Level: A1-A2
Proper vs Common Nouns — Practice
Tell apart proper nouns (specific names, always capitalized) from common nouns (general names). Includes the simple “specific or general?” test, the brand-name lowercase exception (iPad, eBay), and a matching game with 25 common-noun / proper-noun pairs. Click any word to hear it.
Builds on Nouns — the guide Next in unit Abstract Nouns →
Note: In the list below, both common and proper nouns are written with a capital letter only because this is a list. In normal sentences, common nouns (like river, city, dog) are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. Proper nouns (like London, Monday, Mount Everest) always begin with a capital letter.
- Common Nouns
- Superhero – Common
- River – Common
- Holiday – Common
- Religion – Common
- Month – Common
- Day – Common
- City – Common
- Composer – Common
- Boy – Common
- Car – Common
- Language – Common
- Man – Common
- Ocean – Common
- Ball – Common
- Tree – Common
- Flower – Common
- Continent – Common
- Dog – Common
- State – Common
- Country – Common
- Restaurant – Common
- Waitress – Common
- Title – Common
- Literature – Common
- Bike – Common
- Proper Nouns
- Batman – Proper
- Mississippi River – Proper
- Fourth of July – Proper
- Buddhism – Proper
- December – Proper
- Monday – Proper
- London – Proper
- Ludwig van Beethoven – Proper
- Peter – Proper
- Volvo – Proper
- Spanish – Proper
- Europe – Proper
- Christmas – Proper
- Hinduism – Proper
- Pepsi – Proper
- iPhone – Proper
- iTunes – Proper
- eBay – Proper
- Google – Proper
- The Moon – Proper
- Ford – Proper
- Titanic – Proper
- Mount Everest – Proper
- Norway – Proper
- Africa – Proper