Proper Nouns

 Nouns are words that we use all the time without even thinking about it and they are part of our everyday life that we take for granted.  All nouns fall into one of two groups - they are either proper nouns or they are common nouns - and it is essential, especially when reading and writing, to use them correctly.

 

 

What is a Proper Noun?

A proper noun is a name that is specific to something - like a place name or a person’s name - and not just a generic name.  Proper nouns always have a capital letter no matter where they are in a sentence, which helps to distinguish them from common nouns.

 

 

How to use Proper Nouns

Proper nouns should be used they are giving a specific name for a person, place or item and they should always have a capital letter, no matter where in the sentence they are.

 

For example -

His name is John.

 

She was reading To Kill A Mockingbird.

 

They both went to West Park High School.

 

The royal family live in Buckingham Palace.

 

I’m going to Australia for the summer.

 

Can you come downstairs, Mum?

 

Dad has asked you to come downstairs now.

(In this sentence Dad is the proper noun as it is a specific name, even though it would be capitalized anyway at the beginning of the sentence.)

 

Tom has a shop called Tom’s Tacos.

(In this sentence both “Tom” and “Tom’s Tacos” are proper nouns as they are both giving a specific name.)

 

Suzie and John live with their parents in a house on Pine Street.

 

 

Common Nouns v Proper Nouns

A common noun is the opposite of a proper noun as it is a generic name for something, not a specific one.  A common noun is never capitalized unless it is at the beginning of a sentence or in a title.  Common nouns can be a generic name for a group, place, person, item etc.

 

All nouns are naming something, but a proper noun is when something is given a specific name, while a common noun is when something is given a generic name.

 

For example -

She went to school.

School is a common noun as it is a generic name for a place.

 

She went to West Park High School.

This sentence uses a proper noun as it is a specific name for the school.

 

Please ask your mum to come downstairs.

Mum is a common noun in this sentence as it is a generic term.

 

Can you come downstairs, Mum?

In this sentence, it is a proper noun as it is the specific name for the person being spoken to.

 

Suzie asked her aunt if she could stay with her for the weekend.

In this sentence, Suzie is the proper noun as it is her specific name, while aunt is a common noun as it is a generic name.

 

Can I stay with you for the weekend please, Aunt Bess?

Here, aunt is a proper noun along with Bess as it is a specific name for her.