Capitalization
Rules
RULE #1
• Capitalize the first word in
every sentence.
• Capitalize the first word of a
directly quoted sentence.
–
Gwen asked, “How long did you
study for the test?”
• Traditionally, the first word in
a line of poetry is capitalized
RULE #2
Capitalize the
pronoun “I”.
Example:
I am not sure what I’ll
do tonight.
Rule #3
Capitalize the interjection O.
• The interjection O is most often
used on solemn or formal
occasions.
Example: Protect us in the
battle, O great Athena.
Note: The interjection oh
requires a capital letter only at
the beginning of a sentence.
Rule #4
Capitalize every word in the
salutation and only the first
word in the closing of a
letter.
Examples:
Dear Lauren,
To Whom It May Concern
Sincerely yours,
Yours truly,
RULE #5
Capitalize proper nouns.
– Names of persons
– Geographical names
– Names of organizations,
teams, institutions, and
government bodies
– Names of historical events
and periods, special
events, and calendar
items
– Names of nationalities,
races, and peoples
...more proper nouns
– Businesses and brand
names of business
products
– Names of ships, trains,
airplanes, and
spacecraft
– Names of buildings
and other structures
– Names of monuments
and awards
...and MORE proper nouns
– Names of religions and
their followers, holy
days, sacred writings,
and specific deities
– Names of planets, stars,
and other heavenly
bodies
Let’s practice!
1. The golden gate bridge
spans san francisco bay.
2. Yosemite national park
has the nation’s highest
waterfall.
3. The peace corps became
an agency of the
government by an act of
congress.
More practice...
4. On august 4, 1984, upper
volta, a nation in africa,
changed its name to bourkina
fassa.
5. He lives on east seventyeighth street in the state of
pa.
6. Thousands of cherokee
indians live in the smoky
mountains.
More practice...
7. To stop flooding in the
south, the tennessee valley
authority, a government
agency, has built twentysix dams on the tennessee
river and the streams that
flow into it.
8. The first two states to be
admitted to the united
states were delaware and
pennsylvania.
More practice...
9. On new year’s day many
fans crowd into football
stadiums for the annual
bowl games.
10. The rose bowl is the oldest
of these bowl games.
11. A noted scholar, thomas
jefferson, founded the
university of virginia.
RULE #6
Capitalize proper
adjectives.
Example:
I went to a Mexican
restaurant for
dinner and then
saw a Greek play.
Change the proper nouns to
proper adjectives....
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Greece
Mars
Congress
England
Orient
Proper Adjective Examples
Proper Noun
China
Rome
Islam
King Arthur
Shakespeare
New Jersey
Proper Adjective
Chinese doctor
Roman army
Islamic culture
Arthurian legend
Shakespearean play
New Jersey coast
RULE #7
Do not capitalize
the names of
school subjects,
except course
names followed
by a number and
languages.
RULE #8
Capitalize titles.
• The title of a person when the title
comes before a name or if the
title is used in direct address.
There will be a short address
by Governor Halsey.
Is the patient resting
comfortably, Nurse?
When can I play, Coach?
*NOTE
Generally, a title used alone or following
a person’s name is not capitalized.
• An attorney for the defense made a
statement.
• Is he the rabbi at the new synagogue?
• He ran for governor in the last election.
HOWEVER…
Titles used alone or following a person’s
name may be capitalized for clarity or
special emphasis.
• The Attorney General has served our
state with distinction.
• Ben Smith, Governor of Hawaii,
delivered the keynote speech.
• I turned on the television to watch the
President’s speech.
more titles...
• A word showing a family
relationship when the word is used
before or in place of a person’s
name UNLESS THE WORD FOLLOWS
A POSSESSIVE NOUN OR
PRONOUN.
– I received a letter from Aunt
Christina.
– When will Mom and Dad be
home?
– My aunt Daphne coaches the
team.
more titles...
• The first and last words and all
important words in titles of
books, magazines,
newspapers, poems, short
stories, movies, television
programs, works of art, and
musical compositions
Unimportant words include
prepositions of fewer than five
letters, coordinating conjunctions,
and articles.
more titles...
– Capitalize words
referring to the Deity
• Note: the word god is not
capitalized when it refers
to the gods of ancient
mythology.
Practice
1. During president Woodrow Wilson’s term,
sheep grazed on the lawn of the White
House.
2. Well, mom, have you met dr. Brinson?
3. Did you hear commissioner of education
smather’s speech yesterday?
4. Was Carrie Fisher in return of the jedi?