Nouns (Common & Proper) — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Which word is a proper noun?
A) lamp
B) river
C) Kenya
D) house
Kenya is the name of one specific country, which makes it a proper noun that begins with a capital K. Lamp, river, and house name everyday things, so they are common nouns.
2. Which word is a common noun?
A) Jada
B) Mars
C) table
D) Dr. Ruiz
Table names any table, not a special one, so it is a common noun. Jada, Mars, and Dr. Ruiz all name a particular person or place, so those are proper nouns.
3. Which sentence has a common noun?
A) I see Jill.
B) She has a doll.
C) He is Tom.
D) We go to Rome.
Doll is a common noun because it names any doll, not a specific one. The other sentences use the proper nouns Jill, Tom, and Rome.
4. How many proper nouns: Ella and Max went to the zoo?
A) 0
B) 1
C) 2
D) 3
Ella and Max are both names of people, so each one is a proper noun, giving 2 proper nouns in the sentence. The words went, the, and zoo are not names of specific things.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. The word city is a common noun.
City names any city in general, not one particular city like Denver or Miami, so it is a common noun.
2. Lake Erie is a proper noun.
Lake Erie is the name of one specific lake, so it is a proper noun, and both Lake and Erie begin with capital letters.
3. A common noun does not name a specific thing.
A common noun names something in a general way, like cat or street, instead of pointing to one specific cat or street with a name.
4. We always capitalize the first letter of a proper noun.
To show that a proper noun names something special, we always capitalize the first letter, like the K in Kenya or the S in Sam.
5. King School is a proper noun.
King School is the name of one particular school, so it is a proper noun, and both words start with a capital letter.