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Published on: Jun 16, 2024
Last updated on: Aug 7, 2024
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines proper nouns as: “a noun (such as Seattle, Bryce, or Empire State Building) that refers to a particular being or thing and does not take a limiting modifier. Such nouns are usually capitalized in English”
Proper nouns are capitalized to distinguish them from common nouns. Essentially, they are unique identifiers for specific entities.
For instance, John is a proper noun because it refers to a particular person, whereas man is a common noun because it can refer to any male individual. So, proper nouns help you pinpoint exactly what or who you're talking about in a sentence.
We’ll go over this specific part of speech with examples to see how you should use them in sentences. At first, we’ll compare proper nouns with common nouns to help you grasp the difference from the get-go!
Proper nouns and common nouns are both types of nouns used in the English language, but they serve different purposes.
Common Nouns:
Proper Nouns:
Let’s take a look at some proper and common noun examples in sentences.
In the above examples, proper nouns are highlighted in green, and common nouns are highlighted in blue.
Here's a table that contains common and proper nouns list that contain examples of both noun types side by side.
Common Nouns | Proper Nouns |
dog | Rover |
cat | Fluffy |
city | New York |
book | Harry Potter |
car | Toyota Camry |
computer | Apple MacBook |
fruit | Banana |
country | France |
river | Nile |
movie | Titanic |
In this table, the common nouns represent general entities, whereas the proper nouns refer to specific individuals, places, or things.
Let’s now understand how should you capitalize different types of proper nouns in the following part of the blog. We’ll make things easier for you with the help of proper nouns example sentences as well.
At the start of a sentence, there's a strict rule: always capitalize proper nouns, no matter what. This means, that even if a proper noun doesn't normally start with a capital letter, it should be capitalized when it's the first word in a sentence.
Capitalize the names of individuals, including their first names, last names, and any titles used with their names.
Here are some proper nouns example sentences:
Proper nouns referring to specific geographic locations should be capitalized. These include cities, countries, states, rivers, mountains, streets, parks, and buildings.
For example:
When referring to specific brands, trademarks, or companies, you should capitalize their names. This allows you to stay consistent in your writing. However, when dealing with common-use products, it isn’t necessary to capitalize them.
For example:
Capitalize the names of days, months, and holidays. By doing so, you draw attention to their importance and set them apart from ordinary nouns.
For example:
Titles of books, movies, songs, plays, poems, and other creative works should always be capitalized to highlight their significance.
For example:
Proper adjectives are derived from proper nouns and should be capitalized. When you're talking about things related to a specific person, place, or thing, capitalize the adjective derived from it. This helps in identifying them distinctly.
For instance, when you mention something related to the United States, like “American history,” you should capitalize American because it's derived from the proper noun “America.”
Similarly, when you’re discussing literature associated with William Shakespeare, capitalize “Shakespearean” as in “Shakespearean literature”. It's directly connected to Shakespeare's works.
Let’s take a look at some scenarios when you should not use capitalization rules for proper nouns.
Generic Use:
You should avoid capitalizing proper nouns when they are used in a generic or common context. This rule makes sure that proper nouns retain their specific identity. For example, in the phrase “I like to eat french fries”, french remains lowercase because it's used generically.
Species Names:
In biological contexts, species names are not capitalized unless they include a proper noun. For instance, humans and dogs remain lowercase, while African elephant and German shepherd are capitalized due to the inclusion of proper nouns.
Some nouns can function as both proper nouns and common nouns, depending on how they're used in a sentence. Let's break it down:
Common nouns like "mom" and "grandpa" are capitalized only when used as names (without determiners like "my" or "the").
Proper: Grandpa, tell us a story from when you were young.
Common: His grandpa always took him fishing on Sundays
You should capitalize job titles when they’re used in the sentence to name someone. Other than that, you don’t need to capitalize them.
Proper: Please welcome Chief Executive Officer Sarah Johnson to the stage.
Common: The new chief executive officer has ambitious plans for the company's expansion.
Remember that directions are only capitalized when they’re used as part of a specific place's name or used in a political or cultural sense.
Proper: They traveled from North Dakota to South Carolina.
Common: Head north on Main Street until you reach the park
Similarly, seasons are usually common nouns and are not capitalized unless they are part of a specific title or reference to a particular period.
Proper: The Spring Festival celebrates the arrival of spring.
Common: I love springtime.
To test the knowledge you’ve gained through our guide, let's try identifying common and proper nouns using a worksheet. On the left side, proper nouns are listed, and you have to write suitable common nouns in the right column.
Proper Noun | Common Nouns |
Paris | |
Michael | |
Amazon | |
Eiffel Tower | |
Mona Lisa | |
United States | |
Harry Potter | |
Mount Everest | |
Beyoncé |
Here are the answers:
To wrap things up,
In this blog, we've made proper nouns easy to understand, using examples like names of people and places. We've explained when to use capital letters and offered simple rules for writers to follow. We hope that this blog has enabled you to improve your writing.
Our goal is to help you grasp proper nouns better, so you can describe things accurately when you write. Feel free to come back to this guide whenever you need help with proper nouns!
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If you want to learn more about academic writing, grammar, and related concepts, check out these blogs.
Grammar | Writing | Citation | ||
Clauses | ||||
Adjective | ||||
Adverbs | ||||
Conjunction | ||||
Interjection |
When it comes to naming animals, there are plenty of proper nouns to choose from. For instance:
Let’s explore some examples of proper nouns for things:
WRITTEN BY
Caleb S. (Mass Literature and Linguistics, Masters)
Caleb S. is an accomplished author with over five years of experience and a Master's degree from Oxford University. He excels in various writing forms, including articles, press releases, blog posts, and whitepapers. As a valued author at MyEssayWriter.ai, Caleb assists students and professionals by providing practical tips on research, citation, sentence structure, and style enhancement.
Caleb S. is an accomplished author with over five years of experience and a Master's degree from Oxford University. He excels in various writing forms, including articles, press releases, blog posts, and whitepapers. As a valued author at MyEssayWriter.ai, Caleb assists students and professionals by providing practical tips on research, citation, sentence structure, and style enhancement.
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