Common and Proper Nouns Singular and Plural Nouns Possessive Nouns

 A common noun names a person, place, or thing that is not specific.  Common nouns are not capitalized, unless the common noun is the first word in the sentence.

 A proper noun names a particular person, place, or thing.  Proper nouns are always capitalized.

Proper nouns include: names of people and pets days of the week monthslanguagesbook titles holidaystitles like Mr. Mrs. Ms. Dr. countriesstatescities

COMMONPROPER boy school day city lady month river Steven South Salem Wednesday New York Mrs. Humphrey October James River

 Singular Nouns name one person, place, or thing. One Cat:  Plural Nouns name more than one person, place, or thing. Three Cats:

Usually, you just add –s dog, dogs cat, cats shoe, shoes car, cars pillow, pillows

Add –es to nouns that end in s, ss, sh, ch, or x bus, buses dress, dresses church, churches box, boxes

If a noun ends in a consonant followed by a –y, change the y to i and add –es baby, babies lady, ladies pony, ponies

If a noun ends in a vowel followed by –y, just add –s key, keys boy, boys monkey, monkeys

For most nouns that end in an –f or – fe, change the f or fe to v and add –es knife, knives leaf, leaves Exceptions: roof, roofs giraffe, giraffes

Some nouns change their spelling foot, feet tooth, teeth child, children mouse, mice man, men woman, women

Some nouns are the same singular and plural deer, deer moose, moose sheep, sheep

Add ‘s to make a singular noun possessive. Example: The dog’ s bowl is empty. singular The bowl of the dog. singular

Add ‘ to a plural noun that ends with an s. Example: The boys’ team won the game. plural The team of the boys. plural

Add ‘s to a plural noun that ends in a letter other than s. Example: The children’s teacher is nice. plural The teacher of the children. plural