* Proper noun: When referring to a specific geographical direction, "East" is a proper noun. It's capitalized because it's a specific and unique location. Example: "The sun rises in the East."
* Common noun: When "east" refers to the general concept of the eastern direction, it's a common noun. It's not capitalized. Example: "We drove east for several hours."
* Collective noun: Sometimes "east" can be used to represent a group of people or things located in the eastern region. Example: "The east is known for its diverse culture."
So, "east" is a versatile word with different classifications depending on how it's used in a sentence.