The Basics of Capitalization
The Basics of Capitalization
HAVE YOU EVER READ SOMETHING WHERE SOMEONE WROTE IN ALL CAPS AND WONDERED, "WHY ARE THEY YELLING AT ME?" Writing in all capital letters is a great way to get someone's attention, but that's about the only time you should use all capital letters when you're writing. Knowing when to capitalize is an important skill that every writer needs to have.
When it comes to knowing what to capitalize, the number 11 is the lucky number. Why 11? Because, there are 13 types of words you should always remember to capitalize when you write.
#1: Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives
You know that a proper noun names a specific person, place, or thing. Similarly, a proper adjective is formed used a proper noun.
A few proper nouns and adjectives include:
- American citizen (proper adjective)
- New York skyline (proper adjective)
- Chicago Bulls
- Brooklyn Bridge
- J.K. Rowling
- Mrs. Smith
When you write a sentence, no matter where the proper noun or proper adjective appears it should always be capitalized. Or rather, the first letter of each word in the proper noun should be capitalized.
YES: I saw the New York Knicks play the Boston Celtics last night.
NO: I saw the NEW YORK KNICKS play the BOSTON Celtics last night.
NO: I saw the new york knicks play the boston celtics last night.
#2: Names of People
Technically names of people are also proper nouns, but sometimes that's hard to remember, so just remember that names of people must always be capitalized. This includes:
- Mr. Henry
- John Johnson
- Jackie
- Colonel Sanders
- Fido
YES: Colonel Sanders makes some delicious chicken.
NO: Colonel sanders makes some delicious chicken.
#3: Words Used as Names
Okay, so words used as names are proper nouns too, but sometimes you might not realize that if you call someone Aunt Jackie or Mom, you're actually using a proper noun. Words used as names mostly include names for family members and may include:
- Mother
- Dad
- Uncle
- Coach
YES: Go ask Dad what he wants for dinner.
NO: Go ask dad what he wants for dinner.
NO: Go ask your dad what he wants for dinner. - In this sentence the word "dad" is used as a regular old noun, not a name.
#4: Titles Used with Names
Along the same lines, if you use someone's title with a name, it's capitalized. Examples include:
- Aunt Sally
- Principal Carter
- Coach K
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
YES: I wish I'd been alive to meet Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and hear him speak.
NO: I wish I'd been alive to meet dr. Martin Luther King, jr. and hear him speak.
#5: Geographic Names
Alright, you got us! Geographic names are also proper nouns because they're the names of specific people, places, and things, but we don't want you to forget that they deserve to be capitalized too. Examples of geographic names that should be capitalized include:
- Planets - Earth, Mars
- Buildings - Empire State Building, Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Roads and Highways - State Street, New Jersey Turnpike
- Landforms - Blue Ridge Mountains, Old Man's Cave
- Countries - United States, Paraguay
- Cities - Columbus, Newark
- States - Alaska, Ohio
- Continents - Europe, Australia
- Bodies of Water - Lake Erie, Atlantic Ocean
- Counties - Cumberland County, Monmouth County
YES: I live in Montana.
NO: I live in montana.
#6: Historical Events If it took place in history and it has a specific name, you have to capitalize it. This includes events such as:
- The Reformation
- Emancipation Proclamation
- Boston Tea Party
YES: The Boston Tea Party was a turning point in American history.
NO: The Boston tea party was a turning point in American history. <-- Did you catch the proper adjective we capitalized correctly there? (Hint: American history)
ARE WE DONE YET?! Not quite - 5 more capitalization rules to go!
#7: Abbreviations
Abbreviations are one of the few times where you're allowed to use all caps. For example, if I want to abbreviate the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, I can just write SPCA.
YES: The AAP suggests children should remain rear-facing until they are two.
NO: The aap suggests children should remain rear-facing until they are two.
NO: The Aap suggests children should remain rear-facing until they are two.
#8: Organizations
So we kind of already covered this one above, but if you have the name of an organization, team, or association, all of the important words in its name are capitalized. Examples include:
- Boy Scouts of America
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- American Heart Association
- Republican Party
Words like the, of, and in don't have to be capitalized though.
YES: Barack Obama is a member of the Democratic Party.
NO: Barack Obama is a member of The Democratic Party.
NO: Barack Obama is a member of the Democratic party.
NO: Barack Obama is a member of the democratic party.
Did you see how we correctly capitalized a name in that sentence too?
#9: Titles
Want to write about a song? A magazine? A book? You have to capitalize the words in a title too. Just like with an organization, you only capitalize the important words. Things like the, of, and in - or, more importantly, prepositions, articles, and coordinating conjunctions don't have to be capitalized unless they're the first word of the title.
YES: I think "The Star-Spangled Banner" is a very patriotic song.
NO: I think "the Star-Spangled Banner" is a very patriotic song.
NO: I think "the star-spangled banner" is a very patriotic song.
#10: Days and Months
When it comes to capitalization, don't forget about the days and months. This includes holidays and days of the week, but not seasons. So Wednesday, Arbor Day, and Christmas are capitalized, but winter and fall are not.
YES: We are going on vacation in March.
NO: We are going on vacation in march.
#11: First Words
And, of course, we saved the best for last. Of all the capitalization rules, this is the most important rule of all. Why, you ask? Because if you don't do it, someone is likely to notice. Other people may not remember to capitalize the name of a holiday or an abbreviation, but they will always remember to CAPITALIZE THE FIRST WORD OF A SENTENCE.
YES: Always remember to capitalize the first word of a sentence.
NO: always remember to capitalize the first word of a sentence. - Did the writer even look at what the sentence said?!
Now that you know all about capitalization, try your hand at some of the worksheets below and always keep these 11 tips in mind when writing or revising a paper.
Related Worksheets: