Using Capital Letters Correctly

Using Capital Letters Correctly

21c.Dear Mr. Vincent:Dear Jennifer, Yours truly,

21d. common nounproper nounproper adjective

a bookthe BibleBiblical prophecy

religionBuddhismBuddhist monk

a churchFirst Baptist Churcha/the Baptist church

an awardPulitzer Prize

a department of the governmentLabor Department / Department of Labor

sun moon the earth Earth The travelers returned to Earth / the earth.

NOTE: A common noun is capitalized if it begins a sentence, begins a

direct quote, or is part of a title.

21d.Words such as south, north, and northeast are not capitalized when they

indicate a direction:west of the highway heading north

Capitalize regions:the West the NortheastGreat Plains

a Northern college a Southern viewpoint

21d. Capitalize the names of roads, highways, and streets.

Route 66 Interstate 10 Central StreetFifty-third Street

A word such as city, island, river, or street is generally not capitalized unless it is part of a proper noun: traffic in Mexico City traffic in a city in Mexico

21d. Capitalize brand names of products but not the type of product.

Schwinn bicycleAppleMacintosh computer Crest toothpaste

21d. Capitalize historical events and periods, special events, and holidays and other calendar items.

the Battle of Gettysburgthe Dark Agessixteenth century

the Boston MarathonSpecial Olympics B.C. /A.D.

Labor DayCinco de Mayo Friday March A.M. / P.M.

NOTE: Do not capitalize summer, winter, spring, fall, or autumn unless

the season is being personified or is part of a proper name.

21e. Do not capitalize the names of school subjects, except course names

followed by a number and the names of language classes.

Algebra IIalgebraEnglishAmerican history

21f. Capitalize a person’s title when the title comes before the person’s name

or when the title is used as direct address.

the mayorMayor Wilton “I’m pleased to meet you, Mayor.”

the senator from MaineSenator Hall

21f.Capitalize a family relationship when the word is used before or in place of

the person’s name, unless the word follows a possessive noun or pronoun.

Aunt Edith your/my/his/heruncle Fred Maria’s grandmother

I’m going with Dad to the Rangers game. I’m going with my dad.

21f. Capitalize the first and lastwords and all other important words in titles

and subtitles.

Unimportant words in a title include the following:

• articles: a, an, the (unless the article is the first word)
• coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so
• short prepositions (fewer than five letters): of, to, from, with

Songs of the Tewa(book)

“The Philippines: Its Land and Resources”(chapter title)

Chicago Sun-Times (periodical)

“ILike to See It Lap the Miles”(poem)

A Raisin in the Sun(play)

The Parent Trap (movie)

Two Mexican Women and Child(work of art)