Identify common and proper nouns

Learning Objectives Define a common noun and provide an example. Define a proper noun and provide an example. Identify common nouns within a sentence. Identify proper nouns within a sentence. Apply the capitalization rule to proper nouns in their own writing. Sort a list of nouns into 'common' and 'proper' categories. Have you ever wondered why your friend's name, like 'Sarah', starts with a big letter, but the word 'friend' doesn't? 🤔 Let's solve the mystery! Today, we are going to learn about two special types of nouns: common nouns and proper nouns. Knowing the difference helps us understand what we read and makes our own writing much clearer and more professional. It's a super important skill for becoming a gr...

TermDefinitionExample NounA word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.The teacher went to the school to get a book. Common NounA general name for any person, place, or thing. These nouns are not capitalized unless they are at the beginning of a sentence.girl, state, dog, holiday Proper NounThe specific name of a particular person, place, or thing. These nouns are always capitalized.Amelia, Texas, Fido, Christmas Capital LetterThe 'big' or 'uppercase' version of a letter (like A, B, C) used to start sentences and for all proper nouns.We use a capital 'M' for the month of March. SpecificMeaning one special or particular one, not just any one.Not just any 'city', but the specific city of 'Paris'.

The Capitalization Rule Proper nouns always begin with a capital letter. Use this rule whenever you write the specific name of a person, pet, place, day of the week, month, or holiday. If a proper noun has more than one word, like 'Statue of Liberty', you usually capitalize the important words. The General vs. Specific Test Ask yourself: 'Is this a general name or a specific name?' To decide if a noun is common or proper, use this test. If the word is a general category (like 'boy'), it's a common noun. If it's a specific name you could point to (like 'David'), it's a proper noun.