Proper Nouns

1. What are Proper Nouns

All nouns are words naming people, animals, places, things, and ideas. Every noun can be further classified as either common or proper. 

Proper nouns are specific and unique, while common nouns are much more general in nature, for example:

  • Would you like a biscuit? Yes please, Can I have a Jaffa Cake?

Biscuit is a general or common noun and Jaffa Cake is specific or proper noun.

2. Spelling of proper names in English

Proper names (or nouns) are capitalized in English. Here are some examples:

days of the week: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday

months: January, February, March

holidays: Easter, Christmas, Lent

names of companies: Rolls Royce, Coca Cola, Google

countries, towns: Ireland, Mexico, San Francisco

sights: Niagara Falls, Nelson’s Column, The Eiffel Tower

books, films, prizes: Gone with the Wind, the Oscar, the Nobel Prize

names of people: John, Jennie Taylor, Theodore Roosevelt

titles: Mr. Dr. Professor, General Smith