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Proper nouns refer to specific people, places, organisations, or things.

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• Proper Nouns in Use

  • Rome is famous for its cultural landmarks and rich history.
    
    
  • New Year’s Eve is celebrated with spectacular fireworks shows in cities around the globe.
    
    
  • NASA has been at the forefront of space exploration for decades.
    
    
  • Big Ben is an iconic landmark in London.
    
    
  • Alexander the Great built one of history’s largest empires without losing a single battle.

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  * Proper Nouns

The Capitalisation Rule

Proper nouns follow a specific grammatical rule in the English language: they are almost always capitalised, regardless of where they appear in a sentence.

For instance:

• Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world.
  
  
• The bustling metropolis of Tokyo attracts millions of tourists every year.
  
  
• One of the largest cities in the world is Tokyo.

Tokyo, being a specific place, is a proper noun and must always be capitalised, whether it appears at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.

In contrast, the noun city is not a proper noun because it refers to a general category rather than a specific name. There are thousands of cities in the world, but when we specify a particular one (such as Tokyo), it’s a proper noun and requires capitalisation.

Types of Proper Nouns

There are several categories of proper nouns, each naming different types of specific things:

1) Names of People: Emma, Liam

    – Liam is a skilled artist.

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2) Titles of People: Prime Minister, Professor Esdaile, Dr. Taylor, King Arthur

    – The Prime Minister addressed the nation yesterday.

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3) Names of Places: Tokyo, Rome, Mount Kilimanjaro, Canada

    – Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa.

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4) Names of Organisations: Microsoft, European Union, British Museum, National Geographic Society

    – The British Museum houses one of the world’s most extensive collections of historical artefacts.

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5) Holidays: New Year’s Day, Diwali, Thanksgiving

    – Diwali is the festival of lights.

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6) Names of Works of Art, Literature, and Media: Starry Night, Pride and Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet, Titanic, Friends

    – Starry Night is a masterpiece by Vincent van Gogh.

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7) Brand Names: Samsung, Nike, Pepsi, Coca-Cola

    – Do you prefer Pepsi or Coca-Cola?

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8) Names of Days and Months: Wednesday, Saturday, March, October

    – Our meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 22nd.

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9) Names of Specific Things: The Golden Gate Bridge, Big Ben, The Indian Ocean, Leaning Tower of Pisa

    – The Indian Ocean is the third-largest ocean in the world.

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Modern Exceptions to the Rule

While proper nouns are almost always capitalised, some modern brands intentionally use lowercase letters in their names. Examples include iPhone, iPad, and eBay. When writing these names, we follow the brand’s chosen styling, even though it breaks the traditional rule.

Multiword Proper Nouns

Multiword proper nouns, such as the British Museum or Leaning Tower of Pisa, require special attention when capitalising.

The table below shows the specific capitalisation rules of multiword proper nouns with examples:

Multiword Proper Nouns: Capitalisation Rules & Examples

Capitalisation Rule	Proper Noun Examples
Capitalise all major words in multiword proper nouns.	– British Museum – Statue of Liberty – Queen Elizabeth II of England
Minor words (e.g., of, and, the) remain lowercase within multiword proper nouns.	– Statue of Liberty – Romeo and Juliet – Alexander the Great
Capitalise ‘The’ when it’s officially part of the proper noun’s name.	– The Great Wall of China – The New York Times – The Hague
When ‘the’ is used as an article before a proper noun (not part of the official name), it remains lowercase.	– the Statue of Liberty – the Eiffel Tower – the Colosseum – the Amazon Rainforest – the Taj Mahal

Proper vs. Common Nouns

Proper nouns make more sense when we compare them to common nouns.

Common nouns refer to general categories, groups, or types of people, places, or things. They don’t name anything specific and are not capitalised unless they start a sentence.

For instance:

• Dogs are simply wonderful creatures!
  
  
• The river overflowed after heavy rainfall.
  
  
• A teacher can make a real difference in someone’s life.
  
  
• The professor brought his subject to life with his unique approach: travelling to historical battlefields, capturing his own photos, and meticulously analysing the terrain to provide engaging lessons.

Proper nouns, on the other hand, refer to specific people, places, organisations, or things and usually require capitalisation in writing.

For example:

• Golden Retrievers are simply wonderful creatures!
  
  
• The River Thames overflowed after heavy rainfall.
  
  
• Mrs. Taylor was a teacher who always inspired her students to reach their full potential.
  
  
• Professor Esdaile brought his subject to life with his unique approach: travelling to historical battlefields, capturing his own photos, and meticulously analysing the terrain to provide engaging lessons.

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The following examples show how proper and common nouns work together in different contexts:

Proper Nouns vs. Common Nouns: Examples in Context

– I love Madrid! It’s my favourite city.

– We watched The Lion King last night at the theatre.

– I would like to visit Bogotá this summer.

– We would need to drive west for about three hours to get to the West Coast.

– London is the capital of the United Kingdom.

– I went to see the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It is the tallest tower that I have seen.

– The longest river in Africa is the River Nile.

– Let me introduce you to John. He is the best fisherman on the island.

– Stories such as ‘The Odyssey’ have been told for centuries.

– I’m going to the supermarket. Would you like another bottle of Coca-Cola?

– GPS satellites use Einstein’s theory of relativity to keep our phone directions accurate.

– Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England. It was built over 5000 years ago.

To identify proper nouns, ask yourself: ‘Does this word refer to a specific place (e.g., Disneyland), person (e.g., Elvis Presley), organisation (e.g., World Health Organisation), or thing (e.g., the Earth)?’

If it does, it’s a proper noun and will typically need capitalisation. Otherwise, it’s a common noun and does not require capitalisation unless it begins a sentence.

Proper Adjectives

Adjectives that are formed from proper nouns are considered proper adjectives. These adjectives are typically capitalised, just like the proper nouns they originate from.

We use proper adjectives to describe specific things like nationality, culture, or styles connected to people, places, or historical events.

Proper Noun	Proper Adjective		Example Sentence
Italy	Italian	Italy → Italian	– Italian food is among the most beloved cuisines in the world.
Greece	Greek	Greece → Greek	– Greek mythology is filled with fascinating stories.
Shakespeare	Shakespearean	Shakespeare → Shakespearean	– Romeo and Juliet is a famous Shakespearean tragedy.

Practice Makes Perfect: Proper Nouns

Exercise 1: Identify the Proper Nouns

Identify the proper nouns in each sentence.

1. We watched Friends all weekend; we might be addicted.
   
   
2. Vincent van Gogh painted Starry Night in France.
   
   
3. Tokyo is a bustling city with a unique blend of tradition and modernity.
   
   
4. She wants to study at Cambridge University.
   
   
5. The Great Wall of China is one of the most famous landmarks in the world.
   
   
6. J.K. Rowling is the author of the Harry Potter series.
   
   
7. The River Nile is the longest river in Africa.
   
   
8. Mount Fuji in Japan is breathtaking at sunrise.
   
   
9. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to America.
   
   
10. At Christmas, we always watch Home Alone as a family.

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Exercise 1: Answers [Click]

1. Friends
2. Vincent van Gogh / Starry Night / France
3. Tokyo
4. Cambridge University
5. Great Wall of China
6. J.K. Rowling / Harry Potter
7. River Nile / Africa
8. Mount Fuji / Japan
9. Statue of Liberty / France / America
10. Christmas / Home Alone

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Exercise 2: Applying the Rule of Capitalisation

Capitalise the underlined proper nouns in each sentence.

1. I visited london and walked along the thames river.
   
   
2. chinese new year is a major festival celebrated in china, complete with dragon dances, lanterns, and family reunions.
   
   
3. We studied the impact of the treaty of versailles in history class.
   
   
4. The great barrier reef, located off the coast of australia, is a unesco world heritage site.
   
   
5. The leaning tower of pisa in italy is a must-see for tourists, provided it doesn’t become the falling tower of pisa while you’re there.

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Exercise 2: Answers [Click]

1. I visited London and walked along the Thames River.
   
   
2. Chinese New Year is a major festival celebrated in China, complete with dragon dances, lanterns, and family reunions.
   
   
3. We studied the impact of the Treaty of Versailles in history class.
   
   
4. The Great Barrier Reef, located off the coast of Australia, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
   
   
5. The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy is a must-see for tourists, provided it doesn’t become the Falling Tower of Pisa while you’re there.

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Exercise 3: Turn Proper Nouns Into Common Nouns

Replace each underlined proper noun with a common noun.

For example: J.K. Rowling wrote a bestselling novel. > The author wrote a bestselling novel.

1. Tokyo hosted the Olympic Games in 2021.
   
   
2. Italy has a rich history of art and culture.
   
   
3. Tesla unveiled its latest electric car yesterday.
   
   
4. Leonardo DiCaprio won an award for his performance.
   
   
5. London Bridge is a famous landmark in England.

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Exercise 3: Answers [Click]

1. The city hosted the Olympic Games in 2021.
   
   
2. The country has a rich history of art and culture.
   
   
3. The company unveiled its latest electric car yesterday.
   
   
4. The actor won an award for his performance.
   
   
5. The bridge is a famous landmark in England.

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Exercise 4: Sorting Common Nouns and Proper Nouns

Sort the nouns below into two groups: common nouns and proper nouns.

Nouns: cat, sydney opera house, mountain, barack obama, flower, amazon rainforest, pizza, taj mahal, earth, computer, michael jackson, ocean, harvard university, sun, london, teacher, nasa, statue of liberty, book

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Exercise 4: Answers [Click]

Common Nouns:
– cat / mountain / flower / pizza / computer / ocean / sun / teacher / book

Proper Nouns:
– Sydney Opera House / Barack Obama / Amazon Rainforest / Taj Mahal / Earth / Michael Jackson / Harvard University / London / NASA / Statue of Liberty

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Exercise 5: Identify and Capitalise the Proper Nouns

Identify the proper nouns in each sentence and capitalise them.

Note: All words are in lowercase. Focus on identifying and capitalising proper nouns only.

1. george washington led the continental army to victory during the american revolutionary war, which resulted in the united states gaining independence.
   
   
2. george washington was the first president of the united states.
   
   
3. i’ve always wanted to visit the pyramids of giza in egypt.
   
   
4. the mona lisa, housed at the louvre museum in france, is one of leonardo da vinci’s most famous works.
   
   
5. jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is regularly studied by scientists at observatories such as the keck observatory in hawaii.

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Exercise 5: Answers [Click]

1. George Washington led the Continental Army to victory during the American Revolutionary War, which resulted in the United States gaining independence.
   
   
2. George Washington was the first president of the United States.
   
   
3. I’ve always wanted to visit the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
   
   
4. The Mona Lisa, housed at the Louvre Museum in France, is one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous works.
   
   
5. Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is regularly studied by scientists at observatories such as the Keck Observatory in Hawaii.

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