Proper Nouns: Meaning, Examples with Practice Exercise

Proper Nouns: Proper nouns are an integral part of the English Grammar. They are important for students to learn because of their ability to uniquely identify and distinguish special identities. The proper noun refers to specific, unique individuals, places, organizations, or things. Some of examples of proper nouns are the Taj Mahal, The Golden Temple, Sita, Macbook, etc. In this blog post, you will learn the definition of proper nouns with the help of examples. You will also get the thrilling exercise along with the rules of capitalization followed while using proper nouns in a sentence effectively.

What are Proper Nouns?

Proper Nouns are the particular names given to persons, places, animals, things, or ideas. Proper nouns are always capitalized in the sentence whether they are used in the beginning or at the end of the sentence. Therefore, proper nouns make the sentence more clear and vivid. Let us understand the proper nouns with the help of the example, Rita is a famous actor. In this sentence, Rita is the name of the particular person so it is a proper noun and is written in capitals.

Also Read: Sentence Rearrangement Tricks

Examples of Proper Nouns

Here are some of the common examples of common nouns used in the sentences. Let us read them carefully for the proper understanding of the concept.

1. Person: Sarah is planning to visit New York City during her summer vacation.
2. Place: The Eiffel Tower in Paris is an iconic symbol of France.
3. Organization: Apple Inc. is launching its latest product next week.
4. City: Tokyo hosted the 2020 Summer Olympics.
5. Country: Australia is known for its unique wildlife.
6. Mountain: Mount Everest is the world’s highest peak.
7. River: The Amazon River is the second-longest river in the world.
8. Book Title: “To Kill a Mockingbird” is a classic novel by Harper Lee.
9. Movie Title: “The Shawshank Redemption” is considered one of the greatest films of all time.
10. Brand: Coca-Cola is a well-known global beverage company.
11. Historical Event: The Renaissance had a profound impact on European art and culture.
12. Scientific Discovery: Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity revolutionized physics.
13. Artwork: The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is housed in the Louvre Museum.
14. Planet: Mars is often referred to as the “Red Planet.”
15. Constellation: Orion is a prominent constellation in the night sky.
16. Landmark: The Great Wall of China is visible from space.
17. Holiday: Thanksgiving is a time for family gatherings in the United States.
18. Fictional Character: Harry Potter is the protagonist in J.K. Rowling’s book series.
19. Sporting Event: The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched events in American sports.
20. Musical Group: The Beatles are considered one of the greatest bands in music history.

Also Read: Clauses: Meaning, Types, and Examples

Rules of Capitalisation With Proper Nouns

The following rules must be followed to improve the readability of the context Some of them are highlighted below.

• Days and months are always capitalized. For example, I will go there on Wednesday.
• Capitalize the names of the relationship only if they highlight a specific name. For example, I love my Dad.
• Days and Months are always capitalized in a sentence. For example, Schools will reopen in June.
• Nationalities and Countries to be capitalized. For example, I am going on a trip to Dubai.
• Brand names are always capitalized. For example, I bought Nike sneakers.
• The names of the languages are always capitalized. For example English, Tamil, Hindi
• Events of historical importance, eras, and periods are always capitalized.

Also Read: Noun and its Types

Practice Exercise on Proper Nouns

Pick out the common nouns from the following sentences.

1. Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa.
2. Elon Musk is the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla.
3. The Great Barrier Reef is a natural wonder located in Australia.
4. Shakespeare’s plays are still widely performed around the world.
5. The Nile River is the longest river in the world.
6. Starbucks is known for its speciality coffee drinks.
7. The Mona Lisa is displayed in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
8. The Amazon Rainforest is home to a diverse range of plant and animal species.
9. Harvard University is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world.
10. The Beatles were a revolutionary band in the history of music.

Answers 

Match the answers with the solved exercise.

1. Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa.
2. Elon Musk is the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla.
3. The Great Barrier Reef is a natural wonder located in Australia.
4. Shakespeare’s plays are still widely performed around the world.
5. The Nile River is the longest in the world.
6. Starbucks is known for its speciality coffee drinks.
7. The Mona Lisa is displayed in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
8. The Amazon Rainforest is home to a diverse range of plant and animal species.
9. Harvard University is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world.
10. The Beatles were a revolutionary band in the history of music.

Read More

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