does homework need to be capitalized

Capitalization Rules: When Do Words Need To Be Capitalized?

• First Words Of Sentences
• The Pronoun I
• Proper Nouns
• After Certain Punctuation

There are only a few rules of capitalization. They’re easy to remember. In English, capital letters are most commonly used at the start of a sentence, for the pronoun I , and for proper nouns .

1. Capitalize the first word in every sentence

You should always capitalize the first letter of the first word in a sentence, no matter what the word is. Take, for example, the following sentences: The weather was beautiful. It was sunny all day.  Even though the and it aren’t proper nouns, they’re capitalized here because they’re the first words in their sentences. There is one rare possible exception to this rule: a brand name that begins with a lowercase letter like eBay or iPad . Even these normally lowercase words are usually capitalized at the start of sentences, but a style guide may make an exception for them.

2. Capitalize the pronoun I

Pronouns are words that replace nouns. I , you , and me are all examples of pronouns. While you and me are usually lowercase, the pronoun I should always be capitalized, regardless of where it appears in a sentence.

For example, in A Beautiful Mind , Sylvia Nasar writes, “What I got back was an envelope on which my address was written in different-colored crayons.” Here, the pronoun I is correctly capitalized even though it isn’t at the beginning of the sentence.

Capitalize proper nouns

A proper noun is the special noun or name used for a specific person, place, company, or other thing. Proper nouns should always be capitalized.

3. Names of people

People’s names are proper nouns, and therefore should be capitalized. The first letter of someone’s first, middle, and last name is always capitalized, as in John William Smith .  Take note that some non-English surnames may begin with lowercase letters, such as Vincent v an Gogh or Leonardo d a Vinci .

4. Names of places

Other proper nouns include countries, cities, and sometimes regions, such as Bulgaria, Paris , and the American South . Geographic features that have names should also be capitalized, as in Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Pacific Ocean .

Landmarks and monuments also start their proper names with capital letters, such as the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge . Street names are always capitalized, too (e.g., Main Street ). Although rare, some place names might have a preposition in them that is not capitalized, such as the Tower of Pisa or Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

5. Names of companies and trademarks

The names of companies and organizations should also be capitalized, such as Nike and Stanford University . There are some exceptions: sometimes a company may choose not to use a capital letter at the beginning of its name or product as a stylistic choice. Examples include eBay and the iPhone .

6. Capitalize honorary and professional titles 

Titles like Mr. , Mrs. , and Dr ., should be capitalized. When addressing someone with their professional title, you should use a capital letter at the beginning. For example, you’d address a letter to the president as Dear President Obama . Similarly, you should capitalize job titles when they come before a person’s name, as in General Manager Sheila Davis will be at the meeting . Also use a capital letter when you’re directly addressing a person by their title without using their name, as in We need the paper, Senator .  On the other hand, titles are not capitalized if used generally as in Rebecca is the president of the company , or We talked with the queen, Elizabeth II .

Our vote is for this article that has all the details on when you need to capitalize president .

7. Capitalize familial relationships 

Words that indicate family relationships should also be capitalized when used as titles in front of a person’s name. However, if you’re just talking about relationships with no names involved, the titles shouldn’t be capitalized. For example, you’d capitalize Uncle Ben and Grandpa Ed will be at the picnic , but you wouldn’t capitalize them in a sentence like My uncle and my grandpa will be at the picnic . Similar to the rules for professional titles, you should capitalize the names of family titles when they’re used in place of proper names. For instance, in Jane Eyre Charlotte Brontë writes, “She is at the lodge, A unt.”

8. Capitalize major words in a title

The titles of books, songs, newspapers, and works of art should all be capitalized. Examples include Moby Dick , “Jailhouse Rock,” New York Times , and The Last Supper . If you need help knowing specifically which words get capitalized in titles of creative works, check out our helpful guide to title capitalization .

9. Capitalize days, months, and (sometimes) seasons

The names of days and months should be capitalized, such as January , September , Wednesday , and Sunday .

A season should be capitalized when it’s being used as part of a proper noun as in Winter Olympics . In poetry and other literature, personification is giving an animal, inanimate object, or abstract notion the qualities and attributes of a human. When a season is used this way, it should be capitalized. (Take, for example, how Charles Mair uses  summer in a poem: “We will muse on S ummer’s ploys.”)

10. Capitalize holidays

The names of holidays, such as Christmas , Halloween , and Hanukkah , are capitalized because they are considered proper nouns. You would not, however, capitalize a season: Christmas season . But if you add  day to a holiday, you would capitalize this word: New Year’s Day and Christmas Day. Similarly, you would capitalize the word eve in holidays such as Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve .

11. Capitalize time periods

Historical eras should be capitalized. For instance, use Middle Ages , Dark Ages , and the Renaissance . You’d also capitalize prehistoric eras such as  Stone Age and Bronze Age .

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12. Capitalize countries, languages, and nationalities

The names of countries are proper nouns, which means they are capitalized, of course. Languages and nationalities are capitalized as well. A person who is from Kenya , is a Kenyan and likely speaks Swahili . A Chilean is a person from Chile , where the official language is  Spanish .

13. Capitalize acronyms

Acronyms should be capitalized. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), POTUS (President of the United States), and DOB (Date Of Birth) are all capitalized. Some acronyms have been incorporated as recognizable words that should not be capitalized ( laser , or “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”); when in doubt, it’s best to consult a dictionary.

Of course, in informal conversations (like texting), acronyms ( lol , brb , idk , etc.) aren’t always capitalized. Not all rules apply to very casual writing styles.

Capitalize after certain punctuation

Of course, you already know to capitalize at the start of each sentence. There are other interesting sentence structures that require capitalization.

14. After the first word in a quote containing a complete sentence

When a quote is added to a sentence, it is introduced with quotation marks and a capital letter:

• When my father asked where I was going, I said, “ S ome of my friends are going to the movies.”

When the attribution is in the middle of the sentence, capitalization rules are also important:

• “ T he library is closed,” he said, “ b ut you can return your books in the drop box.”

In this case, the first word ( the ) is capitalized. Because the sentence continues after the attribution, the word  but is not capitalized.

You don’t always have to use the word but , did you know? Learn some alternatives.

Similarly, a colon may introduce a quote that comes after an independent clause. For example,

• “Bob seemed to like that idea :  ‘ Y eah, let’s do that!'”

In this sentence, the words before the colon could stand alone as a complete sentence. The colon emphasizes the coming quote.

If a quote contains a single word, a phrase, or an incomplete sentence, the first word typically isn’t capitalized unless it is a proper noun. For example:

• He said that my approach to solving math problems was “ u nique.”
• When asked, the mayor said the city “ w as prepared for all possible outcomes.” 

Check out our guide to quotation marks to learn more about these tricky punctuation marks.

15. (Sometimes) after a colon and rarely after a semicolon

If what follows the colon is a complete sentence, some style guides do recommend capitalizing the word that follows the colon.

• It snowed all morning: T he roads were impassable by 8 am.

Capitalization after a semicolon is not required and would be grammatically incorrect. When an explanation takes the form of a second independent clause that follows a main independent clause, you can join the two clauses into a single sentence with a semicolon. Here is an example:

• Jenny had an idea; s he would pick up a cake on her way to her friend’s house.

However, you would capitalize proper nouns or the pronoun I if they follow a semicolon as in Marcy got a bag of candy; I got a bag of rocks . 

Colons and semicolons are notoriously tough punctuation marks to use, but you can master them by using our detailed explanations of how to use colons and semicolons .

Do you know the difference between brackets and parentheses? We've gathered everything you need to know here.

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Capitalization Rules: The Ultimate Guide You Need to Know

Capitalization is an essential aspect of writing that can often be overlooked. It involves using capital letters to start sentences, proper nouns, and other specific words. Proper capitalization can make your writing look professional and polished, while improper capitalization can be distracting and confusing for the reader, and make your writing seem unprofessional. In this article, we will cover the basic capitalization rules that every writer should know.

Learning the rules of capitalization is important for anyone who wants to improve their writing skills. Whether you are a student, a professional writer, or someone who simply wants to improve their communication skills, understanding the basic capitalization rules is essential. By mastering these rules, you can make your writing clearer, more concise, and more effective.

In this article, we will provide a comprehensive guide to capitalization rules, including when to use capital letters, when to use lowercase letters, and how to apply these rules in your writing. We will also provide examples and tips to help you better understand these rules and apply them to your own writing. So, whether you are just starting to learn about capitalization or you are looking to brush up on your skills, this article is for you.

Table of Contents

Understanding Capitalization

Capitalization is the use of capital letters to start a sentence, proper nouns, and other specific words. It is an essential aspect of writing that helps readers to understand the structure of a sentence and identify important words in a text. In this section, we will discuss the basic rules of capitalization and how to apply them correctly.

First Word in a Sentence

The first word in a sentence should always be capitalized. This is a fundamental rule of capitalization that applies to every sentence, regardless of its length or complexity. For example:

• “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
• “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

Proper Nouns

Proper nouns are specific names of people, places, organizations, and things. They always begin with a capital letter, even if they appear in the middle of a sentence. Examples of proper nouns include:

• New York City
• Harvard University

When writing titles of books, movies, songs, and other works, the first letter of each major word should be capitalized. This includes nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Articles, conjunctions, and prepositions are usually not capitalized unless they are the first word in the title (some style guides recommend capitalizing longer prepositions). For example:

• “The Catcher in the Rye”
• “Gone with the Wind”
• “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Acronyms and Initials

Acronyms and initials are usually capitalized. However, if they are used as common nouns, they should be lowercase. For example:

• NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
• FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
• CEO (Chief Executive Officer)

First Letter of a Quote

When quoting someone, the first letter of the first word should be capitalized. For example:

• John said, “I am going to the store.”

In conclusion, capitalization is an essential aspect of writing that helps readers to understand the structure of a sentence and identify important words in a text. By following the basic rules of capitalization, you can create clear and effective writing that is easy to read and understand.

Capitalization in Sentences

When it comes to capitalization, one of the most basic rules is knowing when to capitalize words in a sentence. This section will cover the different instances where capitalization is required in a sentence, including the first word of a sentence, after a period, after a colon, and when quoting.

First Word of a Sentence

The first word of a sentence should always be capitalized, regardless of the type of word it is. This rule applies to all sentences, including questions and exclamations.

After a Period

After a period, the first word of the next sentence should be capitalized. This rule applies to all types of sentences, including declarative, interrogative, and exclamatory sentences.

After a Colon

When a sentence includes a colon, the first word following the colon should be capitalized if it is a proper noun or the start of a new sentence. If the word following the colon is not a proper noun or the start of a new sentence, it should be lowercase.

Quote Capitalization

When quoting someone, it is important to capitalize the first letter of the first word if it is the start of a new sentence. If the quote is part of a sentence, the capitalization should match the original quote.

In summary, capitalization in sentences involves capitalizing the first word of a sentence, after a period, after a colon, and when quoting. By following these simple rules, you can ensure that your writing is clear and professional.

Capitalization in Titles and Headings

When it comes to titles and headings, capitalization can be a bit tricky. There are different rules for different styles, and it’s important to follow them to ensure consistency and professionalism. In this section, we’ll cover the two main types of capitalization for titles and headings: title case and heading case.

Title Capitalization

Title case is the most common type of capitalization used for titles of books, movies, songs, and other works. In title case, the major words are capitalized, while minor words are lowercase. Major words include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Minor words include articles, conjunctions, and prepositions.

Here are some examples of title case:

• The Great Gatsby
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
• Friends with Benefits
• The Lion King

As you can see, the major words are capitalized, while the minor words are lowercase. It’s important to note that the first word and last word in a title are always capitalized, regardless of whether they are major or minor words.

Heading Capitalization

Heading capitalization, also known as headline case, is used for headings within a document or article. In heading case, the first word and all other major words are capitalized, while minor words are lowercase. Major words include the same parts of speech as in title case.

Here are some examples of heading case:

• The Benefits of Exercise
• How to Plan a Vacation
• Tips for Writing a Resume
• The History of the Internet

As you can see, the first word and all other major words are capitalized, while minor words such as “to” and “for” are lowercase. It’s important to note that heading case is not used for titles of works, only for headings within a document.

In conclusion, understanding the rules of title and heading capitalization is important for creating professional and consistent content. By following these rules, you can ensure that your titles and headings are clear, concise, and easy to read.

Capitalization of Names and Titles

When it comes to capitalizing names and titles, there are a few rules to keep in mind. In this section, we’ll cover the different types of entities that require capitalization and the specific rules that apply to each.

People’s Names

When writing someone’s name, the first letter of their first and last name should always be capitalized. If they have a middle name, the first letter of that should also be capitalized. Titles such as Mr., Ms., and Dr. should also be capitalized when used before a name.

• Dr. Jane Doe
• Mrs. Sarah Johnson

Titles with Names

When a title is used with a person’s name, the title should also be capitalized. This applies to both formal titles, such as President and Professor, and informal titles, such as Aunt and Uncle.

• President Joe Biden
• Professor Emily Wilson

Brand Names

Brand names should always be capitalized, regardless of where they appear in a sentence. This includes both the brand’s name and any product names associated with it.

Places and Landmarks

When referring to a specific place or landmark, such as a city or mountain, the first letter should be capitalized. This also applies to regions and countries.

• Mount Everest

Institutions and Organizations

Institutions and organizations, such as universities and companies, should also be capitalized. This includes both the full name and any abbreviated versions.

By following these rules, you can ensure that your writing is clear and professional. Whether you’re writing a paper for school or crafting a marketing message for a brand, proper capitalization can make all the difference in how your message is received.

Capitalization of Time and Events

When it comes to capitalizing time periods and events, it can be a bit tricky to know when to capitalize and when not to. In this section, we will cover the main rules for capitalizing time periods and events.

Days of the Week

Days of the week, such as Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, should always be capitalized. This is because they are proper nouns.

Months of the Year

Similar to days of the week, months of the year should also be capitalized. For example, January, February, and March are all capitalized.

Holidays, such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter, should also be capitalized. This is because they are proper nouns and refer to specific events.

Historical Eras and Centuries

Historical eras and centuries can be a bit more complicated. If they refer to a specific event or time period, such as the Roaring Twenties or the Civil War, then they should be capitalized. However, if they refer to a general time period, such as the twentieth century, then they should not be capitalized.

It’s important to note that not all grammarians agree on the capitalization of historical eras and centuries. Some may choose to capitalize them even if they refer to a general time period.

Overall, it’s important to be consistent in your capitalization of time periods and events. By following these simple rules, you can ensure that your writing is clear and professional.

Capitalization of Direction and Regions

When it comes to capitalization rules, it can be confusing to know when to capitalize direction and regions. In this section, we will discuss the guidelines for capitalizing cardinal directions and specific regions.

Cardinal Directions

The general rule is to use lowercase when referring to compass directions. For example, “I am heading north on the highway.” However, when referring to specific regions, the direction should be capitalized. For instance, “I am going to the West Coast for vacation.”

Specific Regions

Names of regions should be capitalized if they are proper nouns or denote a country, city, continent, etc. For example, “I live in New York City.” If it’s a general noun such as a river, lake, ocean, etc., the region need not be capitalized. If these geographic areas are part of a name, however, such as “River Thames,” capitalize the term.

Here is a table that summarizes the capitalization rules for direction and regions:

In conclusion, when it comes to capitalization rules for direction and regions, it’s essential to follow the guidelines to ensure consistency and accuracy in your writing. Remember to capitalize specific regions and use lowercase for compass directions unless referring to a specific region.

Capitalization of Languages, Nationalities and Trademarks

When it comes to capitalizing languages, nationalities, and trademarks, there are some specific rules that you should follow. These entities are often capitalized, but there are some exceptions that you need to be aware of.

Languages are generally capitalized when they are used as proper nouns. This means that the name of the language is capitalized, but not when it is used as an adjective. For example, “I speak English” is correct, but “I speak english” is not. Here are some examples of correctly capitalized language names:

Nationalities

Nationalities are also capitalized when they are used as proper nouns. This means that the name of the nationality is capitalized, but not when it is used as an adjective. For example, “He is French” is correct, but “He is french” is not. Here are some examples of correctly capitalized nationalities:

Trademarks are also capitalized, but there are some exceptions. If a trademark has become a generic term, it is no longer capitalized. For example, “kleenex” is no longer capitalized because it has become a generic term for facial tissue. Here are some examples of correctly capitalized trademarks:

It is important to note that these rules are not set in stone and there may be exceptions depending on the context in which these entities are used. However, following these general guidelines will ensure that your writing is clear and consistent.

Capitalization Exceptions

When it comes to capitalization, there are a few exceptions to the general rules. In this section, we will cover the exceptions for pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions and articles, and common nouns.

In general, pronouns are not capitalized. However, there is one exception: the pronoun “I” should always be capitalized, no matter where it appears in a sentence.

Conjunctions, Prepositions and Articles

Conjunctions, prepositions, and articles are generally not capitalized, unless they are the first word of a sentence or part of a proper noun.

Examples of conjunctions: and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so.

Examples of prepositions: in, on, at, to, from, with, by.

Examples of articles: a, an, the.

Common Nouns

Common nouns are not capitalized, unless they are part of a title or used as a proper noun.

Examples of common nouns: dog, cat, house, car, book.

Examples of proper nouns: Coca-Cola, Harry Potter, Eiffel Tower.

It is important to note that possessive nouns, such as “Mary’s car” or “the dog’s toy,” should be capitalized if they are the first word in a sentence or part of a title.

In summary, while there are some exceptions to the general rules of capitalization, they are relatively straightforward. Remember to capitalize “I,” proper nouns, and possessive nouns when they are the first word in a sentence or part of a title. Otherwise, conjunctions, prepositions, articles, and common nouns should not be capitalized.

Capitalization in Acronyms and Initialisms

Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations that are commonly used in written and spoken language. They are formed by taking the first letter of each word in a phrase and combining them into a new word. For example, NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

When it comes to capitalization in acronyms and initialisms, there are a few rules to keep in mind. Generally, acronyms and initialisms are written in all capital letters. However, there are some exceptions to this rule.

Firstly, some acronyms and initialisms are written with a mix of capital and lowercase letters. For example, PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy. Secondly, some acronyms and initialisms may be either capitalized or lowercased, depending on the style guide or context. For instance, NATO can also be written as Nato, and COVID can also be written as Covid.

It is important to note that when an acronym or initialism is fully spelled out, the words do not need to be capitalized unless they involve a proper noun. For example, MBA stands for Master of Business Administration. In this case, only the first letter of each word is capitalized.

When using acronyms and initialisms in your writing, it is important to define them on first use, especially if they are at all unfamiliar. After that, you can use the acronym or initialism on subsequent references. You may put the acronym in parentheses after the spelled-out version. This helps to ensure that your readers understand what you are referring to.

In summary, capitalization in acronyms and initialisms can be a bit tricky. Generally, they are written in all capital letters, but there are some exceptions to this rule. It is important to define acronyms and initialisms on first use to ensure that your readers understand what you are referring to.

Capitalization Guidelines and Style Guides

Capitalization is an important aspect of writing that is often overlooked. It is essential to follow the correct capitalization rules to ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and professional. In this section, we will discuss some general guidelines and style guides to help you master the art of capitalization.

General Guidelines

Here are some general guidelines to follow when it comes to capitalization:

• Capitalize the first word of a sentence and proper nouns (names of people, places, and things).
• Do not capitalize common nouns (words that refer to general things, such as book, table, or car).
• Capitalize titles of books, movies, and other works of art, but not articles, conjunctions, and prepositions (unless they are the first word of the title).
• Capitalize the first word of a quote only if it is a complete sentence.
• Do not capitalize job titles unless they come before a person’s name (e.g., President Biden, but the president of the United States).

Style Guides

Different style guides have different rules when it comes to capitalization. Here are some of the most commonly used style guides:

• The Associated Press Stylebook: This style guide is commonly used by journalists and news organizations. It uses sentence-style capitalization, which means that only the first word of a sentence and proper nouns are capitalized. Titles of books, movies, and other works of art are capitalized, but not articles, conjunctions, and prepositions (unless they are the first word of the title).
• The Chicago Manual of Style: This style guide is commonly used by publishers and writers. It uses title-style capitalization, which means that the first letter of every major word is capitalized, including articles, conjunctions, and prepositions (unless they are short words, such as “and” or “the”). Proper nouns and the first word of a sentence are also capitalized.
• The Modern Language Association Handbook: This style guide is commonly used in the humanities. It uses title-style capitalization for titles of books, movies, and other works of art, but sentence-style capitalization for headings and subheadings.

It is important to choose a style guide and stick to it consistently throughout your writing. This will help ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the rules for capitalizing titles.

When it comes to titles, the first letter of every word should be capitalized except for articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so), and prepositions (in, on, at, to, with, etc.) unless they are the first or last word in the title.

When should you capitalize job titles?

Job titles should be capitalized when they come before a person’s name, but not when they come after. For example, “Professor Smith” but “Smith, a professor at the university.”

What is the capitalization rule for days of the week?

Days of the week should be capitalized, as they are proper nouns.

What are the capitalization rules for acronyms?

Generally, acronyms should be written in all capital letters. However, if an acronym is also a proper noun, only the first letter should be capitalized.

How do you capitalize the first letter of a sentence?

The first letter of the first word in a sentence should always be capitalized.

What are the capitalization rules for proper nouns?

Proper nouns, which are specific names of people, places, organizations, or things, should always be capitalized. Common nouns, which refer to general things, should not be capitalized unless they are part of a title or at the beginning of a sentence.

English Capitalization Rules (When to Capitalize, When Not To + Style Guides)

At first glance, the English language capitalization rules might seem simple enough, but as you take a deeper dive into studying English grammar you will realize it gets a little more complicated. Most people know that the first word of every sentence and all proper nouns should be capitalized. However, many people don’t know that sometimes the first word of a quotation and the word after a colon also needs to be capitalized.

Then there are exceptions to every rule. People even get confused about identifying a proper noun in a sentence. The capitalization rules for the English language are particularly tricky in academic writing. This article discusses some of the basic capitalization rules that will help you be decisive and confident with English grammar every time.

Watch this lesson

What are capitalization rules?

Capitalization is defined as writing a word with only its first letter in uppercase and the remaining letters in lowercase. As a preliminary study of English grammar, children are taught in school that the first letter of the first word of a new sentence is capitalized, and all proper nouns are also capitalized. The rules get more layered and complicated in academic writing.

Other than capitalization of the first word of a sentence and proper nouns there are many other instances that require capitalization. It depends on various English style guides and grammatical rules. Keep reading to know when the capitalization of a word is grammatically incorrect and when capitalization is essential.

When to capitalize (with examples)

The following is a list of fundamental capitalization rules of the English language, along with examples:

First letter in a sentence

Capitalization of the foremost word of a sentence is the primary rule of capitalization, that is widely followed. Always capitalize the first or initial word of any sentence whether it is a common noun , proper noun, article, very, or any other type of verb .

a.   Both the dogs competed for their master’s attention all day long.

b.   Can you please point me towards the nearest bus stop?

c.    Derek was in love with Meredith, and he announced it in front of everyone today.

d.   Even though Mahatma Gandhi got nominated several times, he never won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Proper nouns

A proper noun is the particular name of a person, object, place, place, or organization. A proper noun is used in a sentence to make the noun more specific and identifiable, for instance Paris, Monday , Marilyn, etc. All adjectives that have evolved from proper nouns should also be capitalized, even when they are in the middle of a sentence.

a.   I bought the new Apple iPhone from Amazon, last week.

b.   Julius Cesare began autocratic rule in Rome which eventually led to his downfall.

c.    They decided to name their firstborn child Elvis after the late King of Pop.

The names of towns, cities, villages, countries, religions, companies , institutions and political parties should all be capitalized as they are all proper nouns.

a.   Universal Studios Singapore simply known as Universal Studios is located on Sentosa Island in Singapore.

b.   We saw some of the most spectacular views from Harder Klum looking over the town of Interlaken in Switzerland.

c.    Oxford University has a rich history that goes back many centuries.

Common noun usually refers to a type of thing, place, or person or it represents a concept. Generally, common nouns are not capitalized in the middle of a sentence. However, when they are used to address someone, in particular, they can be capitalized—for example, grandpa, grandmother, dad, and mom.

a.   I have been calling Mom all day, and she hasn’t answered once.

Only proper adjectives follow the rule of capitalization in the English language. Proper adjectives are formed only when they are used to describe a proper noun. Some categories of proper adjectives are as follows:

• Adjectives that are derived from places like Indian, Dutch, Spanish, Maldivian, etc.
• Adjectives that are derived from names like Kafkaesque, Shakespearean, Dickensian, Orwellian, etc
• Adjectives that are derived from religions like Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Islamic, etc.

Examples of proper adjectives capitalized in a sentence:

a.   The Buddhist practice of meditating for inner peace is getting popular worldwide.

b.   The locals always proclaim that Maldivian sharks are very friendly and never attack anyone.

c.    The atmosphere of the government office is almost Kafkaesque.

Most pronouns need to be capitalized only when they are placed at the beginning of a sentence. Only the pronoun ‘I’ needs to be in capital letters regardless of its placement within the sentence.

a.   It’s been too long since I visited my hometown.

b.   Silver and I are going to the library after my shift ends here.

c.   She said I can call her tomorrow to get the notes from her.

d.   I loved taking the Seine River cruise at midnight. 

Movies and book titles 

Most of the words in any creative title are capitalized. All the major words present in the title of films, poems, short stories, and novels are generally capitalized. The verbs, Nouns, proper nouns, and adjective starts with a capital letter. Also, as a general rule conjunctions, prepositions , and articles are not capitalized.

The rules differ according to the different style guides used to spell the particular title. Many fiction writers and poets don’t adhere to such strict rules of grammar. There are many titles of great creative works that do not follow any rule of capitalization or style guides.

For instance, APA style follows two types of capitalization rules, one is the Title case, and the other is the sentence case. In the former scenario, APA Style makes all major words capitalized and requires the minor words to be in lowercase. In the latter type of APA style, all the words are only in lowercase, and nothing is capitalized.

According to APA style guide, and word that is made up of three words or less is considered to be a minor word.

a.   Manu Star Wars fans were disappointed with Star Wars: The Last Jedi and found it to be anticlimactic.

b.   Louisa May Alcott wrote the Novel Little Women that was published in 1868.

c.    The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a movie about a daydreamer that escapes his mundane life by living in a world of fantasy.

d.   The poem by E.E Cummings, [i carry your heart with me(I carry it in] is quoted by lovers all over the world, even today.

First word in quotations

If a complete sentence is being quoted as part of the larger sentence, then the first word of the quote should be capitalized . If the quoted part is just a phrase, then the starting word of the quote does not need to be capitalized.

Capitalized: The teacher said, “Principal will be here shortly.”

Not Capitalized: the teacher informed us the principal would ‘be here shortly.”

a.   Last time Ted called me, he said, “I will send you a Christmas gift.”

b.   None of his “childhood friends” supported him when they divorced.

c.    Oscar Wilde once said that gods only answer our prayers “when they want to punish us.”

Titles of people

All proper nouns that are names of people should always be capitalized. The first letter of the first, middle, and last names is always a capital letter. It is also a capitalization rule that the suffixes and people’s titles also need to be capitalized.

For example, Bloody Marry, Alexander the Great, Sir Isaac Newton, Ivan the Terrible, etc.

When titles like Ms, Mr, Mrs, and Dr are considered part of particular names, they are also capitalized. This capitalization rule is primarily followed when you address someone by their position as if it’s a part of their name.

Capitalized: I have worked many years under the Chief Secretary Zoey Smith

Not Capitalized: Zoey Smith was one of the best chief secretaries the company ever had.

i.             Only capitalize titles and occupations when they are used as part of names.

Capitalize: Mr. Bob Roy is the Chief Editor of Chronicles for the past four years.

Not Capitalize: The chief editor of Chronicles will soon retire.

ii.            The title is capitalized it is used non descriptively

a.   Dr. Smith, who will preside over the meeting, is running a little late.

iii.           When the article ‘the’ is placed before a position or job title do not capitalize it.

a.   Smith, the president will be here soon.

b.   The president, Dr Smith, will join us this afternoon.

c.    Archie was the editor of the magazine.

iv.          The titles in signature lines should be capitalized. Although this is not a strict rule, most style guides recommend capitalizing the title when they come after the signature line or name in the address.

a.   John Doe, General Manager

b.   Mike Smith, Chief Editor

c.    Shelly Brown, CEO

d.   Lily Singh, Creative Head

Acronyms, initialisms, and initials 

An acronym is a type of abbreviation that is made from the starting letters of other words that are pronounced together as a single word. All the letters in an acronym are capitalized.

a.   ASAP – As soon as possible

b.   FOMO- Fear of missing out

c.   PIN- Personal Identification Number

d.   SCUBA- Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus

An initialism is very similar to an acronym, but for initialism, every letter in the word is pronounced as is.

a.   RIP – Rest in peace

b.   USA- United States of America

c.    FBI- Federal Bureau of Investigation

d.   TMI- Too much information

Initials are capital letters that start each word of a given name. For instance, if someone’s name is Peter Parker, their initials will be PP. All letters of the initials are always capitalized.

a.   MJ- Michael Jackson

b.   MLK – Martin Luther King

c.    JFK- John Fitzgerald Kennedy

d.   JRR Tolkien – John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Dates, days, months, and holidays

The name of different days, months, and holidays are different proper nouns. This is why when you look at any calendar, all these names are in capital letters.

Even when the name of days and months are abbreviated, they should always be capitalized. For instance, Mar, Feb, Aug, Sept, Dec, etc, are also capitalized.

Additionally, the most popular holidays you will find marked in a calendar are always capitalized.

a.   January

b.   May

c.    Monday

d.   Wednesday

e.   Christmas

f.     Ramadan

g.   Easter

h.   Hanukkah

i.     Navratri

j.     Fourth of July

Closing a letter

Most style guides suggest that letters addressing someone should always be close with a valediction. The exact phrase used for valediction depends on the receiver of the letter and their relationship with the sender. Valediction is an address or statement that is used as a farewell.

The first word of these complimentary closes or farewell words is always capitalized.

a.   Yours sincerely,

Anna Douglas

b.   Wishing you good health

Oliver Smith, Vice President

Capitalization rules

As is explained above, there are particular instances where the rule of capitalization is applied. The primary rule of capitalization in the English language is that the first letter of the first word of a new sentence should be in capital letters.

Also, another rudimentary rule is that all proper nouns are always capitalized. There are many other instances where letters get capitalized in the English language.

For example, the initials formed by abbreviating the name of a person is always in capital letter, the movie titles are also generally capitalized.

 Significant historical eras also need to be capitalized whenever mentioned anywhere. Even the prehistoric eras are capitalized in all history books—for instance, Bronze Age, Stone Age, Dark Ages, Middle Ages, and Renaissance.

APA rules are the official style of the American Psychological Association and are most commonly used to present sources in social sciences, education, and psychology. The APA style guide is used as a reference to write most of the academic research papers in their respective fields.

APA style guide has two basic types of capitalization of titles, sentence case and title case. In sentence case, all major words and minor words are in lowercase. While in the title case only the first letter of the major words is capitalized while the first letter of the minor word is not.

According to APA style guides, major words are generally four words or more. They consist of verbs, linking verbs , nouns, adverbs , adjectives, and pronouns. The minor words are the shorter words that are generally made of three words or less. Mostly articles, short prepositions, and conjunctions form minor words.

Implementation of title case in APA style

• Even if the first word of a heading or title is a minor word, it should be capitalized. For instance, ‘The’ in the movie The Fox and the Hound. Note when ‘the’ appears for the second time in the movie title it is a minor word that doesn’t need to be capitalized.
• Words that are four or more letters are also capitalized. E.g., From, Between, With, etc. The first word of the subtitle is also capitalized
• Some examples of minor words that are always in lowercase in a title following APA rules are as follows: for, but, so, or, and, as, a, the, an, off, of, on, to, up, via, etc.
• Title case is used in titles of books, reports, articles, and such other textual works. All headings between level one and five in any text are in bold and title case. 

The MLA style guides have specific rules for citing sources or research and formatting manuscripts. It provides writers and research scholars with a way of citing their sources through parenthetical citations in their works.

The capitalization rules from MLA style guides are used to give authors a consistent way of formatting the title while remaining true to the intrinsic style of different languages. According to the MLA rules, English language titles are in title case, while the title in any other language is mainly in lowercase. Some scholars find this strict distinction a little arbitrary but the MLA guide claims it to be in accordance with style guides of different languages. These distinctions are followed as a way of convention, respecting how different languages have evolved.

In the French language, all nouns are not capitalized, while all nouns in the German language are capitalized. The same distinction remains in the titles of French and German texts.

Chicago Style Guide rules

The Chicago Manual of Style has been in publication since 1906. The manual is commonly known as CMOS, CMS, or Chicago Style. It is a style guide primarily used for American English that is widely circulated and trusted. The capitalization rules in CMS are quite similar to the rules in MLA and APA style guides, with a few exceptions.

The Chicago style is most commonly used in conventional journalism.

The capitalization rules of the Chicago Manual of Style are as follows:

• The last and first words of the title are always capitalized.
• Some minor words are always in lowercase regardless of their length. The prepositions and coordinating conjunctions are always in lowercase in the title, even if they are more than three words. The second word in a compound modifier and the word following the hyphenated prefix are also in lowercase—for example, Anti-social, Mid-term, Super-creamy, Anti-hero, Mid-year, etc.
• Regardless of the length of major words, they are capitalized. All verbs, nouns, adverbs, adjectives, and subordinate conjunctions are capitalized. 

When not to capitalize

As there are instances where words should be capitalized, as a rule, there are also particular instances where letters should never be capitalized. Listed below are some basic rules where capitalization is not required.

Many people get confused when they are instructed not to capitalize the name of seasons but capitalize the name of days, months, and years. Unless the name of seasons is part of a tile or pronoun, they are not capitalized.

a.   When I was younger, winter was my favorite season

b.   I eagerly wait for the summer holidays to start.

c.    If you have read Ruskin Bond, you will know he was in love with the monsoon season.

However, when the exact name of seasons appears in titles or as part of the proper noun, they are capitalized.

a.   The film 500 Days of Summer (2009)

b.   Summer Smith, Chief Editor

Common nouns

A common noun refers to a non-specific or general category that names any place, object, person, or idea. As they are not naming a particular object or person, they can refer to a broader range of things. Some instances of common nouns are closet, mall, school, road, bedroom, child, ship, woman, spoon, boat, etc.

a.   The ambulance was called immediately.

b.   Haley is researching the best school to enroll her child.

c.    The bus never stops her, you need to walk this path a little further .

d.   For his seventeenth birthday, he was gifted a Honda sedan car.

The only time when a common noun is capitalized in the middle of a sentence is when it is used to address a certain individual. Mom, which is a common noun will be capitalized in a sentence, only when it is used to address a particular individual.

When directions are used to point someone in the right way then they are not capitalized. As long as you are not talking about a specific place and just helping someone locate a place, or find their way, the name of directions is not capitalized.

a.   Continue until you come across the lighthouse.

b.   The factory is a few miles east of the public library.

When direction words are used not to specify a place but only to better describe the region they are not capitalized.

a.   I loved exploring eastern Europe with my friends.

b.   It’s much hotter near the western border.

Academic subjects

The name of any academic subject like geography, chemistry, electrical engineering, maths, or any other general subject does not require to be capitalized.

a.   I loved studying biology but hated math classes.

b.   When I was younger, I was keenly interested in history.

The only exception to this rule is when the subject is the name of a specific class, like Advanced Algebra, Renaissance Literature, History 3.0, etc.

Most people mistakenly capitalize the word ‘birthday’ when they wish someone on their birthday. As long as you are not writing all letters in capitals, the first letter of special occasions doesn’t need to be capitalized. Anniversary and birthday wishes are all in lowercase.

a.   I hope all your wishes come true on this birthday.

b.   I wish you a very happy anniversary and hope you enjoy your special day with your partner.

After colons, semicolons, commas

There are many punctuation marks after which capitalizing a word would be grammatically incorrect, except for a proper noun. Generally, a colon is followed by a list. As long as the list does not consist of proper nouns or complete sentences, they need not be capitalized.

a.   Following is the list of things you see in a garden: flowers, trees, insects, etc.

The semicolon is mainly used in place of a coordinating conjunction or a comma to connect two related but independent clauses . A semicolon works best when the relationship between the two distinctive clauses in the sentence is clear.  

a.   I have early classes tomorrow; I cannot come to the party tonight.

b.   Think about it for now; you can inform me tomorrow.

Similar to the semicolon, when a comma is used, the sentence does not end there. That is why anything following the comma is not capitalized.

a.   The match was over, but the fans refused to leave.

b.   If you are late again, bring a note.

c.    No, she will not come out today.

Anyone that knows these basic rules of capitalization in the English language will confidently know what is grammatically correct and incorrect. Just a little practice revising and memorizing these clauses will make anyone a pro in the capitalization rules.

• Capitalization Rules: When do Words Need to be Capitalized? – Dictionary
• 15 Basic Capitalization Rules for English Grammar- Best Edit & Proof
• Capitalization Rules -GrammarBook
• English Capitalization Rules, With Examples – Grammarly
• Acronym Definition & Meaning- Merriam Webster
• Title Case Capitalization- APA Style
• Why does the MLA capitalize certain words in titles? – MLA Style Guides
• Making Capitalization Easy- Capitalize My Title
• Are directions capitalized? – YourDictionary
• How to use semicolons? -Grammar book

Inside this article

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Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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When To Use Capital Letters

Some English capitalization rules are rigid, but others are a matter of style. We’ll go over the most common “capitalization” guidelines.

• Capitalization is when certain letters are written in uppercase instead of lowercase.
• There are several rules to keep in mind when deciding when to use capital letters .

The rules of capitalization in English may seem pretty direct. For example, most people know to capitalize the first letter of every sentence and the personal pronoun “I.” There are some gray areas, though. Should sentences after colons begin with a capital letter , too? How about titles and headlines? We’ll answer these questions and go over some basic guidelines for capitalization.

1. “Capitalizing” the First Word of a Sentence

This one is first because it’s the most common and straightforward rule: The first letter of a sentence must always be capitalized . A capital letter shows the reader that a new sentence has begun, the same way a period shows that a sentence has ended.

Y esterday I visited my grandma. W e went to the mall, the movies, and then dinner. A fterwards, I dropped her back off at home. I t was truly a great time.

Direct quotes within a sentence should also be capitalized :

S he was so excited, I remember her saying, “ T his is the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

However, if the quote is a phrase or sentence fragment, then it does not need to be capitalized .

I told her “not to worry,” because I’d be coming to visit more often now that we live in the same state.

2. “Capitalizing” Proper Nouns

Proper nouns are always capitalized. These are words that identify individual or unique nouns , unlike common nouns (which identify general or nonspecific nouns). Proper nouns include names of people, places, events, companies, and organizations.

J osiah and I visited D isney World. We took pictures with M ickey M ouse, P luto, and D onald D uck. On the last day, when we met with S amuel and J ason and went to A nimal K ingdom, J osiah accidentally spilled a P epsi drink all over me.

How about titles like uncle, mom, and grandpa? When they immediately precede a proper name, then the first letters of those words should be capitalized . When they’re used in place of a personal name, they should also start with a capital letter.

I was surprised to see U ncle J ohn at my graduation.

Uh-oh! Wait until M om sees this.

However, if these titles are preceded by a possessive pronoun, noun, or article, if they follow a personal name, or if they don’t refer to a specific person, then they do not need to be capitalized .

M y dad will not be happy that no other fathers helped with the fundraising event.

Because specific days, months, and holidays are proper nouns, they also have to be capitalized.

Every F riday during the month of N ovember, my mom goes shopping for C hristmas gifts.

Keep in mind that proper adjectives should be capitalized , too.

L anguage T ool is a multilingual text editor that can correct any mistakes in capitalization, even in proper nouns. Additionally, this writing assistant can also fix grammar and spelling errors and easily provide synonyms that’ll strengthen your writing. Try it out.

3. “Capitalizing” Titles in Names

An additional, identifying name or title, like Dr . Strange or Mr . Bean, are always capitalized .

P rofessor Acosta had a guest speaker for today’s lecture.

P resident Joe Biden was nominated by the Democratic Party.

M rs. Davis is a favorite among the students.

4. “Capitalizing” Titles and Headlines

Capitalizing titles differs depending on the style guide. However, the most common rule is this: Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs should be capitalized. Prepositions, articles, and conjunctions should be left in lowercase (unless they are the first word).

T he C hronicles of N arnia

5. What About “Capitalizing” After Colons?

Should sentences after colons be capitalized as well? This is another rule that depends on style. Most of the time, words after colons are not capitalized. Some exceptions are if (one or more) complete sentences or a proper noun is found right after the colon.

Johanna said there are two reasons she prefers to work from home: O ne, she can concentrate more. A nd two, she can be with her pets.

All of these guidelines are important. But the two capitalization rules you must always adhere to is capitalizing the first word in a sentence and proper nouns. Capitalization rules of titles and after colons vary, so always make sure to ask for a style guide if you’re unsure what to do.

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Capitalization rules: When to use capital letters in English

English capitalization rules involve a lot more than just capitalizing the first letter of a sentence. 

Here we will go through when to use capital letters in English , including the various ways you can capitalize titles. We’ll cover all the potentially confusing capitalization rules regarding proper nouns, colons, and quotations.

We hope this helps clear up when to capitalize a word and when to stick with lowercase.

3 English capitalization rules

In English, we capitalize a word by writing the first letter in uppercase and the remaining letters in lowercase.

The three general rules of English capitalization dictate that you should always use a capital letter for:

• The first word of a sentence
• The pronoun ‘I’
• Proper nouns

We will look at these first, and then go over some exceptions and specific questions around colons, titles, and quotations.

1. Capitalize the first word of a sentence

This is the most simple capitalization rule and you will see it in use throughout this document. Always capitalize the first letter of a sentence.

2. The pronoun ‘I’ is always capitalized

This capitalization rule is also quite straightforward: Whenever you use the first person singular pronoun ‘I’, it should be capitalized.

• I wish I could win the lottery.
• Jamie and I are going on a date tonight.
• Never have I ever been so embarrassed as when I spilled wine all over myself and the bride at a wedding.

As you can see, this rule applies regardless of whether ‘I’ appears as the first word in a sentence or part-way through it.

Unsure about when to use I, me, or myself ? We have you covered.

3. Capitalize proper nouns and adjectives derived from them

Proper nouns and common nouns are a big topic, but we will go over the basics here in relation to using capital letters in writing.

A proper noun is a type of noun that refers to a specific place, person, or thing by name. Proper nouns should always be capitalized, as should any adjectives derived from them (also called ‘proper adjectives’).

Examples of proper nouns and adjectives include:

• William Shakespeare
• Shakespearian
• the Eiffel Tower
• the River Thames
• the Olympic Games

Proper nouns are the opposite of common nouns , which refer to places, people, or things in general – not specific names. Common nouns should not start with a capital letter unless they are the first word of a new sentence or part of a title.

Examples of common nouns include:

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of proper nouns that we need to capitalize , with examples of each one:

• Names: Mr Smith; Roger Federer; Lady Gaga; Madonna; George W. Bush; Grandpa
• Continents, countries, states, cities, towns, regions: Africa; Thailand; Colorado; London; Wellington; the Midlands
• Landmarks, geographical features, structures (natural and manmade): the Nile; the Equator; the Rocky Mountains; the Burj Khalifa; the Great Barrier Reef
• Street and road names: Main Street; Cedar Drive; Notting Hill
• Nationalities, languages, races, tribes: American; British; Norwegian; Mexican; Hindi; Masai
• Days of the week, months of the year: Tuesday; Sunday; June; November
• Historical eras, named historical events, holidays: the Bronze Age; World War II; Valentine’s Day
• Special events: the Commonwealth Games; the Golden Globe Awards
• Planets: Jupiter; Venus
• Companies, organizations, institutions, brand names: Coca-Cola; Disney; the United Nations; the World Bank; Oxford University
• Religions, deities, holy books: Christianity; Islam; Vishnu; the Bible

Nouns that are notably not capitalized include academic subjects, professions, medical conditions, elements, plants, animals, and minerals.

However, we still capitalize the names and proper nouns that may appear within these, e.g. Alzheimer’s disease; German shepherd.

Also note that family names like ‘Dad’, ‘Grandma’, and ‘Uncle’ are only capitalized when addressing the person or referring to them by that name. In phrases like ‘my dad’, ‘his grandma’, and ‘their uncle’, where you are using the noun to describe the relationship rather than to name the person, the words are all lowercase.

Should you capitalize seasons?

The four seasons – spring, summer, fall/autumn, and winter – are common nouns and therefore do not need to be capitalized unless they are used at the beginning of a sentence or in a title.

Some people, mistakenly believing that the seasons are proper nouns, capitalize them mid-sentence.

Do cardinal directions need to be capitalized?

The directions found on a compass (north, south, east, and west) and their derivatives (northern, northeast, etc.) do not need to be capitalized when referring to a direction or general area. They often appear as part of a proper noun referring to a geographic region (the East Coast, South Sudan, Southeast Asia), in which case we apply the capitalization rules of proper nouns.

• Virginia is southeast of West Virginia.
• Indonesia is the southernmost country in Southeast Asia.
• The north of the city is more affluent than the south.

Check your style guide for further intricacies on this topic.

Should you capitalize the first word after a colon?

Rules for capitalization after colons vary depending on what is following the colon.

1) If the colon introduces a list or an incomplete sentence, do not capitalize the first word after the colon.

• Suzie needs some extra supplies for her art class tomorrow: origami paper, scissors, popsicle sticks, and glue.
• There is only one person in the world who could solve this problem: me.

The exception to this would be if the word is a proper noun or acronym that would usually be capitalized.

2) If the colon comes before a complete sentence, check your style guide.

APA style states that you should always capitalize the first word following the colon if it is part of a complete sentence.

• One thing is for sure: We won’t be going to the theme park if it is raining.

The Chicago Manual of Style , on the other hand, keeps the first word lowercase even if it is part of a complete sentence.

• One thing is for sure: we won’t be going to the theme park if it is raining.

However, if more than one complete sentence is introduced by the colon, we go back to using capital letters.

• Here’s the plan: If it’s sunny, we’ll go to the theme park. If it rains, we’ll hang out at the mall.

If you have a particular style guide to follow, check what it says regarding when to use capital letters after colons. If not, just pick one of these options and try to be consistent with it.

Capitalizing abbreviations (acronyms and initialisms)

Acronyms and initialisms are both types of abbreviation that shorten a phrase to a series of letters, usually representing the first letter of each word in the phrase. Common examples are NASA, WHO, FAQ, and VIP.

You can read more about abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms here, but the main rule for writing them is this:

All letters in acronyms and initialisms should be capitalized to distinguish them from regular words.

Of course, this capitalization rule may not apply so strictly in casual settings like internet chat rooms, where that extra keystroke to create uppercase text would negate the convenience of writing things like ‘gg’, ‘brb’, and ‘ty’.

Additionally, there are some Latin abbreviations that follow different capitalization rules.

Which words are capitalized in a title?

There are different ways to approach title capitalization for articles, magazines, and blogs. The rules you follow will depend on the style guide you are using (if any), but the three main options are:

• Sentence case: Only acronyms, proper nouns, and the first word are capitalized in titles. Everything else is lowercase. Just like writing a normal sentence.
• Title case: The first and last words of a title are always capitalized, as well as any nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns. Other words are sometimes capitalized.
• Proper case: Capitalize the first letter of every word in the title, without exception.

Most style guides recommend either sentence case or title case capitalization.

However, there is some disagreement over whether certain types of words, like conjunctions and prepositions, should be capitalized in title case.

AP style capitalizes prepositions over three letters, for example, whereas Chicago style does not capitalize any prepositions in title case; even longer words like ‘underneath’.

All style guides agree that articles (a, an, the) are lowercase unless they appear as the first word in a title, in which case they are uppercase.

Titles of books, songs, films, plays, and other compositions generally use title case.

How to use capital letters in a quotation

You should capitalize the first word in a quotation if the entire quotation is a full sentence. If the quotation is a fragment, don’t capitalize the first word (unless it is a proper noun).

• The winner proclaimed that he was “overwhelmed with joy”, although his face did not show it.
• The winner proclaimed “This is a monumental day for our team and for our sport.”

We hope this guide has helped you understand what should be capitalized in a sentence, and what should not. When it comes to capitalization rules for English writing, some are quite easy to follow and others are more complicated.

If you have a preferred writing style guide, you can refer to that to check whether capitalization is required in any given context.

You may also find it helpful to use a writing assistant like Grammarly , which checks as you write and highlights any mistakes, including any errant capital letters. The tool will help you understand which words to capitalize and which to leave as lowercase.

Why do we use capital letters?

This is a good question, because it’s one element of the English language that exists solely in writing without affecting speech. We use capital letters mainly because this is how the language has evolved, and it’s what we understand to be the correct way of writing.

There are only a few instances where capitalization makes a difference to the meaning of the word (e.g. God and god), but writing in all uppercase or all lowercase is generally harder to read.

Which words should not be capitalized?

Some words that are often capitalized but should not be include job titles, professions, academic subjects (except languages), company departments, the seasons, and compass directions. None of these words should be capitalized unless they appear as part of a formal name, making them proper nouns.

People also have a tendency to capitalize important-sounding words mid-sentence, perhaps to draw greater attention to them or to make them sound more important than they are.

For example, a resume might read: “I excel at Team-Building, Mentoring, and Personal Development.” – but none of these terms are proper nouns that deserve to be capitalized.

Do capital letters matter in emails?

When typing an email address, it does not matter if you use uppercase or lowercase letters. Email addresses are not case-sensitive, so just be sure to use the correct spelling.

When it comes to writing the email message itself, we advise referring to the rest of this guide for information about when to use a capital letter.

Is capitalization classed as grammar or punctuation?

Capitalization is technically not a part of English punctuation or grammar rules . Instead, it is part of a broader category of English writing mechanics. This also includes spelling and punctuation; all the things that govern the way we write.

What about food names?

That’s a good question! Food names are generally lowercase, but there are some exceptions. For example, brand names should be capitalized (Tabasco sauce, Cheetos) as should any proper nouns (Chilean wine, Mexican salsa).

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• Capitalization Rules in English | Quick Guide & Examples

Capitalization Rules in English | Quick Guide & Examples

Published on April 19, 2019 by Amy Luo . Revised on September 4, 2023.

In English, a capital letter is used for the first word of a sentence and for all proper nouns (words that name a specific person, place, organization, or thing).

In some cases, capitalization is also required for the first word in a quotation and the first word after a colon .

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Table of contents

Recognizing proper nouns, directions and regions, theories, models and disciplines, capitalization within quotations, capitalization after a colon, capitalizing titles.

A proper noun is the specific name of a person, place, organization, or thing. All proper nouns (as well as adjectives derived from them) should be capitalized.

Michelle Obama , the former first lady, was raised in Chicago and is a graduate of Harvard Law School .

A common noun , on the other hand, refers to a general, non-specific category or entity. Common nouns are not normally capitalized (unless they are the first word of a sentence or part of a title).

Monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy are forms of government classified according to which people have the authority to rule.

There are no proper nouns in the example above. Words like  democracy ,  government and  authority refer to general concepts and categories rather than specific names.

Common nouns often become proper nouns when used to name a specific entity:

Times and events

Specific periods and named events in history are proper nouns and thus capitalized. Centuries, however, stay in lowercase.

• The Middle Ages were dismissed as backward by Renaissance thinkers.
• The Paleozoic Era began 541 million years ago.
• The Great Depression affected virtually every country in the world.
• Impressionism was a pivotal artistic development in the nineteenth century .

Days of the week (e.g., Wednesday ), months of the year (e.g., August ), and holidays and festivals (e.g., Christmas , Ramadan ) are capitalized. However, the four seasons are common nouns and therefore not capitalized unless they appear as part of a proper noun.

• I plan on visiting New York in the summer .
• I plan on attending the Summer Olympics next year.

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North, east, south, and west are not capitalized when they refer to a direction or general area. This also applies to derivative adjectives and adverbs :

• I live five miles north of London.
• Warm, westerly winds passed through the city.
• The fire affected only the northern region of the forest.

However, capitalization is required for these words when they are part of a proper name or when they refer to a distinct region.

• The North Pole has a wider variety of animal life than the South Pole.
• The scope of the book is limited to the history of Western civilization.
• Cameroon’s East Region borders the Central African Republic.

Whether a geographical area is named as a distinct region can vary between countries.

• They took a road trip down the West Coast of the United States .
• We took a road trip up the west coast of Scotland .

If you’re unsure whether to capitalize the name of an area or region, check a dictionary or consult academic sources for common usage.

In academic writing, some types of nouns are often incorrectly capitalized. The table below shows academic terms that should not be capitalized. Note, though, that proper nouns within these terms are still capitalized as usual.

However, note that the names of existing tests, inventories and questionnaires should be capitalized.

• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
• UWIST Mood Adjective Checklist

When the quote forms a complete sentence, capitalize the first word.

John asked, “Are these library books overdue?”

When the quote is a fragment incorporated into your own sentence, the first word is not capitalized.

She referred to him as “a plague sore.”

When a colon introduces a list or any phrase that is not a complete sentence, do not capitalize the first word (unless it is a proper noun).

She filled the picnic basket with a variety of snacks: cookies, bread, dips, and fruits.

When a colon introduces a complete sentence, capitalization rules vary between style guides. According to APA style , the first word after the colon should be capitalized.

She had been up all night studying: She was determined to get the top grade in the class.

But according to Chicago style , the first word following the colon should be capitalized only if there is more than one complete explanatory sentence following the colon.

She had been up all night studying: she was determined to get the top grade in the class.

She had been up all night studying: She was determined to get the top grade in the class. It would guarantee her the prestigious scholarship.

The capitalization rules for the titles of books, articles, movies, art, and other works vary slightly between style guides. But in general, the following rules apply across major style guides, including APA , MLA , and Chicago .

• Capitalize the first word of the title and (if applicable) the subtitle
• Capitalize the last word
• Capitalize all nouns, verbs , adjectives , adverbs , pronouns , and subordinating conjunctions
• Use lowercase for articles (the, a, an), prepositions , and coordinating conjunctions

I prefer The Taming of the Shrew over Romeo and Juliet .

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the last in a trilogy.

Capitalizing headings in papers

When writing a paper or thesis, you have two options for capitalizing the headings of chapters and sections . You can use title case for all headings , as in the examples above.

3.1 Emerging Coffee Markets in North America

Alternatively, you can choose to use sentence case , which means you only capitalize the first word and proper nouns, as in a normal sentence.

3.1 Emerging coffee markets in North America

Some style guides have specific requirements for capitalizing headings (see, for example, how to format APA headings and subheadings ). Whichever approach you choose, make sure to be consistent: all headings at the same level should take the same capitalization style.

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

Luo, A. (2023, September 04). Capitalization Rules in English | Quick Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/language-rules/capitalization-rules/

Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015).  Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage  (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Garner, B. A. (2016).  Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

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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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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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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)

Grammar Rules: Capitalization

by Melissa Donovan | Mar 9, 2023 | Grammar Rules | 102 comments

Grammar rules for capitalization.

Proper capitalization is one of the cornerstones of good grammar, yet many people fling capital letters around carelessly.

Not every word deserves to be capitalized. It’s an honor that must be warranted, and in writing, capitalization is reserved only for special words.

Most of the grammar rules are explicit about which words should be capitalized. However, there are some cases (like title case) in which the rules are vague.

Capitalization of Titles

There are several contexts in which we can examine capitalization. When writing a title (of a blog post, for example), almost all the words in the title are capitalized. This is called title case.

Title case is used for titles of books, articles, songs, albums, television shows, magazines, movies…you get the idea.

Capitalization isn’t normally applied to every word in a title. Smaller words, such as a, an, and the are not capitalized. Some writers only capitalize words that are longer than three letters. Others stretch it to four.

There is an exception to the rule of using lowercase for short words in a title: Words that are important should remain capitalized, even if they are shorter than three or four letters. For example, the word  run  is only three letters, but if it appeared in a title, it would be capitalized, because it would be the verb (or action) within the title: “Would You Run for Office?” Similarly, important nouns (subjects of objects of a title), such as  me , would retain capitalization:  Marley and Me .

There’s no fixed grammar rule for which words aren’t capitalized in a title, although they tend to be smaller and less significant words; you should check your style guide for specific guidelines to ensure that your capitalization in consistent.

Capitalization of Acronyms

Every letter in an acronym should be capitalized, regardless of whether the words those letters represent start with capital letters:

• The acronym for Writing Forward would be WF.
• WYSIWYG is an acronym that stands for what you see is what you get . Although the words in the original phrase aren’t capitalized, every letter in the acronym is capitalized.
• Most people use acronyms heavily in text messaging and online messaging. In common usage, these acronyms are rarely capitalized: omg, btw, nsfw . However, if you were using these acronyms in a more formal capacity, they would be entirely capitalized: OMG, BTW, NSFW.

First Word of a Sentence

As I’m sure you know, grammar rules state that the first word in a sentence is always capitalized.

Capitalization of Proper Nouns

To keep things simple here today, we’ll refer to a noun as a person, place, or thing. You need not worry about the other parts of speech because only nouns are eligible for perennial capitalization.

There are two types of nouns that matter in terms of capitalization: proper nouns and common nouns. Proper nouns are the names of specific people, places, and things. Common nouns are all the other, nonspecific people, places, and things.

When considering whether to capitalize, ask whether the noun in question is specific. This will tell you if it’s a proper noun, which should be capitalized, or a common noun, which remains in all lowercase letters.

Proper Noun Capitalization Example

The word country is not specific. It could be any country. Even if you’re talking about the country in which you live, which is a specific country, the word itself could indicate any number of nations. So keep it lowercase because it’s a common noun.

Conversely, Chile is a specific country. You can tell because Chile is the name of a particular land in which people reside. When you discuss the people of that land, you won’t capitalize the word people . However, if you’re talking about Chileans, you definitely capitalize because Chileans are a very specific people, from a very specific country, Chile.

Hopefully that makes sense. If not, keep reading because I’m about to confuse you even more.

Common Capitalization Errors

Folks often think that capitalization should be applied to any word that’s deemed important. Here’s an example:

We sent the Product to the local Market in our last shipment. Have the Sales Force check to see if our Widgets are properly packaged.

It’s not uncommon, especially in business writing, to see nouns that are crucial to a company’s enterprise capitalized. This is technically incorrect but could be considered colloquial usage of a sort. Unless it’s mandated by a company style guide, avoid it.

Here’s correct capitalization of our example:

We sent the product to the local market in our last shipment. Have the sales force check to see if our widgets are properly packaged.

Now, in a rewrite of the example, some of the words will be again capitalized, but only if they are changed to proper nouns (names or titles of things and people).

We sent the Widgetbusters (TM) to WidgetMart in our last shipment. Have Bob, Sales Manager, check to see if our widgets are properly packaged.

What about Capitalization for Job Titles?

Ah, this one’s tricky. Job titles are only capitalized when used as part of a specific person’s title:

• Have you ever met a president?
• Did you vote for president?
• Do you want to become the president?
• Nice to meet you, Mr. President.
• I read a book about President Lincoln.

Again, this has to do with specificity. “The president” or “a president” could be any president, even if in using the phrase, it’s obvious by context who you mean. However “Mr. President” or “President Lincoln” are specific individuals, and they call for capitalization.

Grammar Rules!

Do you have any questions about grammar rules regarding capitalization? Any additional tips to add? Leave a comment!

102 Comments

Hi, I’ve got a question about something I didn’t see directly addressed in your post. I guess it’s pretty much the same thing you discussed in the section on job titles, but applied to places and things.

If I mention a proper noun (e.g. Mount Sinai Hospital, or Economic Stimulus Project), and then refer to it later in the form of a common noun (the hospital, the project), should that be capitalised or not?

Thanks in advance for your guidance on this.

Hi Dan. When you refer to anything as a common noun, you will not capitalize it. This is similar to referring to “the president” versus “President Lincoln” – you only capitalize when it’s used as part of a proper noun.

I have a title Action Learning System, which obviously whenever referred to in the document is all capitalised, however when only part of it is referred to in a sentence do I still capitalise that one word? I.e. Learning or System? Thanks for your help. Jane

Jane, I think it’s okay to capitalize shortened versions of the name of your product, i.e. Learning or System. however, for the purpose of building brand-name recognition, I think it’s best to use the full name, capitalized. Also, once you name it as a system, it would be correct to refer to “the system” or “this system” using lowercase. In many cases, however, particularly in sales and marketing copy, key words are always capitalized. This is usually more a matter of style (choice) than grammar. I would either use the full name or an abbreviation (ALS).

Thanks so much for your speedy reply. It’s such a difficult one, and I don’t think I’ve come across it before, so thanks so much for your help. Definitely a website I’m adding to my Favourites (correct capital???) Jane

Looks like you’re using British spelling (favourites) rather than American (favorites). I think the same rules apply here – you can refer to “favorites” in a general sense or you can refer specifically to the “Favorites” menu on your browser. Personally, I’d go with lowercase, but it’s a style issue, so you get to choose.

Sometimes I have problems with whether to capitalize “the” when it’s ambiguous whether it’s followed by a proper noun or the beginning of a proper noun. For example, “I live in the United States of America” versus “Dwayne Johnson is known as The Rock”. In those two cases, it’s obvious to me whether I should capitalize “the” or not, but in some cases, I am not so sure. I guess it has more to do with whether “the” is included into the pronoun or not than with the actual grammar.

Kelvin, you’ve raised an excellent question, one I’ve wondered about more than once, so I checked The Chicago Manual of Style . It looks to me like you’ve got it right with “the United States of America.” I went through over fifty pages on capitalization and the is never capitalized when it precedes a name or title. For example, we would write: the Army, the Buddha, the Prince of Wales, etc. If you pick up a style guide, you’ll be able to look up specific terms when you run into this question again.

My grammar is terrible. Thank you so much for this post.

You’re welcome!

Hi Melissa,

If writing….

I would like to thank everyone once again for their time.

Should ‘Thank” be capitalized?

I see examples like this in a lot of business writing. The direct answer to your question is no.

Guilty of the first point. I always capitalize every word in a blog post title. Bad habits are easy to fall in to and I guess I should think a little more about it.

Actually, I don’t think it’s technically wrong to do that. From what I’ve read, title capitalization is a style issue, but the convention is definitely toward keeping short words lowercase. Personally, I sort of eye it and go partially on what looks aesthetically pleasing.

Thanks for the article, as I enjoy brushing up on grammar skills. I do have two questions though: Do you capitalize the first letter after a colon? Also, is the subject line of an e-mail considered a title? Thanks for your time.

Good question about the email subject line! In most cases, issues surrounding new media and modern technology haven’t been settled among grammarians. However, I definitely consider an email subject line a title, and I use title case in all subject lines. I also use title case for subheadings in my blog posts.

Here’s what Chicago says about capitalizing after a colon:

“When a colon is used within a sentence…the first word following the colon is lowercased unless it is a proper name. When a colon introduces two or more sentences…or when it introduces a speech in dialogue or an extract…the first word following it is capitalized.”

Basically, if the text that follows the colon is a complete sentence, it gets capitalized.

Hope that helps. You guys are asking some excellent questions about capitalization!

Beautiful walkthrough and examples.

I especially like how you juxtaposed common scenarios and their corresponding traps.

Thanks, J.D.

Wasn’t sure if I had a question, but turns out I do. Although I think you may have somewhat possibly answered it, but I had been curious about certain words in titles, like “the”, “of”, and, well, “and”. I thought in some occasions I saw these words capitalized in their titles (of course not when they are the beginning or end of said title). Some examples I thought would be movie titles such as “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” or “Men in Black”. I would think the “the” in “the Sundance Kid” would be capitalized… just because. And for a long time I debated with myself whether or not “in” in “Men in Black” should be capitalized, since they are also know as MIB. I think within the movie, my question is answered since Kay has business cards that clearly read “MiB” on them. (Men in Black is one of my all-time favorite movies, I know it by heart.) Anyway, I said all that to ask if titling in such a way is proper or is it more of a style?

I managed to escape this on titling my blog posts since I choose to keep the entire title in lowercase. Sometimes I do this because a post might be a line from a song or quote from a movie.

And regarding when to capitalize “president” …I’ve always been confused by that. So thanks for that, I think some of the newspapers I’ve read must have it wrong since I’ve frequently seen “the President did such and things and blah”.

What would it be like to be grammarian? What do their offices look like? How much do they get paid? I’m not really looking for answers to those questions… just some thoughts typed out loud.

For the most part, it’s a style issue (in other words, it will depend on which style guide you use). However, if you’re talking about a title, you capitalize the first word if it’s the or a . For Butch and MIB, I don’t think the and in are capitalized (even with MIB; when you write out the full title, in is lowercase:

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Men in Black (MIB)

While IMDB is not a grammar resource, it’s a good place to go to see how the industry is treating capitalization. Or just look at the movie poster or DVD cover. I would use that as the official way to capitalize.

Back in the day, many moons ago, I was taught that all the words in a title were capitalised, and then I was taught that only the more ‘important’ ones were but I’m not going to get too hung up on that. My pet peeve is headings not titles. EVERYBODY these days seems to treat headings like titles by capitalising(?) every word, or the main words or, if in doubt, every letter of every word. The question at the end of the rant is; is this trend correct or is it another example of the ignorant perpetuating the mistakes of the ignorant? Or is it an American thing that people elsewhere have just adopted without even being aware of it, the way they do with pronunciation?

I believe this is more of a style than grammar issue. I use the Chicago Manual of Style and within it, the headings are indeed capitalized (some are in all caps). It seems to me that titles and headings are close cousins, so it makes sense to capitalize them.

“As I’m sure you know, the first word in a sentence is always capitalized.”

Suppose some one’s username is “rickety” in lower-case, and you don’t know their real name. Do I write a sentence like this:

“Melissa Donovan is a fine writer. rickety is not so hot.”

Sounds like a silly question but I come across similar examples occasionally.

That’s a good question, Rick. I would say that if one adheres to the rules of proper grammar, a proper noun would be capitalized, whether it’s at the beginning of a sentence or not. Since the name of any person is a proper noun, it should simply be capitalized.

But that’s not much fun, is it? Creative writers have been bending the rules for many years, and that includes how capitalization and proper nouns are treated. Take e.e. cummings, for example. He often depicted his entire name in lowercase letters. I’ve seen some examples in which a publication opted to capitalize Mr. Cummings’ name and others where they leave it lowercase (I’m guessing out of respect). So, my second answer is that it’s up to the publication or editor.

I have a question. Suppose you are writing about sectors that a business is involved in. Such as xyz Investments is involved in diverse sectors such as food and beverages, leisure, transportation and tourism. Would it be capitalised, as technically this is the name of an industry?

Also say a bank provides services such as commercial and private banking, asset management, islamic finance, brokerage, financial market services, leasing and property managemenent. Would this be capitalised? I have seen it written both ways on the web. Technically these are names of services so my gut feeling is to capitalise but am just not sure!

Mel, this deals with business writing, not creative writing. Businesses should use a style guide, either an established one or one that has been created for their industry or company. Generally, the lists you’ve asked about would not be capitalized, but in business writing, the styles are slightly different.

I have the same question regarding business specific services and processes (specifically for the insurance industry). I really appreciate your information that this is a business style issue and not a grammatical one. Where would I be able to find a business style guide? When searching for this I have only come across references such as the MLA handbook.

If the company or industry in question doesn’t have its own style guide, I would suggest using the Chicago Manual of Style . Many other style guides are based on that one. Another option would be the AP style guide, which is widely used in journalism.

Additional Tip: When preceded by “my,” the words “mom” and “dad” are not capitalized. They’re usually only capitalized when used as a substitute for the person’s name; for example, “Hey, Mom.”

Yes, that’s a good point. The words mom and dad can either be used as common nouns (lowercase: my mom, my dad ) or as proper nouns and titles ( Hi Mom, Hi Dad ).

Hello, I’d also like to add that it’s not just all smaller words that aren’t capitalized. It’s the smaller prepositions, the articles (the, an, a), and the conjunctions. But “is” and “be” and “are,” which are quite small, are supposed to be capitalized (though often incorrectly left lowercase) because these words are verbs.

Sorry, I’m an editor; I’m passionate about grammar. :3

Ah, good point. Words that are considered important (like verbs) should be capitalized even if they are short. Thanks for adding that Lauren!

I may have missed it, but how about after a semicolon. Capital or not.

Excellent question, Bill. It is addressed in a post about semicolons: How to Use a Semicolon .

Great article. I”m still left with a question. Do I capitalize the name of fish? Mummichog is the one at the moment. I think not, like cat. I wouldn’t capitalize cat. So pending a different answer from you, I’m not capitalizing it!

We don’t capitalize words like cat or fish (or humans or people for that matter). However, we would capitalize their personal names (Mittens and Bubbles, for example). We don’t capitalize words like tabby or salmon (which are types of cats and fish). However, if a proper noun is included (as in Siamese cat or German shepherd dog), we keep it capitalized. I don’t think you would capitalize mummichog unless it’s also a proper noun or the personal name of a fish (like your name is Catherine).

Do you capitalize the first word after a quote i.g., “I wouldn’t like that very much.” Replied the lovely young lady. And is this the correct use of “i.g.,.

This is actually not a quote; it’s dialogue. When the dialogue tag (he said / she said) comes after the dialogue, we put a comma at the end of the dialogue (not a period) and we do not capitalize the dialogue tag: “That’s interesting,” she said. Here is how your example should look:

“I wouldn’t like that very much,” replied the lovely young lady.

There is no i.g. that I’m aware of but perhaps you mean e.g. It’s a latin abbreviation meaning “for example”.

Questions like yours are always welcome here; I’m more than happy to help if I can. But I also recommend getting a few writing resources so that you can look up questions like these when they arise. I first learned how to format dialogue by simply reading a lot of fiction. Good luck to you!

hi! I was wondering, if I were referring to a large estate that is NOT the White House, and I wanted to say ‘north wing’, would that be capatalized? For example:

While on the tour of the large estate, Gary opened the wooden door and ushered me in. “This is the north wing,” he said.

The rule to remember is that we only capitalize proper nouns, which you can also think of as official names for something. Here, “north wing” is not the official name; rather, it’s a description of a location (within a building). In this context, it would not be capitalized.

If the name of a restaurant is “melvin’s,” and it is not capitalized on it’s sign and menu, etc. Would you capitalize it when you are writing about it?

I think that’s a judgement call and you can go either way. I would probably capitalize it, depending on what I’m writing. With proper nouns like iPad, most people are familiar with the spelling and the construct makes it obvious that’s how it’s spelled. With a word like “melvin’s,” you risk your audience thinking the error is yours. You might also do some research to see if they capitalize their name on other official documents. They may have used lowercase on the sign and menu for style but they may capitalize it on letterhead, business cards, etc. Check the phone book!

That was a great read. My question is about Murphy’s Law. Since it isn’t public law, which are capitalized, should the word law in Murphy’s Law be capitalized?

It doesn’t matter how official or public a proper noun is, we would still capitalize it. If nothing else, Murphy’s Law would probably qualify as a title. Yes, it should definitely be capitalized.

How about capitlaization of coined nicknames? Now, going by your guideline, I’d say yes, because they are standing in for a SPECIFIC person’s proper name.

A husband addresses his wife, “When does the movie start, Sweetheart?”

She replies, “Nine-thirty, Honey.”

But what if it’s off-beat, or even derisive?

“Hey, Big Nose, where are you going?”

“You look wonderful tonight, Baby Lamb Cheeks.”

My wife is a technical writer and editor, and she claims she sees referrals such as “honey” and “sweetheart” BOTH WAYS (capped and not), even when directly addressing the person. I say any directly addressed coined nickname is capped.

“What do you say there, Grammar Sage?”

I have to go with your wife on this one. I have seen it done both ways, and I say it’s the author’s call. I think it depends on your personal style and what you think looks good on the page. Personally, I would use lowercase in most of these instances since they are terms of endearment. However, if one character uses a term of endearment as a nickname for another character, I would capitalize it.

Pass the carrots, honey. <-- a general term of endearment applied to many people. You just keep getting cuter and cuter, Freckles. <-- a special nickname for someone. Hope that helps.

Seems like any time you’re addressing an individual, you would capitalize it because it’s a substitute for their name. Only in instances where you don’t know their name does the more generic lowercase treatment feel appropriate (such as a waitress saying, “Here you go, hon.”) Since endearments like “love”, “honey” and “sugar” are also common words, it’s safest not to compromise clarity. (“Would you pass me that, sugar?”)

Thanks for a great site, Melissa!

Thanks, Gary!

Some really useful things in this blog. I was wondering about the use of capitals to refer to an industry. Would it be mining or Mining? Oil and Gas or oil and gas?

Also, would specific duties or actions in that industry be capitalised? Would it be Payroll or payroll? Would it be Management Accounting or management accounting? Commercial Contracts or commercial contracts? Would they have Commercial focus or commercial focus?

Likewise, if you are talking about a significant project should this be ‘multi billion dollar infrastructure project’ or ‘multi billion dollar Infrastructure Project?’

I assume titles would be in capitals: Accountant and Contracts Specialist. Is this right?

Thank you so much for your help!

The rule is that only proper nouns get capitalized. It gets tricky when we ask whether the name of an industry is considered a proper noun (it’s not). Words like mining and phrases like oil and gas are not capitalized. They are not names but words to label items, just like a desk is a four-legged table that we use as a workspace — mining is an activity wherein we dig for resources and profit.

Specific duties are also not capitalized. If we capitalized words like payroll , we’d have to capitalize every activity under the sun. For example:

My assistant is doing the Payroll. (incorrect) The kids are playing a Game. (incorrect)

However, if the word or phrase is referring to the name of a specific department within a specific company, it would be capitalized:

Send those time cards to Payroll.

Job titles are capitalized but only when used in official or specific context:

I’d like to hire an accountant. (generic) I used to be a Contracts Specialist. (official/specific)

Hope that helps.

Thank you Melissa!

I am writing a novel, and I show my characters thoughts in italics. My question is, do I capitalize the first word of the ‘thought’. For instance, if I write: Sandy thought, (in italics) Was this planned or random? MS Word corrects me if I capitalize it, but I learned somewhere that I was suppose to. Can you clear this up for me?

Yes, I would capitalize it. In fact, I would treat the thoughts just like dialogue, except there would be italics and no quotation marks. I think you’ve got it right. Pay no attention to Word’s poor editing skills.

Sandy thought, Was this planned or random?

You may find that you don’t always need the dialogue tags, however:

Was this planned or random?

That might work in context, if it’s clear which character the focus is on. Good luck with your novel!

I am trying to edit a book written by a friend. Should he use capitals when referring to specific persons by their titles in dialog? For example, “I will help you with that in a moment, Sheriff? or “Robert called you into his office, Agent.”

Are these considered job descriptions? I think they should be capitalized since they refer to a specific person.

In the example you gave, Sheriff would be capitalized. Agent sounds odd to me. Keep in mind, some titles are used when referring directly to someone: Mr. President, Commander, General (most military ranks), etc. However, most job titles are not used in this manner. For example, we wouldn’t say, “Good morning, CEO” or “Do you have that report I requested, Admin?” I believe the title Agent is usually paired with the person’s last name: “Robert called you into his office, Agent Smith.”

Having said all that, in the context you presented, yes, Agent would be capitalized because it’s used in place of the person’s name.

Thank you. The book revolves around a FBI agent, and people refer to him as such. I am glad that I am on the right track.

I am a little confused.When someone communicates casually with a friend and they begin with “i” rather than “I”, they are saying loud and clear they do not know the basics of grammar. This can become the message.

Where do we go from here is the question. The only place I know for sure we will not go is backward. Where do you think it all goes from here?

I love your questions because it sounds like you’re asking what the future will bring. It’s fun to imagine all the possibilities, but there’s no way to know for sure. Back in Shakespeare’s time, I doubt they could have imagined that in a few hundred years, kids would be running around saying “dude” and “wazzup.”

Above the word “folks” is reference, and it got me wondering: Should “folks” be capitalized when used in address form? Example: Which is correct below?

One emails one’s team, which is a specific group of people:

Okay, Folks, send me your time sheets by tomorrow, mid-day.

Okay, folks, send me your time sheets by tomorrow, mid-day.

Granted, the knowledge that I am addressing specific folks, versus folks may may stumble across my edict, may be mine alone, and/or it may also reside with the readers.

Thanks for any advice.

If you use “folks” in the salutation, it would be capitalized:

If you use it within the body, it should not be capitalized:

Okay folks, send me your sheets…

In the second example, it used the same way people or team would be used. These are not proper nouns.

Do you capitalize the word Economy?

Only if it’s a proper noun; usually, it is not. However, if it’s part of a title or name (of a business or organization, for example), then you would capitalize it.

What about club names, ie, pep club, beta club?

A club name is a name, so it is a proper noun and should be capitalized.

When a sentence begins with a word in which the first letter is not normally capitalized, do you capitalize it? I am thinking of words like mRNA, iPhone, cDNA, eBay, etc.

Hi Canton. This is a question of style, so you should check a style guide for a specific answer. One approach is to rewrite the sentence so that it doesn’t start with one of these words. Otherwise, I would say keep the first letter lowercase.

When addressing and guest on an invitation should the “G” be capiatized?

Yes, although it depends on the context. On the outside of the envelope and in the salutation, it should definitely be capitalized.

I am editing a book that discusses a system that was developed by another author. Do I capitalize the steps and the sections in the system? The author capitalized everything, so I just want to double-check.

Sarah, it depends on the style guide that’s being used. Any book that’s headed for publication should go through a professional editor, and that person should either know the proper guidelines or should have the resources at hand to find out.

Maybe I missed the answer in an above post. I am looking for a quick answer.

Why when you are writing a poem in someone’s honor, is the word “for” in lowercase?

Only titles are capitalized, so I assume that’s what you’re referring to. In “title case,” we don’t usually capitalize short, unimportant words such as a , an , the , to , and for , unless one of these words is the first word of the title. The rules are hazy, but most writers and editors have a cutoff of words of either three or four letters. Hope that helps!

What is the proper capitalization of the greeting “Dear, dear Laura”? Thanks so much.

It should be as follows:

Dear, Dear Aunt Laura,

However, it would be better written as follows:

Dear Aunt Laura,

Hope that helps!

Hi Melissa, Lovely informative post. Thanks. In my own short story of three main characters, there are no names. But the woman always refers to her husband as ‘he’ or ‘him’ in her internal dialogue. Once she refers to her unborn son as ‘him’ making a slight confusion in one single place. Is it acceptable to use capitalization for ‘Him’ and ‘He’ for the husband? A friend suggested that might intensify the emotional connection she has with her husband. Thanks.

Writers often take such liberties, but it would not be correct to capitalize he or him . Some style guides capitalize these pronouns when referring to a deity, but there is no other situation in which that would normally be done. I think if you capitalize, the reader is likely to assume it’s referring to a deity rather than the husband or son. Thanks for your question!

Thank you for this article. I am dealing with someone who capitalises the subject of the sentence in her emails. And then she tells me that I should do the same. Ughh.

You might want to point her to a dictionary or style guide. People are certainly free to capitalize whatever they want, and we live in a world where people seem to increasingly think they can just make up their own rules for everything from grammar to word definitions. Sometimes arguing with people is a waste of time, because no amount of proof or evidence will convince them of the facts. Capitalizing the subject of a sentence is, without question, incorrect, unless the subject is also the first word of the sentence or a proper noun.

Would I capitalize nation when referring to the United States? For instance, we are the largest network of our kind in the nation? or We are the largest network of our kind in the Nation?

No, nation is not a proper noun and should not be capitalized. It would only be capitalized if it were included in an official title, like the United Nations.

Melissa, thanks for helping me win a conversation with my boss. We’re tech writers. She insists that because the letters in the acronym are capitalized, the spelled-out version must also be capitalized. I do take exception to your statement that all the letters in an acronym must be caps. Maybe this is just a tech thing, but we have a number of exceptions, such as Internet of Everything (IoE) and Collaboration as a Service (CaaS).

Hi Michael. There are always exceptions when dealing with industry-specific jargon. This would be a style issue, not a grammar matter, and companies (or industries) are free to develop their own style guidelines. Thanks!

Do the words vitamins, supplements and skincare sectors need to be capitalised in this sentence: This division focuses on cutting-edge technology and formulations to ensure optimal results across the Vitamin, Supplements and Skin Care sectors.

Hi Mo. It sounds like you’re doing commercial writing (copywriting), which isn’t the focus here at Writing Forward. You probably need to refer to a style guide, as your question doesn’t deal with the rules but rather the standards in a particular industry. Having said that, I don’t think the products in your sentence should be capitalized.

Hi dear Ms Melissa Donovan,

I am stumped with why the author didn’t capitalize both words ‘principle’ and ‘salesman’ in the following statement: “In the showroom John McCormack is the Principal salesman with three expert salespeople working under him.”

Because they are not proper nouns. Principal should not be capitalized.

Hello dear Ms. Melissa,

Firstly, while translating ‘salesman’ on Google Translation, I found this example below in which ‘Principle’ is capitalized. That is the reason I am asking you why it is so, and ‘salesman’ is not. “In the showroom John McCormack is the Principal salesman with three expert salespeople working under him.”

Secondly, IMHO, I think If someone is the main carpenter on a specific project (with other carpenters following his orders), he would be called “Head Carpenter”, “Lead Carpenter” or “Chief Carpenter”, “Principle Carpenter”, “Main Carpenter” or even “Senior Carpenter”.

So, if someone is the main salesman on a specific project(with other salespeople following his orders), he would be called “Head Salesman”, “lead Salesman”, “Chief Salesman”, “Principle Salesman”, “Main Salesman” or even “Senior Salesman”. If you were describing his job, you would say “He’s a lead carpenter/lead salesman/principle carpenter/principle salesman . . .” or just “I’m a carpenter/salesman and I’m in charge of _____ project.”

So, I think ‘Principle Salesperson’ is considered here as Job title revealing both the job level(“principle’ is a modifier as a noun, in bold) and the job responsibility. So, “Principle Salesman” should come in the job title category entitled “Job title revealing both the job level and the job responsibility” which must be capitalized. As a result, it must be capitalized as in ““In the showroom John McCormack is the Principal salesman with three expert salespeople working under him.”

Finally: IMHO, I think “Head/Chief/Lead/Principle/Main/Senior” can modify any job titles in a trade or academia. So, the following examples come in this category “Job title revealing both the job level and the job responsibility” and must be capitalized: Head(Chief/Lead/Principle/Main/Senior) Builder/ Carpenter/Goldsmith/Chef/ Salesman/Prison Officer/ Engineer/Accountant/ Electrical Superintendent,Marketing Manager a Professor a Head Professor/The Head Professor of Computer Science Department. a Assistant Professor a Teaching Assistant

Job titles are only capitalized when used as part of someone’s name. The best example of this is as follows (using “president” as an example of a job title):

Have you seen the president? I am the president. We’ve asked President Smith for advice. Are you listening, Madame President?

As you can see, it’s only capitalized when used as part of someone’s name. That’s why you would see Professor Jones capitalized but “I spoke to the professor” not capitalized.

Having said that, many industries and businesses have their own style guidelines, and it’s not uncommon to see job titles capitalized. Most people assume these words should be capitalized, and so they get capitalized.

In the general rules of grammar, we’d follow the “president” guidelines that I laid out above. The simple fact is that job titles are not proper nouns and only proper nouns get capitalized. However, anyone is free to develop their own style guidelines, and many businesses and industries have done just that. But be mindful that if you capitalize “John is the Principal Salesman,” you would also have to capitalize “Jane is the Salesperson” and “Joe is the Custodian.” If you cap one job title, then they should all be capped.

Hi dear Ms Melissa,

Do you think that “presiden”, “professor”, and “head”) shouldn’t be capitalized even in the following since they are not part of a person’s name(They are not preceding a person’s name to whom they are titled) Trump is the current President of the USA. He is the existing President of Yemen. I am the Professor of Computer Science Department. I am the Head of Computer Science Department.

If yes, they shouldn’t be capitalized, then could I conclude that job titles should only be capitalized if they come before a person’s name?

But, on the free The Free Dictionary(an American online dictionary) forum that, I was told by a native English speaker member the following: Some guidelines. A proper post title (which I would capitalise) would often (not always) be one which can be preceded by “the”. A job description would more likely have ‘a’ – but not always.

I’m a security guard. (“security guard” is just ‘what I do”) I am (the) Security Guard at the National Museum. (“Security Guard” is my post title)

Very often, it’s just that you choose. If you want to mention your post title, you say “I am the Professor of the Computer Sciences Department.” If you don’t, you might just say “I am a professor”, if you consider it to be your job. Or you might want to state your personal title – “I am a Professor” or “I am Professor Jones.”

Which means that member capitalizes the job titles if he he want to mention his post title although the job title are not part of a person’s name.

At this point, we’re going in circles. No, those words should not be capitalized. Yes, titles are only capitalized when used as proper nouns (as part of someone’s name). In some industries and companies, style guidelines are established with variants on these rules and standards. It’s not necessarily “wrong” to capitalize some of the terms you’re asking about.

“A native English speaker” is not necessarily an expert, and I would not recommend taking random grammar advice from strangers without first establishing their credibility.

I would strongly suggest picking up a book on English grammar. You should decide if you want to use American or British English, as there are some significant differences (we use American English here at Writing Forward). One of my favorite resources is Grammar Girl, which has a book, a podcast, and a website packed with good information. In fact, you can probably search there to find more answers to these questions on capitalization. She is an authority on these matters.

Also, I recommend using Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, as it is standard among professional writers and editors. Good luck to you!

Why do we not capitalize names of gases such as hydrogen, helium, etc…? Why are they not considered proper?

Common nouns are generic labels. I am a person (generic, lowercase, common noun), and my name is Melissa (capitalized, proper noun). There’s a tendency to think of “names” as proper nouns, but even though almost everything is named–not everything is a proper noun. For more information, I’d recommend starting at the Wikipedia entry for proper noun .

So, in this sentence is it correct to capitalize all of the job titles? Director of Child Development, Coordinator of Preschool Programs, Preschool Program supervisors, and the financial Analyst.

If these are official titles, then based on the limited context, it looks almost correct, except “supervisors” and “financial” should also be capitalized.

I am a teacher in a Child Development Center. There is some debate about what is the proper way to label shelves for toys. For instance, should a shelf with puzzles be labeled with or without a capital P? Some say that only Legos or Magnatiles should be capitalized because they are brand name toys. Do labels follow the same rules of capitalization as titles?

I’m not aware of any capitalization rules for labeling, although all-lowercase on a label would strike me as odd, and I think it would *look* incorrect. I would probably go with all caps as my first choice and treating them as titles (capping the first letters) as my second choice. If you’re still not sure, check a style guide. Chicago Manual of Style might address this.

When editing a manuscript of a book, and the author capitalizes certain words relative to God, such as Love, Physical World, Absolute Reality, etc., should those always be capitalized throughout the entire manuscript as well? Logic dictates context, but this is mostly a philosophical book, so I take those referenced words to be proper nouns associated with the subject of the sentence. That said, not all references to the word “love” are capitalized. Shouldn’t they be?

It’s not correct to capitalize love , physical world , or absolute reality , as these are not proper nouns. It’s possible that the text you’re referencing used these words as names, so they were functioning as proper nouns. However, we often see capitalization handled differently in religious or spiritual texts. Ultimately, it’s a decision that authors and editors make, so it becomes a style issue rather than a grammar matter.

Thanks for this helpful post. I would like to know whether to capitalize the names of committees and policies in an official document such as an annual report. Would the specific names of the committees and policies be capitalized or not at all? The organization I work for tends to overcapitalize everything.

It’s not uncommon in a business setting for people to capitalize incorrectly or loosely. There’s a tendency to capitalize any word deemed important rather than words that are truly proper nouns. However, organizations often have their own style guidelines, which is perfectly acceptable. Whether committees and policies should be capitalized really depends on the context. For example, the word president is only capitalized when used as a title:

The president is speaking. (not capitalized because its a regular noun)

There is a recording of President Roosevelt speaking. (capitalized because it’s a title and therefore a proper noun)

I recommend finding out if your organization has a style guide and if not, consider using one.

Here is an issue that I came across and I got stuck. Was writing about olive oil and its benefits. When referring to the type of olive oil in that case i was writing to make sure “that all Extra Virgin olive oil is Cold Pressed which retains the highest concentration” etc. etc. Should I think it should be Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cold Pressed since it describes the type of oil and it would be a proper noun as opposed to writing ” that all olive oil which retains the highest concentration…. etc. would refer to olive oil as a common noun?

A proper noun is the name (or sometimes the title) of something, not the description. The name would be the brand, not the type of product. In this case, everything should be lowercase.

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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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When you are at school, do you study biology or Biology? Are you in Sixth Form or sixth form? The rules for capital letters (the 'big' letters) are not based on logic. They are simply traditions. However, you should follow these traditions! If you do not, you risk appearing poorly educated. School, after all, is where education matters.

Here are some points to remember:

Do not capitalise the names of most school subjects. You study science, maths, history, and art. All these school subjects are in lowercase (non-capitals).

Capitalise subjects when they are the names of languages. This is an important exception to the rule in the previous bullet point. You study English, French, Spanish, Latin, Arabic, Mandarin, and so on. All these subjects are the names of languages, so all are capitalised.

Capitalise the names of courses. Students study many subjects in school. The subjects are often broken down into courses, which have names such as Introduction to Chemistry, Advanced Calculus, Poetry of W illiam W ordsworth , and Environmental Politics. The names of courses should be capitalised. Do not capitalise every word, though. Unimportant words ( of, the, a, and similar words) should be in lowercase, unless they appear as the first word in the name.

Do not capitalise the year in school. You may be in year 9 , but not Year 9 . Why? There is no good reason for this tradition. This practice has existed for a long time. Perhaps, long ago, a teacher wished to show the students that they were not important enough to merit a capital letter!

Capitalise the titles of school assignments. Not every piece of work you write for school has a title. Essays, reports, presentations, and research papers usually do have titles. Capitalise the first word and all important words of the title when you are writing for an English, history, art, or language class.

If you are writing for a science class, capitalise only the first word of the title and any proper names. Scientists like to keep things simple!

Remember these rules and you will have a better chance of achieving high marks.

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• Capitalization

Title Case: Capitalization of Titles, Headings, and Headlines

Capitalization styles: Title and sentence case

Capitalize the first, last, and all major words in a book title, headline, or first-level heading. Major words are all words except articles ( a , an , the ), prepositions ( on , in , of , etc.), coordinating conjunctions ( and , or , but , etc.), and the word to . This capitalization style is called title case .

• Title case: T he C urious I ncident of the D og in the N ight- T ime
• Title case: T he S trange C ase of D r. J ekyll and M r. H yde

Capitalize lower-level headings using sentence case , in which you capitalize only the words you would normally capitalize in a sentence.

• Sentence case: T he curious incident of the dog in the night-time
• Sentence case: T he strange case of D r. J ekyll and M r. H yde

Style guides like the AP Stylebook , Chicago Manual of Style , APA Publication Manual , and MLA Handbook prescribe additional rules, discussed in this article.

Title case is also called headline style or up style: you see it used in headings and titles of books, movies, TV shows, articles, and other works. Sentence case, also called sentence style or down style, is used for second-level headings and lower. News headlines have traditionally been capitalized using title case, although these days, sentence case is often used, especially online.

Title case: General rules

Here are the general rules for capitalizing titles and headings:

• Capitalize the first word and last word of a title.
• Capitalize all major words, which are all words except articles ( a , an , the ), prepositions (e.g., on , in , of , at ), and coordinating conjunctions ( and , or , but , and nor ; also for , yet , and so when used as conjunctions).
• Always lowercase the word to .
• Capitalize the first element of a hyphenated term. Capitalize any subsequent elements only if they are major words.
• Capitalize the first word of a subheading that appears after a colon.
• Break a rule if you need to—for example, if a preposition is emphasized in a title, capitalize it.

Major words are all words except articles , prepositions , and coordinating conjunctions .

• L ove in the T ime of C holera
• T hree M en in a B oat
• P ride and P rejudice
• R equiem for a D ream
• C atch M e I f Y ou C an
• The P ortrait of a L ady
• The W ay W e L ive N ow
• The G irl W ho P layed with F ire
• M en without W omen
• The G round beneath H er F eet
• E verything I s I lluminated

The first and last words of a title are always capitalized, no matter what they are.

• A Clockwork Orange
• T he Mill on the Floss
• I n Search of Lost Time
• T hrough a Glass Darkly
• F rom Blood and Ash
• B ut What If There’s No Chimney?
• A nd Then There Were None
• Something to Answer F or
• Something to Believe I n
• All We Dream O f
• Where We Come F rom

It may not always be clear at first glance whether a word should be capitalized. Check what function it serves in the title.

• Capitalize over as an adverb , but lowercase it as a preposition. Adverb: The Soup Boiled O ver Preposition: The Light o ver London

The word to is lowercased, regardless of what function it serves in the sentence (unless it is the first or last word).

• Train t o Busan
• Zero t o One: Notes on Startups, or How t o Build the Future
• A Good Man Is Hard t o Find

In a hyphenated term, the first prefix or word is always capitalized, but the following words are capitalized only if they are major words.

• The M an- E ater of Malgudi Eater is a noun and should be capitalized.
• The Academy’s O ut- o f- U niform Procedure Lowercase of , which is a preposition, but capitalize uniform , a noun.
• The S tep- b y- S tep Guide to Finding Fairies
• The T hirty- N ine Steps
• The A nti- I nflammatory Diet Cookbook
• Originals: How N on- C onformists Move the World
• The F ire- B reathing Dragon

Any subtitle or subheading that follows a colon is always capitalized.

• Computer: A History of the Information Machine
• The Lord of the Rings: T he Return of the King
• The View from the Cheap Seats: S elected Nonfiction
• A Memoir: O f Mermaids and Waterfalls

Break a rule if you must. If a word is emphasized in a title, capitalize it, even if it is not a major word.

• How to Be the Go- T o Person in Your Organization
• A Run- I n with Religion and Other True Stories

Capitalize all the words that make up a phrasal verb , even a word that is a preposition.

• What to Do When You R un I nto Someone You Don’t Like
• How to S et U p Your Spaceship’s AI
• Don’t P ut O ff Being Happy

Be and is in a title

Verbs are major words and should be capitalized, including the be verb in all its forms: be , is , are , was , were .

• There Will B e Blood
• Tender I s the Night
• Where the Wild Things A re
• Then She W as Gone
• Their Eyes W ere Watching God

Also capitalize the have and do verbs in all their forms: have , has , had , do , does , did .

• The Heart H as Its Reasons
• Owls D o Cry
• What Katy Did
• Inequality: What Can Be Done ?

That in a title

The word that is always a major word and should be capitalized.

• Companies T hat Fleece Their Customers
• The House T hat Jack Built

It and me in a title

Capitalize all pronouns , including it , my , me , we , our, you , he , his , she , her , they , them , and who .

• How I t All Began
• Some of M y Favorite Things
• The Best W e Can Do
• The General in H is Labyrinth
• The Woman W ho Did

No and not in a title

Capitalize the words no and not (a determiner and an adverb) whenever these words appear in titles.

• Beasts of N o Nation
• Oranges Are N ot the Only Fruit

AP and APA style

The APA Publication Manual (used in academic editing, especially the social sciences) and the AP Stylebook (preferred in journalism, media, and corporate communication) both specify one major exception to the general rules :

Capitalize all words of four letters or more, even if they are prepositions.

• One Flew O ver the Cuckoo’s Nest
• The Girl Who Played W ith Fire
• Men W ithout Women
• The Ground B eneath Her Feet
• So Far F rom God
• Once U pon a Time in the West
• Much Ado A bout Nothing
• The Light B etween Oceans
• The Cat Who Walks T hrough Walls
• A Woman U nder the Influence
• Three Billboards O utside Ebbing, Missouri
• The World U ntil Yesterday
• The Man i n the Brown Suit
• The Wizard o f Oz
• A Home f or Lunatics
• The Woman o n the Beach

Thus, in APA and AP style, words four letters or longer are always capitalized, regardless of function. Note that the other general rules apply as usual. Capitalize any major words, even if they are three letters or shorter: be , has , had , do , did , me , who , my , etc.

• We Should All B e Feminists
• If I H ad Your Face
• Marley and M e
• The Man W ho Sold H is Ferrari

Another exception is that all conjunctions three letters or shorter are lowercased. Thus, in APA and AP style, lowercase not only the seven coordinating conjunctions ( and , or , but , nor , for , yet , so ) but also subordinating conjunctions up to three letters long (which pretty much boils down to the word if ).

• Pride a nd Prejudice
• I’d Tell You I Love You, b ut Then I’d Have to Kill You
• Catch Me i f You Can

Also, do lowercase articles and any prepositions up to three letters long: a , an , the , for , in , of , to , etc.

• The Bridge o n t he River Kwai
• Stranger i n a Strange Land
• The Catcher i n t he Rye
• A House f or Mr. Biswas

Finally, in AP Style, the first and last words are capitalized as usual, regardless of length.

• A n American Tragedy
• T he Invisible Man
• A s I Lay Dying
• O f Human Bondage
• O n the Waterfront
• F or the Green Planet
• These Times We Live I n

However, in APA style, the last word is capitalized only if it is a major word or longer than three letters.

• Something to Answer f or
• These Times We Live i n In APA style, lowercase prepositions, unless they are four letters or longer.

Chicago style

According to the Chicago Manual of Style , the conjunctions to be lowercased are and , or , nor , but , and for . All others are capitalized. Thus, the words yet and so are capitalized regardless of function. The word if is also always capitalized.

• Sense a nd Sensibility
• The Hobbit, o r There a nd Back Again
• Though We Be Dead, Y et Our Day Will Come
• Even I f We Break

In a hyphenated phrase, if the first element is merely a prefix that could not stand by itself (e.g., anti- , pre- , non- ), don’t capitalize the second part.

• The A nti- i nflammatory Diet Cookbook
• The Thirty- N ine Steps The word thirty can stand by itself, so capitalize nine as well.

Remember to capitalize not just the first but also the last word of a title or heading, even if it is not a major word.

• The Things We Believe I n Capitalize the last word, even a preposition.
• Only One Way T hrough
• It’s You I’m Dreaming O f

The MLA Handbook (used in academic writing for the humanities) specifies no exceptions to the general rules .

• T hese T imes W e L ive I n
• A H eartbreaking W ork of S taggering G enius
• T he M oon I s a H arsh M istress

Differences in AP, APA, Chicago, MLA rules

As you can see, style manuals differ in their guidelines on what qualifies as a “major” word worthy of capitalization in title case. Here’s a quick summary of the key differences between the popular styles.

In both AP and APA styles, capitalize prepositions four letters or longer. In Chicago and MLA , lowercase all prepositions, regardless of length.

• APA, AP: The Girl F rom Mars Chicago, MLA: The Girl f rom Mars
• APA, AP, Chicago, MLA: The Woman i n Red

Lowercase not just coordinating but also subordinating conjunctions shorter than four letters in AP and APA styles; capitalize all subordinating conjunctions in Chicago and MLA.

• APA, AP: Isolate i f You Are Sick Chicago, MLA: Isolate I f You Are Sick

Capitalize the words yet and so in Chicago style. In the other styles, lowercase them when they are used as conjunctions, but capitalize when they are adverbs.

• Chicago: Broke Y et Happy APA, AP, MLA: Broke y et Happy
• Chicago, APA, AP, MLA: Am I Normal Y et?

Capitalize the last word of the title in AP, Chicago, and MLA styles even if it is not a major word; in APA, capitalize the last word only if it is a major word. (But remember that the APA Publication Manual considers all words four letters or longer major words.)

• Chicago, MLA, AP: Something to Answer F or APA: Something to Answer f or
• Chicago, MLA, APA, AP: The Places We Come F rom

In all four styles, capitalize the first word (whatever it may be), and lowercase articles.

• APA, AP, Chicago, MLA: T he Girl Who Found a Dragon Egg

Sentence case

In sentence case, a title is written as a sentence would be: the first word and all proper nouns are capitalized. This capitalization style is generally used for headings that are second level or lower. These days, it is also increasingly being used for online news headlines.

• C lear light of day
• W e need to talk about K evin
• T he quiet A merican

The first word of a subtitle or subheading that follows a colon is also capitalized.

• Traveling with ghosts: A memoir
• Understanding comics: T he invisible art

If a title begins with a numeral, lowercase the next word.

• 27 b ooks to read before you die
• P ractice guidelines for the pickling of pineapples: 2019 u pdate

Professional and social titles that precede a name are capitalized as well.

• The island of D octor Moreau
• The strange life of P resident Farley
• The story of F ather Femy and his music

For more on which words to capitalize in a sentence, see this article on the rules of capitalization .

Share this article

In title case, all major words are capitalized.

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

The word it , which is a pronoun, is capitalized in title case.

The words we (a pronoun) and be (a verb) are capitalized in title case.

The word a , which is an article, is lowercased unless it is the first word of the title.

The words let (a verb) and me (a pronoun) are capitalized in title case.

The first word of a subtitle following a colon is capitalized in both title case and sentence case.

Capitalization

APA Style is a “down” style, meaning that words are lowercase unless there is specific guidance to capitalize them. For example, capitalize the first word of a sentence, unless the sentence begins with the name of a person whose name starts with a lowercase letter.

The Publication Manual contains guidance on how to capitalize words beginning a sentence; proper nouns and trade names; job titles and positions; diseases, disorders, therapies, theories, and related terms; titles of works and headings within works; titles of tests and measures; nouns followed by numerals or letters; names of conditions or groups in an experiment; and names of study factors, variables, and effects. Only a subset of the guidance is presented on the website to answers users’ most common questions.

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Proper capitalization of commonly used acronyms and initialisms

I was always under impression, that acronyms ought to be written all caps. However reading BBC News site very often I see some of the common acronyms written as proper names (first cap). For example "Nato" instead of "NATO" .

I know that BBC is quite strict in proper English usage, so what would be the reason behind this?

• capitalization
• initialisms

• 2 I think many people (and some dictionaries) now consider "laser" to be a noun (that originated as an acronym). Interestingly the BBC News site always refers to the BBC as "BBC" and not "Bbc", however some acronyms are represented inconsistently, e.g. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is written as either "Peta" or "PETA" depending on the article. –  Nathan Commented Jan 10, 2012 at 1:24
• 3 @Nathan With "BBC" you have to pronounce the individual letters, whereas with "LASER" it reads like a regular word. This makes it easier to treat "laser" like just another noun. In addition to this, it is not essential to know what "LASER" stands for to know what it is. That's just my take on why some acronyms have a tendency to evolve into lowercase usage while others do not. –  Mentalist Commented Sep 19, 2019 at 2:17

4 Answers 4

The BBC is not as rigid about these matters as some other bodies. For example, it was recently written that the BBC had standardised on "CE" rather than "AD" for denoting years -- but in fact the BBC simply doesn't have a set of rigid standards for such things.

The Guardian Style Guide , however, states:

Use all capitals if an abbreviation is pronounced as the individual letters: BBC, VAT, etc; if it is an acronym (pronounced as a word) spell out with initial capital, eg Nasa, Nato, unless it can be considered to have entered the language as an everyday word, such as awol, laser and, more recently, asbo, pin number and sim card. Note that pdf and plc are lowercase.

There is no universal rule; the Guardian's style guide is just one set of rules you can choose. The important thing is to be consistent.

• +1. The online Guardian style guide is more up-to-date than the 2004 PDF. –  Hugo Commented Dec 16, 2011 at 14:05
• Would be -1 to the Guardian Style Guide for "pin number ", but the entry for "pin" does acknowledge the duplication. –  Richard Commented Dec 16, 2011 at 15:51
• 1 It could be argued that "pin number" has entered everyday usage, tautology or not. –  slim Commented Dec 16, 2011 at 15:54
• +1 purely for the BBC is not as rigid...as some . They have some "general" guidelines (don't overuse cliches, etc.) but nothing at all so detailed and prescriptive as even the Guardian Style Guide - which is positively cursory compared to CMOS –  FumbleFingers Commented Dec 16, 2011 at 18:19
• Seems pretty inconsistent; I thought most people pronounce VAT as vat, which would imply it being spelled as Vat according to their rules. (I could be wrong about the pronunciation, since I'm in the US, but that's what I've always heard people call it.) –  tcrosley Commented Jan 10, 2012 at 3:19

The BBC News Styleguide (March 2003, pdf ) says:

Abbreviations & acronyms One should not aim at being possible to understand but at being impossible to misunderstand. Quintilian Just because you know what NACRO means, and the people you’ve discussed the story with know what it means, it doesn’t follow that the majority of your audience know. Assume nothing. Some short forms such as NATO, CIA, BBC, ITV,AA and RAC are well known and need no explanation, but think twice before using others. If you introduce the likes of BECTU, HSBC, RNIB, RTZ,ACAS and the BMA into your scripts without saying what they mean, you are virtually inviting some listeners or viewers to turn off. It’s usually better to give the full name of an organisation at first reference and then use its short form later.

It doesn't explicitly say to capitalise or not, but all these examples are given in upper case, including NATO.

As slim pointed out, the Guardian style guide says to always take an initial cap for pronounced words:

This sometimes looks a bit strange in print, with unfamiliar acronyms rendered as words, even when the organisation in question and most people use all capitals.

My advice is to follow your style guide (if you have one), or decide per acronym whether to capitalise based on how the organisation or owner writes it, and based upon popular usage. And thereafter be consistent.

NATO themselves use all capitals, and this is also the most common :

But the BBC have been using Nato more recently. Perhaps they have decided it is well known enough that it can be written like this, in a similar way that LASER and RADAR have become naturalised as laser and radar.

I suppose the writer felt that it was now widely enough understood to be written as a normal word. The UK newspaper ‘The Times’ did the same as long ago as 1966:

President Kekkonen's proposals for a neutral ‘Fenno-Scandia’, to include not only Finland and Sweden but also Norway and perhaps Denmark if they were prepared to leave Nato.

‘The Independent’ did so in 2001:

Soldiers have been pouring into the city to reinforce Nato-led peace-keepers.

Nato-ish and Nato-ism have also been found.

• Tangent comment: In Swedish, a common rule is "if it's spelled out letter by letter, capitalize it. Otherwise treat is as a word." Hence SAS and radar. –  Fredrik Wendt Commented Jul 17, 2020 at 15:21

Per @Nohat's answer to this question , there's no universally-accepted definition of "acronym", but personally I normally only use it if the "initialism" spells out a pronouncable "word", such as Nato .

It's quite normal for well-known acronyms by my definition not to be capitalised at all (eg - laser ). The first letter is capitalised as normal if the acronym is in fact a proper noun.

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