A kata nama khas is a proper noun: the special name of one particular person, place, pet, day or month — Aiman, Kuala Lumpur, Si Comel, Isnin, Januari. Proper nouns always begin with a capital letter.
What your child will learn
- Tell a proper noun from a common noun
- Begin proper nouns with a capital letter
- Match a common noun to a proper noun of the same kind
One of a kind
“Sungai” (river) is a common noun; “Sungai Nil” is a proper noun because it names one river. “Hari” (day) is common; “Selasa” (Tuesday) is proper.
In Malay, the names of days and months are proper nouns and take capital letters, and so do titles used with a name, such as Puan Lim and Encik Ravi.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. Yang manakah nama khas bagi sebuah gunung?
⛰️- gunung tinggi
- puncak gunung
- Gunung Kinabalu
- kaki gunung
Show answer
Answer: Gunung Kinabalu. Gunung Kinabalu ialah nama khusus sebuah gunung.
2. Kata nama khas bermula dengan…
- nombor
- huruf kecil
- tanda soal
- huruf besar
Show answer
Answer: huruf besar. Kata nama khas sentiasa bermula dengan huruf besar.
3. Yang manakah nama khas bagi sebuah negara?
🗺️- bendera
- negara
- rakyat
- Malaysia
Show answer
Answer: Malaysia. Malaysia ialah nama khusus sebuah negara.
Tips for grown-ups
- Ask your child to write family members’ names and home town with capital letters.
- Read a calendar together and point out the capital letters on days and months.