Sort common and proper nouns

key notes :

Definition of Nouns:

  • Nouns are words that name people, places, things, or ideas.

Common Nouns:

  • Definition: Common nouns refer to general names of people, places, things, or ideas.
  • Examples: dog, city, teacher, book, car
  • Characteristics: Not capitalized unless they start a sentence.

Proper Nouns:

  • Definition: Proper nouns refer to specific names of people, places, or organizations.
  • Examples: Max (a dog’s name), New York (a city), Mrs. Smith (a teacher’s name), Harry Potter (a book title)
  • Characteristics: Always capitalized.

Sorting Exercise:

  • Activity: Provide a list of words and have students sort them into “Common Nouns” and “Proper Nouns” categories.
  • Example Words:
    • Common Nouns: apple, school, river, friend
    • Proper Nouns: Monday, Paris, John, Toyota

Identifying Proper Nouns:

  • Look for words that name specific people, places, or things.
  • Proper nouns will always start with a capital letter.

Identifying Common Nouns:

  • Look for words that name general items, not specific ones.
  • Common nouns do not start with a capital letter unless they are at the beginning of a sentence.

let’s practice!