What is a Noun?
A noun is a word that names a person, place, animal, thing, or idea. Think of nouns as naming words – they give names to everything around us!
Let’s look at some examples:
– Person: teacher, doctor, sister, uncle
– Place: school, park, kitchen, hospital
– Animal: elephant, cat, bird, fish
– Thing: book, pencil, chair, phone
– Idea: happiness, love, courage, peace
Types of Nouns
Today, we’ll learn about two important types of nouns: Common Nouns and Proper Nouns.
Common Nouns
Common nouns are general names for people, places, animals, or things. They are not specific and do not need a capital letter unless they start a sentence.
Examples of common nouns:
– girl (any girl)
– city (any city)
– dog (any dog)
– book (any book)
Proper Nouns
Proper nouns are special names for specific people, places, animals, or things. They always start with a capital letter.
Examples of proper nouns:
– Sarah (a specific girl)
– New York (a specific city)
– Max (a specific dog)
– Harry Potter (a specific book)
Fun Examples to Remember
Let’s look at some pairs of common nouns and proper nouns:
Common Noun → Proper Noun
country → India
river → Mississippi
month → December
holiday → Christmas
school → Lincoln Elementary
restaurant → McDonald’s
Look at how one common noun can have many proper noun examples. Study these groups carefully:
Mountains → Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Fuji, Rocky Mountains, Himalayas
Countries → India, Japan, France, Brazil, Egypt
Oceans → Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean
Cities → New York, Tokyo, London, Paris, Mumbai
Rivers → Mississippi River, Nile River, Amazon River, Thames River
Planets → Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury Sports
Teams → Chicago Bulls, New York Yankees, Manchester United, Real Madrid
Fast Food Restaurants → McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, KFC
Months → January, February, March, April
Days → Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday
Superheroes → Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Wonder Woman
Books → Harry Potter, The Cat in the Hat, Charlotte’s Web
Car Brands → Toyota, Honda, Ford, BMW, Mercedes
Remember!
– Common nouns name any person, place, animal, or thing
– Proper nouns name specific people, places, animals, or things
– Proper nouns always start with a capital letter
– Common nouns only start with a capital letter when they begin a sentence
