* Proper nouns are specific names of people, places, or things. They are always capitalized. For example:
* People: John, Mary, Queen Elizabeth
* Places: Paris, Mount Everest, Lake Michigan
* Things: Statue of Liberty, Golden Gate Bridge, iPhone
* Common nouns are general names of people, places, or things. They are not capitalized unless they are at the beginning of a sentence.
"Wooden desk" is a common noun. It is a general term for a type of desk.
If you were referring to a specific wooden desk, you could give it a name and that name would then be a proper noun. For example, "My grandmother's antique oak desk is a family heirloom."