Introduction to Common Nouns A Common Noun is a general name for a person, place, thing, or idea. Common nouns are generic and not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. For example, "city," "teacher," "book," and "happiness" are all common nouns. Identifying Common Nouns People: These refer to general names for individuals or groups. Examples: man, woman, child, teacher, doctor. Places: These are general names for locations. Examples: city, country, park, school, beach. Things: These refer t