Nouns
NOUN
A noun is the word that refers to a person, thing or abstract idea. A noun can tell you who or what.
There are several different types of noun:-
- There are common nouns such as dog, car, chair etc.
- Nouns that refer to things which can be counted (can be singular or plural) are countable nouns.
- Nouns that refer to some groups of countable nouns, substances, feelings and types of activity (can only be singular) are uncountable nouns.
- Nouns that refer to a group of people or things are collective nouns.
- Nouns that refer to people, organizations or places are proper nouns, only proper nouns are capitalized.
- Nouns that are made up of two or more words are called compound nouns.
- Nouns that are formed from a verb by adding
Use capital letters in the following ways:
The first words of a sentence
example: When he tells a joke, he sometimes forgets the punch line.
The pronoun "I" examples:
The Patels have moved to the Southwest. Jim's house is two miles north of Otterbein. example: One of Ringo?s favorite books is The Catcher in the Rye.
example: The last time I visited Atlanta was several years ago.
Proper nouns
(the names of specific people, places, organizations, and sometimes things)
examples:
Worrill Fabrication Company |
Livingston, Missouri |
|
Family relationships
(when used as proper names) examples:
I sent a thank-you note to Aunt Abigail, but not to my other aunts.
Here is a present I bought for Mother.
Did you buy a present for your mother
The names of God, specific deities, religious figures, and holy books
examples:
God the Father |
Moses |
|
Exception: Do not capitalize the non-specific use of the word "god."
example: The word "polytheistic" means the worship of more than one god.
Titles preceding names, but not title that follow names
examples:
She worked as the assistant to Mayor Hanolovi.
I was able to interview Miriam Moss, mayor of Littonville.
Directions that are names
(North, South, East, and West when used as sections of the country, but not as compass directions)
The days of the week, the months of the year, and holidays (but not the seasons used generally)
examples:
Halloween |
winter |
|
Exception: Seasons are capitalized when used in a title. example: The Fall 1999 semester
The names of countries, nationalities, and specific languages
examples:
Costa Rica |
French |
|
The first word in a sentence that is a direct quote
example: Emerson once said, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."
The major words in the titles of books, articles, and songs
(but not short prepositions or the articles "the," "a," or "an," if they are not the first word of the title)
Members of national, political, racial, social, civic, and athletic groups
examples:
Green Bay Packers |
Democrats |
|
Periods and events
(but not century numbers) examples:
Victorian Era |
Constitutional Convention |
|
Trademarks
examples:
Pepsi |
IBM |
|
Words and abbreviations of specific names
(but not names of things that came from specific things but are now general types) examples:
Freudian |
UN |