are assignment names capitalized

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• Capitalization

Words to Capitalize in a Sentence

Capitalize the first word of a sentence. Also capitalize proper nouns: names of people, places, organizations, departments, bridges, parks, buildings, and geographical features (oceans, mountains, deserts, etc.). But don’t capitalize words such as department when they are used as common nouns. Follow generally accepted style guidelines (e.g., C hapter 7 but p age 7 , T able 5 but c olumn 5 ). In titles and headings, capitalize the first and last words and all other words except articles, prepositions, and conjunctions. Official titles such as president and chairman should be capitalized only when used with a name ( P resident Lincoln ) or as a name ( Mr. P resident ).

Listed here are the general guidelines. Avoid capitalizing words merely for emphasis.

People, places, and companies

Capitalize names of people, places, and companies.

• I spoke to A nita over the phone yesterday.
• N esbit and R ita have gone to B ali on holiday.
• It must be nice to have T ooksie back home from college.
• J ohn F . K ennedy was assassinated in 1963 while traveling through D allas, T exas , in an open-top L incoln C ontinental convertible.
• All refrigerators made by G eneral E lectric simultaneously went sentient on October 7.
• It can get a little cold in A ntarctica.

Capitalize the names of countries. However, lowercase any articles (like the ), prepositions ( of , in , etc.), and conjunctions (like and ) that occur within the name.

• Much of the land area of t he N etherlands consists of reclaimed land.
• T rinidad a nd T obago lies on the continental shelf of South America, which is why its ecology is similar to that of V enezuela.
• One hundred fifty-six meteorites have been observed and recovered within t he U nited S tates o f A merica in the last 212 years.

An initial the in the name of a city is capitalized.

• One of my favorite cities in t he Netherlands is T he Hague.

Proper adjectives

Proper adjectives ( adjectives derived from proper nouns) are usually capitalized as well.

• Lulu enjoys eating I talian food.
• Did you study E uclidean geometry in school?
• Many D utch expatriates visit this hotel.

Regions and geographical features

Names of oceans, seas, continents, mountains, valleys, rivers, plains, deserts, plateaus, and other geographical features are capitalized.

• The P acific O cean is the largest body of water in the world.
• How did we make the A ral S ea disappear?
• Numerous empires have risen and fallen in the fertile I ndo- G angetic P lain of Asia.
• Which is the longest river in the world — the N ile or the A mazon?
• They lived in a cabin beside L ake H udson.

Names of regions of the world are also capitalized.

• India is the largest country in S outh A sia.
• The territory of S iberia spans much of E urasia and N orth A sia.

Buildings and structures

Names of specific buildings and structures such as bridges and monuments are capitalized. If the word the precedes a name, it is lowercased.

• The president of the United States lives in the W hite H ouse.
• Have you seen the B ent P yramid of Dahshur?
• Millions of tourists visit the T aj M ahal in Agra every year.
• The Y ongji B ridge of Chengyang is one of the most beautiful bridges in the world.
• She lives in a w hite h ouse with blue curtains.
• We lived in a cozy little apartment in sight of the Egyptian p yramids.
• Anita is an engineer who loves to build b ridges.

Departments and organizations

Capitalize names of departments, ministries, institutions, and organizations. Lowercase an initial the when it falls within a sentence, and words such as of , for , and and that may form part of the name. (In short, lowercase articles, prepositions, and conjunctions.)

• The D epartment o f E ducation has announced that schools shall no longer be needed.
• Nesbit received his master’s degree from the U niversity o f N usquam in 2001.
• Anita is an assistant professor in the D epartment o f P hysics a nd A stronomy.
• The case of the missing lawnmower has been handed over to the F ederal B ureau o f I nvestigation.
• Doesn’t Poco work for the M inistry o f M agic?

Don’t capitalize words like department and court when they are used as common nouns .

• Lulu is the best worker in the d epartment.
• Nesbit went to u niversity in Nusquam.
• Four posts have fallen vacant within the b ureau.

Academic subjects

Lowercase names of school subjects such as physics, history, and biology.

• Ms. Scalene was my m athematics teacher in school.
• Maya studied p hilosophy in college.
• Nesbit is a p hysics major from Princeton.

Names of languages, which are proper nouns, are capitalized.

• I am tired of teaching E nglish literature to kids who steal all their assignments off the Internet.
• If I had taken S panish instead of L atin in school, I would have been better prepared to travel the world.

If academic subjects form part of the name of a department, capitalize them.

• The Department of P hilosophy is hosting a thought workshop today.
• It took her forty years to become head of the Department of M athematics.

Time periods: Days, months, seasons, decades, centuries, eras, historical periods

Capitalize names of days and months.

• We leave for Thailand on T uesday.
• In J anuary, the world seems renewed.
• It was on O ctober 18 that the revolution finally began.

When a day of the week is pluralized, it is still capitalized.

• I love S aturdays!
• It took me a month of S undays to finish reading this book.

Also capitalize names of holidays , festivals, and other special days (which are proper nouns).

• We met at a party on New Year’s Eve .
• Did you call your mom on Mother’s Day ?
• Today is Veterans Day .
• We celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah .

Lowercase names of seasons , unless used to denote a journal issue or a collection.

• The purple sneezeweed blooms in s ummer.
• All the trees danced with joy, glad that the long w inter was finally over.
• The F all 2021 issue of The Martian Literary Review is out in stores now.

Lowercase names of decades and centuries .

• She is a child of the n ineties.
• The pandemic of the t wenty- f irst c entury affected more people across more continents than any plague of the past.

The names of eras and historical periods are usually capitalized but not always. Terms that are merely descriptive are often lowercased.

• For women, the R enaissance was no different from any other period in history.
• No, Johnny, electricity had nothing to do with the D ark A ges being “dark.”
• These pieces of jewelry are from the early centuries of the C ommon E ra.
• This school still uses c olonial- e ra teaching methods.
• Some call this book the last great novel of the p ostmodern e ra.

Descriptive terms such as “postmodern” and “modern” may sometimes be capitalized in writing when used to refer to time periods or art movements, although lowercasing them is usually preferred. Follow a consistent style within a document.

Historical events

Capitalize the names of specific events in history.

• The R ussian R evolution broke out before W orld W ar I was over.
• Nobody knows how many people died in the M assacre of X uzhou.
• The B attle of W aterloo marked Napoleon’s final defeat.
• It will take a r evolution to end this w ar.
• Hundreds of people were slaughtered in the m assacre.
• A historic b attle was fought on this field 200 years ago.

Celestial bodies

Names of galaxies, stars, planets, and other celestial bodies are generally capitalized.

• How far away from us is A lpha C entauri?
• For millennia, humans looked up in wonder at the M ilky W ay.
• We were guided on our travels by the N orth S tar.
• Travelers to N eptune are advised to wear their space suits at all times to avoid freezing to death.

An exception is the “ s olar s ystem,” which is usually lowercased. Also, the word earth , even when used to mean our planet, may be lowercased, especially when preceded by the word the .

• What on e arth are you talking about?
• Some people still believe the e arth is the center of the universe.

However, when used with names of other planets or in scientific writing, the word is capitalized.

• I would rather live on V enus than E arth.
• Here is a photograph of E arth as seen from space.

Similarly, the words sun and moon are not usually capitalized, except in scientific writing.

• “The S un is a yellow dwarf star, a hot ball of glowing gases at the heart of our solar system.” — “ Our Sun ,” NASA Solar System Exploration website
• The M oon is E arth’s only natural satellite.
• The s un and all the stars will fade away someday.
• All her crayons have melted in the s un.
• In the light of a gibbous m oon, the princess crept toward the moonlit pond.

When used as common nouns (for example, in the plural ), these words are always lowercased.

• There are seventy-nine known m oons of Jupiter, none of which I have visited.
• Our new planet has two s uns, so it’s always day wherever you are.

Nouns before numerals or letters

In general, capitalize nouns followed by numerals or letters that are part of a series.

• In C hapter 3, we discuss the importance of tea in the life of a human being.
• The routing graph is presented in F igure 4.
• For data collected in February, see T able 3.
• Here are the results of E xperiment 9.
• I present to you E xhibit A, a screwdriver covered in blood.
• For a discussion on tea leaves specifically from Darjeeling, see A ppendix C.
• She gave away the entire plot right in the first c hapter of the book.
• Could you check whether the fourth f igure on this page is correct?
• Pricing details are provided in an a ppendix to the report.

Words such as page , paragraph , line , stanza , row , and column are not usually capitalized, even when followed by a number.

• I am still on p age 7 of this book.
• Please check the number in r ow 9, c olumn 3.

When speaking about the parts of a book or a document, the general rule is that if a word can act as a heading, it is capitalized. Thus, while “Chapter 3” is capitalized, “page 3” isn’t. Similarly, “Table 5” should be capitalized, but “row 5” should not.

Nouns followed by numerals or letters that are not items in a numbered series but merely act as placeholders are generally lowercased.

• This car is no Ferrari, but it will take you from p oint A to p oint B.
• Let’s go with o ption 1 then.

Models, theories, and schools of thought

Do not capitalize the names of models and theories unless they contain proper nouns.

• The motivational theory we use is M aslow’s h ierarchy o f n eeds.
• The competitive strength of an organization can be assessed using P orter’s f ive f orces m odel.
• A b rand p ositioning m ap can help you understand how consumers perceive your brand in comparison to others.
• Psychologists have finally proven F reud’s r epressed m emory t heory.
• Only the privileged can speak blithely of e xistentialism.
• We used the d ifferential e quation m odel to compare the two sets of data.
• Albert Einstein is famous not just for his hairdo but also his g eneral t heory o f r elativity.

Schools of thought and philosophical approaches are sometimes capitalized (e.g., E xistentialism), although most style manuals recommend lowercasing them. Such questions of capitalization are a matter of style rather than grammar . Follow a consistent style within a document.

Diseases and disorders

Don’t capitalize the names of diseases, conditions, and disorders.

• Diseases such as m alaria and c holera can be prevented by taking certain precautions.
• I wasn’t in at work last week because I had the f lu.
• She was diagnosed with p ostpartum d epression but insisted it was merely a case of acute nihilism.

However, do capitalize any proper nouns that form part of the name.

• Studies show that estrogen may slow the progress of A lzheimer’s d isease.
• Farley was about five years old when symptoms of D uchenne m uscular d ystrophy began to appear.

Do not capitalize the common names of species .

• There are fewer than four thousand t igers left in the world.
• The t iger is the largest member of the c at family.
• The s pur- w inged g oose lives on a diet of b lister b eetles, which makes this g oose poisonous to predators.

Proper adjectives that form part of the name are capitalized.

• The E gyptian g oose is native to Africa.
• The T asmanian t iger went extinct in 1936.

Latin names of species are italicized. Capitalize the genus, and lowercase the species name (even if it is a proper adjective).

• The Mangifera indica , or the mango, is native to the Indian subcontinent.
• The Chinese mountain cat belongs to the genus Felis .

Lowercase words such as east and west (and derivative words such as eastern ) when referring to direction or location.

• Wheat is grown in the w estern region of the country.
• We went up a narrow road n orth into the mountains.

Capitalize the names of regions and places.

• Uruguay is a beautiful country in S outh America.
• Baltimore is a major city in the N ortheast.

For more examples, see Are North , South , East , West Capitalized?

Official titles

Capitalize official titles when used before a person’s name or in place of it.

• Lulu interviewed P resident Clinton in 1999.
• Early this morning, V ice C hancellor Wang announced her resignation.
• We invited P remier Johnson to watch the launch of the space shuttle.
• Fortunately, D eputy P rime M inister Femy will not be present.
• Four former p residents attended the funeral.
• When will Anita be promoted from v ice c hancellor to c hancellor?
• We went to hear the p remier speak in Ontario.
• Who knows what the duties are of a d eputy p rime m inister?

For more examples, see this article on capitalizing civil and official titles.

Kinship terms

Lowercase words such as “mom” and “dad” when you use them as common nouns.

• My d ad likes to tell the strangest jokes.
• My m other’s childhood photographs smell of the past.
• Maya’s a unt is an astronaut and a scientist.

But capitalize familial terms used as a name or before a name.

• I wonder why M om and D ad haven’t called me yet.
• Please, M other, try to understand!
• Lulu visited G randpa last week.
• I hope A unt Lily enjoys her trip to Mars.

For more examples, see this article on when to capitalize family titles .

Titles and headings

Titles and headings may be capitalized using either title case or sentence case. Various style guides prescribe different rules. In general, in title case, the first and last words and all words except articles ( a , an , the ), prepositions ( of , in , on , at , etc.), and conjunctions ( and , or , but , etc.) are capitalized.

• T he U nbearable L ightness of B eing
• T o the L ighthouse
• S tranger in a S trange L and
• T he B ook of L aughter and F orgetting

In title case, capitalize all forms of the be verb ( is , are , were , etc.).

• How to B e an Antiracist
• Eleanor Oliphant I s Completely Fine
• When We W ere Orphans

In sentence case, only the first word and all proper nouns are capitalized.

• A pair of blue eyes
• J ane E yre
• T he truth about M ary

For more examples, including how to capitalize hyphenated terms, see Title Case: Words to Capitalize in Titles, Headings, and Headlines .

Usage guide

Capitalize names of people, places, companies, departments, and geographical features. In names of countries, organizations, and departments, as well as in titles and headings, articles ( a , an , the ), prepositions ( of , in , etc.), and conjunctions ( and , or , etc.) are lowercased. Avoid unnecessary capitalization. While words used as names should be capitalized (“ M om lives in the R ocky M ountains”), common nouns are lowercased (“Nesbit’s m om lives in the m ountains”).

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An initial the in the name of a country is lowercased within a sentence.

Names of geographical features such as seas are capitalized.

Words such as mountain are not capitalized unless they form part of a proper noun (e.g., the Ural Mountains ).

Words such as corporation are not capitalized unless they form part of a proper noun (e.g., Microsoft Corporation ).

Names of departments are proper nouns and are therefore capitalized.

Names of theories are generally not capitalized.

Official titles such as president are not capitalized when used as common nouns ( the p resident but P resident Smith ).

Title Page Setup

A title page is required for all APA Style papers. There are both student and professional versions of the title page. Students should use the student version of the title page unless their instructor or institution has requested they use the professional version. APA provides a student title page guide (PDF, 199KB) to assist students in creating their title pages.

Student title page

The student title page includes the paper title, author names (the byline), author affiliation, course number and name for which the paper is being submitted, instructor name, assignment due date, and page number, as shown in this example.

Title page setup is covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 2.3 and the Concise Guide Section 1.6

Related handouts

• Student Title Page Guide (PDF, 263KB)
• Student Paper Setup Guide (PDF, 3MB)

Student papers do not include a running head unless requested by the instructor or institution.

Follow the guidelines described next to format each element of the student title page.

Professional title page

The professional title page includes the paper title, author names (the byline), author affiliation(s), author note, running head, and page number, as shown in the following example.

Follow the guidelines described next to format each element of the professional title page.

Generate accurate APA citations for free

• Knowledge Base
• APA Style 7th edition
• APA Title Page (7th edition) | Template for Students & Professionals

APA Title Page (7th edition) | Template for Students & Professionals

Published on November 6, 2020 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on January 17, 2024.

APA provides different guidelines for student and professional papers. The student version of the APA title page should include the following information (double spaced and centered):

Paper title

• Author name
• Department and university name
• Course number and name
• Instructor name
• Due date of the assignment

The professional title page also includes an author note (flushed left), but not a course name, instructor name, or due date.

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Table of contents

Title page example (student and professional version), institutional affiliation, course information, author note, page header, including an image on the title page.

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Write an informative, striking title that summarizes the topic of your paper. Try to keep the title focused and use relevant keywords.

Place the title three or four lines down from the top of the paper. Center align and bold it. Don’t forget to use title case capitalization (capitalize the first letter of each word, except small words such as articles and short prepositions).

Write the author’s name under the paper title (leave a blank line in between). Give their full names (first name, middle initial(s) and last name), but don’t include titles (Dr., Prof.) or degrees (Ph.D., MSc).

Multiple authors on the title page

List the authors in order of their contribution. If there are two authors, separate their names with the word “and”, like this:

If there are more than two authors, separate their names with a comma. Only write “and” before the last author, like this:

Write the author’s affiliation on the next line under the author names. Students should specify the department and institution where they’re attending school. Professional researchers should specify the department and institution where they conducted their research.

Multiple authors with different affiliations

Use superscript numbers on the author line to indicate which institution they’re affiliated with. Don’t use superscript numbers if all authors are affiliated with the same institution (and department).

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On a student title page, provide information about the course. List the following information on separate (double spaced) lines under the author’s affiliation:

• Instructor(s)
• Assignment’s due date

For professional papers, you may include an author note. This note may contain the author’s ORCID iD, affiliation changes, disclosures of conflicts of interest, brief acknowledgments, and contact information (in that specific order). Present this information in separate paragraphs.

Place the author note on the bottom half of the page. Center the label “Author note” and apply bold styling. The paragraphs in the author note are left-aligned. The first line of each new paragraph is indented.

For more information about formatting the author note, see section 2.7 of the APA Publication Manual.

For a student title page, the page header consists of just a page number in the top-right corner. There is no need for a running head (as was the case in APA 6th edition).

A professional title page does have a running head. The running head is an abbreviated version of the paper title in all capital letters. The maximum length is 50 characters (counting spaces).

Images are not usually included on an APA title page, and APA does not provide any guidelines for doing so. It’s usually viewed as unprofessional to include an image, since the title page is there to provide information, not for decoration.

If you do decide to include an image on your title page, make sure to check whether you need permission from the creator of the image. Include a note directly underneath the image acknowledging where it comes from, beginning with the word “ Note .” (italicized and followed by a period):

• If you found the image online or in another source, include a citation and copyright attribution .
• If it’s an image you created yourself (e.g., a photograph you took, an infographic you designed), explain this (e.g., “Photograph taken by the author.”).

Don’t give the image a label, title, or number. Only images within the text itself are labeled as figures .

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2024, January 17). APA Title Page (7th edition) | Template for Students & Professionals. Scribbr. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/apa-title-page/

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A Little Help with Capitals

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This handout lists some guidelines for capitalization. If you have a question about whether a specific word should be capitalized that doesn't fit under one of these rules, try checking a dictionary to see if the word is capitalized there.

Use capital letters in the following ways:

The first words of a sentence

The pronoun "I"

Proper nouns (the names of specific people, places, organizations, and sometimes things)

Family relationships (when used as proper names)

The names of God, specific deities, religious figures, and holy books

Exception: Do not capitalize the nonspecific use of the word "god."

Titles preceding names, but not titles that follow names

Directions that are names (North, South, East, and West when used as sections of the country, but not as compass directions)

The days of the week, the months of the year, and holidays (but not the seasons used generally)

Exception: Seasons are capitalized when used in a title.

The names of countries, nationalities, and specific languages

The first word in a sentence that is a direct quote

The major words in the titles of books, articles, and songs (but not short prepositions or the articles "the," "a," or "an," if they are not the first word of the title)

Members of national, political, racial, social, civic, and athletic groups

Periods and events (but not century numbers)

Words and abbreviations of specific names (but not names of things that came from specific things but are now general types)

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Capitalizing document names

Does anyone know if I need to capitalize document names in this sentence?

Created and maintained comprehensive project documentation; Business Case, Project Charter, and Project Plans.

In other words, does Business Case, Project Charter and Project Plans need to be capitalized.

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

• capitalization

• A side note, that should be a colon : , not a semicolon ; –  Azor Ahai -him- Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 19:34
• 1 Are we going to be proofreading your entire resume this week? –  Barmar Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 21:21

You capitalize something when it is a proper noun, i.e. when it identifies a specific thing.

So if you are writing a document that lays out a specific business case (say the one for your company) and its title is "Business Case" then you capitalize it.

"I wrote the document called "Business Case."

If you want to describe that you are writing a document of a particular kind, such as one that is of the kind "business case" then you don't capitalize it.

"I wrote the business case document for our company. It was called 'Acme Inc. Business Case 2016.'"

• Thanks you SO much DJ!! I am not referring to a specific document. I'm just listing the types of documents I have written before. –  jjThomson Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 17:57
• So I will lower case. I have a follow up question for you. –  jjThomson Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 17:58
• In the sentence: Created and maintained comprehensive project documentation; Business Case, Project Charter, and Project Plans. If I created multiple documents of each type do I that have to make each plural or just the last plural? Created and maintained comprehensive project documentation; Business Cases, Project Charters, and Project Plans. or Created and maintained comprehensive project documentation; Business Case, Project Charter, and Project Plans. –  jjThomson Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 18:00
• jj if you want to ask another question, please use the 'ask question' button at the top. –  DJClayworth Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 18:17

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Capitalization Rules (with Worksheet)

In all my years of teaching grammar and conventions, the simplest rules seem to be the hardest for many students to remember.

As surprising as it is, the elementary lesson of capitalization use is often the most elusive – and these basic errors create confusing sentences. The writing also ends up looking incomplete and it is difficult for future employers to take anyone seriously when basic grammar is ignored.

Let’s review the rules of capitalization to help you remember how they should be applied so your writing is clear, concise, and understandable.

What are the Rules of Capitalization?

You were most likely first introduced to the rules of capitalization in early elementary school. Capitalization serves an important role in writing to indicate important words and signal new thoughts.

For capitalization in English, there are three common rules on which everyone can agree:

• Capitalize the first letter in every sentence .
• Capitalize initial letters of proper nouns .
• Capitalize the pronoun I.

But, there are many rules governing the use of capitalization, and we are going to review the most widely accepted rules below.

Using Capitals for First Words

The most widely used and recognized rule of capital letters is to capitalize the first word of a sentence. They serve as a visual clue to the reader by making certain words stand out more prominently on a page.

Capital letters signal the start of a new idea in a sentence.

First Word Rule #1: Sentences

Capitalize the first word in declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences.

For example:

• Sarah visited the beach while on vacation.
• Did you pick up the groceries?
• Put that book away.
• I can’t believe I was awarded the scholarship!

First Word Rule #2: Sentences

Capitalize the first word in interjections and incomplete sentences.

First Word Rule #3: Sentences

Capitalize the first word of a complete sentence following a colon. If a list or dependent clause or phrase follows a colon, it is not a complete sentence and, therefore, no capital letter is used.

• Consider a note about this rule: It is sometimes more acceptable to use a semi-colon instead of a colon if the following sentence is a complete sentence (see what I did there?).

First Word Rule #4: Quotations

Capitalize the first word in the quotation at the quotation is a complete sentence.

• I always loved the picture Muir paints with his words when he wrote, “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”

First Word Rule #5: Poetry

Capitalize the first word in each line of most poetry even if the line does not begin a new sentence.

Water falling

I watched it stream

Gently down to earth

First Word Rule #6: I and O

Capitalize I and O through a sentence.

• She wasn’t sure when the paper was due, but I knew it had to be done before Friday.
• She looked up, surprised, her mouth a round O as she stood, speechless.

Using Capitals for Proper Nouns

Proper nouns are nouns that name a specific person, place, or thing. They must be capitalized to properly indicate their importance to a sentence.

Proper Noun Rule #1: Names

Capitalize all proper nouns, including each part of a person’s name.

The given first, middle, and surname (last name) of a person must be capitalized, as do initials.

• Sanna L. Hamilton
• Lisa O’Hera
• Michael St. John

Capitalization beginning with la, le, de, Mac, van, von, or D’ may vary depending on the family spelling and preference of the name.

• De Ville vs. de Ville

Proper Noun Rule #2: Animals

Capitalize the proper names of animals.

• Hazel Fuzzy Butt
• Ginger the Wonder Dog
• Wrigley the Weasel

Proper Noun Rule #3: Geography

Capitalized geographical names.

Street names, towns, cities, counties, states, provinces, countries, continents, valleys, mountains, rivers, and oceans are all capitalized. If it can be found on a map, capitalize it.

• South America
• Galapagos Islands

Compass points are only capitalized if they are referring to a specific location.

• We were driving southwest on the highway.
• We were driving through the South to reach our destination on the East Coast.

Proper Noun Rule #4: Places

Capitalize the names of monuments, buildings, and meeting rooms or classrooms

• Lincoln Memorial
• Joe Louis Arena

Proper Noun Rule #5: Events and Periods of Time

Capitalize the names of specific events, such as historic periods, events, documents, days and months, holidays, and special events.

• Middle Ages
• Homestead Act
• Memorial Day
• Belmont Stakes

Proper Noun Rule #6: Seasons

Do not capitalize the seasons.

• We could tell spring was on the way due to the warm breeze.

Proper Noun Rule #7: Organizations, Nationalities, Languages

Capitalize the names of various organizations, businesses, government bodies, political parties, nationalities, and languages.

• Debate Club
• United Farm Workers
• University of Michigan
• BioCorps, Inc.
• Department of Defense
• Republicans, Libertarians
• American, Brazilian, Hispanic, Italian
• English, Spanish, Portuguese

Proper Noun Rule #8: Religion

Capitalize references to religions, deities, religious figures, holy books, and religious sculptures.

• Holy Spirit

Do not capitalize the words god or goddess when referring to mythological deities, but do capitalize their proper names.

• Our studies on Greek and Roman gods and goddesses was very interesting.

Proper Noun Rule #9: Awards

Capitalize the names of awards. Do not capitalize the word “the” preceding the award name.

• the Nobel Peace Prize
• the Pulitzer Prize

Proper Noun Rule #10: Vehicles

Capitalize the names of specific types of air, space, and land craft.

• USS Alabama

Using Capitals for Proper Adjectives

Proper adjectives are proper nouns used as an adjective, or are formed from a proper noun.

Proper Adjective Rule #1

Capitalize most proper adjectives.

• American people
• French government
• Gothic style

Proper adjectives used in popular expressions are not capitalized.

• venetian blinds
• french fries

Proper Adjective Rule #2

Capitalize brand names used as adjectives.

• Hercules luggage

Proper Adjective Rule #3

Do not capitalize prefixes attached to proper adjectives unless the prefix refers to a nationality.

• pre-Renaissance architecture

USe  Adjective Rule #4

In a hyphenated adjective, capitalize only the proper adjective.

• Italian-speaking Americans

Using Capitals for Titles

Title rule #1: people.

Capitalize a person’s title when it is used with the person’s name or when it’s used in direct address in place of a person’s name.

• Major Johnson reviewed the reports and gave a nod of approval.
• The Major’s approval allowed us to get started with the next step.

Do not capitalize if used as a general reference.

• The reports required the approval of a higher official, such as a major.

Title Rule #2: People

Capitalize titles of government officials when they are followed by a proper name or used in direct address.

• Senator Davis met with the people before elections began.
• Will you be meeting us at a specific time, Senator?
• It would be nice if all senators were willing to meet with their constituents.

Title Rule #3: People

Capitalize titles of certain high government officials if they refer to the incumbent even when the titles are not followed by proper name or used in direct address.

• The President traveled to the hurricane affected areas.
• The King of England was sworn in recently.
• The trail will be taken on by the Supreme Court.

Title Rule #4: People

Capitalize the important words in the compound titles, but not prefixes and suffixes added to the title.

• ex-Senator Smith
• Lieutenant Governor

Title Rule #5: People

Capitalize titles showing family relationships when they refer to a specific person unless they are preceded by a possessive noun or pronoun.

• My Aunt Mary lived to be 93 years old.
• Sarah’s aunt was as spry as ever in her old age.

Title Rule #6: People

Capitalize abbreviations of titles before and after names.

• Ms. Johnson
• Mr. Johnathon Smith, Sr.
• Mr. Jonathan Smith, Jr.

Title Rule #7: Titles of Written Works and Art

Capitalize the first word and all other key words in the titles of books, periodicals, poems, stories, plays, paintings, and other works of art.

• Little Women
• Reader’s Digest
• The Phantom of the Opera

Title Rule #8: Titles of Courses

Capitalize titles of courses when the courses are language courses or when the courses are followed by a number.

• Sociology 101
• New Mexico History 2B

Other Points to Remember

In modern writing, there are simultaneous trends toward and away from capitalization. The trend in informal writing and much journalistic writing is away from it. Meanwhile, there is an unfortunate trend in business, corporate, and marketing writing to capitalize words for emphasis or to give words a little extra heft.

But if you use instant messaging, text messaging, email, or social networking, you’ve probably noticed that many people don’t capitalize at all in these mediums.

Regardless of what writers do in business and marketing (where trying to enforce good writing is a lost cause), the best rule of thumb for capitalization is to err on the side of minimalism. Follow the rules listed above, avoid capitalizing common nouns just because other people do, avoid capitalization for emphasis (that’s what italicization is for ), and never use all caps (LIKE THIS). Beyond those guidelines, here are a few other points:

• Different publications have different standards for capitalizing titles and headings. Use what looks best to you.
• Complete sentences within sentences should be capitalized. This includes quoted sentences (e.g., She said, “How are you?”) and complete sentences following colons (e.g. One thing’s for sure: You’ll get your money’s worth).
• In abbreviations, capitalize letters that stand for capitalized words (e.g., USMC for United States Marine Corp, BoA for Bank of America).
• Some great 19th-century poets had a habit of capitalizing abstract and personified nouns such as Nature and Love, but that doesn’t make it a good idea in general.

Let’s Review

There are many instances in which you will use a capitalization, but all mainly follow the three common rules: capitalize the first letter of every sentence, the initial letter of proper nouns, and the pronoun “I”.

If you can remember this, then it is easier to apply them to the scenarios in which a capital letter is required. 

Use the above guidelines for capitalization to answer any questions you may have and help make corrections to your own writing. 

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To Capitalise or Not To Capitalise: A Useful Guide

• 3-minute read
• 31st July 2014

The question of when to capitalise a word can be tricky. As such, sometimes even the most exacting of grammar nerds will need to consult a guide. If you’re writing an essay and you’re unsure about a word, then, check the rules below to see whether a capital is required.

Which Words Should Be Capitalised?

The following situations always require a capital letter:

• The first word in a sentence
• The first-person pronoun ‘I’, along with the contractions ‘I’m’ and ‘I’ll’
• Countries (e.g. ‘France’)
• Settlements and landmarks (e.g. ‘Paris’, ‘the Eiffel Tower’)
• Languages (e.g. ‘French’, ‘Spanish’ or ‘German’)
• Proper nouns related to nationality, (e.g. ‘Frenchman’ or ‘Englishman’)
• Months and days of the week (e.g. ‘We met on a Thursday in June’)
• Special dates and historical periods (e.g. ‘Christmas Day’ or ‘the Iron Age’)
• Important historical events (e.g. ‘World War One’)
• The names of companies, brands and institutions (e.g. ‘Coca Cola’)
• Abbreviated titles (e.g. ‘Mr’, ‘Ms’ or ‘Dr’)
• Honorifics in salutations or before a name (e.g. ‘Dear Sir’ or ‘Dr Quinn’)
• People’s names (e.g. ‘Donald’ or ‘Hillary’)
• Special honours and awards (e.g. ‘Bachelor of Physics’)

Although this list covers the most common examples, there are also other situations where terms should be capitalised.

For example, when discussing religions, words like ‘God’ and ‘Allah’, as well as words pronouns relating to deities (e.g. ‘ H im’), are often capitalised. This is known as reverential capitalisation .

Sometimes, job titles are also capitalised, especially when used as part of an official title or alongside a name (e.g. ‘Jane Smith, Head of Recruitment, will be attending the meeting’). This isn’t necessary when the same words are used generically, though (e.g. we would write ‘She hopes to become President of the United States’ because it refers to a specific position, but no capitalisation is needed in ‘Many countries have presidents’).

Title Capitalisation

It’s also conventional to capitalise some words in titles, especially with books and films. When it comes to essay titles , many style guides require you to capitalise just the first word of titles and subtitles, plus proper nouns. This is known as ‘sentence case’. A title like this would run:

A guide to English: Perfecting grammar in an academic paper

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Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

Alternatively, some style guide suggest that all of the main words (i.e. any that aren’t articles, conjunctions or prepositions) should be capitalised. This is known as ‘title case’. A title like this would appear as:

A Guide to English: Perfecting Grammar in an Academic Paper

Make sure to check which format your university prefers.

When NOT to Capitalise

Some situations might seem like a word should be capitalised but, in fact, do not require it. Words which don’t need to be capitalised include:

• The seasons (e.g. ‘spring’ or ‘summer’)
• The word ‘god’ when used in relation to the general idea of gods, rather than the Christian God
• Academic subjects which aren’t part of a degree or other qualification title (e.g. ‘He studied maths and science at school’)

It’s also important to be consistent with capitalisation (i.e. to use the same style of capitalisation throughout each document). And make sure to proofread carefully if you’re not sure about certain terms!

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What Should I Capitalise? A Guide for the Confused

• 3-minute read
• 17th November 2012

At Proofed , a common problem we see in writing is incorrect or inconsistent capitalisation. As such, to help you avoid errors, we have put together this quick guide to when (and when not) to capitalise words in your writing.

What to Capitalise

As well as the first letter of the first word in a sentence, make sure to capitalise proper nouns in your work. These words name a unique person or thing. As such, words you will typically need to capitalise in your writing include:

• People’s names (e.g. Florence, David, Musa, Fatima)
• Roles or titles used alongside a name (e.g. ‘Queen Elizabeth II’ or ‘Professor Davies’, since these are specific people, but ‘a queen of England’ and ‘a professor of neuroscience’)
• Names of places, cities, towns, locations, and the people/languages from them (e.g. America, Chicago, Italy, Italian)
• Organisations, companies, institutions, etc. (e.g. Catholicism)
• Products and brand names (e.g. Colgate, but not ‘toothpaste’)
• Special dates and periods (e.g. Christmas Eve, the Bronze Age)
• Key historical events (e.g. World War II, the Boston Tea Party)
• Names of laws and official documents (e.g. the Bill of Rights)
• Certain religious terms (e.g. the Lord, Allah, the Holy Trinity, God)
• Names of ships or aircraft (e.g. the Enola Gay , HMS Ark Royal)

In addition, it is common to capitalise certain words in titles and subtitles. This will depend on the style of title used, but you should always capitalise the first letters of titles, subtitles, and proper nouns. Many style guides also recommend citing ‘major words’ (e.g. nouns, verbs, pronouns) and using lower case for other terms (e.g. prepositions and articles). For more on capitalising titles, see our post on the topic .

When No Capitalisation Is Required

As a rule, with common nouns (i.e. all nouns other than proper nouns), you won’t need to capitalise a word unless it appears at the start of a sentence.

Common errors in this respect include capitalising:

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• Names of seasons (e.g. spring, summer, autumn, winter)
• Academic subject names (e.g. chemistry, maths)
• Job roles when not used in a title (e.g. chief executive)

These are all common nouns, so do not usually start with a capital letter.

You should also take care when using more than one proper noun in a sentence. In these cases, you may need to drop a capital letter from a shared term. For example, you would say ‘Lake Tahoe and Lake Huron’. But this would change to ‘lakes Tahoe and Huron’ if you grouped them together because ‘lakes’ becomes generic.

You can capitalise other terms and phrases in some cases, but you must apply your judgement to determine whether or not this is necessary.  Regardless, the style adopted must be applied consistently throughout your work.

If you are worried about any aspect of your essay  or dissertation , including the referencing, grammar, or how to present it on the page, why not send it to the experts ? We will even proofread a 500-word sample for free, so you can see what a big difference our service can make to your academic writing!

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Capitalization in English: a Comprehensive Guide

We capitalize a word when we start it with an uppercase letter while the rest of the letters are in lowercase.

We capitalize a word when we start it with an uppercase letter while the rest of the letters are in lowercase. For example, the word " Monday " is capitalized, and the word " book " is not capitalized.

Skilled writers use capital letters carefully . When in doubt, it's preferable to avoid using them.

Here is a list of rules for the capitalization of English words .

1. Sentences and Punctuation Marks

3. capitalize proper nouns, 4. titles and occupations, 5. course titles and academic subjects, 6. relatives' family names.

• 7. Headlines and Titles
• 12. Grey Areas

Capitalize the first word of a document or report:

In this article, we will discuss the latest advancements in technology.

in this article, we will discuss the latest advancements in technology.

Capitalize the first word after a period:

The cat slept soundly. Outside , the rain continued to fall.

The cat slept soundly. outside , the rain continued to fall.

Capitalize the first word of a sentence:

A dog barked loudly outside.

a dog barked loudly outside.

Exception : The first word after a semicolon is not typically capitalized, unless it's a proper noun or another type of word that is always capitalized.

The weather was terrible; we decided to stay indoors.

The weather was terrible; We decided to stay indoors.

The first word following a colon is capitalized if it begins a complete sentence:

Remember this: Tomorrow brings new opportunities.

We also capitalize fragmentary responses. These are brief, incomplete sentences used to convey a message or answer a question. They lack some elements that would make them complete sentences, such as a subject or a verb.

Yes , No , Definitely , etc.

Are you coming to the party? Definitely

Are you coming to the party? definitely

Capitalization Rules in Letter Writing:

"Dear Mr. Smith," "Hello Alice," etc.

"Request for additional information on your services"

• Capitalize the first word in the body of the letter.
• The pronoun "I" should always be capitalized.

"Best regards," "Sincerely," etc.

Proper nouns are the specific names given to unique entities, such as people, places, organizations, and sometimes things, that distinguish them from others of a similar kind.

The word " Spain " is a proper noun, and " country " is not a proper noun.

Proper nouns are always capitalized in English to signify their uniqueness:

Renowned for his theory of relativity, Einstein revolutionized modern physics.

Renowned for his theory of relativity, einstein revolutionized modern physics.

In general, avoid capitalizing the article "the" before proper nouns .

Barbara wrote a detailed essay on the causes and consequences of the French Revolution .

Exceptions : In certain instances, when "the" is an integral part of an official title, it may be capitalized:

On his trip to the Netherlands, James visited The Hague to see the famous art museums.

The main role of capital letters is to highlight specific entities within a group of people, places, or things. For instance, we might mention an important city , or we could specify " Bangkok ," which distinguishes it from every other city in the world.

Also capitalize adjectives that are derived from proper nouns .

Her favorite Spanish dish , paella, reminded her of her travels through Spain.

Her favorite spanish dish , paella, reminded her of her travels through Spain.

Exceptions : Over time, some words that originated from proper nouns have developed their own significance and authority, and no longer need to be capitalized. For example, " draconian "" (derived from Draco, the ancient Athenian lawgiver), " herculean " (originating from the mythological hero Hercules, or quixotic (from the hero of the Spanish novel Don Quixote).

Here are some key subcategories of proper nouns :

3.1 Names of People

Individual names and nicknames should be capitalized:

" John ", " Alice ", " Einstein ," " The King of Rock and Roll " (nickname for Elvis Presley), or " The Boss " (nickname for Bruce Springsteen).

During the meeting, John proposed a new strategy for the project.

During the meeting, john proposed a new strategy for the project.

3.2 Geographical Names, Territories, Streets, and Roads

Capitalize names of specific places, natural landmarks, territories, streets, and roads:

" Madrid ," " Mount Everest ," " Asia ," " Mississippi River ," " Cook County ," " Yellowstone National Park ," " Bourbon Street ," etc.

The conference will be held in New York next month.

The conference will be held in new york next month.

Capitalize names of specific geographical regions:

Many culinary innovations have their origins in the East and have been adapted by the West .

Do not capitalize, however, compass directions:

The storm moved west , bringing heavy rains to the region.

Some regions are capitalized due to their renown, notoriety, or fame:

Silicon Valley , New York's Upper West Side , or Northern California .

Capitalize terms such as "city," "town," or "county" when they form part of a proper noun (e.g., "New York City"); however, it's not necessary to capitalize them when they precede the proper name (e.g., "the city of New York.")

3.3 Names of Days and Months

We also capitalize the days of the week (Monday, Tuesday, etc.) and names of months (January, February, etc.) even if they are abbreviated (Mon., Jan., etc.):

The final presentation is scheduled for next Friday afternoon.

The annual conference is set to take place in November .

3.4 Holidays

" Christmas ," " Thanksgiving ," " New Year's Day ," " Independence Day ," " Halloween ," " Easter ," " Hanukkah ," " Valentine's Day ," " Labor Day ," " Memorial Day ," etc.

As Halloween approached, they started decorating their house with spooky themes.

3.5 Titles of Works

Names of books, songs, movies, and other works are capitalized:

" War and Peace ," " Bohemian Rhapsody ," or " Titanic ."

Often hailed as one of the greatest films ever made, " Citizen Kane " was directed by Orson Welles.

3.6 Brands and Companies

We also capitalize names of companies and brands:

" Google ," " Coca-Cola ," or " Nike ."

They recommended using Google to search for local Italian restaurants with the best reviews.

3.7 Institutions, Organizations, and Governmental Matters

Names of institutions, organizations, and government matters are always capitalized:

The United Nations passed a new resolution to address climate change challenges.

3.8 Historical Events and Periods

Historical events and periods are considered proper nouns, and therefore capitalized.

" World War II ," "the Renaissance ," "the French Revolution ," or "the Great Depression ."

David wrote his thesis on the impact of the French Revolution on modern political thought.

3.9 Unique Structures and Monuments

" Eiffel Tower ," " Great Wall of China ," " Statue of Liberty ," " Big Ben (clock tower)," " Golden Gate Bridge ," " Hoover Dam ," or " Hubble Space Telescope ."

They bought a miniature replica of the Statue of Liberty as a souvenir.

3.10 Planets

The names of planets are capitalized. This rule applies to all celestial bodies, including stars, moons, asteroids, and galaxies.

Mercury , Venus , Mars , Jupiter , Saturn , Uranus , Neptune , etc.

Scientists are studying the soil samples collected from Mars .

Note : Never capitalize the "sun" or the "moon."

Whether " earth " should be capitalized depends on the context in which it's used:

Astronauts saw Earth from space.

He dug into the earth to plant the tree.

3.11 Nationalities, Races, and Tribes

Nationalities, races, and tribes should be capitalized in English. These are proper nouns or proper adjectives, which require capitalization.

American , Spanish , Japanese , Caucasian , Asian , Hispanic , Apache , Zulu , etc.

In the cooking class, they learned to prepare traditional Chinese dishes

3.12 Religions and Names of Deities

Religions and names of deities should be capitalized. These are considered proper nouns as they refer to specific beliefs, religious practices, and divine figures.

Christianity , Buddhism , Islam , Hinduism , God , Allah , Zeus , Vishnu , etc.

Peter developed a keen interest in the teachings of Buddhism .

• Do not capitalize "heaven," "hell," "satanic," and "the devil."
• Capitalize "the Bible", but not "biblical."

3.13 Art Movements

Since art movements refer to specific styles or periods in art history, they are capitalized.

Impressionism , Surrealism , Cubism , Baroque , Renaissance , Abstract Expressionism , or Pop Art .

The colorful and bold style of Pop Art emerged as a prominent artistic movement in the 1950s and 1960s.

3.14 Special Occasions

Special occasions, such as festivals and competitions, are often considered proper nouns.

" The Olympic Games ," " Cannes Film Festival ," " Oktoberfest ," or " Rio Carnival ."

The streets were alive with music and dance at the Rio Carnival .

Titles are words that denote a specific role, rank, occupation, academic achievement, or honor (e.g., Dr. (doctor), Prof. (professor), president, governor, mayor, chairman of the board, Mr., Mrs., etc.)

Titles should be capitalized when used directly before a person's name:

Dr. Smith , President Lincoln , or Mrs. Thompson .

The successful rescue operation was commanded by Captain Martinez .

Omit the capitalization, however, if the title is followed by a comma.

The financial review was presented by the chairman of the board, Susan Lee, to the stakeholders.

The new initiative was endorsed by the president, Emily Clark, at the international conference.

Avoid capitalizing the title when it appears after a name.

Jacob Brown, the chief executive officer , announced the new operational strategy.

If the title is used instead of the name, do not capitalize it.

The president outlined the company's plans.

Exceptions : Some writers and publishers, as a mark of respect, opt to capitalize the highest positions in royalty, government, religion, and similar domains.

When the King arrived at the ceremony, the crowd erupted in cheers.

Capitalize a formal title when directly addressing someone, with more formal titles being more likely to be capitalized.

"Good morning, President , how are you today?"

"May I help you with anything, Doctor ?"

Titles are not the same as occupations. Titles often emphasize rank, honor, or position, while occupations focus on the nature of the work or professional role. A person's title can sometimes be related to their occupation, but it also might reflect a broader societal, academic, or professional status.

Do not capitalize occupations when they precede full names.

The award-winning film was created by director Martin Scorsese , known for her innovative storytelling.

The distinction between title and occupation can become unclear in certain scenarios, particularly when the same term can refer to both a job role and a formal title.

The term " chef " is used for someone who professionally cooks and runs a kitchen (occupation), but it can also imply a title of culinary expertise and leadership in a professional kitchen.

The noun " professor " primarily indicates someone who teaches at a university (occupation), but it is also an academic title awarded to individuals of high academic standing.

Capitalize specific course titles:

" History of Western Art: Renaissance to Modernism ," " Behavioral Neuroscience: Foundations and Applications ," or " Foundations of Computational Mathematics ."

The professor's new book was based on his lectures from " Advanced Topics in Microeconomic Theory ".

Do not capitalize, though, general academic subjects:

The following are general academic subjects or broad fields of study: " mathematics ," " biology ," " economics ," " chemistry ," or " sociology ."

Her favorite school subject is math because it challenges her.

Capitalize family names of relatives when they directly precede a personal name:

During the holidays, we always visit Aunt Susan at her countryside home.

Additionally, they should be capitalized when used independently as substitutes for a personal name:

The book on the shelf is the one that Mom gave me for my birthday.

Do not capitalize family names in the following situations :

• When preceded by articles , such as "a" or "the" (e.g., " The mother proudly watched her daughter. "
• When used with possessive pronouns (e.g., " My uncle is here. ")
• When they follow the personal name (e.g., " The Kardashian sisters are entrepreneurs. "
• When they do not refer to a specific person (e.g., " We honor the influence and love of fathers everywhere. "

7. Headlines and Composition Titles

When using headlines and composition titles:

Capitalize :

• The First and Last Words : Always capitalize the first and the last words of the title or headline.
• Major Words : This includes verbs, adjectives, adverbs, nouns, and pronouns (including "it").
• Subordinating Conjunctions and Longer Prepositions : Words like "because," "while," "although," "between," and "with" are capitalized.
• Both Parts of Hyphenated Major Words : In hyphenated words, capitalize both parts (e.g., 'Self-Reflective', 'Long-Term').
• "No" and "Not" : In headlines, these words are typically capitalized because they are considered important to the meaning of the headline.
• Interjection "O" .

Study Reveals That Exercise, Not Diet Alone, Is Key to Long-Term Weight-Loss Success

In a Post-Pandemic World, Educators Explore New Approaches to Teaching That Embrace Technology and Flexibility

Do Not Capitalize :

• Articles : Words like "the," "a," and "an" are usually not capitalized unless they are the first or last words.
• Coordinating Conjunctions : Do not capitalize a coordinating conjunction, such as "and," "or," "but," "so," or "yet," unless it is the first or last word.
• The word "to" should not be capitalized.

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Prepositions : Some style guides recommend capitalizing prepositions that are longer than three or four letters.

Remember, these are general guidelines and different style guides might have slightly different rules. Use consistent style : If you're following a specific style guide (like APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.), make sure to consistently apply its rules.

8. Abbreviations

The capitalization of an abbreviation depends on its origin, usage, and the specific rules of the language or field in which it is used.

Capital letters are generally used in the following situations:

• Proper Nouns : Abbreviations representing proper nouns. Examples: NASA, FDA, Dr.
• Acronyms : Formed from the initial letters of a phrase and pronounced as words. Examples: NATO, UNESCO.
• Initialisms : Abbreviations consisting of initial letters pronounced separately. Examples: FBI, ATM.
• Standard Practice in Certain Fields : Fields like science often have specific conventions. Examples: DNA, RNA.
• Academic Degrees and Honors : Abbreviations for academic degrees and honors. Examples: PhD, BA, MD.
• Time Zones : They are typically written in capital letters. Examples: "EST" (Eastern Standard Time), "GMT" (Greenwich Mean Time), or "UTC" (Coordinated Universal Time).

Capitalization is often not used for abbreviations in the following scenarios:

• Commonly Accepted Lowercase Abbreviations : Abbreviations like "e.g." (for example), "i.e." (that is), "a.m." (ante meridiem), "p.m." (post meridiem), and "etc." (and so on) are often written in lowercase.
• Metric and Scientific Units : Units such as "watt" and "kelvin" are typically not capitalized.
• Lowercase Medical Conditions : Medical abbreviations for some conditions, like "hiv," are sometimes not capitalized.
• Internet and Technology Slang : In informal contexts, abbreviations such as "brb" (be right back) and "lol" (laugh out loud) are usually written in lowercase.

It's important to note that these guidelines can vary based on the specific field, context, and the style guide being followed.

9. Quotations

Capitalize the first word of a complete quotation, even when it appears mid-sentence:

John said, " The meeting starts at noon."

John said, " the meeting starts at noon."

Do not capitalize the first word if the quote is part of a sentence:

Olivia said that it was " important to arrive on time" for the meeting.

Olivia said that it was " Important to arrive on time" for the meeting.

10. Scientific Nomenclature

Capitalization in scientific nomenclature, particularly in biology, follows specific conventions:

Homo sapiens, Canis lupus

Mammalia (class), Canidae (family)

O (oxygen), H (hydrogen), Fe (iron)

Alzheimer’s disease, Ebola virus

BRCA1 (gene), Brca1 (protein)

These conventions help maintain clarity and consistency in scientific communication. The rules can vary slightly depending on the scientific field and the specific organism being referred to.

11. When Not to Capitalize

The following is a partial list of categories that are not capitalized unless they include a proper noun, proper adjective, or sometimes, a trademark. In these instances, only the proper noun or adjective should be capitalized.

• Common Nouns : Words naming general items or concepts, e.g., "dog," "city," "happiness."
• Generic Job Titles : Titles like "nurse," "teacher," "engineer," when not linked to a specific person's name.
• Seasons : Words such as "spring," "summer," "fall," "winter."
• Directions and Compass Points : Terms like "north," "south," "east," "west," except when part of a proper noun.
• Common Animals and Plants : Names of species like "rose," "oak," "lion," "sparrow," except in proper nouns.
• Elements : Chemical elements (oxygen, hydrogen, etc.) are not capitalized when written out in full (unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence or in a title).
• Academic Subjects : General study areas like "mathematics," "history," "biology," except in specific course titles.
• Diseases and Medical Conditions : Names such as "diabetes," "asthma," or "depression," unless part of a trademarked name.
• Colors : Basic color names like "blue," "red," or "green," unless part of a brand or trademark.
• Foods and Cuisines : General terms like "pizza," "sushi," or "chocolate," except in proper nouns or brand names.

Remember, the capitalization of these categories changes if they include a proper noun or adjective, which should be capitalized.

12. Gray Areas

Capitalization in English, while governed by well-established rules, often presents gray areas that can lead to confusion. Even seasoned writers sometimes struggle with these nuanced aspects of English grammar. For example:

• Brand Names and Common Usage : Brands like "Kleenex" or "Google" are considered proper nouns but become tricky when their names turn into common verbs or nouns (e.g., "googling" or "a kleenex").
• Historical Events and Periods : Specific historical events like the "Renaissance" or "World War II" are capitalized, but broader historical periods like "medieval period" or "industrial revolution" can be less clear.
• Cultural and Religious Terms : Terms like "catholic" are capitalized when referring to the Catholic Church but often lowercase in a more general sense (e.g., "catholic tastes").
• Titles and Job Positions : Capitalization of titles like 'president' or 'queen' depends on usage – as part of a specific name (e.g., "President Lincoln") or generically (e.g., "the queen of England").
• Celestial Bodies : Names of planets and stars like "Mars" and "Sirius" are capitalized, while 'moon' and 'sun' are not.

To further complicate matters, some writers occasionally capitalize an independent clause or question mid-sentence for emphasis:

"One of his guiding principles was, Always speak the truth."

When facing such gray areas, it’s advisable to consider the context and, if available, refer to a specific style guide for consistency in writing.

PristineWord

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How to Capitalize Disease Names

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Before this year, most people had never heard of the word “ coronavirus .” Today, we associate this word with the current pandemic, but in fact a coronavirus is just one of many diseases belonging to a family of illnesses including the common cold and the more serious SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) that was in the news a few years ago.

With diseases a frequent topic in the media, perhaps you’ve noticed this: People struggle to properly write disease names: Is it Coronavirus or coronavirus? Covid or COVID?? These sorts of errors are common not only with the disease of the day, but also with diseases that have been causing significant, severe illness for years: Is it Diabetes Mellitus or diabetes mellitus; Alzheimer’s disease, alzheimer’s disease, or Alzheimer’s Disease… you get the idea.

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If you’ve ever been confused about how to capitalize disease names, read on. In today’s post, I’ll provide you with three simple, hopefully easy-to-remember, rules on the proper capitalization of disease names.

1.      Capitalize proper names in eponymous diseases.

Eponymous is more than just an REM album from the 1980s. An eponym is person, place, or thing after which something else is named. Eponymous diseases are ones named after a person or place, and just as you would capitalize a person or place’s name, you must capitalize the person or place name that is part of a disease name. Here are some examples:

• Lyme disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Norwalk virus 

A good rule of thumb here is if it sounds like it might be the name of a place or person, capitalize it. When in doubt, check it out in a reliable dictionary . One other note worth pointing out is that it is becoming less common to use the possessive with diseases and conditions named after people.Rather, the trend is toward the non-possessive forms, so Alzheimer disease and Down syndrome are both correct, though in the case of the former, the possessive is still more frequently used.

2.      Use lowercase for everything else.

With the examples above, notice that the words disease and virus are lowercase. These and other common nouns that are part of the name of a disease, like syndrome or condition, should be lowercase. Also, the names of non-eponymous diseases, such as the aforementioned diabetes mellitus, as well as malaria, tuberculosis, eczema, and probably most common diseases you can think of, should be lowercase.

3.      Capitalize all letters in an initialism.

Certain diseases are commonly referred to with initialisms, which are abbreviations made up of the initial letters of a longer name. Initialisms are made up of capital letters, even if the longer name is not capitalized. Here are a few examples: 

• COVID, aka co rona vi rus d isease 
• SARS (SARS-CoV), aka s evere a cute r espiratory s yndrome
• MERS, aka M iddle E ast r espiratory s yndrome

It bears repeating that the written out name is not necessarily capitalized; don’t let the capital letters in the initialism fool you. The only capital letters in the written out names are at the beginnings of proper names.

One little extra tricky thing about viruses is that sometimes names are single words made of something plus the word virus, like coronavirus, Hantavirus, and rotavirus. Other times the word virus is separate: human immunodeficiency virus. This can be explained by the fact that diseases in the first category have common names that are the same as their genus, and a virus’s genus ends in -virus. Diseases in the second category are those with common names different from their genus. Alas, for some reason (perhaps just to be confusing?), Ebola virus is typically written as two words, although its genus is Ebolavirus. 

Capitalization in English can be seemingly unpredictable, so if you’d like to review some more general rules about it, see this post on common capitalization errors .

Happy writing, and stay healthy!

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Capitalization worksheets, lessons, and tests.

According to CCSS Language Standard 2 , students at pretty much every grade level have to learn how to capitalize. Don't worry though. It's pretty simple to teach students how to capitalize if you know the way. I'll show you the way, and then you can use my collection of worksheets, lessons, and tests to help your students master capitalization .

I made a table of contents for this page. It is below. If you already know how to teach capitalization, click on the table of contents below to skip ahead . Otherwise I suggest you review this page from top to bottom. I organized it this way for you.

How to Teach Capitalization

Capitalization lessons, capitalization worksheets, capitalization tests.

First, teach your students about proper nouns . Don't give them a list of 800 types of proper nouns to capitalize. Just teach them what a proper noun is and tell them that proper nouns are always capitalized.

Second, teach students that we capitalize titles . This can be titles of books or movies as well as professional titles. However, there are some words in titles that we don't capitalize. If you have younger students, explain to them that we don't capitalize "little words" like and or in . If your students are more developed, tell them that we don't capitalize articles and prepositions in titles.

Last, remind them that we capitalize the first word of every sentence and the pronoun I . They probably already know this, but it is the third case where we capitalize words.

Now that you know the plan, it's time to prepare your materials. You may be interested in using the PowerPoint lesson that I created on capitalization if you have a projector. After teaching them when to capitalize, give them some homework or classwork on capitalization . Why not give them both? Check out my free capitalization worksheets below. Does your class have access to tablets or computers? Why not assign your students online capitalization homework or classwork ? They will get instant feedback and it will save you a bunch of tedious grading. I think you've got it from here, but if you have any questions or need some help, leave a comment at the bottom of the page. In review...

Teach Students to Capitalize These Words

• Proper Nouns (and Brand Names)
• Titles (except articles and prepositions [little words to the primary students])
• First word in a sentence and the pronoun I

14 Comments

Donald evers.

This question on Capitalization Test (problem 4) was misleading to my students. You correctly stated that suncream should not be capitalized, but they told me that Bronson’s should have been. I agree with them about Bronson’s and you about suncream. However, you both are wrong somewhere. 4. Bruce Hand put Bronson and bronson’s Suncream 4000 on his nose.

Thank you for pointing this out.

The answer key was incorrect. “Suncream” should be capitalized in that example because it is part of the product name, as indicated by it appearing before 4000.

I have updated the key: https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/worksheets/language-arts/grammar/capitalization/capitalization-test-01/?answers

Thanks again!

Thank you. I am a busy grandmother. I don’t want to overwork my grandsons or myself. It is important to help them not loose so much over the summer. We have a lot of fun going around to museums and other reasonable priced activities.

Denise Feehan

Great resource. Thanks for sharing:)

Bob Wilkinson

If I were to give students the capitalization practice as an online activity, and assuming they have written their first/last names … will I be able to access the results of what they have done/scored? Or see if something wasn’t completed? Also, is there a way to break it down by class period? I have 150 kids … 6 class periods.

Students can print, save, or email their scores as PDF files.

If the activity contains long-response questions or essay questions, those answers will be attached to the PDF.

The best way to address it is to make students responsible for saving the PDFs of their scores and printing them out or emailing them to you.

Yes, this is a lot of emails, but unless I’m going to create a subscription-based account service, this is what I can provide now.

Alternately you could make students print their pdfs and submit them as physical, dead-tree documents and enter the grades in that manner. At least the scores (sans-long-responses) will be calculated for you.

Best wishes!

Jeff Jefferson

AWESOME WORKSHEET

While taking the test I noticed a question that read, “(insert name) spilled a picture of juice”. If you could change picture to pitcher. Thanks!

Sure thing. Which one is it on?

I took the quiz today (before I present it to my kids). Question #18 still indicates that “west” should be capitalized. In this case, since it is a direction, it should not be capitalized?

As I was once corrected, directions should be capitalized if they refer to a specific place, such as the American West, or the North and South fought in the Civil War, but not when they are used as general directions.

These worksheets really help you study. Also, the lessons on Power Point are helpful.

Margaret Thorstenson

There is an error in Online Capitalization Practice Test 1. Question #18 says that the word “west” should be capitatized, but I don’t think that’s correct. You only capitalize directions when you’re referring to a specific area. For example, I would like to live in the West. In sentence #18, it was used as a direction.

I’ve fixed this. Thank you for your corrections.

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Trump and Allies Forge Plans to Increase Presidential Power in 2025

The former president and his backers aim to strengthen the power of the White House and limit the independence of federal agencies.

Donald J. Trump intends to bring independent regulatory agencies under direct presidential control. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times

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By Jonathan Swan Charlie Savage and Maggie Haberman

• Published July 17, 2023 Updated July 18, 2023

Donald J. Trump and his allies are planning a sweeping expansion of presidential power over the machinery of government if voters return him to the White House in 2025, reshaping the structure of the executive branch to concentrate far greater authority directly in his hands.

Their plans to centralize more power in the Oval Office stretch far beyond the former president’s recent remarks that he would order a criminal investigation into his political rival, President Biden, signaling his intent to end the post-Watergate norm of Justice Department independence from White House political control.

Mr. Trump and his associates have a broader goal: to alter the balance of power by increasing the president’s authority over every part of the federal government that now operates, by either law or tradition, with any measure of independence from political interference by the White House, according to a review of his campaign policy proposals and interviews with people close to him.

Mr. Trump intends to bring independent agencies — like the Federal Communications Commission, which makes and enforces rules for television and internet companies, and the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces various antitrust and other consumer protection rules against businesses — under direct presidential control.

He wants to revive the practice of “impounding” funds, refusing to spend money Congress has appropriated for programs a president doesn’t like — a tactic that lawmakers banned under President Richard Nixon.

He intends to strip employment protections from tens of thousands of career civil servants, making it easier to replace them if they are deemed obstacles to his agenda. And he plans to scour the intelligence agencies, the State Department and the defense bureaucracies to remove officials he has vilified as “the sick political class that hates our country.”

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