Writing: Basic Mechanics and Formation (A2) - Lesson 3: Capitalizing Proper Nouns (Names of people, places - basic)

A2 Lesson 3: Capitalizing Proper Nouns (Names of People & Places)

You already know to capitalize your own name, like Sokha. This is because your name is a "Proper Noun." A Proper Noun¹ is the special, specific² name for a person, place, or thing. A Common Noun³ is the general⁴ word.

The most important rule is: Always capitalize Proper Nouns.

Common Noun vs. Proper Noun

Look at the difference between a general word and a specific name.

Common Noun (general, lowercase)	Proper Noun (specific, Capitalized)
a man	Dara
a city	Kampot
a country	Cambodia
a river	the Mekong River
a month	June
a day	Friday

Proper Nouns You Must Capitalize

1. Names of People & Titles:

My friend is named Vuthy. I spoke to Mr. Chan.

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2. Names of Places (Cities, Provinces, Countries, Mountains, Rivers):

I live in Kampot. It is a province in Cambodia. I want to see Bokor Mountain.

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3. Days of the Week & Months of the Year:

Today is Friday, June 13th. My birthday is in August.

Common Mistake

on saturday, i will travel from kampot to phnom penh.

Correct Version

On Saturday, I will travel from Kampot to Phnom Penh.

Capitalization Checklist

When you write, always check for capitals:

• ✔️ First word of a sentence?
• ✔️ The word 'I'?
• ✔️ Specific names of people (Sokha), places (Kep), days (Monday), and months (January)?

🧠 Practice Quiz: Find the Proper Nouns

Read the sentences below. Which words are proper nouns and should be capitalized?

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1. my teacher, mr. pov, is from siem reap.

Answer: Mr. Pov, Siem Reap

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2. the next holiday is in october.

Answer: October

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3. i want to visit thailand next tuesday.

Answer: I, Thailand, Tuesday

📝 Homework: Correct the Sentences

Get your notebook and pen. Rewrite these sentences and fix all the capitalization mistakes.

1. my friend dara lives in battambang.
2. this year, my birthday is on a wednesday in july.
3. i think cambodia is a beautiful country.

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Answers:

1. My friend Dara lives in Battambang.
2. This year, my birthday is on a Wednesday in July.
3. I think Cambodia is a beautiful country.

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Proper Noun: (Noun) - នាមជាក់លាក់ - The specific name of a person, place, day, month, etc. It always starts with a capital letter. ↩
2. Specific: (Adjective) - ជាក់លាក់ - Clearly defined or identified; not general. ↩
3. Common Noun: (Noun) - នាមទូទៅ - The general name for a person, place, or thing. It is not capitalized. ↩
4. General: (Adjective) - ទូទៅ - Affecting or concerning all or most people or things; not specific. ↩
5. Month / Day: (Noun) - ខែ / ថ្ងៃ - A period of time in a year or week.