Common Noun: Definition, Examples, Sentences and Comparison with Proper Noun

Common noun is one of the various types of nouns used in English grammar. Nouns are words that refer to things, people, places, and ideas. They can be classified into different types, such as Common Noun, Proper Noun, Collective Noun, Material Noun, Abstract Noun, Countable Noun and Uncountable Noun. Common noun is the most frequently used noun in English language. In this article, we will explore this most commonly used “Common Noun” with its definition, examples and sentences. A comparison of common and proper nouns is also discussed in the further sections of the article. In the end, a set of practice questions is given for you to solve and assess your understanding of Common Nouns.

Common Noun: Definition

A common noun is a word that refers to a general class of people, places, things, or ideas. It is not the name of a specific person, place, thing, or idea. Common nouns are not capitalized unless they appear at the start of a sentence, unlike proper nouns, which are always capitalized.

Types of Common Nouns

Common nouns are fundamental for building sentences and expressing ideas. There are mainly two categories of common nouns: concrete nouns and abstract nouns.

1.Concrete Nouns: They are used to refer to the things that can be perceived by the senses, such as animals, places, people and objects. Examples include dogs, hospitals, students, chairs, etc.

2.Abstract Nouns: They refer to things that cannot be perceived by the senses, such as ideas, expressions, qualities, and emotions. Examples include justice, happiness, good, love, etc.

Examples of Common Nouns

Based on their categories, some of the frequently used common nouns are mentioned in the following table:

Sentences with Common Nouns

Sentences are the building blocks of language and are considered essential for providing the necessary framework for understanding the use of common nouns in communication. Therefore, we have mentioned some easy sentences using common nouns to help you understand the better usage of common nouns in English language.

Here are some sentences that use common nouns:

• The dog ran after the cat.
• The book is on the table.
• The car is parked in the driveway.
• The city is very busy.
• The country is beautiful.
• Today is a sunny day.
• Love is a strong emotion.
• Justice is important to everyone.
• Happiness is a feeling of joy.
• The person is standing at the door.
• The place is very crowded.
• The cup is broken.

Comparison: Common Noun Vs Proper Noun

A proper noun is a specific (i.e., not generic) name for a particular person, place, or thing. Proper nouns are always capitalized in English, no matter where they fall in a sentence. 

Here is a table comparing common nouns and proper nouns:

Practice Questions for Students

Identify the common nouns in the following sentences:

Answer:

Try building a sentence using each of the following common nouns:

• parrot
• book
• car
• city
• country
• day
• sympathy
• idea
• job
• Love

Answer:

• parrot - A parrot has a red beak.
• book - I have kept my book in my bag.
• car - He bought a black car.
• city - Delhi is the capital city of India.
• country - India is a developing country.
• day - 21st June is the longest day of the year.
• sympathy - She had sympathy for the poor boy.
• idea - I have no idea of what to do.
• job - He got a new job in Mumbai.
• Love - Love needs no words.

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