

How to Practice Common Noun And Proper Noun Exercises Easily
Learning the difference between common nouns and proper nouns is a key part of building strong grammar skills in English. Understanding these noun types helps students write clearly and talk about both general things and specific names with confidence. In this article, you’ll find a range of Common Noun And Proper Noun Exercises crafted for all ages—from beginners in class 1 and 2, up to class 5. Let’s dive in and help children master this important topic through engaging exercises and clear examples.
What are Common Nouns and Proper Nouns?
Before exploring various common noun and proper noun exercises, it’s important to understand what they mean:
- Common Noun: The name we use for any general person, place, animal or thing. (Examples: girl, city, school)
- Proper Noun: The special name given to a particular person, place, animal or thing. These always begin with a capital letter. (Examples: Ritu, Delhi, Mars)
For a deeper understanding of noun types, you may also enjoy exploring our collection of noun questions and answers on Vedantu.
Common Noun And Proper Noun Exercises for Beginners
Try these easy noun exercises designed for class 1, class 2, and grade 3 students. These questions will help you tell the difference between common and proper nouns quickly.
Exercise 1: Spot the Nouns
Underline the nouns in each sentence below and identify if it’s a common or proper noun.
- Anu is reading a book.
- The cat is under the table.
- Kolkata is a big city.
- Monday is a holiday.
- My sister likes mangoes.
Answers:
- Anu (proper), book (common)
- cat (common), table (common)
- Kolkata (proper), city (common)
- Monday (proper), holiday (common)
- sister (common), mangoes (common)
Exercise 2: Pick the Proper Noun
Circle the proper noun in each set below.
- day, Sunday, week
- teacher, Riya, school
- city, Mumbai, river
- country, India, planet
- book, Harry Potter, author
Answers: Sunday, Riya, Mumbai, India, Harry Potter
Common Noun and Proper Noun Exercises for Class 4 and Class 5
Now try these challenging common and proper nouns exercises for class 4 and class 5. These activities build vocabulary and strengthen grammar skills for older children.
Exercise 3: Change the Common Noun to Proper Noun
Rewrite the sentences by replacing the common noun with a specific proper noun.
- The girl is dancing.
→ The girl is dancing. (Replace “girl” with a girl’s name) - The river flows fast.
→ The river flows fast. (Replace “river” with the name of a river) - My brother plays cricket.
→ My brother plays cricket. (Replace “brother” with a boy’s name)
Sample Answers:
- Priya is dancing.
- The Ganga flows fast.
- Rahul plays cricket.
Exercise 4: Complete the Table
Fill in the table with the correct nouns.
Common and Proper Noun Table
| Common Noun | Proper Noun | Sentence Example |
|---|---|---|
| river | Yamuna | The Yamuna is in India. |
| city | Bangalore | Bangalore is known for its gardens. |
| planet | Mars | Mars is called the red planet. |
| animal | Sheru | Sheru is my pet dog. |
This table helps show the difference by pairing each common noun with a suitable proper noun and demonstrating their use in complete sentences.
Mixed Common and Proper Noun Exercises with Answers
Practice makes perfect! Below are more common nouns and proper nouns exercises with answers—useful for any level, including class 3 and above.
Exercise 5: Identify and Classify
Identify each underlined noun as common or proper.
- My friend Ankit lives in Agra.
- The school is near the park.
- The Taj Mahal is a famous monument.
- Lion is the king of the jungle.
- I read Ramayana in the library.
Answers: Ankit (proper), Agra (proper), school (common), park (common), Taj Mahal (proper), monument (common), Lion (common), Ramayana (proper), library (common).
Why Are These Exercises Important?
Learning through common noun and proper noun exercises for kids improves grammar for students from the beginning years. These activities help children identify, use, and differentiate nouns correctly—boosting their speaking and writing skills. Performing these exercises regularly lays the foundation for further grammar topics in higher classes. To continue building your grammar, check out related activities at our grammar exercises section.
Tips for Mastering Common and Proper Nouns
- Remember: Proper nouns always start with a capital letter.
- Common nouns are general words – like “city,” “boy,” or “dog.”
- Proper nouns name something unique – like “Delhi,” “Arun,” or “Bruno.”
- Practicing with sentences, tables, and word lists helps reinforce the concepts.
- Discuss and share noun examples from daily life for real-world learning.
Explore More Grammar Practice
Keep practicing with more exercises to strengthen your understanding. You can also explore fun worksheets and activities or learn about types of nouns with our common and proper nouns worksheets for even more clarity.
Conclusion
Mastering Common Noun And Proper Noun Exercises is essential for all young learners, right from class 1 and 2 up to class 4 and 5. By understanding the difference and practicing with a variety of sentences, lists, and tables, children gain confidence in their grammar and communication. Keep working with these exercises, and you’ll soon spot common and proper nouns everywhere. Want more help with English grammar? Visit Vedantu’s vast English grammar resources for learners of every level!
FAQs on Common Noun And Proper Noun Exercises with Answers
1. What is the difference between a common noun and a proper noun?
Common nouns are general names for people, places, or things, while proper nouns are specific names used for a particular person, place, or thing.
Key differences:
- Common noun: Not capitalized unless at sentence start (e.g. city, girl, animal).
- Proper noun: Always capitalized (e.g. Delhi, Sneha, Tommy).
- Common nouns are general; proper nouns are unique and specific.
2. Give five examples each of common nouns and proper nouns.
Common nouns refer to general objects or beings, and proper nouns name a specific one.
Examples:
- Common Nouns: river, teacher, book, country, car
- Proper Nouns: Ganga, Mrs. Sharma, Harry Potter, India, Maruti
3. How do you identify a common noun in a sentence?
Common nouns are identified by their general meaning and lowercase spelling (unless at the beginning of a sentence).
Tips to identify:
- Represents a general class/group.
- Not capitalized in the middle of a sentence.
- Can have articles (a, an, the) before them.
4. Why should proper nouns always start with a capital letter?
Proper nouns start with a capital letter to show they are the official, unique names of people, places, or things.
Reasons:
- Differentiates them from common nouns.
- Follows grammar rules for names.
- Highlights their specificity and uniqueness.
5. Can a word be both a common noun and a proper noun? Give examples.
Some words can function as both common and proper nouns based on context.
Examples:
- 'Apple' - Common noun: a fruit; Proper noun: the company Apple Inc.
- 'Churchill' - Common noun: a surname; Proper noun: Winston Churchill.
6. Fill in the blanks with proper or common nouns: 1. _____ is my best friend. 2. I read a _____ every day. 3. The _____ flows through the city.
Proper and common nouns must be placed according to the context.
Answers:
- Samir (proper noun) is my best friend.
- I read a book (common noun) every day.
- The Ganga (proper noun) flows through the city.
7. What are some exercises to practice identifying common nouns and proper nouns?
Practice exercises for nouns help improve understanding.
Recommended exercises:
- Underline common nouns and circle proper nouns in a passage.
- Classify a list of words as common or proper nouns.
- Fill-in-the-blanks with suitable nouns.
- Rewrite sentences, replacing common with proper nouns and vice versa.
8. Are days of the week and months of the year common nouns or proper nouns?
Days of the week and months of the year are always proper nouns.
Examples:
- Monday, Sunday, March, September
- They are capitalized in writing.
9. How can common noun and proper noun knowledge help in grammar exams?
Knowing common and proper nouns helps in correct sentence formation, error spotting, and capitalisation questions in grammar exams.
Benefits:
- Avoids grammatical mistakes.
- Improves writing clarity.
- Ensures scoring marks in English exams for noun-related questions.
10. What are some common mistakes students make with proper nouns?
Common mistakes include improper capitalization and using proper nouns as common nouns.
Examples of mistakes:
- Writing 'india' instead of India.
- Not capitalizing days or months.
- Confusing brand names with common nouns (e.g., writing 'oreo' instead of Oreo).



















