Capitalization Proper Nouns and Adjectives Capitalization Like most

Capitalization Proper Nouns and Adjectives

Capitalization Like most other conventions of language, capital letters help make writing easier to read. They call attention to certain special words and indicate the beginnings of sentences. There are specific rules for capitalizing words. This Power. Point will show you the rules. You can revisit this Power. Point at any time if you have questions about capitalization.

Proper Nouns and Adjectives Rule: Capitalize proper nouns and proper adjectives.

Proper Nouns and Adjectives A common noun is the name of a general group of people, places, or things. Example: queen, country, government A proper noun is the name of a particular person, place, or thing. Example: Elizabeth, France, Congress A proper adjective is an adjective formed from a proper noun. Example: Elizabethan, French, Congressional

Names of People Rule: Capitalize people’s names and the initials or abbreviations that stand for names.

Names of People J. K. Rowling Joanne Kathleen Rowling J. R. R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien Arthur C. Clarke Arthur Charles Clarke

Names of People Rule: Capitalize the titles – written or abbreviated – used with people’s names.

Names of People Gov. R. T. Alberg Mrs. Jennifer Manzano Judge Ellen Sullivan Pfc James A. Morris Dr. L. K. Jenkins Rev. Charles Klein

Names of People Rule: Do not capitalize a title that is used without a name. It is a common noun.

Names of People Barbara Sloan is president of the bank. The judge in this courtroom is Justice Banks. The principal announced a staff meeting. The tribe searched the reservation for its chief.

Names of People Rule: Do capitalize titles of very high importance, even when they are used without a name.

Names of People the President of the United States the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court the Prime Minister of Great Britain. the Pope

Family Relationships Rule: Capitalize such family words as mom, father, aunt, and grandpa when they are used as names.

Family Relationships What was Dad like when he was sixteen, Grandma? Jessica is here, Mom. Uncle Don is coming home from Iraq.

Family Relationships Rule: Do not capitalize such family words as mom, father, aunt, and grandpa if it is preceded by a possessive word or by a, an, or the.

Family Relationships Mom calls our grandma every Sunday. My aunt’s car needs a new battery. The father in the movie was played by Denzel Washington.

The Pronoun I Rule: Always capitalize the pronoun I.

The Pronoun I He and I went to the football game. I work after school. Mike, Suzy, and I were confused by the assignment.

The Supreme Being and Sacred Writings Rule: Capitalize all words – including personal pronouns – referring to God, to the Holy Family, and to religious scriptures.

The Supreme Being and Sacred Writings the Almighty the Sanskrit the Blessed Virgin the Son of God the Great Spirit the Bible the Talmud Allah the Book of Job the Lord They asked the Lord for His blessing.

Geographic Names Rule: In a geographical name, capitalize the first letter of each word except for articles and prepositions.

Geographic Names: Continents Africa North America South America Australia Asia Europe

Geographic Names: Bodies of Water the Atlantic Ocean the Ohio River the Gulf of Mexico the Dead Sea the Panama Canal Lake Michigan

Geographic Names: Land Forms Mount Mc. Kinley the Grand Canyon Death Valley the Black Hills Cape Cod Aleutian Islands

Geographic Names: Political Units Florida Province of Ontario Denver Republic of Kenya State of Israel Sixteenth Congressional District

Geographic Names: Public Areas Yellowstone National Park Fort Sumter Badlands National Monument Ford Theater Fallen Timbers Battlefield Everglades National Park

Geographic Names: Roads and Highways Route 30 Interstate 77 13 th Street Perry Drive West Tuscarawas Street Lincoln Way

Directions and Sections Rule: Capitalize names and sections of the country.

Directions and Sections The West has several old trading posts. The South is sometimes called “Dixie. ” The Sorensons moved from New England to the West Coast.

Directions and Sections Rule: Capitalize proper adjectives that come from names of sections of the country.

Directions and Sections A Midwestern town Southern food Western saddle East Coast company

Directions and Sections Rule: Do not capitalize directions of the compass.

Directions and Sections Barrow, Alaska, is north of all other United States cities. Drive east on Interstate 80 to New York. We’re heading south for the winter.

Directions and Sections Rule: Do not capitalize adjectives that come from words showing direction.

Directions and Sections The parking lot is on the north side of the building. The southerly breeze turned into a fierce wind.

Organizations and Institutions Rule: Capitalize the names of organizations and institutions and abbreviations of these names.

Organizations and Institutions Republican Party Federal Trade Commission AFL-CIO Edison Middle School Aultman Hospital NCAA American Library Association

Organizations and Institutions Rule: Do not capitalize such words as school, church, and hospital when they are not used as parts of names.

Organizations and Institutions Several people from our church are going. She works at the hospital. Were you tardy to school?

Events, Documents, and Periods of Time Rule: Capitalize the names of historical events, documents, and periods of time.

Events, Documents, and Periods of Time Boston Masssacre the Renaissance Kristallnacht United States Constitution the Vietnam War Treaty of Versailles

Months, Days, and Holidays Rule: Capitalize the names of months, days, and holidays, but not the names of seasons.

Months, Days, and Holidays December Ramadan Thursday Halloween autumn

School Subjects Rule: Do not capitalize the names of school subjects, except course titles followed by a number.

School Subjects history Art I industrial arts advanced biology Math 300

School Subjects Rule: Remember that the names of languages are always capitalized.

School Subjects English Spanish Japanese French

Planes, Trains, Ships, and Automobiles Rule: Capitalize the names of planes, trains, ships, and automobiles.

Planes, Trains, Ships, and Automobiles U. S. S. Constellation Concorde Ford Mustang Orient Express

B. C. , A. D. Rule: Capitalize the abbreviations B. C. and A. D.

B. C. and A. D. Julius Caesar died on March 15, 44 B. C. Mohammed was born in 570 A. D.