What are Proper Nouns & How Do You Use them?

In English, nouns are divided into proper and common nouns. Proper nouns refer to a specific person, thing, or object. However, common nouns are the generic name used for a person, thing, place, or object. Both common and proper nouns are opposite to each other. 

In this article, you will learn what a proper noun is, the difference between common and proper nouns, when to capitalize proper nouns, and examples of sentences using proper nouns.

What is a Proper Noun?

A proper noun is a noun that refers to the specific name of a person, thing, place, or object. It is the opposite of a common noun and is always capitalized in English. In other words, a proper noun is the real name of a person, thing, or place.

Examples of proper nouns

• New York
• Einstein
• Titanic
• Apolo
• NASA

Examples of proper nouns in Sentences

• I have been to New York.
• Albert Einstein was a scientist in Physics.
• Apolo was the first mission to the Moon.
• NASA is exploring Mars.
• She lives in London. 
• The Great Smoky Mountains is a famous tourist spot.
• The United States signed trade agreements with other nations.

Proper Noun vs. Common Noun

The difference between a common noun and a proper noun is that a common noun is the generic name of a person, thing, place, or object, such as a house, person, cat, magazine, or city. However, a proper noun is the specific name of a person, thing, or place, such as Buckingham Palace, Cynthia, or National Geographic.

The distinction between common and proper nouns is usually relatively easy. 

When we speak, it makes no difference whether a noun is a proper or a common noun because it does not impact syntax. 

However, we differentiate common and proper nouns in writing by placing capital letters.

When to Use Capital Letters with Proper Nouns

Proper nouns are always capitalized in writing, whether they appear at the beginning or in the sentences because they are the specific names of persons, places, things, or ideas.

• George Washington was the first president of the United States. 
• I was watching the debate between Trump and Joe Biden on the economy. 
• Millions of people visit New York every year. 
• We usually go to the Smokey Mountains in the fall. 

Proper Nouns with Example Sentences 

• Ali is a teacher. 
• Maria lives in a city. 
• New York is the most popular city in the world.

Final Thoughts

In English, a noun can be categorized as either a common noun or a proper noun. In other words, each noun is either common or proper but not both because they are opposite to each other.

A proper noun is the specific name of a thing, place, person, or idea, which is always capitalized in writing. On the other hand, a common noun is the general or common name of a person, thing, place, or idea.

Proper nouns are always capitalized, whereas common nouns are not capitalized unless they appear at the beginning of the sentence or as part of a title.

Proper Nouns FAQs

What is a proper noun?

Proper noun is a word that refers to a specific person, thing, place or object. It is the opposite of common noun which refers to common or generic name of a thing, place, person, or an idea.

What is an example of a proper noun?

The example of a proper noun is;

• Great Wall of China
• Egypt
• George Washington
• Dave

Can a proper noun be plural?

Yes, a proper noun can be a plural noun as long as more than one thing shares the name —for example, Johnsons, Smiths, Oscars, etc.

What is the difference between a proper noun and a common noun?

A proper noun is a specific name such as Ali, Maria, or New York. However, a common noun is a generic name of a person, place, thing, or object, such as a person, boy, girl, place, or city.

I hope this article helped you to learn proper nouns in English grammar. If you liked it, then please subscribe to our newsletter for more updates and the latest blog posts. You can also read our guide on common nouns in English. 

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