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Capitalization of words can often be tricky and confusing. A good rule of thumb isthat words are capitalized if they are unique persons, places, or things, or if, in a title,they are important. Of course, all sentences begin with a capital letter, as well.

Proper nouns and proper adjectives are always capitalized. They fall most often into

the following categories:

Category Example Notes

Particular people EleanorRooseveltConfucius

Organizations United Nations

Yellowstone National Park

Calendar names: Days of the week Months of the year Holidays NOT seasons

Monday, TuesdayJanuary, MarchMartin LutherKing Daywinter, spring, summer

Geographical names Bay ofBiscayNile RiverNewYork StateBoston

Building names Empire State BuildingSears Tower

Directions which refer to aregion, not a way to go

Maine is in the NortheastDrive northeast on the oldhighway.

Often regions whichshould be capitalized arepreceded by the.

Group names Political parties Religious sects Nations Ethnic origin groups

RepublicansPresbyteriansNigeriaBulgarian

Government body anddepartment names

the SenateDepartment ofEducation

The "little words, like ofare not capitalized

Historic names Events Periods Documents

American RevolutionAge ofInnocenceMagna Carta

Titles Titles before propernames High government titleswithout names College degrees NOT most titles withoutnames

Captain HookPresident of the UnitedStates

Bachelor ofArts degreea group ofrepresentatives

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Words of familyrelationship Family names whenused as specific personsname

Relationship nameswhen used before aproper name NOT relationship namesnot naming a person

The cake belongs to Dad.

My Uncle Bill is a fireman.

Heraunt works at theelementary school

Solar system names Planets Stars Satellites Not sun, earth, andmoon, usually

Mars, Venus, PlutoNorth StarTelstarThe earth revolves aroundthe sun.

Trade names Buick carSony television

Notice that the name, notthe item is capitalized

School subjects Language course Specific course Words in a course thatneed to be capitalized NOT general courses

French, Latin IIHistory IAmerican history

geography, science

Titles Books

Articles Poems Plays Newspapers Television shows Radio programs

Pride and Prejudice

The Vietnam WarOde to a Grecian UrnArsenic and Old LaceThe NewYork TimesDharma and GregThe Garrison KeillerShow

Note that prepositions andarticles are NOT

capitalized. SeeQuotations andUnderlining for rules aboutwhat to underline orsurround with quotations

Other capitalization rules:

Capitalize first words:

The first word of asentence

A quoted sentence

A line of poetry or verse

The Mississippi River

empties into the Gulf ofMexico.

Give me liberty, saidPatrick Henry, or give medeath.

Alone and warming his fivewits,The white owl in the belfry

sits. -Alfred, Lord

Note: Give begins with a

capital letter because itbegins a quotation. Thesecond part of thequotation is not capitalizedbecause it does not beginthe quote or a newsentence.

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Tennyson

Letters

Salutations

Closings

Dear Mr. Watson,

My dear Mrs. Washington,Yours,Very truly yours,

Note: Only the first word in

a salutation is capitalized.Note: Only the first word ina closing is capitalized

Outlines I. DinosaursA. Brontosaurus

1. Food

I, O The winner is I.O, the day has begun!

Deities Names of deities

Sacred writings

GodAllah

the BibleActsthe Torah