Year 1 · English · Grammar · Free Printable

Proper Nouns

Help Year 1 students learn how proper nouns name specific people, places and things, and when to use capital letters.

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Learning Intention

Students will identify proper nouns and use capital letters for names of people, places and special things.

Australian Curriculum

Supports Year 1 English grammar and capitalisation outcomes.

Teacher Notes

Use examples: Sam, Sydney, Monday. Contrast with common nouns (boy, city, day).

Skills Practised

Proper nouns
Capital letters
Names of people and places
Grammar awareness

Understanding Proper Nouns

A proper noun gives the special name of a particular person, place, day, month or other named thing. Proper nouns begin with a capital letter.

Common and Proper Nouns

Compare girl with Amelia, city with Sydney, and day with Monday. The common noun names a general type; the proper noun names a specific one.

Try This

Find three names of people in a book.

Find a named place on a map.

Write the name of a day or month.

Check that each proper noun begins with a capital letter.

Editing Tip

When checking a sentence, look for names first. Ask: “Is this a special name?” If it is, check whether the first letter needs a capital.