them. We’ll also provide plenty of examples to help you understand the concepts better. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this article will help you improve your grammar skills and become a more confident writer.

So, let’s get started! Whether you’re writing an essay, a business email, or a social media post, understanding common and proper nouns is crucial for effective communication. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better grasp of these concepts and be able to use them correctly in your writing.

Common and Proper Nouns – Image

Common Nouns

Definition of Common Nouns

Common nouns are words that name general people, places, things, or ideas. These nouns are not specific and do not require capitalization unless they are at the beginning of a sentence. They are the opposite of proper nouns, which name specific people, places, or things, and always require capitalization.

Examples of Common Nouns

Here are some examples of common nouns:

Usage of Common Nouns in Sentences

Common nouns are used in sentences as subjects, objects, and complements. They can be used alone or with other words to form phrases and clauses. Here are some examples:

• Subject: The dog barked at the mailman.
• Object: She bought a new dress for the party.
• Complement: The soup tasted delicious.

Common nouns can also be used in compound nouns, which are formed by combining two or more words. For example, “ice cream” is a compound noun made up of the common nouns “ice” and “cream.”

In conclusion, common nouns are an essential part of the English language. They are used every day to describe general people, places, things, and ideas. By understanding the definition, examples, and usage of common nouns, you can improve your grammar and communication skills.

Proper Nouns

Definition of Proper Nouns

Proper nouns are specific names of people, places, or things. They are always capitalized, no matter where they appear in a sentence. Proper nouns are used to refer to a particular person, place, or thing, and they give nouns a unique identity. Proper nouns are also known as proper names.

Examples of Proper Nouns

Here are some examples of proper nouns:

Usage of Proper Nouns in Sentences

Proper nouns are used in sentences to refer to a specific person, place, or thing. Here are some examples of how proper nouns can be used in sentences:

• John went to London to visit his friend.
• Mary lives in New York and works in a restaurant.
• William Shakespeare is known for his plays and sonnets.
• Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning monarch in British history.

Some notes on proper nouns you need to remember:

• Proper nouns always begin with a capital letter, no matter where they appear in a sentence. This is because they refer to specific, named things, like people, places, or organizations.
• Did you know that some proper nouns have become so common that they are now used as common nouns? For example, “ Tupperware ” is a brand name, but it’s often used by many as a common noun to refer to any type of box-shaped food container in the kitchen.

Proper nouns can also be used in titles, headings, and other important words in writing. It is important to remember to capitalize proper nouns to give them their unique identity.

In summary, proper nouns are specific names of people, places, or things. They are always capitalized, and they give nouns a unique identity. Proper nouns are used in sentences to refer to a particular person, place, or thing, and they are essential in writing to convey information accurately.

Differences Between Common and Proper Nouns

Common and proper nouns are two important types of nouns in English grammar. Understanding the differences between common and proper nouns is crucial in developing strong writing skills. In this section, we will discuss the main differences between common and proper nouns.

In Terms of Definition

A common noun refers to a general person, place, or thing, while a proper noun refers to a specific person, place, or thing. Common nouns are not capitalized unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence. Proper nouns, on the other hand, are always capitalized.

Here are some examples of common and proper nouns:

In Terms of Usage

Common nouns are used more frequently than proper nouns in everyday language. They are used to refer to general things or concepts. Proper nouns, on the other hand, are used to refer to specific things or people.

Common nouns can be used in a variety of ways, including as subjects, objects, or direct objects in a sentence. Proper nouns are usually used as subjects or objects in a sentence.

Here are some examples of common and proper nouns in sentences:

• Common Noun: The city is crowded.
• Proper Noun: New York City is crowded.
• Common Noun: The dog chased the ball.
• Proper Noun: Max chased the ball.

In summary, common and proper nouns differ in terms of their definition and usage. Common nouns are general and not capitalized, while proper nouns are specific and always capitalized. It is important to understand these differences in order to use them correctly in your writing.

Importance of Understanding Common and Proper Nouns

As a fundamental aspect of English grammar, understanding the difference between common and proper nouns is crucial for effective communication. It is essential to use the correct noun type to convey the intended meaning and prevent confusion in writing and speech.

Common nouns are general names for people, places, things, or ideas. They are not capitalized unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence. For instance, “dog,” “city,” and “book” are all common nouns. On the other hand, proper nouns are specific names of people, places, things, or ideas, and they always begin with a capital letter. Examples of proper nouns include “John,” “New York City,” and “The Great Gatsby.”

Understanding the difference between common and proper nouns is crucial in writing and speaking. Proper nouns help to identify specific people, places, or things, while common nouns refer to general objects. For instance, “I went to the store” is a sentence that uses a common noun, while “I went to Walmart” uses a proper noun. In this example, the use of a proper noun makes the sentence more specific, and the reader can visualize the exact location.

Using the wrong noun type can lead to confusion, misinterpretation, or even change the intended meaning of a sentence. For instance, “I love to eat pizza with my family” is a sentence that uses a common noun, while “I love to eat Pizza with my family” uses a proper noun. In this example, the use of a proper noun changes the meaning of the sentence from a general food item to a specific brand of pizza.

In conclusion, understanding the difference between common and proper nouns is essential for effective communication in English. It helps to convey the intended meaning, prevent confusion, and make writing and speaking more precise. By using the correct noun type, writers and speakers can create clearer and more engaging content.

Practical Applications of Common and Proper Nouns

Now that we have a clear understanding of what common and proper nouns are, let’s take a look at some practical applications of these types of nouns.

Improving Writing Clarity

Using proper nouns can help improve the clarity of your writing by providing specific details about people, places, and things. For example, instead of writing “I went to the park,” you could write “I went to Central Park.” This not only provides more detail but also allows the reader to better visualize the location.

Capitalization Rules

One of the most important practical applications of common and proper nouns is understanding when to capitalize them. Proper nouns are always capitalized, while common nouns are only capitalized in certain situations (such as at the beginning of a sentence or in titles). Knowing these rules can help improve the professionalism and accuracy of your writing.

Avoiding Ambiguity

Using common and proper nouns correctly can also help avoid ambiguity in your writing. For example, if you write “I saw a bird,” the reader may not know exactly what type of bird you saw. However, if you write “I saw a bald eagle,” the reader knows exactly what you saw and can better understand the context of your writing.

Creating Lists

Common and proper nouns are also useful for creating lists. When making a list of items, it’s important to use consistent capitalization and to ensure that proper nouns are capitalized. For example:

• Grocery List: milk, bread, apples, Cheerios
• Travel Itinerary: New York City, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Central Park

Proper Noun Abbreviations

Finally, it’s important to understand how to abbreviate proper nouns. Common examples include abbreviating states (NY for New York) or countries (UK for United Kingdom). However, it’s important to ensure that the abbreviation is widely recognized and accepted to avoid confusion.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between common and proper nouns?

Common nouns refer to general things, such as “dog” or “city,” while proper nouns refer to specific, named things, such as “Max” or “Chicago.” Proper nouns are always capitalized, and common nouns are only capitalized at the beginning of sentences.

Can you give me some examples of common nouns in a sentence?

Sure! Here are some examples of common nouns used in sentences:

• The dog chased the cat.
• I need to buy some milk at the grocery store.
• My favorite color is blue.
• The teacher assigned homework for the weekend.

What are some common and proper nouns for kids to learn?

For common nouns, kids can learn words like “dog,” “cat,” “book,” and “tree.” For proper nouns, they can learn names of people, places, and things, such as “Samantha,” “New York,” and “Eiffel Tower.”

How do I know if a noun is a proper noun?

Proper nouns are always capitalized, while common nouns are not. If a noun refers to a specific, named thing, it is likely a proper noun.

What are some rules for using proper nouns in writing?

When using proper nouns in writing, always capitalize them. Also, use proper nouns to refer to specific people, places, and things, while using common nouns for general things.

Can you provide some examples of proper nouns that students can use in their writing?

Sure! Here are some examples of proper nouns that students can use in their writing:

• Harry Potter
• Statue of Liberty
• Beyoncé
• Golden Gate Bridge

Remember, always capitalize proper nouns!

Common nouns refer to general things, such as \"dog\" or \"city,\" while proper nouns refer to specific, named things, such as \"Max\" or \"Chicago.\" Proper nouns are always capitalized, and common nouns are only capitalized at the beginning of sentences.

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For common nouns, kids can learn words like \"dog,\" \"cat,\" \"book,\" and \"tree.\" For proper nouns, they can learn names of people, places, and things, such as \"Samantha,\" \"New York,\" and \"Eiffel Tower.\"

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Printable Proper Noun Worksheets

• English Grammar
• Grammar Exercises

Common Noun and Proper Noun Exercises

Nouns are basically classified as common nouns and proper nouns . Learning to identify proper nouns and common nouns might be one of the first steps when learning English grammar . To help you with this, this article provides you with some practice exercises on proper nouns and common nouns.

Common and Proper Nouns Exercises with Answers

Are you sure what a common noun and a proper noun are? Why not check if you know them well? Try out the following exercises to find out.

Exercise 1: Identify the type of noun

Read the following sentences and identify the common or proper nouns in them.

• I gave my book to Riya to read.
• The Taj Mahal in India is very beautiful.
• Red Riding Hood met the fox in the forest.
• Mr Tony Stark walks his dog everyday.
• The boy ran to his mother.
• The flat was in the middle of Lenin Street.
• The reporter went to Noida to collect news.
• This milk tastes sour.
• Rose is a beautiful girl.
• I have read the novel by Emily Bronte.
• King Arthur was a noble king.
• The author wrote a crime novel.
• The captain steered the ship from hitting the iceberg.
• The old judge passed a unique judgement.
• The Milky Way is a big galaxy.
• The Indian Express is the newspaper I read regularly.
• Sheldon Cooper is an intelligent physicist.
• The Ganga is an important river of India.
• J.K Rowling wrote the famous novels on Harry Potter.
• My uncle works in the Reserve Bank of India.

Answers –

• Book – Common noun, Riya – Proper noun
• Taj Mahal, India – Proper nouns
• Red Riding Hood – Proper noun; fox, forest – Common nouns
• Mr Tony Stark – Proper noun; dog – Common noun
• Boy, mother – Common nouns
• Flat – Common noun; Lenin Street – Proper noun
• Reporter, news – Common nouns; Noida – Proper noun
• Milk – Common noun
• Rose – Proper noun; Girl – Common noun
• Novel – Common noun; Emily Bronte – Proper noun
• King Arthur – Proper noun; king – Common noun
• Author, novel – Common nouns
• Captain, ship, iceberg – Common nouns
• Judge, judgement – Common nouns
• Milky Way – Proper noun; galaxy – Common noun
• The Indian Express – Proper noun; newspaper – Common noun
• Sheldon Cooper – Pronoun noun; physicist – Common noun
• Ganga, India – Proper nouns; river – Common noun
• J.K Rowling, Harry Potter – Proper nouns; book – Common noun
• Uncle – Common noun; Reserve Bank of India – Proper noun

Exercise 2: Categorise the Nouns

Given below are some nouns which you have to categorise as common nouns and proper nouns.

Frequently Asked Questions on Common Noun and Proper Noun Exercises

What is a common noun.

Common nouns refer to those nouns that don’t refer to particular people, things, places or animals. For example, “The man goes to the office.” Here, ‘man’ and ‘office’ are common nouns.

What is a proper noun?

A proper noun refers to the particular/specific names of places, animals, places or things. For example, “The Eiffel Tower is in Paris.” Here, ‘Eiffel Tower’ and ‘Paris’ are names of particular places.

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Definition of homework noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• I always do my homework on the bus.
• physics/geography/French, etc. homework
• I still haven't done my geography homework.
• How much homework do you get?
• for homework I have to write up the notes for homework.
• (especially North American English) I have to finish this homework assignment .
• acquire/​get/​lack (an) education/​training/ (British English) (some) qualifications
• receive/​provide somebody with training/​tuition
• develop/​design/​plan a curriculum/ (especially British English) course/ (North American English) program/​syllabus
• give/​go to/​attend a class/​lesson/​lecture/​seminar
• hold/​run/​conduct a class/​seminar/​workshop
• sign up for/​take a course/​classes/​lessons
• go to/​start preschool/​kindergarten/​nursery school
• be in (North American English) the first, second, etc. grade/ (British English) year 1, 2. etc. (at school)
• study/​take/​drop history/​chemistry/​German, etc.
• (British English) leave/​finish/​drop out of/ (North American English) quit school
• (North American English) graduate high school/​college
• be the victim/​target of bullying
• (British English) play truant from/ (both British English, informal) bunk off/​skive off school (= not go to school when you should)
• (both especially North American English) skip/​cut class/​school
• (British English) cheat in/ (North American English) cheat on an exam/​a test
• get/​be given a detention (for doing something)
• be expelled from/​be suspended from school
• do your homework/ (British English) revision/​a project on something
• work on/​write/​do/​submit an essay/​a dissertation/​a thesis/​an assignment/ (North American English) a paper
• finish/​complete your dissertation/​thesis/​studies/​coursework
• hand in/ (North American English) turn in your homework/​essay/​assignment/​paper
• study/​prepare/ (British English) revise/ (North American English) review/ (North American English, informal) cram for a test/​an exam
• take/ (both British English) do/​sit a test/​an exam
• (especially British English) mark/ (especially North American English) grade homework/​a test
• (British English) do well in/ (North American English) do well on/ (especially North American English, informal) ace a test/​an exam
• pass/​fail/ (especially North American English, informal) flunk a test/​an exam/​a class/​a course/​a subject
• apply to/​get into/​go to/​start college/ (British English) university
• leave/​graduate from law school/​college/ (British English) university (with a degree in computer science)
• study for/​take/ (British English) do/​complete a law degree/​a degree in physics
• (both North American English) major/​minor in biology/​philosophy
• earn/​receive/​be awarded/​get/​have/​hold a master’s degree/​a bachelor’s degree/​a PhD in economics
• Have you finished your homework?
• Have you done your physics homework yet?
• I was helping my sister with her maths homework.
• The homework assignments are worth 10% of the final grade.
• I have some homework to do on the Civil War.
• I want you to hand in this homework on Friday.
• The science teacher always gives a lot of homework.
• They get a lot of homework in English.
• They get masses of homework at secondary school.
• We had to write out one of the exercises for homework.
• for homework
• homework  on

Questions about grammar and vocabulary?

Find the answers with Practical English Usage online, your indispensable guide to problems in English.

• You could tell that he had really done his homework (= found out all he needed to know) .

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homework noun

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What does the noun homework mean?

There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun homework . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

How common is the noun homework ?

How is the noun homework pronounced?

British english, u.s. english, where does the noun homework come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun homework is in the mid 1600s.

OED's earliest evidence for homework is from 1653, in the writing of Edmund Chillenden, parliamentarian army officer and General Baptist leader.

homework is formed within English, by compounding.

Etymons: home n. 1 , work n.

Nearby entries

• homeward-bounder, n. 1837–
• homeward-bound pennant, n. 1853–
• homewardly, adv. 1797–
• homewards, adv. & adj. Old English–
• homeware, n. 1782–
• home waters, n. 1838–
• home wear, n. 1836–
• home-whining, n. a1657
• home wind, n. 1732–
• home-woe, n. 1838–
• homework, n. 1653–
• homework club, n. 1900–
• homework diary, n. 1973–
• homeworker, n. 1843–
• homeworking, n. 1844–
• home-working, adj. 1850–
• home worship, n. 1849–
• homewort, n. Old English–
• home-wreck, n. 1845–
• home-wrecker, n. 1878–
• home-wrecking, n. 1878–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for homework, n..

homework, n. was revised in September 2011.

homework, n. was last modified in June 2024.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

• further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into homework, n. in June 2024.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

A Supplement to the New English Dictionary (1933)

• Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

• View homework in OED Second Edition

Please submit your feedback for homework, n.

Please include your email address if you are happy to be contacted about your feedback. OUP will not use this email address for any other purpose.

Citation details

Factsheet for homework, n., browse entry.

Proper Nouns

What are proper nouns.

Table of Contents

Examples of Proper Nouns and Common Nouns

Find the proper noun test, formal definition of "proper noun" and "common noun", examples of proper nouns in sentences, video lesson, why proper nouns are important.

Can You Identify Proper Nouns ?

Formal definition.

• Those idiots have been annoying Jason .
• I would like to visit an old castle . Can we visit Warwick Castle ?
• All water tastes the same. There's a reason why Evian is "naive" backwards.
• Walt Disney got the inspiration for Mickey Mouse from a tame mouse at his desk at Laugh-O-Gram Studio in Kansas City .

Are you a visual learner? Do you prefer video to text? Here is a list of all our grammar videos .

(Issue 1) Don't capitalize a word just because it's an important word in your sentence.

(Issue 2) Use capital letters for just the principal words in a title.

• Tower of London
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
• Catcher in the Rye
• The Last of the Mohicans
• Leonardo da Vinci / Ludwig van Beethoven

(Issue 3) Do not write the seasons (e.g., "summer") and the points of the compass (e.g., "north") with uppercase letters.

(Issue 4) Write the Sun and the Moon with capital letters.

(issue 5) write terms like director and finance department with capital letters if they refer to specific people or departments..

• Proper nouns get capital letters. Don't give a common noun a capital letter just because it's an important word in your sentence.
• When writing titles, use capital letters just for the first word and the principal words (i.e., not words like "the," "an," "and," "or," "in," and "with").
• The seasons and the points of the compass are not written with capital letters.
• If you write the Moon/Sun but a moon/sun, you'll probably have used capital letters correctly.
• With terms like Director and Finance Department, use capital letters when they refer to specific people or offices.

This page was written by Craig Shrives .

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Reading Worksheets, Spelling, Grammar, Comprehension, Lesson Plans

Proper Noun Worksheets

What is a proper noun? A proper noun is a word that refers to a very specific object by name. These words are capitalized in English and include first, last and brand names, along with countries and cities, among other things. Ex.  Sparky  belongs to  Judy  and  Kristin , who work at the  Boston Fire Department . In this sentence, the common nouns from before have been given specific names. Below you will find several different types of proper noun worksheets that help your student.

Capitalize Proper Nouns

Capitalize the proper nouns from the story.

Common and Proper Nouns

Write Common or Proper on the line next to each noun. Then, write three of each.

Identifying Nouns

Read the story. Circle all the nouns. Write them on the lines below the story.

Nouns Review 1

Tell whether each noun is common or proper. Write the plural of each word.

Replace with Proper Nouns

Make the story more interesting by replacing the common nouns with proper

Sort the Common and Proper Nouns

Underline the common nouns and circle the proper nouns.

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Noun Worksheets

A person, place of thing.

These grammar worksheets help kids learn to recognize and use nouns . A noun is a word for a person, place or thing. Our nouns worksheets also cover plural nouns, common and proper nouns, possessive nouns, collective nouns and abstract nouns.

Grade 1 nouns worksheets

• Identifying simple nouns as a person, place or thing
• Identifying nouns in sentences
• Completing sentences with nouns
• Identifying plural nouns
• Making nouns plural by adding "s" or "es"
• Identifying common and proper nouns
• Making nouns possessive by adding apostrophe plus s

Grade 2 nouns worksheets

• Classifying nouns: person place or thing
• Writing nouns in your own sentences
• Capitalize common and proper nouns appropriately
• Identify singular and plural nouns
• Plural nouns: nouns ending in "y"
• Plural nouns: nouns ending in a vowel plus y
• Irregular plural nouns
• Collective nouns

Grade 3 nouns worksheets

• Classifying nouns as a person, place or thing
• Nouns as direct objects
• Countable and uncountable nouns
• Regular plural nouns
• Irregular nouns
• Concrete and abstract nouns

Sample Nouns Worksheet

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Common and Proper Nouns KS2 worksheet

Subject: English

Age range: 5-7

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

18 January 2021

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A simple worksheet with explanations and questions around common and proper nouns. Suitable for KS2 recap and revision. Perfect for home learning as everything is on the sheet. Full editable in word.

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Is homework a common noun

Yes, the noun 'homework' is a common noun, a word for any kind of homework or anyone.

A proper noun is the name of a specific person, place, or thing: Shakespeare , Brazil , Coca Cola. Yes, homework is a common noun.

Anonymous ∙

Add your answer:

What type of noun is the word homework?

The noun 'homework' is a common, compound, abstract, uncountable noun; a word for a form of study or preparation; a word for a concept.

Is homework an abstract uncountable noun?

No, the noun 'homework' is simply a common, compound, abstract noun, a word for a thing.A collective noun is a word used to group people or things taken together as one whole. The collective noun for homework is a slew of homework.The noun 'homework' is an uncountable noun called an aggregate noun, a word representing an indefinite number of elements or parts.

What is the plural form of the word homework?

The collective noun for the noun 'homework' is a slew of homework.

Is homework a noun or a verb?

Homework is a noun. Ex:I am doing my homework.Go do your homework.You have homework tonight.It is a noun because it is a thing YEY.

What type of speech is homework?

Homework is a noun.

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Get Answers to all your Questions

Homework is common noun Or proper noun?

Answers (1).

Homework is a common noun as it is a term which widely covers all schoolwork given for home. 

While English homework or Hindi homework are proper noun as they name a specific kind of homework. 

Deependra Verma

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