π What are Common Nouns?
Common nouns are general names for people, places, things, or ideas. Think of them as the everyday names we use for things around us. They are not capitalized unless they start a sentence.
- π Example: The word 'country' is a common noun because it refers to any country in the world.
- π Example: The word 'dog' is a common noun because it refers to any dog.
- π« Example: The word 'school' is a common noun because it refers to any school.
π What are Proper Nouns?
Proper nouns are specific names for particular people, places, things, or ideas. They always begin with a capital letter!
- πΊπΈ Example: 'United States' is a proper noun because it refers to a specific country.
- πΎ Example: 'Buddy' is a proper noun because it refers to a specific dog.
- π Example: 'Apple Academy' is a proper noun because it refers to a specific school.
π Common Noun vs. Proper Noun: A Side-by-Side Comparison
Let's use a table to see the differences clearly:
| Feature |
Common Noun |
Proper Noun |
| Definition |
General name for a person, place, thing, or idea. |
Specific name for a particular person, place, thing, or idea. |
| Capitalization |
Not capitalized (unless at the beginning of a sentence). |
Always capitalized. |
| Examples |
city, river, month, car, president |
London, Amazon River, July, Toyota, Joe Biden |
π‘ Key Takeaways
- β
Common nouns are general and not capitalized.
- π Proper nouns are specific and always capitalized.
- π Knowing the difference helps us write clearly and correctly!