Common noun is a type of noun that denotes a general name for a person, place, thing or event and begins with a small letter. On the other hand, proper noun is a name of a particular common noun and begins with a capital letter. A list of examples is provided below to better understand the difference between proper and common nouns.
Examples:
| Common Noun | Proper Noun |
| state | California |
| company | Microsoft |
| dog | Brownie |
| beach | Boracay |
| country | Singapore |
| boy | John |
| girl | Ellen |
| movie | Avatar |
| university | Harvard University |
| book | The Alchemist |
| holiday | Independence Day |
| month | April |
| cartoon character | Spiderman |
| river | Mississippi River |
| language | English |
| subject | Science |
| actress | Julia Roberts |
| planet | Earth |
| fast food chain | McDonald’s |
| mountain | Mt. Everest |
