The first letter of the first word in a sentence is capitalized.
Correct: The first word in a sentence is capitalized.
The first word of an interjection, an incomplete question, or fragmentary response is capitalized.
Correct:
"Did you do it?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because." Capitalizing Quotations
Capitalize the first word in a quotation if the quotation is a complete sentence or if it is an interjection, an incomplete question, or fragmentary response.
Correct: He said, "Why did you come back?"
(Quotation is a sentence by itself.)
Incorrect: She replied, "you wanted me to."
(A fragmentary response, you needs a capital.)
A quotation is not capitalized if it is not a complete sentence and is part of the larger sentence.
Correct: I believe it was a "far, far better thing" to have confessed the crime.
(This quotation from Dickens is part of the larger sentence and is not a complete sentence in itself.) Special Cases for Capitals
Sentence after a Colon
The first word of sentence following a colon is capitalized.
Correct: Grapes were not squeezed for juice: The pulp was pressed.
(A complete sentence follows the colon.)
Incorrect: Please bring the following items to work tomorrow: A grab-bag gift, a goofy hat, and a smile.
(A list follows the colon, not a sentence. No capital is needed.)
Poetry
The first word in each line of most poetry is capitalized.
The Words I and O
The single-letter words I and O are always capitalized.
Note: The word O is used in direct addresses (as in "O Tannenbaum" or "O Pioneers!") The word oh is an interjection expression surprise (as in "Oh, look, Jane!") Capitalizing Proper Nouns
A proper noun is a noun which names a specific person, place, or thing.
Proper nouns are capitalized. That includes the following categories of names:
Each part of a person's name:
James A. Garfield Chester Alan Arthur
Given or pet names of animals:
Lassie Trigger Secretariat
Geographical and celestial names:
Red Sea Alpha Centauri Lake Havasu City
Monuments, buildings, meeting rooms:
the Taj Mahal Grant's Tomb Room 222
Historical events, documents, laws, and periods:
the Civil War the Hatch Act the Reformation
Months, days of the week, holidays:
Monday Easter December
Groups and languages:
Myopia Hunt Club the Republicans Israeli French National Football League
Religions, deities, scriptures:
God Christ the Bible the Torah Islam
Awards, vehicles, vehicle models, brand names:
the Nobel Peace Prize Eagle Scout Ford Escort the Bismarck Kleenex
Some parts of last names may not be capitalized.
Sometimes the part of the last name following Mac (but never Mc or M') may not be capitalized. For example, Prime Minister J. R. MacDonald, but author George Macdonald. There is no rule, just learn the name.
Sometimes the part of the last name following the particles de, du, d', den, der, des, la, le, l', ten, ter, van, or von (and similar particles) may or may not be capitalized. The particles themselves may or may not be capitalized. Check to see how the person prefers it.
The spelling rule in Europe, where such particles are more common, is not to capitalize the particle when the first name is being used with it, but to capitalize the part that follows the particle. The particle is capitalized if the last name with the particle is used by itself.
Correct: Ludwig van Beethoven
Correct: Cornelia ten Boom (First name being used)
Correct: Miss Ten Boom (First name not used)
See Names Not Capitalized for certain names which are not capitalized. Names Not Capitalized
The earth, moon, and sun are not capitalized unless in a list of celestial objects or part of another name.
Correct: I was born on the earth.
Correct: The first three planets from the Sun are Mercury, Venus, and Earth.
(In a list)
Seasons are not capitalized unless part of another name.
Correct: This summer was very hot.
When discussing mythological deities, the word god or goddess is not capitalized. Their names are capitalized.
Correct: The Romans were careful not to offend any god.
Correct: The Egyptians considered their pharaoh a god, an incarnation of the god Osiris.
(Osiris, the name, is capitalized.) Capitalizing Proper Adjectives
A proper noun used as an adjective or an adjective formed from a proper noun is called a proper adjective.
Proper adjectives are normally capitalized. This includes brand names.
Correct: Syrian food a Kodak® camera
Some proper adjectives may not be capitalized because the association with a particular name is gone.
Correct: Teddy bear or teddy bear
Other words this has happened to are bourbon whiskey and venetian blinds.
Prefixes attached to a proper adjective are not capitalized unless the prefixes themselves are formed from a proper noun.
Correct: pro-Communist pre-Raphaelite Afro-Asian
(The prefix Afro- is formed from Africa.)
In a hyphenated word, only the proper adjective is capitalized.
Correct: Flemish-speaking Belgians Capitalizing Titles of People
Capitalize a person's title when used with the person's name or as a direct address. The title is not capitalized when used generally.
Correct: the Duke of Edinburgh Dr. Fleming
Lieutenant Horatio Hornblower Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.
Incorrect: The Duke sends his regards.
(Used as a general word, not personal title.)
Correct: The duke sends his regards.
Incorrect: Thanks for calling, pastor.
(Title is implied because of direct address.)
Correct: Thanks for calling, Pastor.
Government officials' titles are capitalized when followed by a name or used in direct address.
Incorrect: We tried to get a glimpse of president Clinton.
(Title is used with name.)
Correct: We tried to get a glimpse of President Clinton.
Incorrect: What do you think of the situation in Rwanda, secretary?
(Title in direct address)
Correct: What do you think of the situation in Rwanda, Secretary?
Certain very high ranking government officials' titles are capitalized even when not followed by a name or used in a direct address when a specific individual is being referred to.
Correct: the President (e.g., of the USA or France)
the Chief Justice
the Queen (e.g., of England or the Netherlands)
Incorrect: The Constitution says the President must be at least 35.
(Not a specific individual being referred to.)
Correct: The Constitution says the president must be at least 35.
Correct: What do you think of the President's trip to Japan?
(A specific person is referred to here.)
Important words in compound titles are capitalized, but not prefixes or suffixes added to the titles.
Correct: the Under Secretary of the Interior
President-elect Clinton ex-Governor Meskill
Capitalize titles showing family relationship when they refer to a specific person, unless they are modified by a personal pronoun.
Incorrect: I can't wait to see cousin Angie.
Correct: I can't wait to see Cousin Angie.
Correct: Please let me go, Mom.
Incorrect: My Mom won't let us go. (Modified by my)
Correct: My mom won't let us go. Capitals in Titles of Things
Always capitalize the first and last word in a title. Capitalize all the other words except for a, an, the, and conjunctions and prepositions of four letters or fewer.
This applies to titles of books, chapters, periodicals, poems, stories, plays paintings, musical compositions, and subtitles.
Examples: The Chronicles of Narnia
(The is the first word, so it is capitalized; of is not.)
Six Characters in Search of a Plot
(In, of, and a are short words.)
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
(Capitalize A because it is first word in subtitle.)
Capitalize the titles of courses when the course is a language course or when the title refers to a specific class. (In most schools the course would be followed by a number.)
Language courses: Latin English Ancient Uighur
Incorrect: Math Economics Physical Education
(Not language, not specific classes)
Correct: math economics physical education
Specific classes: Physical Education 215
Introduction to Applied Mathematics Economics 101 Capital Letters in Letters
There are two additional rules for capitalizing when writing letters.
1. Capitalize the first word and all nouns in the salutation (or greeting).
Correct:
Dear Sir:
My dearest Aunt,
Greetings!
2. Capitalize the first word in the complimentary closing.
Correct:
Sincerely,
Truly yours,
With best wishes, Scientific Nomenclature
The Latin-derived scientific names are capitalized except for the specific and subspecific names. The generic, specific, and subspecific names are underlined or italicized.
The names of the following are capitalized: kingdom, phylum, subphylum, class, subclass, superorder, order, suborder, superfamily, family, subfamily, tribe, genus, subgenus.
The names of the following are not capitalized: superspecies, species, subspecies.
Names of superspecies, species, and subspecies always appear with the name of the genus (or at least the genus abbreviated) so that the full specific name begins with a capital letter.
The full specific name, genus plus species (and superspecies and subspecies, if used), is italicized or underlined.
Examples: Birds are in the class Aves, subphylum Vertebrata, and phylum Chordata.
The American Robin is in the family Turdidae, superfamily Muscicapidae, suborder Oscines, and order Passeriformes.
The American Robin is Turdus migratorius.
The Dark-Backed Robin, a northern-nesting subspecies, is known as T. m. nigrideus.
(Note the use of capitalization and italics.)
The genus or species name is only abbreviated when the name has already been used, and it is clear what the letters stand for. The last word in a species name is never abbreviated. So if we were to once again refer to the Robin species, we could write Turdus migratorius or T. migratorius but never simply T.m. unless it were followed by a subspecific name as was done above.
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