Instructions
Proper nouns are the specific names of people, places, things, days, or months. They are always capitalized. Common nouns are general and are not capitalized unless they start a sentence. Follow the instructions for each section carefully.
Section 1: Spot the Specifics (Identification)
Instructions: Read each pair of words below. Circle the word that is the Proper Noun in each pair.
- ( car / Toyota )
- ( country / Canada )
- ( teacher / Mr. Jones )
- ( planet / Mars )
- ( holiday / Thanksgiving )
Section 2: Sorting Nouns (Categorization)
Instructions: Read the list of nouns below. Determine if they are Common Nouns (general) or Proper Nouns (specific, capitalized). Write them in the correct column of the table. Remember to capitalize Proper Nouns correctly.
Nouns to Sort: park, Amazon River, dog, January, street, Saturday, eiffel tower, pencil
| Common Noun | Proper Noun |
|---|---|
| Example: cat | Example: Ms. Garcia |
Section 3: The Capitalization Challenge (Correction)
Instructions: Rewrite the following sentences, correcting all instances where a proper noun needs to be capitalized. The first sentence has been done for you.
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My favorite book is charlie and the chocolate factory. -> My favorite book is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
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We went to disneyland last friday. ->
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The movie star, brad pitt, was born in december. ->
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I bought my new sneakers at target near washington street. ->
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Every summer, my family visits my grandma in texas. ->
Section 4: The Proper Noun Quest (Application)
Instructions: Complete the short story below by filling in the blanks with appropriate proper nouns. Make sure your choices are specific names and are correctly capitalized.
My adventure began when I woke up last (1. Day of the Week). I quickly packed a bag and decided to visit the famous (2. Specific Place/Landmark). I was meeting my best friend, (3. Specific Person's Name), who lives near the big city of (4. Specific City Name).
We decided to eat lunch at a restaurant called (5. Specific Restaurant Name) before heading to the biggest sporting event of the year: the (6. Specific Team Name) vs. The Dolphins!
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(Day of the Week): __
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(Specific Place/Landmark): __
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(Specific Person's Name): __
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(Specific City Name): __
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(Specific Restaurant Name): __
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(Specific Team Name): __
Challenge Extension (Advanced)
Instructions: How many proper nouns can you find in the following common phrases?
- Valentine's Day
- The Golden Gate Bridge
- Doctor Johnson
- North America
Answer Key
Section 1: Spot the Specifics (Identification)
- Toyota
- Canada
- Mr. Jones
- Mars
- Thanksgiving
Section 2: Sorting Nouns (Categorization)
| Common Noun | Proper Noun |
|---|---|
| Example: cat | Example: Ms. Garcia |
| park | Amazon River |
| dog | January |
| street | Saturday |
| pencil | Eiffel Tower |
Section 3: The Capitalization Challenge (Correction)
- We went to Disneyland last Friday.
- The movie star, Brad Pitt, was born in December.
- I bought my new sneakers at Target near Washington Street.
- Every summer, my family visits my grandma in Texas.
Section 4: The Proper Noun Quest (Application)
(Answers will vary, but must be correctly capitalized proper nouns.)
- (Day of the Week): Example: Monday
- (Specific Place/Landmark): Example: Statue of Liberty
- (Specific Person's Name): Example: Sarah
- (Specific City Name): Example: Chicago
- (Specific Restaurant Name): Example: McDonald's
- (Specific Team Name): Example: Denver Broncos
Challenge Extension (Advanced)
- Valentine's Day (2 proper nouns: Valentine, Day)
- The Golden Gate Bridge (3 proper nouns: Golden, Gate, Bridge)
- Doctor Johnson (1 proper noun: Johnson) (Note: Doctor is a title, not part of the specific name in this context unless the entire phrase is capitalized: Dr. Johnson)
- North America (2 proper nouns: North, America)