Writing: Basic Mechanics & Formation (A2) - Lesson 3: Capitalizing Proper Nouns (Names of people, places - basic)
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Hello Learners! 👋
Today, we're going to learn about Proper Nouns. These are special names, and they have a special rule for capital letters!
In this lesson, you will learn:
- What proper nouns are (focusing on names of people and places).
- The rule for capitalizing proper nouns.
- Practice identifying and writing proper nouns correctly.
What are Proper Nouns?
Nouns are words for people, places, or things.
- Common nouns are general names, like boy, city, river, teacher. These usually start with a small letter (unless they are at the beginning of a sentence).
- Proper nouns are specific, special names for particular people, places, days, months, holidays, brands, etc.
Main Rule for Today: Proper nouns for names of people and names of places ALWAYS start with a capital letter.
Examples of Proper Nouns:
People's Names:
- Lin, Sokha, David, Miss Anna, Mr. Kim
Place Names:
- Cities: Battambang, Phnom Penh, London, Paris
- Countries: Cambodia, Thailand, France
- Specific places: Angkor Wat, Mekong River, Central Market
Compare: "I see a boy." (common noun) vs. "I see Vuthy." (proper noun)
Activity 1: Find the Special Names (Proper Nouns)
Read the sentence. Which words are specific names of people or places that should start with a capital letter?
Activity 2: Fix the Capital Letters!
The sentences below have proper nouns that are missing their capital letters. Rewrite each sentence correctly. (Remember to also capitalize "I" and the start of sentences!)
Activity 3: Use Your Own Proper Nouns
Complete the sentences with a special name (a proper noun). Remember to start it with a capital letter!
✨ Tips for Capitalizing Proper Nouns ✨
- Is it a Specific Name? Ask yourself: Is this word the unique name of ONE particular person, place, or thing? If yes, it's probably a proper noun.
- People's Names: First names, last names, and titles like Mr., Mrs., Miss, Dr. start with capitals (e.g., Mr. Dara, Teacher Sophea).
- Place Names: Names of villages, cities, provinces, countries, rivers, mountains, famous buildings (e.g., Royal Palace) start with capitals.
- Days and Months: Days of the week (e.g., Monday, Sunday) and months of the year (e.g., January, May) are also proper nouns.
- Check Your Writing: When you write, look for these special names and make sure they have a capital letter.
Great Work with Proper Nouns! 🎉
You've learned an important rule for making your writing look correct and professional. Using capital letters for proper nouns is key!