English Language Arts
Grade 4
15 min
Identify common and proper nouns
Identify common and proper nouns
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define the terms 'common noun' and 'proper noun'.
Differentiate between a general noun and a specific noun.
Identify common and proper nouns within a sentence.
Correctly capitalize proper nouns.
Sort a list of mixed nouns into 'common' and 'proper' categories.
Explain why a given noun is common or proper, based on the rules of capitalization and specificity.
Have you ever wondered why your name starts with a capital letter, but the word 'student' doesn't? 🤔 Let's investigate the secret identities of words!
In this lesson, we will explore two types of nouns: common and proper. Learning the difference will help you become a more precise and professional writer, making your stories and reports eas...
2
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
NounA word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.The girl (person) went to the school (place) with her book (thing) to learn about friendship (idea).
Common NounThe general name for any person, place, thing, or idea. It is not capitalized unless it begins a sentence.The dog chased the ball in the park. ('dog', 'ball', and 'park' are all common nouns).
Proper NounThe specific name of a particular person, place, thing, or organization. It always begins with a capital letter.Fido chased the ball in Central Park. ('Fido' and 'Central Park' are proper nouns).
CapitalizationUsing an uppercase letter (like A, B, C) at the beginning of a word.We capitalize the first word of a sentence and all proper nouns, like 'Mon...
3
Key Rules & Conventions
The Capitalization Rule
Proper nouns always begin with a capital letter. Common nouns are not capitalized unless they are the first word of a sentence.
Use this rule as your biggest clue! If you see a noun in the middle of a sentence that is capitalized, it is almost always a proper noun.
The 'Specific vs. General' Test
Ask yourself: 'Is this the name for ANY one of these, or the name for ONE SPECIFIC one?'
If the noun is a general name (any 'boy', any 'river', any 'school'), it's a common noun. If it's a specific name (the one and only 'Peter', the 'Nile River', 'Lincoln Elementary School'), it's a proper noun.
The Multi-Word Proper Noun Rule
In a proper noun with multiple w...
4 more steps in this tutorial
Sign up free to access the complete tutorial with worked examples and practice.
Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
Read the paragraph. How many proper nouns are used? 'My friend Maria and I are planning a trip. We want to visit London next summer. We will fly on British Airways and stay near the River Thames.'
A.3
B.6
C.4
D.5
Challenging
The word 'president' can be a common or proper noun. In which sentence is 'president' used as a proper noun?
A.The president of the club gave a speech.
B.We learned about President Lincoln in class.
C.I want to be the president one day.
D.Every country has a leader, who might be a president or a prime minister.
Challenging
A sentence contains two nouns. One is a common noun that is a category, and the other is a proper noun that is an example from that category. Which sentence fits this description?
A.My favorite planet is Jupiter.
B.The boy kicked the red ball.
C.I live in a big house.
D.We saw lions at the zoo.
Want to practice and check your answers?
Sign up to access all questions with instant feedback, explanations, and progress tracking.
Start Practicing Free