Proper Nouns

Overview

A proper noun is the specific name of one particular person, place, organisation, or thing. It does not name a general type or category. It names one unique individual or specific thing. London is a proper noun because there is only one London. Maria is a proper noun because it is one specific person's name. Monday is a proper noun because it names one specific day of the week.

A proper noun always begins with a capital letter, no matter where it appears in a sentence. This is different from common nouns, which only use a capital letter at the very start of a sentence. If a word is capitalised in the middle of a sentence, it is almost certainly a proper noun.

What Proper Nouns Name

Proper nouns name things that are specific and unique. Every category below follows the same rule: always use a capital letter.

Names of People

The first and last names of real people are proper nouns. Titles used directly before a person's name are also capitalised.

When a title such as doctor or teacher is used as a general word without a specific name, it is a common noun and does not need a capital letter.

Names of Places

Specific countries, cities, streets, rivers, mountains, and other named locations are proper nouns.

Days of the Week and Months of the Year

All days of the week and all months of the year are proper nouns in English. They always begin with a capital letter.

Languages and Nationalities

The names of languages and nationalities are proper nouns and always take a capital letter.

Names of Organisations and Companies

The official names of organisations, companies, schools, and institutions are proper nouns.

Titles of Books, Films, and Songs

The main words in the titles of books, films, songs, and other creative works are capitalised. Small connecting words such as a, an, the, and, of, and in are usually not capitalised unless they are the first word of the title.

Proper Nouns vs. Common Nouns

A common noun names a general type. A proper noun names a specific individual within that type.

Common Mistakes

Not Capitalising Days of the Week

Days of the week are proper nouns. In English, they always begin with a capital letter.

Not Capitalising Months of the Year

Months are proper nouns, just like days.

Not Capitalising Languages and Nationalities

The names of languages and nationalities come from proper names of countries and regions, so they are always capitalised.

Capitalising Common Nouns by Mistake

A common noun does not need a capital letter just because it seems important. Only specific names are proper nouns.

Forgetting to Capitalise Proper Nouns Later in a Sentence

Every proper noun in a sentence needs a capital letter, including those that do not appear at the start.

Using a Capital Letter for "the" Before a Place Name

When the article the appears before a place name, only the proper noun itself is capitalised. The word the stays in lowercase.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Identify the Proper Nouns

Read each sentence and write down all the proper nouns.

1. Maria lives in Paris with her family.
2. He studies Spanish at school on Wednesdays.
3. The company is called Apple and its offices are in California.
4. She was born in July and her brother was born in March.
5. Mr. Lee teaches at Riverside Academy in London.

Exercise 2: Common Noun or Proper Noun?

Write CN for common noun or PN for proper noun.

1. river ___
2. Amazon ___
3. Tuesday ___
4. month ___
5. French ___
6. language ___
7. Google ___
8. company ___
9. city ___
10. Seoul ___

Exercise 3: Add the Capital Letters

Rewrite each sentence with the correct capital letters.

1. she lives in sydney, australia.
2. my class is on monday and thursday.
3. he speaks arabic and english very well.
4. they visited the eiffel tower in paris last august.
5. mrs. kim teaches at greenwood school in new york.
6. the meeting is on friday in november.

Exercise 4: Correct the Mistake

Each sentence has one capitalisation mistake. Rewrite the sentence correctly.

1. She is a very good Teacher at the local school.
2. My birthday is in october, on a Friday.
3. He speaks spanish and lives in Madrid.
4. They live near the thames in London.
5. She works for sony in Tokyo, japan.

Exercise 5: Write a Proper Noun for Each Common Noun

Write one proper noun for each common noun below.

1. city → _______________
2. language → _______________
3. day → _______________
4. month → _______________
5. country → _______________
6. person (a name) → _______________
7. company → _______________
8. river → _______________

Summary

Proper nouns always begin with a capital letter, wherever they appear in a sentence. Common nouns do not. That single rule covers every category in this lesson.