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English Quiz - Capital Letters for Proper Nouns (Questions)

This quiz helps children learn when to use a capital letter for proper nouns. The National Curriculum suggests that children begin to develop this concept in KS1 English and Literacy. However, it is important that children know to start their name with a capital letter. By Year 2 it is expected that children can write names of friends with capitals. They should be able to remember England begins with a capital letter and hopefully start to show awareness of capitalizing other countries.

Your name begins with a capital letter and so does every name given to a person or animal. If I ask you to find me a cat, you can find me any cat as there are lots of them. If I ask you to find Bob, my cat, then there is only one of him. The word cat is a noun, which means there is more than one. The word Bob is a proper noun. All proper nouns must begin with capital letters. Countries all begin with a capital letter because they are also proper nouns.

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1. Have a look at this boy. Which word is a proper noun?
[ ] Boy
[ ] James
[ ] Child
[ ] Kid
2. Have a look at this girl. Which word is a proper noun?
[ ] Children
[ ] Child
[ ] Girl
[ ] Sarah
3. There are three children in this picture; which sentence contains a proper noun?
[ ] Jenny and her brothers enjoyed eating the strawberries.
[ ] The children enjoyed eating the strawberries.
[ ] The girl and two boys enjoyed eating the strawberries.
[ ] They enjoyed eating the strawberries.
4. If proper nouns always begin with a capital letter; which of these sentences is correct?
[ ] Ben and harry made a mess.
[ ] ben and harry made a mess.
[ ] Ben and Harry made a mess.
[ ] ben and Harry made a mess.
5. Countries are also proper nouns. Which of these is the correct way to write this country's name?
[ ] united kingdom
[ ] United kingdom
[ ] united Kingdom
[ ] United Kingdom
6. Which of these is the correct way to write this country's name?
[ ] New Zealand
[ ] NEw Zealand
[ ] new zealand
[ ] New zealand
7. All places like cities and countries should begin with a capital letter alongside people's names. Which one of these sentences is correct?
[ ] They took a picture of themselves in london.
[ ] They took a picture of themselves in London.
[ ] Emma and john took a picture of themselves in london.
[ ] Emma and John took a picture of themselves in london.
8. Which one of these sentences is correct?
[ ] Peter, david and Lucy loved playing in the woods.
[ ] Peter, David and lucy loved playing in the woods.
[ ] peter, david and lucy loved playing in the woods.
[ ] Peter, David and Lucy loved playing in the woods.
9. Which one of these sentences is correct?
[ ] Eve built a sandcastle whilst on holiday in spain.
[ ] Eve built a sandcastle whilst on holiday in Spain.
[ ] eve built a sandcastle whilst on holiday in spain.
[ ] Eve built a Sandcastle whilst on Holiday in Spain.
10. This is a hard one - there are lots of proper nouns in these sentences but which one is right?
[ ] Katy, Don, Jess and Ross had a great time on the beach in america.
[ ] Katy, Don, Jess and ross had a great time on the beach in America
[ ] Katy, don, jess and Ross had a great time on the beach in America
[ ] Katy, Don, Jess and Ross had a great time on the beach in America.

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - What are nouns?

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English Quiz - Capital Letters for Proper Nouns (Answers)
1. Have a look at this boy. Which word is a proper noun?
[ ] Boy
[x] James
[ ] Child
[ ] Kid
His name is James and so his name is the proper noun.
2. Have a look at this girl. Which word is a proper noun?
[ ] Children
[ ] Child
[ ] Girl
[x] Sarah
There are lots of girls and children but there is only one Sarah, so her name is the proper noun.
3. There are three children in this picture; which sentence contains a proper noun?
[x] Jenny and her brothers enjoyed eating the strawberries.
[ ] The children enjoyed eating the strawberries.
[ ] The girl and two boys enjoyed eating the strawberries.
[ ] They enjoyed eating the strawberries.
The name of a person is a proper noun. Jenny is a proper noun but the word 'brothers' is a noun.
4. If proper nouns always begin with a capital letter; which of these sentences is correct?
[ ] Ben and harry made a mess.
[ ] ben and harry made a mess.
[x] Ben and Harry made a mess.
[ ] ben and Harry made a mess.
There are two proper nouns in the sentence; both names should begin with a capital letter.
5. Countries are also proper nouns. Which of these is the correct way to write this country's name?
[ ] united kingdom
[ ] United kingdom
[ ] united Kingdom
[x] United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has two capital letters because both words are part of this country's name.
6. Which of these is the correct way to write this country's name?
[x] New Zealand
[ ] NEw Zealand
[ ] new zealand
[ ] New zealand
Most countries only have one word but if they do have two words, both should begin with capital letters.
7. All places like cities and countries should begin with a capital letter alongside people's names. Which one of these sentences is correct?
[ ] They took a picture of themselves in london.
[x] They took a picture of themselves in London.
[ ] Emma and john took a picture of themselves in london.
[ ] Emma and John took a picture of themselves in london.
Any time you write a proper noun, whether it's a name of a country or person, it must always begin with a capital letter.
8. Which one of these sentences is correct?
[ ] Peter, david and Lucy loved playing in the woods.
[ ] Peter, David and lucy loved playing in the woods.
[ ] peter, david and lucy loved playing in the woods.
[x] Peter, David and Lucy loved playing in the woods.
Whenever you write your name or a friend's name make sure you always begin with a capital letter.
9. Which one of these sentences is correct?
[ ] Eve built a sandcastle whilst on holiday in spain.
[x] Eve built a sandcastle whilst on holiday in Spain.
[ ] eve built a sandcastle whilst on holiday in spain.
[ ] Eve built a Sandcastle whilst on Holiday in Spain.
Spain is the name of a country and Eve is the girl's name - both are proper nouns.
10. This is a hard one - there are lots of proper nouns in these sentences but which one is right?
[ ] Katy, Don, Jess and Ross had a great time on the beach in america.
[ ] Katy, Don, Jess and ross had a great time on the beach in America
[ ] Katy, don, jess and Ross had a great time on the beach in America
[x] Katy, Don, Jess and Ross had a great time on the beach in America.
It doesn't matter how many names there are, every single one must begin with a capital letter.