Capital Letters: Giving Names the Respect They Deserve
What are proper nouns?
Proper nouns are names of specific people, places, or things. We use capital letters to show them respect and make them stand out.
Types of Proper Nouns
-
People:
- Names: John, Mary, Sarah
- Titles when used with names: Dr. Smith, President Obama, Aunt Susan
-
Places:
- Cities: London, New York, Tokyo
- Countries: Canada, Mexico, China
- Geographical Features: Mount Everest, Pacific Ocean
- Streets, Parks, Buildings: Main Street, Central Park, Eiffel Tower
-
Organizations:
- Companies: Apple, Microsoft, Google
- Institutions: Harvard University, Museum of Modern Art
- Religious Groups: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism
When to Capitalize
- Always capitalize the first letter of a proper noun.
- Capitalize all important words in the name. (Example: the White House)
- Capitalize titles when they are used before a person’s name. (Example: President Biden)
Let’s Practice!
-
Fix the Capitals: Rewrite the sentences with correct capitalization.
- i live in new york city.
- my birthday is in march.
- my favorite book is harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone.
-
Name That Noun: Identify the proper nouns in these sentences.
- We went to Disneyland for vacation.
- Dr. Jones is a great dentist.
- I love watching movies on Netflix.
Challenge!
Write a paragraph about your favorite place. Use at least 3 proper nouns in your description.
Remember: Capitalizing proper nouns is a small thing, but it shows respect and helps make your writing clear.
