Common nouns are words that refer to general things or ideas. They are not specific to any one particular thing and can be used to describe many different things of the same kind. Examples of common nouns include “dog,” “book,” and “table.”
Proper nouns, on the other hand, are specific names or titles that refer to a specific person, place, or thing. Proper nouns are always capitalized, even in the middle of a sentence. Examples of proper nouns include “Bob,” “New York,” and “Microsoft.”
One way to remember the difference between common and proper nouns is to think about whether the noun is specific or general. If it is specific, it is a proper noun. If it is general, it is a common noun. For example, “teacher” is a common noun because it refers to any type of teacher, while “Mrs. Smith” is a proper noun because it refers to a specific person. “Country” is a common noun because it refers to any country, while “Japan” is a proper noun because it refers to a specific country.
In addition to person, place, and thing, proper nouns can also refer to specific titles or organizations. For example, “The New York Times” is a proper noun because it refers to a specific newspaper, and “The United Nations” is a proper noun because it refers to a specific organization.
