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Mastering Proper Nouns

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Mastering Proper Nouns

Proper nouns name specific people, places, organisations, events, titles and named things. They usually begin with capital letters. Common nouns name general people or things. Use New Zealand English spelling. Read each item carefully: some capitalisation depends on whether a word is part of a specific name or is used generally.

Spot the names

The newsletter draft has lost some capital letters. Identify the proper nouns in each sentence. Include complete names and titles, but do not include ordinary nouns.

1.The volunteer coordinator, Maia Rangi, met a reporter from the Otago Daily Times in Dunedin on Monday.

2.The group walked along the milford track in fiordland national park before returning to te anau.

3.Choose the line in which every proper noun is correctly capitalised.

The reserve is managed by the department of conservation.
The Reserve is managed by the Department Of Conservation.
The reserve is managed by the Department of Conservation.
The Reserve is managed by the department of Conservation.

Make the edit

Rewrite each sentence with correct capitalisation. Check where proper names end and ordinary words begin.

4.on thursday, dr patel spoke at the university of auckland about māori language revitalisation.

5.We caught the interislander ferry from wellington to picton, then drove through the marlborough region.

6.The editor wrote, “please send your report to the new zealand herald by friday.”

7.True or false: In the sentence “Anahera joined the council’s climate committee,” the word “council” must be capitalised because it refers to a particular council.

TrueFalse

Investigate the choices

Proper-noun capitalisation can change with meaning. Explain your decisions rather than relying on a word’s position in the sentence.

8.In one sentence, explain the difference between “the south island” and “the South Island”. Which form names New Zealand’s island?

9.A draft says: “the minister met with members of parliament at parliament house.” Rewrite it using capitals only where they are required by the wording given, and briefly explain one choice.

10.The newsletter wants a sentence about a made-up local event. Write one sentence that includes a person’s full name, a named New Zealand place and a formally named event. Capitalise each proper noun correctly.

11.Proofread this newsletter line. Rewrite it correctly and name two proper nouns: “last april, taniwha bay residents welcomed mayor lee and the crew of waka ama aotearoa.”