COMMON AND PROPER NOUNS

COMMON AND PROPER NOUNS

Common nouns do not name a specific person, place, thing or idea. Common nouns are not capitalized unless they are at the beginning of a sentence or part of a title.

Proper nouns are words that name a specific person, place, thing or idea. Proper nouns are capitalized so the reader can tell them apart from common nouns.

Examples

Proper - George Washington

Common - man

Proper - White House

Common - building

Proper - United States Constitution

Common - document