Common and Proper Nouns — Answer Key
Part A: Sort the Words
Sort each word or number into the correct category box.
1. Read each word. Sort it into the correct group: common noun or proper noun.
Common Noun
riverdaycountry Proper Noun
AmazonFridayCanada The words river, day, and country are general and can mean any river, day, or country, so they are common nouns. Amazon, Friday, and Canada each name one specific one, which makes them proper nouns.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The word "lake" is a common noun because it names any lake.
Since lake does not point to one specific lake, it fits the common noun category. Any body of water we could call a lake is covered by this word.
2. The name "Friday" is a proper noun because it names one special day.
Friday is the name of one particular day of the week, not just any day. Names like this are proper nouns and always start with a capital letter.
3. We always write proper nouns with a capital letter at the start.
Starting a proper noun with a capital letter is a rule of English writing. It signals that the word names a specific person, place, or thing.
4. The word "book" names any book, so it is a common noun.
The word book can mean any book on any shelf. Words like this that name things in general are common nouns, so no capital letter is needed.
5. The name "Canada" is a proper noun because it names one special country.
Canada is the name of one specific country, not just any country. That is why it is a proper noun and always gets a capital C.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. The word "Saturday" is a proper noun.
True False
True. Saturday is one specific day of the week, so it is a proper noun. That is why it always begins with a capital S.
2. The word "mountain" is a proper noun.
True False
False. The word mountain can mean any mountain, which makes it a common noun. A proper noun would be a specific one like Mount Everest.
3. Names of countries are proper nouns.
True False
True. A country's name points to one specific place, like Mexico or Japan, so it is always a proper noun with a capital letter.
4. A proper noun can start with a lowercase letter.
True False
False. Proper nouns must always start with an uppercase letter. Writing a name like mary instead of Mary would break that rule.