essay is a which noun

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Definition of essay noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• I have to write an essay this weekend.
• essay on something an essay on the causes of the First World War
• essay about somebody/something Have you done your essay about Napoleon yet?
• in an essay He made some very good points in his essay.
• Essays handed in late will not be accepted.
• Have you done your essay yet?
• He concludes the essay by calling for a corrective.
• I finished my essay about 10 o'clock last night!
• Lunch was the only time she could finish her essay assignment.
• We have to write an essay on the environment.
• You have to answer 3 out of 8 essay questions in the exam.
• the teenage winner of an essay contest
• We have to write an essay on the causes of the First World War.
• be entitled something
• be titled something
• address something
• in an/​the essay
• essay about

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Meaning of essay in English

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• I want to finish off this essay before I go to bed .
• His essay was full of spelling errors .
• Have you given that essay in yet ?
• Have you handed in your history essay yet ?
• I'd like to discuss the first point in your essay.
• boilerplate
• composition
• dissertation
• essay question
• peer review
• go after someone
• go all out idiom
• go down swinging/fighting idiom
• go for it idiom
• go for someone
• shoot the works idiom
• smarten (someone/something) up
• smarten up your act idiom
• square the circle idiom
• step on the gas idiom

essay | American Dictionary

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a group of four people who play musical instruments or sing as a group

Alike and analogous (Talking about similarities, Part 1)

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Definition of 'essay'

Video: pronunciation of essay

essay in British English

Essay in american english, examples of 'essay' in a sentence essay, cobuild collocations essay, trends of essay.

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a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative.

anything resembling such a composition: a picture essay.

an effort to perform or accomplish something; attempt.

Philately . a design for a proposed stamp differing in any way from the design of the stamp as issued.

Obsolete . a tentative effort; trial; assay.

to try; attempt.

to put to the test; make trial of.

Origin of essay

Other words from essay.

• es·say·er, noun
• pre·es·say, verb (used without object)
• un·es·sayed, adjective
• well-es·sayed, adjective

Words that may be confused with essay

• assay , essay

Words Nearby essay

• essay question

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use essay in a sentence

As several of my colleagues commented, the result is good enough that it could pass for an essay written by a first-year undergraduate, and even get a pretty decent grade.

GPT-3 also raises concerns about the future of essay writing in the education system.

This little essay helps focus on self-knowledge in what you’re best at, and how you should prioritize your time.

As Steven Feldstein argues in the opening essay , technonationalism plays a part in the strengthening of other autocracies too.

He’s written a collection of essays on civil engineering life titled Bridginess, and to this day he and Lauren go on “bridge dates,” where they enjoy a meal and admire the view of a nearby span.

I think a certain kind of compelling essay has a piece of that.

The current attack on the Jews,” he wrote in a 1937 essay , “targets not just this people of 15 million but mankind as such.

The impulse to interpret seems to me what makes personal essay writing compelling.

To be honest, I think a lot of good essay writing comes out of that.

Someone recently sent me an old Joan Didion essay on self-respect that appeared in Vogue.

There is more of the uplifted forefinger and the reiterated point than I should have allowed myself in an essay .

Consequently he was able to turn in a clear essay upon the subject, which, upon examination, the king found to be free from error.

It is no part of the present essay to attempt to detail the particulars of a code of social legislation.

But angels and ministers of grace defend us from ministers of religion who essay art criticism!

It is fit that the imagination, which is free to go through all things, should essay such excursions.

British Dictionary definitions for essay

a short literary composition dealing with a subject analytically or speculatively

an attempt or endeavour; effort

a test or trial

to attempt or endeavour; try

to test or try out

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for essay

A short piece of writing on one subject, usually presenting the author's own views. Michel de Montaigne , Francis Bacon (see also Bacon ), and Ralph Waldo Emerson are celebrated for their essays.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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What does the noun essay mean?

There are 12 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun essay , nine of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

essay has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

How common is the noun essay ?

How is the noun essay pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the noun essay come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun essay is in the late 1500s.

OED's earliest evidence for essay is from 1597, in the writing of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor, politician, and philosopher.

It is also recorded as a verb from the Middle English period (1150—1500).

essay is a borrowing from French.

Etymons: French essai .

Nearby entries

• esrache, v. 1477
• esraj, n. 1921–
• ESRO, n. 1961–
• ess, n. 1540–
• -ess, suffix¹
• -ess, suffix²
• essamplerie, n. 1393
• essart, n. 1656–
• essart, v. 1675–
• essarting, n. a1821–
• essay, n. 1597–
• essay, v. 1483–
• essayal, n. 1837–
• essayer, n. 1611–
• essayette, n. 1877–
• essayfy, v. 1815–
• essay-hatch, n. 1721–
• essayical, adj. 1860–
• essaying, n. 1861–
• essaying, adj. 1641–
• essayish, adj. 1863–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for essay, n..

essay, n. was first published in 1891; not yet revised.

essay, n. was last modified in March 2024.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

• corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into essay, n. in March 2024.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1891)

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OED Second Edition (1989)

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Citation details

Factsheet for essay, n., browse entry.

Home / Guides / Grammar Guides / Nouns: What’s in a Name?

Nouns: What’s in a Name?

With a name that means, literally, ‘to name’, it’s pretty impossible to imagine the English language—or any language—without the noun. But while we use them constantly to provide clarity and identify the things that we’re talking or writing about, this hugely essential word type still has some surprises up its sleeve. This guide should give you a deeper understanding of this seemingly simple element of language, and allow you to use them correctly in your work. You can also check out this  useful reference  to consolidate your learning. If you’re currently working on a paper and would find a quick and easy grammar check useful, upload your essay for free at EasyBib.com. You can also use our fantastic citation tool to help cite your sources using popular styles such as MLA and  APA format .

Guide Overview

• What is a noun?
• Controversy and crossover
• Where the magic happens
• Phrase or clause?
• Types of nouns list
• Can you count it?
• Good and proper
• Getting possessive
• A blessing of unicorns
• Friendly compounds
• The pronoun takeover
• Grammar help is here!

What is a Noun?

At first glance, the noun definition is fairly straightforward—they’re naming words used to refer to a person, place, thing or idea. They’re arguably the most important element of any sentence, as they’ll usually be its subject. They can also be the direct object of a sentence. Or the indirect object. Or the object of the  preposition . And they can do much more besides that. So you get the idea that we’d find it very difficult to communicate without these superstars of the grammar world!

Controversy and Crossover

As they’re so important, the question ‘what is a noun?’ has been debated and discussed at length by linguists and grammar experts, often sparking some disagreement about the definition. Some feel that to define them as “naming words” is far too simplistic, as they’re also used to reference abstract and intangible concepts, feelings and activities such as  birth, sport, joy, cookery  and  technology . There’s also huge crossover with other elements of language. For example: Rain

• Verb — to rain
• Name of weather type — rain
• Adjective — red
• Name of color — red
• As an  adverb  — angrily
• As an adjective — angry
• Name of a feeling — anger

Because this single word type encompasses so many different things, some linguists feel that the definition should be narrowed. However, for now, we’re happy to stick with the generalization that it’s a naming word. For more on the various definitions of different parts of the English language, check out this  useful link .

Where the Magic Happens

Although it can lead to confusion, the fact the noun is multi-functional is part of its charm. Let’s take a look at some of the jobs that these hard-working words can perform in a sentence. Subject:  the subject of the sentence, i.e., someone or something performing the action of the  verb .

• Example:  Harry  is angry.

Direct object:  the direct object of the sentence, i.e., someone or something who receives the action of the verb.

• Example: Ashley baked  Noah  a cake.

Object of the preposition:  the object of the prepositional phrase.

• Example: Ashley baked a cake on  Sunday .

Subject complement:  follows a linking verb.

• Example: Ashley is a  teacher .

Object complement:  follows a direct object to rename or modify it.

• Example: She named her dog  Benji .

Appositive:  immediately follows another to add more information.

• Example: Her dog,  Benji , is black.

Modifier:  acts as an  adjective  to modify another noun.

• Example: A  black  dog.

Phrase or Clause?

In addition to your run of the mill single naming words, you can also use a noun clause or phrase to name or identify a person, object, thing, place or idea. A phrase has a naming word as its head word but may also include other kinds of words. For example:

• Head word  — car/cars
• Determiner  — My car
• Determiner and adjective  — My red car
• Quantifier  — Some cars
• Quantifier and adjective  — Some red cars
• In a sentence  —  My red car  is very old. ( My red car  is the phrase that identifies which car we are talking about.)

Caution! Don’t confuse a phrase with a compound, i.e., two or more words together to create a stand-alone common or proper noun with a meaning of its own (more on compounds later!). A clause is a dependent clause (doesn’t make sense alone) that performs the naming function in a sentence. It usually contains a subject and a verb, but may not necessarily contain a naming word. For example:

This weekend we can do  whatever you want .

Types of Nouns List

There are multiple types of naming words to get a grip on, and plenty of crossovers between categories too—just to keep things interesting! For example:

• You can have a mass, abstract, common name.
• Or a singular, concrete, proper, compound, or possessive name (phew!).

Don’t worry! This should become clearer as we work through the different categories in turn. If you’d like to do some more in-depth reading on the subject, you can  find more info  online.

Singular or Plural

You can have singular or plural nouns, with regulars keeping things nice and simple with the addition of  s  or  es .

• Car — cars
• Book – books
• Zoo — zoos
• Box — boxes
• Dish — dishes
• Hero — heroes

However, there are lots of rule-breaking irregulars thrown into the mix to complicate matters.

• Man — men
• Person — people
• Sheep — sheep
• Elf — elves
• Fish — fish
• City — cities

Concrete vs Abstract

As noted earlier, these debate-sparking naming words can be difficult things to define. So it can help to think of them as either concrete or abstract. Concrete nouns are the simpler of the two. They’re tangible things that can be detected by the senses. For example:

• You can touch, see and smell a  flower .
• You can hold a  pencil .
• You can see your friend  Emily .

Abstract nouns are far trickier to pin down—both literally and metaphorically speaking!

• You can’t hold  anger  or  space  or  childhood .

However, some people might argue that you can identify some abstracts with your senses. For example:

• You can see an expression of  anger .
• You can sense  fresh air .

So it might be more helpful to think of them as something that you can’t physically hold, i.e., concepts, ideas, experiences, qualities and feelings.

Can You Count It?

Naming words can either be  count  or  noncount . Count type doesn’t tend to give you much trouble—they’re, as the name suggests, something that can be counted. Noncount type (also known as mass nouns), however, are a whole different ball game! These rebellious words are definitely the evil twin of the two, as they defy several of the usual rules of grammar and, if you’re not careful, can cause chaos and confusion. Count:  something that can be counted, e.g.,  books, people, cars. Simple! Noncount (Mass):  something that can’t be counted (often because it’s an abstract concept), e.g.,  air, red, peace.  Or an aggregation of people or things that are lumped together as a whole, like  luggage, information,  or  salt. Not quite so simple! Caution! Be careful not to confuse noncounts with collectives, words which are used to name a collection of people or things (e.g.,  group, herd, bundle ). An easy way to test whether a word is noncount or collective is:

• Noncounts don’t follow indefinite articles ( a  and  an ).
• Noncounts don’t  usually  have a plural form.

For example, you don’t have  a luggage  or  luggages .

An Awkward Bunch

Despite the fact that they often represent an aggregation of people or things, noncounts can be a rather anti-social and awkward word type! They like to stand alone, without an indefinite article:

Music  can help you relax.

Not ‘ a music  can help you relax.’

I sprinkled  salt  on my food.

Not ‘I sprinkled  a salt  on my food.’ However, they can sit nicely with a  determiner  or quantifier instead.

• Determiner  —  The music  was loud.
• Quantifier  — I sprinkled  some salt  on my food.

In fact, some quantifiers only work with noncounts. For example:

• A little  salt
• Not much  information
• A bit of  music

However, we would never say:

• A little  books
• Not much  cars
• A bit of  flowers

The Singular or Plural Conundrum

Another quirk of the noncount is that, even when it represents an aggregation or group of things, it can still count as singular for grammatical purposes. For example:

The  luggage  is  heavy.  It  filled the trunk of the car. This  information  is  useful.  It  has helped me with my paper.

Even if a noncount appears to take a plural form with an  s  on the end, don’t be fooled! It may still be classed as grammatically singular. For example:

Politics  is a  difficult  subject  to study. I find  it  hard to grasp. The  news  is  on at 10 pm.  It’s  on for an hour.

On the flip side, some noncounts are grammatically plural. For example:

My  clothes  are  wet. The  scissors  are  sharp. His  manners  were  fantastic.

However, these go against the grain of plurals by not mixing well with numbers—we never say five clothes or six scissors!

Enumerating a Noncount

These awkward noncounts on the whole don’t mix well with numbers, although there are sneaky tactics that you can sometimes employ to enumerate them. These include:

• Grammatically plural  — if concrete, add  a pair of , e.g., a pair of  scissors .
• Grammatically singular  — if concrete, add  a piece of , e.g., a piece of  cutlery .
• Singular and plural  — both concrete and abstract noncounts can be enumerated by adding an indefinite adjective (quantifier), e.g.,  any, some, less, much .

For example:

• Pass me  some  cutlery .
• I don’t have  any  scissors .
• It contains  more  information .

Fewer vs Less

A quick note on fewer versus less as these are indefinite adjectives (quantifiers) that often trip people up!

• Fewer  — used for count type, e.g., I have  fewer   books  than Sarah.
• Less  — used for non-count type, e.g., I have  less   money  than Sarah.

Good and Proper

A proper noun is used to name very specific people, places, things and ideas. As their ‘proper’ title suggests, they’re formal names and, as such, deserve capitalization. Examples include:

• People  —  Sarah, Jack, Mrs. Smith, Prince George, Father Brown, Beethoven
• Specific places  —  America, Europe, Paris, George Street, Roman Empire, Times Square
• Natural and man-made landmarks  —  River Nile, Central Park, Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building, Mount Etna
• Religions and related words  —  Christianity, The Bible, God, Allah, Buddhism
• Races and nationalities  —  African American, Russian, White, Eskimo, Japanese
• Languages  —  French, Spanish, Chinese, English
• Periods in history  —  Stone Age, Middle Ages
• Events  —  Olympic Games, Coachella, Wimbledon, Rio Carnaval, Oktoberfest
• Days, months and holidays  —  Sunday, Friday, June, October, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day  (note that the seasons are, somewhat contentiously, classed as common)
• Organizations, charities and businesses  —  New York Police Department (NYPD), Harvard University, Microsoft, Red Cross, Walmart, Forbes
• Product brand names  —  Tresemme, Adidas, Apple, Coca-Cola
• Well-known documents and acts  —  Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, Magna Carta, Slavery Abolition Act 1833
• Names of specific things and works  —  Hope Diamond, Mona Lisa, Symphony No. 5, Star Wars, War and Peace
• Titles of publications and courses  —  The Washington Post, Introduction to Computer Science
• They can be singular  —  Sally, Australia, Picasso, iPad
• Or plural  —  the Smiths, the Rockies, the Americas, two iPads

From Proper to Common

Sometimes, they bend the rules to put themselves into a ‘common’ context. For example:

I made a mistake of  Titanic  proportions.

This is taken to mean a big mistake and isn’t literally referencing the Titanic ship.

I’m an  Einstein  when it comes to science.

Here Einstein is taken to mean a person who is smart, rather than referencing the man himself specifically. Similarly, over time, some have developed common ‘spin-off’ words. For example:

• Famous porcelain from   China  — a china cup (note, not a China cup)
• Coca-Cola  — coke (to describe a generic cola drink, not necessarily the Coca-Cola brand)

The Humble Common Noun

Common nouns  give a name to a general type of person, thing, object, place, concept or feeling. They’re not ‘formal’ names and, as such, they don’t demand capitalization. Examples include:

• People  —  man, woman, girl, boy, vicar, teacher, children
• Places  —  city, beach, library, street, garden
• Things  —  tiger, leg, sleep, beard
• Objects  —  watch, cake, shoe, ball
• Concepts  —  peace, justice, talent, religion
• Feelings  —  anger, joy, love, envy

In many cases, both a common and proper noun can be applied to the same thing. For example:

• A  Baby Ruth  (proper) is a  chocolate bar  (common).
• Rihanna  (proper) is a popular  singer  (common) in the US.
• Mrs. Smith  (proper) is a  teacher  (common).
• Benji  (proper) is a  dog  (common).
• The  Nile  (proper) is a  river  (common).

Of course, you can define proper noun words as having a far narrower application as they can only apply to one very specific thing. Common noun examples have a much wider application—hence their label as ‘common’! For example:

There are thousands of  singers  (common) in the world, but there’s only one  Taylor Swift (proper).

When a Commoner Becomes Proper

Occasionally, a commoner can move up the ranks to become proper—gaining that all-important capitalization along the way. This usually happens when a word becomes synonymous over time with a very specific type of thing. For example, a  parka jacket  depicts a type of long, all-weather coat. But you could argue that the term  Parka  is so synonymous with a very specific type of jacket that it should be classed as proper. This is definitely one for the grammar experts to slog out between themselves!

Getting Possessive

Possessive nouns are usually followed by another naming word, indicating that the second thing ‘belongs’ to the first. There are different ways to indicate this possession, depending on the word in question. These can become confusing, so let’s look at them in turn. Singular possessives  are usually indicated with ‘s. For example:

• the  girl’s  coat
• Emma’s  car
• the  city’s  main landmark

As are  plural possessives  that don’t end in  s . For example:

• the  men’s  bathroom
• children’s  toys

In the case of a  plural possessive  that ends in  s , you simply need to add an  apostrophe (‘). For example:

• the  girls’  coats
• the  Smiths’  house
• the  tigers’  pen
• the  computers’  manufacturer

When we come to  singular possessives  that end in  s , the waters get a little bit muddier. The most popular method used to form a singular possessive is to add  ‘s , as detailed above. For example:

• James’s  book
• the  bus’s  engine

However, just adding the  apostrophe  is also commonly accepted. For example:

• James’  book
• the  bus’  engine

The Importance of the Apostrophe

You’ll notice that subtle differences in your sentence structure can completely alter its meaning, so it’s important to get your grammar on point. For example:

• the girl’s coat  — belonging to one particular girl
• the girls’ coat  — a coat designed to be worn by a girl
• the girl’s coats  — more than one coat belonging to one particular girl)
• the girls’ coats  — a group of coats belonging to a group of girls

If you find yourself struggling to figure out where the apostrophe needs to go, why not run a free grammar check on your essay with EasyBib Plus? You can also use EasyBib.com to help cite the sources that you use when conducting  research  and writing your papers . The handy online tool can create citations in the popular APA and  MLA format , plus  more styles  including Chicago/Turabian. Simply find out which style of citation you need to use (ask your professor or lecturer) and let EasyBib Plus help you create them the easy way.

A Blessing of Unicorns

A collective noun is a name given to a collection or group of things. Although they represent more than one, they are usually classed as grammatically singular (in American English). For example:

• The  pride  of lions made  its  way to water.
• The  cast  of actors collected  its  award.
• The  class  of students  was  dismissed early.

They can often stand-alone, if the context makes it clear what collection or group of things is being referred to. For example:

• We followed the  herd  on safari.
• I got the  cast  to sign my autograph book.
• The  class  went on its field trip.

But be careful with this, as they can be used to represent very different things. For example:

• flock  of tourists  or  flock  of birds  **  cluster  of spiders* or  cluster  of stars

So saying “I stared open-mouthed at the  cluster  before me” could have two very different meanings—you might be staring in wonder or staring in horror! Some collective nouns have developed a more general or colloquial meaning. For example, you get a  bunch  of flowers or a  bunch  of bananas. However,  bunch  is also used more generally to denote ‘several’ or ‘lots’. For example:

• I saw a  bunch  of people that I knew.
• Thanks a  bunch .

Kooky Collectives

Collectives are one of the quirkiest word types in the English language and include some unusual naming words. For instance, it’s difficult to imagine where the examples below came from. For example:

• A  shiver  of sharks
• A  quiver  of cobras
• A  blush  of boys
• A  disguising  of tailors
• A  drunkship  of cobblers
• A  worship  of writers
• A  nest  of rumors

Friendly Compounds

Compound nouns consist of two or more words that have come together to form a new word with its own meaning. These are words that have decided they don’t want to stand-alone—they can work better together with another word! Both proper and common words can be compounded, and within these compounds are three sub-types. Proper

• Closed  —  PlayStation, YouTube
• Hyphenated  —  Coca-Cola, Chick-fil-A
• Open Spaced  —  New York, Ritz Carlton Hotel
• Closed  —  football, textbook
• Hyphenated  —  mother-in-law, well-being
• Open Spaced  —  bus stop, swimming pool

Wal-Mart Or Walmart?

Fun fact! Some popular brands have dropped their hyphens in recent years. For example, Wal-Mart switched to Walmart in 2009. This could possibly be because hyphenated domain names can cause issues for a brand’s online presence. Brands now have a whole host of digital considerations that simply weren’t on the table when they first decided on a name.

The Pronoun Takeover

While both concrete and abstract noun words are undeniably super useful and essential parts of the English language, they can be a bit much at times. Especially when you’re referring to the same thing several times in a sentence or section. For example:

Sally  loves  Fanta .  Sally  drinks  Fanta  every day.

This is where pronouns come in handy. These often small but ever so mighty words have the power to replace names and make your sentences flow much better. For example:

Sally  loves  Fanta .  She  drinks  it  every day.

This works for both proper and common types.

• The  Empire State Building  (proper) is very tall.  It  stands at 443m.
• Sally  (proper) loves  chocolate  (common).  She  eats  some  every day.
• My  dog  (common) has a red  ball  (common).  He  likes to chase  it .

The antecedent nouns give a reference point for the pronouns.

Is I a Noun or a Pronoun?

Commonly used ‘people’ pronouns include  he, she, me, his  and  hers . However, there’s some debate as to the word  I . While  I  is commonly accepted as a first person  pronoun , it may not follow the usual antecedent rule. For example, if you were Sally, you wouldn’t write:

Sally  loves Fanta.  I  drink it every day.

Instead you’d simply write:

I  love Fanta.  I  drink it every day.

I  is also classed as a naming word in the following contexts:

• I  — the name of a letter of the alphabet.
• I  — the subject or object of self-consciousness, i.e. the ego.

This guide should hopefully have answered lots of naming word questions for you, such as ‘what is a possessive noun?’, but if you’re still struggling you can  learn more here . The list of nouns can be difficult to remember, for the simple fact that there are so many different categories and variations of these naming words. People, objects, places, ideas and feelings are things that don’t seem to have much in common—yet they all have names, which lumps them grammatically into the same (very large!) category.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, what is a proper noun 6 easy examples.

General Education

If you’re wondering about proper nouns, and how to identify them, look no further. You are, in fact, a proper noun yourself! Proper nouns identify specific people, places, and things . Using proper nouns correctly clarifies your writing, and ensures that readers know exactly what you’re talking about. We all use proper nouns already, so making sure you have the ability to identify them and include them in your writing will make your writing and reading comprehension skills stronger.

What Is a Noun?

A noun is a person, place, thing, animal, or idea . Basically, anything that needs to be identified can be done so with a noun. Nouns are one of the main parts of speech, and can be enhanced by adjectives. Some examples of common nouns are things like table, dog, city, love, movie, ocean, book. A proper noun is a noun that references a specific person, place, thing, animal or idea . Everything around you is a noun, and so learning to identify common and proper nouns is important for your writing. Let’s explore the difference!

What Is a Proper Noun? How Is It Different?

What is a proper noun? Here's a simple proper noun definition: Proper nouns are nouns that identify a specific, usually one-of-a-kind noun . Proper nouns are always capitalized, no matter where they fall in a sentence. This helps you tell the difference between them. Every noun can be classified as common or proper. Additionally, most proper nouns do not have the word “the” in front of them in a sentence, the way common nouns do. “The” is a pointing word, and with a proper noun, the word has already been made specific, and there is no need to point.

For example I can say, “Please walk the dog.” or “Please walk Buddy.” Note that “Please walk Buddy” doesn’t have a “the” in the sentence since I’ve already identified the specific dog that needs walking. One exception is when you’re referring to a kingdom or a republic. So you would say the United Kingdom, even though the United Kingdom is a proper noun and the name of a specific country.

Let’s look at our common noun examples of nouns above. A common noun is city. A proper noun is New York City. You could say this dog is a good boy, or Buddy is a good boy. Book is a common noun, while The Great Gatsby is a proper noun. The difference is that nouns like city, book, and dog could be referring to multiple different things, places, or animals . Saying “book” is perfectly fine in a sentence, but you will want to specify further if you plan on talking about that book in depth. In that case, saying “book” will be confusing. On the other hand, it is perfectly acceptable to say ‘“I packed a book for vacation.”

Not all common nouns have proper noun counterparts, such as abstract nouns like love. Using proper nouns isn’t always necessary, but can help readers and listeners identify something more closely, or know that they should pay attention to a certain noun over others. Again, the difference between common and proper nouns depends on the specificity of the noun . There are lots of options for nouns and it’s up to you to decide when to use proper or common nouns. Proper nouns are used for specific things, so simply capitalizing a common noun won’t make it a proper noun.

Proper Noun Examples

Below is a list of some proper noun examples, as well as note whether they represent a person, place, or thing.

Now let's use some of them in a sentence so you can see how they differ from common nouns.

In the example above, the common and proper nouns are different but the sentence is the same . In this case, you can see that the sentence doesn’t change in meaning when you change the noun. In the following sentences, some are the same regardless of whether or not a proper or common noun is used, and the meaning is the same. In others, the sentences are slightly different to show how a proper noun can change the meaning of the sentence . Take time to consider this when looking at the rest of the examples, and note which ones are common and which are proper nouns.

Proper Noun Quiz

Identify all of the proper noun examples in this paragraph:

The Great Gatsby is one of the most famous works of American literature. In this career-defining novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a wealthy man named Jay Gatsby throws elaborate parties to attempt to get the attention, and win back the affection of his past love, Daisy. Daisy is one of the social elites of East Egg, a fictional town in Long Island, New York, and hails from an old family. Gatsby, on the other hand, is newly wealthy and not from a reputable family. Though this book is filled with flashy cars and wild parties, through narrator Nick Carraway’s perspective. we see the pain of loss and the death of the American dream.

Quiz Answers

All proper nouns are in red. 

The Great Gatsby is one of the most famous works of American literature. In this career-defining novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald , a wealthy man named Jay Gatsby throws elaborate parties to attempt to get the attention, and win back the affection of his past love, Daisy . Daisy is one of the social elites of East Egg , a fictional town in Long Island, New York , and hails from an old family. Gatsby , on the other hand, is newly wealthy and not from a reputable family. Though this book is filled with flashy cars and wild parties, through narrator Nick Carraway ’s perspective we see the pain of loss and the death of the American dream.

Proper nouns are incredibly important in the English language, which makes identifying and using them correctly all the more important. If you’re unsure about whether something is a proper noun or not, ask yourself if that person, place, or thing is one of a kind. Remember, proper noun examples are always capitalized, which should make picking them out in sentences even easier. There’s always room to improve on grammar knowledge, so pay attention to how you’re using those nouns and don’t be afraid to play with sentences to get the hang of things.

What's Next?

Looking for information about writing? Check out our guides on literary elements , sonnets , and similes vs metaphors .

Wondering about the role grammar plays on the SATs? Read up on The 12 SAT Grammar Rules You Must Know and The Complete Prep Guide for SAT Writing .

Carrie holds a Bachelors in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College, and is currently pursuing an MFA. She worked in book publishing for several years, and believes that books can open up new worlds. She loves reading, the outdoors, and learning about new things.

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Synonyms of essay

• as in article
• as in attempt
• as in to attempt
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Thesaurus Definition of essay

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dissertation
• composition
• prolegomenon
• undertaking
• trial and error
• experimentation

Thesaurus Definition of essay  (Entry 2 of 2)

• have a go at
• try one's hand (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb essay differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of essay are attempt , endeavor , strive , and try . While all these words mean "to make an effort to accomplish an end," essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

When might attempt be a better fit than essay ?

While the synonyms attempt and essay are close in meaning, attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

Where would endeavor be a reasonable alternative to essay ?

Although the words endeavor and essay have much in common, endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

When is strive a more appropriate choice than essay ?

While in some cases nearly identical to essay , strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

How do try and attempt relate to one another, in the sense of essay ?

Try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

Articles Related to essay

To 'Essay' or 'Assay'?

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• Nouns and pronouns
• What Is a Pronoun? | Definition, Types & Examples

What Is a Pronoun? | Definition, Types & Examples

Published on October 17, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on March 2, 2023.

A pronoun is a word that stands in for a noun , often to avoid the need to repeat the same noun over and over. Like nouns, pronouns can refer to people, things, concepts, and places. Most sentences contain at least one noun or pronoun.

People tend to use “pronouns” to mean personal pronouns specifically, but there are many other kinds of pronouns that are just as important to English grammar. The words highlighted in bold below are all pronouns.

It might rain tomorrow, but there isn’t much we can do about that .

These are the days that I like best.

Table of contents

How are pronouns used in sentences, pronouns vs. nouns, pronouns vs. determiners, personal pronouns (first-, second-, and third-person).

• Demonstrative pronouns
• Interrogative pronouns
• Relative pronouns
• Indefinite pronouns
• Reciprocal pronouns
• Dummy pronouns (expletives)

Other interesting language articles

Frequently asked questions.

The main function of pronouns is to replace nouns. Because of this, they are used in sentences in similar ways to nouns.

Like nouns, pronouns commonly serve as the subject of a sentence, followed by a verb (a word expressing an action).

We have never been to Germany before.

A pronoun can also function as the object in a sentence—either a direct or indirect object:

• The direct object is something or someone that is directly acted upon by the verb.
• The indirect object is someone or something that receives the direct object.

Can you promise her this ? Note A noun phrase is a noun or pronoun in combination with any determiners applied to it. Despite the name, noun phrases can just as well consist of pronouns as of nouns.

Pronoun antecedents

The antecedent of a pronoun is the noun that it refers back to. It’s usually mentioned in the text before the pronoun, but sometimes it comes just after it in a sentence. The antecedent may also be something the person you’re speaking to said. Pronoun-antecedent agreement means ensuring that the pronoun you use matches its antecedent in number, person, and gender.

As they debated the point, the students became increasingly animated.

Person A: What do you think of Julian ?

When you use any type of pronoun, it’s important to ensure that the antecedent is clear and unambiguous. If there is any ambiguity, use the noun instead. For example, below, “it” would be unclear, as it could refer to either the interview or the test.

• After the interview and the written test were completed, it was checked for incomplete answers.
• After the interview and the written test were completed, the test was checked for incomplete answers.

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While pronouns constitute a relatively small class of words that tends not to change over time, nouns are a much broader class that is constantly expanding. Like pronouns, nouns refer to things, people, places, and concepts, but they do so with much greater specificity.

Like pronouns, nouns can function as the head of a noun phrase and as the object or subject of a verb . A complete sentence may consist of just a noun and a verb (“Jeremy spoke.”), just as it could of a pronoun and a verb (“He spoke.”).

Unlike pronouns, nouns are fixed in form—they don’t change spellings depending on their grammatical role in a sentence. For example, while the third-person masculine pronoun “he” becomes “him” when used as an object, the noun “man” doesn’t change.

Many pronouns are closely related to determiners, being spelled similarly (or identically) and expressing related meanings. For example, possessive pronouns like “yours” are closely related to possessive determiners like “your”; and demonstrative pronouns like “that” are identical to the demonstrative determiners.

The grammatical distinction between the two is that pronouns stand on their own as the subject or object of a verb, whereas determiners are only used to modify nouns, not acting as subjects or objects in their own right.

Personal pronouns are words like “he” that refer to yourself, the person you’re addressing, or other people and things. They usually refer to an antecedent but may occur without one when the reference is self-evident (e.g., “I” always refers to the person saying or writing it).

Personal pronouns can change their form based on:

• Person ( first- , second- , or third-person )
• Number (singular or plural)
• Gender (masculine, feminine, neuter, or epicene)
• Case ( subject , object , possessive , or reflexive / intensive )

The impersonal pronoun “one” is used in general statements about no particular person. It has fewer forms than the personal pronouns but is otherwise used in the same way.

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The four demonstrative pronouns ( this , that , these , and those ) are used to indicate something previously mentioned or, in conversation, something that is clear from the context. For example, in the sentence “Take this,” “this” has no explicit antecedent, but it would be clear in context that it referred to whatever object you were being given.

The demonstrative pronouns give information about the relative closeness (literal or figurative) of the things they refer to, especially when they’re contrasted with each other:

• The “near” demonstrative this (singular) or these (plural) indicates something close to you.
• The “far” demonstrative that (singular) or those (plural) indicates something farther from you.

Interrogative pronouns are used (along with other types of interrogative words) to introduce questions. The interrogative pronouns are:

• What and which , used to ask questions about things
• Who and whom , used to ask about people
• Whose , used to ask about ownership

What were your favorite classes at school?

A relative pronoun is used to introduce a relative clause—a phrase that usually supplies more information about the preceding noun. They have a lot in common with interrogative pronouns. The relative pronouns are:

• Which(ever) , that , and what(ever) , used in relation to things
• Who(ever) and whom(ever) , used in relation to people
• Whose , used to indicate ownership

Relative pronouns are often omitted in practice (e.g., “the book [that] I read”). There’s nothing wrong with doing this as long as it doesn’t create ambiguity.

It doesn’t matter whose it was; it’s ours now!

Indefinite pronouns are words like “somebody” that refer to an unspecified person or thing. Many of them are formed using some combination of some- , any- , every- , or no- with -thing , -one , -where , or -body .

There are also various indefinite pronouns used to describe quantity, such as “little,” “many,” “none,” and “enough.” And there are distributive pronouns like “neither” and “each” that allow you to distinguish between options.

The impersonal pronoun “one” can also be regarded as indefinite.

No one likes him, and he doesn’t like anyone .

Some are born lucky, while others have to work hard for everything they get.

Reciprocal pronouns are used to indicate a reciprocal relationship between two people or things, where the members of a group each perform the same action relative to the other(s). The English reciprocal pronouns are each other and one another .

Some writers claim that “each other” should only be used to refer to groups of two and “one another” to groups of three or more. But this distinction is rejected by most style guides and not borne out in practice; you can use the two interchangeably.

A dummy pronoun (also called an expletive ) is a pronoun that doesn’t have any explicit meaning but is necessary to the sentence structure . Unlike other pronouns, dummy pronouns don’t actually replace a noun.

The two words used as dummy pronouns in English are it and there . Note that both words can also fulfill other grammatical roles. Dummy pronouns are commonly used to talk about the weather, to emphasize certain elements in a sentence, or to introduce the existence of something.

There are thousands of different species of birds in the world.

If you want to know more about nouns , pronouns, verbs , and other parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations and examples.

Nouns & pronouns

• Common nouns
• Proper nouns
• Collective nouns
• Personal pronouns
• Uncountable and countable nouns
• Verb tenses
• Phrasal verbs
• Types of verbs
• Active vs passive voice
• Subject-verb agreement
• Interjections
• Determiners
• Prepositions

The term preferred pronouns is used to mean the (third-person) personal pronouns a person identifies with and would like to be referred to by. People usually state the subject and object pronoun (e.g., “she/her”) but may also include the possessive (e.g., “she/her/hers”).

Most people go by the masculine “he/him,” the feminine “she/her,” the gender-neutral singular “they/them,” or some combination of these. There are also neopronouns used to express nonbinary gender identity, such as “xe/xem.” These are less common than the singular “they.”

The practice of stating one’s preferred pronouns (e.g., in a professional context or on a social media profile) is meant to promote inclusion for transgender and gender-nonconforming people. The first- and second-person pronouns (“I” and “you”) are not included, since they’re the same for everyone.

A pronoun is a word that stands in for a noun. Like nouns, pronouns refer to people, things, concepts, or places. Most sentences contain at least one noun or pronoun.

A pronoun can serve as the subject or object in a sentence, and it will usually refer back (or sometimes forward) to an antecedent—the noun that the pronoun stands in for. Pronouns are used to avoid the need to repeat the same nouns over and over.

Pronouns can be categorized into many types, all of which are very commonly used in English:

• Subject and object pronouns
• Possessive pronouns
• Reflexive pronouns and intensive pronouns
• Impersonal pronouns

Pronouns are words like “I,” “she,” and “they” that are used in a similar way to nouns . They stand in for a noun that has already been mentioned or refer to yourself and other people.

Pronouns can function just like nouns as the head of a noun phrase and as the subject or object of a verb . However, pronouns change their forms (e.g., from “I” to “me”) depending on the grammatical context they’re used in, whereas nouns usually don’t.

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

Caulfield, J. (2023, March 02). What Is a Pronoun? | Definition, Types & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/nouns-and-pronouns/pronouns/

Aarts, B. (2011).  Oxford modern English grammar . Oxford University Press.

Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015).  Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage  (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Garner, B. A. (2016).  Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

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Word of the Day: prowess

This word has appeared in 222 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year. Can you use it in a sentence?

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prowess \ ˈpraʊ(w)əs \ noun

: a superior skill that can be learned by study, practice and observation

Listen to the pronunciation.

The word prowess has appeared in 222 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Feb. 6 in “ But What Do the Tortured Poets Think ?” by Emma Madden:

Whether or not Ms. Swift herself is a poet has long been a subject of debate. Ms. Burt posited that she was “not a great page-based poet but a major songwriter. Closely related art forms, but not the same.” … Lang Leav, an Australian poet whose work is known to go viral online, added: “I have always admired Taylor Swift for her lyrical prowess , so I was thrilled by the title of her new album. Already, it has a quirky, creative and whimsical vibe.”

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If you want a better idea of how prowess can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com . You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.

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