Capitalization Consternation
dot spots big spots little spots everywhere
But add some punctuation and capitalization,
and the meaning suddenly changes:
Dot spots big Spot’s little Spots everywhere.
These rules will add sense to your
sentences…
Capitalize…
1. Names of specific persons (a tough one to
remember).
Examples: Wilma Flintstone, Miss Piggy,
Norman Bates
2. Specific geographic locations
Examples: Houston, Bedrock, Gotham City, New York
City, Texas, Georgia, the North, the Southwest
FYI…Don’t capitalize the words north, south, east, west,
etc. then referring to direction, just if it refers to a
section of the country.
Example
In a small town in the South (a section of the
country), surprised residents sighted giant
possums north (direction) of the Roadkill Grill.
Also Capitalize…
3. Names of businesses, institutions, and
government bodies.
American Red Cross, Creekland Middle
School, the House of Representatives
4. Names of historical events, special events,
and calendar dates. However, don’t
capitalize seasons.
Middle Ages, World War II, Mother’s Day
5. Capitalize the names of nationalities, races,
and religions.
American, German, Caucasian, Catholic, Buddhist
6. Capitalize brand names, but not the product
Dell computers, Levi’s jeans
7. Capitalize names of ships, planets,
monuments, awards, and any other
particular places, things, or events.
the Mayflower, Mars, Washington
Monument, the Nobel Peace Prize
8. Only capitalize a school subject if it is a
language or a course title followed by a
number.
speech, drama, biology, Speech II, English,
French, Toenail Painting 101
Every Halloween confused little Thadeus dresses
like an Easter bunny, and every Christmas he
cries to go trick-or-treating.
FYI
Don’t capitalize freshman, sophomore, junior, or
senior unless the word is part of a proper noun
such as the Junior-Senior Prom.
Matlida became ill in English, and later she
threw up while dissecting a toad in biology.
Unfortunately she’ll miss the Sophomore Talent
Show where she intended to sing a medley of
Beatles tunes in German and Latin.
Still more…
9. Capitalize the title of a person when it comes
before a name.
10. Capitalize the first word and all important words
in titles of books, magazines, poems, stories,
movies, paintings, and other works of art.
(Unimportant words are a, an, the, and short
prepositions that are fewer than five letters.
However, the first and last words of a title are
always capitalized, even if they’re
unimportant words.)
FYI
The word god is not capitalized when it refers to gods
of ancient mythology.
The Greeks worshiped many gods.
When he flexes his muscles, Wilbur thinks he looks like a
Roman god.
And more…
11.Capitalize a word showing family relationship
when used with the person’s name, but not
when the word showing relationship is
preceded by a possessive pronoun (my, your,
his, her, its, their, our).
Aunt Erma, my aunt, Cousin Verne, your cousin,
Grandfather Scabs, their grandfather, my uncle
Joe)
My talented Uncle Buford is a frog-calling
champion in five countries.
FYI (again)
Capitalize a word showing family relationship
when used in a direct address…
“Gosh, Mom”, whined Lionel, “why can’t I
wrestle crocodiles? Stumpy’s mom lets him!
Almost through…
12.Capitalize abbreviations for degrees that follow
a person’s name: M.D., Ph. D., D.D.S,
A.B.C.D.E.F.G.(just kidding).
13.Capitalize the abbreviations Jr. and Sr. when they
follow a person’s name.
14.Capitalize the first word and each noun in the
salutation (opening) of a letter. However only
the first word in the closing of a letter is
capitalized:
Dear Miss Dempsey, Sincerely yours, Yours until
crawdads fly,