Common Noun | Common Noun Examples

A common noun is a type of noun we discussed in the topic Noun. We know that noun is the name of any person, thing, or place. Now the question is, what is a common noun? let’s discuss common nouns.

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What is a Common Noun?

A common noun refers to a unit of common things that we use to name common people, animals, birds, places, ideas, insects, and so on. When we use a common noun, we do not specify a thing but speak generally. That is, a common noun is a name of a group of similar items, such as a pen or waiter, but not a particular one.

Examples of Common Nouns

Here are some examples that we used in the sentences.

By reading these examples, you will get a better understanding of what the common nouns are.

In the sentences given below, common nouns are in bold letters.

That school is for girls.
The dog is a pet animal.
A chameleon is a beautiful animal.
Crow is a bird with black colour.
Keep the ladle in the sink.
The pen is on the table.
Ask the waiter for a finger bowl.

In the above sentences, the words- school, girls, dog, animal, ladle, sink, pen, table, waiter, and finger bowl are, in general, like any school, girl, dog, or animal.

Such words that refer to any common name are called Common Nouns.

More Examples of Common Noun

Here are some examples. These names are in bold letters.

Please call the police.
I have an appointment with the doctor.
The bus driver is standing at the bus stop.
The waiter works promptly during his working period.
I heard that your cousin is joining a multinational company.
The teachers of St Joseph school are very hard-working.

Beginning letters of common nouns are not written in capital, but when these are used as starting words of a sentence, then the starting letter of the used common noun is written in capital. Sometimes we use proper nouns as common nouns.

These are differentiated into two parts. You will get more information about those in the following articles.

• Collective

• Abstract

Now, we shall discuss the words and whether they are common nouns. Let’s have a look-

Is pen a common noun?

There are millions of pens overall the world. Even if we put the name of any color before the word ‘pen, for example- yellow pen, we cannot specify a particular pen. This is because there are so many yellow pens. So yellow pen is still a common noun. If we put the company’s name before the yellow pen, that is Parker’s yellow pen. Then also, There are so many yellow pens from the company ‘Parker.’ So still, Parker’s yellow pen is a common noun. So, the conclusion is the word ‘pen is a common noun. The pen is a general word for a writing tool with ink.

Is bowl a common noun?

Bowl is a general word for a round container with a wide uncovered top. We use some bowls for eating, serving, or cooking. Some types of large bowls are used to wash vegetables, fruits, or utensils. So, we use the noun ‘bowl simply to represent a unit of a group of common things- bowls.

So, the conclusion is the word ‘bowl is a common noun. It simply refers to any bowl and is not specific.

Is waiter a common noun?

A waiter is a general word for a male person who serves food or drinks to customers in a hotel. There are millions of waiters serving in hotels overall the world. So even if we put the name of a hotel in front of the word waiter, for example- Taj hotel waiter, it also becomes a common noun because there are so many waiters serving at the Taj hotel.

So, the conclusion is the word ‘waiter is a common noun. A waiter is a general word for a male who serves food to customers at the hotel.

Waitress is a common noun for a lady who serves food or drinks to customers at a hotel.

Is crow a common noun?

We use a common noun to show a group of something. For example, we use the word crow to refer to a large black bird with a loud and harsh cry. Also, we can use the word ‘crow to refer to a member of a Native American people.

In both cases, we use the word ‘crow as a unit of a group of black birds or Native American people. So there are millions of black birds that we call crows and members of Native American people.

So, the conclusion is crow is a common noun.

Is sparrow a common noun

Yes, a sparrow is a common noun. We use a common noun to show a group of something. We use the word sparrow to refer to a common type of small bird with brown or gray feathers.

In this case, we use the word ‘sparrow as a unit of a group of small birds with brown or gray feathers. There are millions of such types of small birds that we call sparrows and not specific ones.

So, the conclusion is a sparrow is a common noun.