CAPITALIZATION RULES



CAPITALIZATION RULES

(Pe) PERSONS

1. Capitalize the names of people.

2. Capitalize names of nationalities, religions, races, and pronouns referencing God.

The Italians believe Christianity was founded by the Cajuns. God said that He moves mountains.

3. Capitalize the title of a person when it comes before a name.

Senator Thomas

4. Capitalize a title when it is used in place of a name.

Come here, Senator. Did you see Brother at the game? I love Mom.

a. Do NOT capitalize a job title or position when used alone.

I know the senator. Did you see my brother at the game? I love my mom.

EXCEPTION!!! If the title refers to a position in a country where only ONE person holds that position,

it MAY be capitalized regardless of rule 1 and 2. Ex. President, Vice President, Secretary of Defense, etc.

(Pr) PRODUCTS

1. Capitalize the maker and the brand name of products BUT NOT the product.

|Maker/Company |Name |Product |Example |

|Ford |Explorer |van |Ford Explorer van |

|Proctor & Gamble |Pringles |chips |Proctor & Gamble Pringles chips |

|Timex |Suunoto |watch |Timex Suunoto watch |

|Amtrak |Crescent |train |Amtrak Crescent train |

|Pepsico |Mountain Dew |soda |Pepsico Mountain Dew soda |

(B) BUSINESS/CLUBS/ORGANIZATIONS

1. Capitalize the names of the businesses, organizations, awards, and clubs if given a proper name.

|Clubs |Businesses |Organizations |Awards |

|Monopoly Club |Signs, Inc. |Better Way Foundation |Pulitzer Prize |

a. Do NOT capitalize businesses, organizations, awards, and clubs, if NOT part of a proper name.

|Clubs |Businesses |Organizations |Awards |

|Join the club. |What company is that? |Join my foundation. |She won the prize. |

a. Do NOT capitalize school subjects unless it is a language or is followed by a number.

English----French----Algebra I----math----Economics 101

2. Capitalize the first word by every number and letter in an outline.

3. Capitalize names of all organizations, business firms, institutions, and gov. bodies

Senate----Congress----House of Representatives----Boy Scouts of America----CS Consulting

(C) CALENDAR

1. Capitalize days of the weeks and months if given a proper name.

a. does NOT capitalize seasons. The leaves are beautiful in the fall.

2. Capitalize special days and events if given a proper name.

Special days: Travelers’ Week----Dentistry Day----Fire Prevention Month----Leap Year

Events: Rose Parade----Clover Dance----Big Ten Conference----Daisy Festival

3. Capitalize the names of historical events and periods of time.

Ice Age Jurassic Period

a. Do NOT capitalize measurements of time (century, millennium, decade).

He was not born during this century. A decade is ten years.

(G) GEOGRAPHY (Heavenly made forms, architectural structures, roads, etc.)

1. Capitalize geographical terms (streets, cities, counties, states, mountains, oceans) if given a PROPER Name.

|street |city |county |mountain |rivers/creeks |oceans/lakes |

|Malone Ave. |Saint City |Cobb County |Rock Mt. |Mud River |Indian Ocean |

|Rocket Street |Peach City |Burt County |Reds Mt. |Potato Creek |Jackson Lake |

|schools |buildings |bridges |towers |structures |

|Brooks Elementary |Retric Building |Thim Bridge |Trump Tower |Suez Canal |

a. Do NOT capitalize geographical terms unless part of a proper name.

|street |city |county |mountain |rivers/creeks |oceans/lakes |

|I like my street. |I live in the city. |I live in the county. |I climbed a mountain. |The river flowed into the |The ocean is bigger than |

| | | | |creek. |the lake. |

|school |buildings |bridges |towers |structures |

|I’m in middle school. |The building is beautiful. |The train crossed the bridge. |Hang the sign on the tower. |The canal is full of mud. |

b. Do NOT capitalize the second word in a hyphenated street number.

I live on Twenty-first Street.

He walked from Thirty –second Avenue.

2. Capitalize the names of constellations, stars, and groups of stars.

a. Do NOT capitalize the words moon and sun.

b. Do NOT capitalize earth unless it is mentioned with heavenly bodies.

3. Capitalize NSEW if they are used as a noun…which means it is a place.

|Example |Noun? |Answer |Job of noun |

|I live in the North. |In what |North |North is the OP |

|The West is great for skiing. |What is great |West |West is the SS |

|You must visit the Southeast. |Visit what |Southeast |Southeast is the DO |

a. Do NOT capitalize NSEW if it is NOT used as a noun.

Hint: Do not capitalize it if it comes directly after a verb.

I live north of town. Live where? north used as an adverb

4. Do capitalize –ern if it references something that comes from a group of people (clothing, food, or

characteristic of a group of people will follow the word).

Northern attitude Southern accent Western food Eastern shirt

a. Do NOT capitalize –ern if a geographical term of any kind follows it.

(Geographical terms: area, side, portion, part, shore, state, country, etc.)

northern Italy eastern side western portion southern Georgia

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