Lesson: Capitalization

Capitalization means using uppercase (big) letters at the start of certain words. It’s important because it helps readers know when a new sentence or a proper noun begins. Let’s learn the basic rules of capitalization!

Capitalization Rules

Here are some simple rules for when to use capital letters:

  1. Start of a Sentence: Always capitalize the first word in a sentence.
    • Example: “The dog barked loudly.”
  2. Proper Nouns: These are specific names of people, places, or things. Always capitalize proper nouns.
    • Example: “Sarah lives in New York.”

Capitalization of Titles

When writing titles of books, movies, or articles, capitalize the first and last word, and all important words in between. Words like “and,” “the,” and “of” are usually not capitalized unless they are the first or last word.

  • Example: “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”

Capitalization of Names and Places

Whenever you write the name of a person, a city, or a country, you must capitalize it. This helps the reader know you’re talking about a specific person or place.

  • People’s Names: “Emily, David, Mr. Brown”
  • Cities and Countries: “Paris, Japan, Canada”

Capitalization in Sentences

In addition to the first word in a sentence, other words in a sentence may need to be capitalized depending on what they are.

  • Example: “I visited Aunt Mary in Florida last summer.”

Here, “Aunt Mary” and “Florida” are capitalized because they are proper nouns (specific people and places).

Capitalization in Proper Nouns

Proper nouns refer to specific names of people, places, things, and organizations. Always capitalize these words, no matter where they are in a sentence.

  • Examples:
    • Names of People: “Alexander Graham Bell”
    • Names of Places: “Mount Everest, Lake Michigan”
    • Specific Organizations: “NASA, United Nations”
    • Brand Names: “Nike, Apple”