Proper nouns: What they are and what they do

To put it simply, proper nouns are the specific names of people, places, or things. Here’s a breakdown:  

What they are

• A proper noun is a noun that identifies a particular person, place, or thing.  
• This sets them apart from common nouns, which are general names.  
• A key characteristic of proper nouns is that they are always capitalized in English.  

What they do

• Provide specificity
  • They allow us to pinpoint exact entities. Instead of saying “a city,” we can say “London.” Instead of “a person,” we can say “Marie Curie.”  
• Create clarity
  • Proper nouns eliminate ambiguity. They make it clear which specific person, place, or thing is being referred to.  
• Examples:
  • People: John Smith, Albert Einstein, Queen Victoria  
  • Places: Paris, the Eiffel Tower, the Amazon River, Canada  
  • Organizations: Google, United Nations, Red Cross  
  • Days and Months: Monday, January
  • Holidays: Christmas, Thanksgiving  
  • Brands: Nike, Coca-Cola  

In essence, proper nouns give unique names to things, helping us to be precise in our communication.

For continued learning:

• All about nouns in English
• Proper nouns
• Common nouns
• Concrete nouns
• Abstract nouns
• Collective nouns
• Countable nouns
• Uncountable nouns

Advertisement