Definition of Proper Nouns
What is a proper noun?
Proper nouns are specific names for people, places, or things. They are usually capitalized.
What are examples of general proper nouns?
Examples:
Names of people: Serena Williams or Joyce
Geographical locations: São Paulo or Seattle,
Titles of books, movies, songs, and other media: Lord of the Rings or the Empire State Building.
Kentucky
Geographical Name
When should a capitalization be used?
When referring to a specific person, a place, or an organization, the words should be capitalized.
What is the definition of a personal name and a product name?
Personal names are proper nouns that identify individual people. These include first names, last names, and titles. Product names are proper nouns that refer to specific brands and products.
What are examples of a Personal Names and Product Names?
Examples:
Personal Names -
John Smith
Dr. Jane Doe
President Abraham Lincoln
Product Names -
iPhone
Coca-Cola
PlayStation 5
Iron Man
Personal Name
True/False - General directions are capitalized, and specific regions are not capitalized in sentences.
False
Cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west) are not capitalized when used as general directions or locations. However, the same words are capitalized when they refer to specific regions.
What is the definition of Geographical Names?
Geographical names refer to specific locations on Earth, such as cities, countries, rivers, and mountains.
What are some examples of Geographical Names?
Examples:
Paris, France
Amazon River
Mount Everest
Microsoft
Company Name
The ___ word of a sentence is always capitalized, as well as the ___ word of a quotation and the ___ word after a colon, but only when it introduces a complete sentence.
First
What is the meaning/use of Company Names and Institutional Names?
These proper nouns denote the names of businesses and organizations.
Institutional names apply to organizations like schools, universities, and government bodies.
What are some examples of Company Names and Institutional Names?
Examples:
Company Names -
Apple Inc.
United Nations
Institutional Names -
Harvard University
NASA
The World Health Organization
University of Central Arkansas
Institutional Name
True/False - Common Nouns require capitalization in general like Proper Nouns.
False
Common nouns, unlike proper nouns, do not require capitalization unless they are the first word in a sentence or part of a title.
What is the meaning/use of Historical Events/Periods and Days/Months?
Proper nouns referring to significant events and historical periods contain specific dates or timeframes.
Days of the week and months of the year are also proper nouns.
What are some examples of Historical Events/Periods and Days/Months?
Examples:
Historical Events/Periods -
World War II
The Renaissance
The Industrial Revolution
Days/Months -
Monday
July
December
The Salem Witch Trials
Historical Event/Period