Capitalization Rules
There are many rules to capitalization. Most people know the basics of capitalization such as capitalizing first letter of
the first word at the beginning of a new sentence, but when is capitalization appropriate in other situations?
Outlined below is a comprehensive guide providing rules and examples to proper capitalization.
Buildings, Streets, Parks, Statues, Monuments
- Capitalize the names of:
buildings towers churches schools
thoroughfares squares parks
statues monuments
Continents, Countries, Counties, Districts, Cities, Towns
- Capitalize the names of:
continents countries counties districts towns villages hamlets communities
political divisions (i.e. United Kingdom, French Republic)
Courts
- Federal and State and Provincial Courts - Capitalize when used with a definite name.
Examples:
the Supreme Court of Canada the State Court of Appeals
the United States Circuit Court
Do not capitalize district or city courts. (example: the magistrate’s court)
Compass Points
- Capitalize points of the compass when they designate geographical parts of a country, region or city.
Examples:
the Inland Northwest Southeast states out West Eastern sources
- Capitalize northern, southern, western, eastern, east, west, north, south when used as part of proper
names to designate a world division. DO NOT capitalize when used to indicate parts of states or
provinces.
Examples:
Eastern Hemisphere Southwestern Europe Southeast Asia
southern California northern Quebec
Degrees - Academic
- Capitalize academic degrees and professional designations. When writing more than one
degree/designation, arrange them in accordance to their importance
Examples:
Laura Bates, Ph.D. James Pallister, M.D. Peter Wong, M.D., BChir
Examples of Degrees
Associate’s degrees (U.S.): AA, ABS, AS
Foundation degrees (U.K.): Fda, FdEd, FdEng, FdMus, FdSc, FdTech
Bachelor’s degrees: BA, BBA, BChir, BComm, BE, BS, BSc, BCL, BFA, LLB, MB,
Master’s Degrees: BCL, LLM, MA, MApol, MBA, MChem, MDiv, MESci, MEng, MFA, MGeol, MLitt, MMath,
MPA, MPAff, MPhil, MPhys, MPM, MPP, MRE, Mres, MS, MSc, Msci, MTh, MTCM, MTS
Specialist degrees: EdS, BAcc
Doctorate Degrees: DA, DBA, DCL, DD, DLitt, DMA, DMus, DNSci, DOM, DPhil, DSc, EdD, EngD, JD,
OMD, PharmD, PhD, PsyD, ThD,
Eras and Historical Periods - Scientific and Common names
- Capitalize scientific names of the world’s eras and common names for historical epochs, periods
and events.
Examples:
the Ice Age Colonial days the Great Depression
Flags
- Capitalize the names and synonyms for flags of nations.
Examples:
the Union Jack the Star-Spangle Banner
Old Glory the Maple Leaf
Geographical Terms
- The following geographical terms are usually capitalized immediately following the names:
Basin Bend Branch Butte Canal Canyon
Canyon Channel Cove Crater Creek Current
Current Divide Flat(s) Gap Glacier Glades
Gulch Harbor Hill Hollow Inlet Island
Lake Mesa Mountain Narrows Ocean Park
Passage Peninsula Plateau Point Pond Range (mountain)
Reef Ridge River Run Shoal Sound
Geographical Words
- The following words are usually capitalized when they stand before or after a name or when used as
part of a name:
Bay Bayou Camp (military) Cape
Desert Falls Fort Head
Isle Lake Mount Oasis
Pass Port River Sea
Strait Valley
Government
- Capitalize the word “Government” when referring to the country’s Government or that of any foreign
nation.
Example:
Her Majesty’s Government Government responsibility
Imperial Government on official Government business
Government Departments
- Capitalize when referring to departments, boards, bureaus, offices, agencies, commissions,
committees and services of the government when the name is given.
Examples:
the Securities and Exchange Commission
the Federal Bureau of Investigation
the Environmental Protection Agency
the Federal Reserve Board
Do not capitalize when used without a name or if used as an adjective.
Government Terms
- Administration - Capitalize the word “administration” when referring to the political party in power
or when used with a name to designate a Government board.
Example:
the Reagan Administration
- Cabinet - Capitalize the word “Cabinet” when referring to the Cabinet of the President or Prime
Minister of a country.
Examples:
officer of the Cabinet the President’s Cabinet
- Federal - Capitalize the word “Federal” when referring to the country’s Government.
Example:
She works for the Federal Government.
Holy Bible
- Names for the Bible – Capitalize all names for the Bible, for parts and versions of the Bible and all
names of other sacred books.
Examples:
Bible Scriptures Word of God Holy Bible Old Testament New Testament
Gospels Ten Commandments Lord’s Prayer Gospels Gospel of Luke
King James Version New International Version
- Creeds and Confessions – Capitalize all names of creeds and confessions of faith and general
Biblical terms.
Examples:
Lord’s Supper the Apostles’ Creed
the Westminster Catechism Nicene Creed
- Deity - Capitalize all names for Deity
Examples:
Father Almighty God Lord Holy Spirit Son of Man
Messiah Lord of Hosts Redeemer Savior Holy Trinity
- Devil - Capitalize all names for the Devil
Examples:
Devil Satan Adversary Father of Lies Evil One Lucifer
Prince of Darkness Beelzebub (meaning Satan)
* Do not capitalize when used in a general sense or as an expletive.
Military
- Army, Navy and Air Force – Capitalize when referring to these organizations by name or with other
widely accepted references to them.
Examples:
the Army U.S. Army French Army Organized Reserves 1st Regiment
the Navy U.S. Navy British Navy Marine Corps the Marines
the Air Force U.S. Air Force Royal Air Force Edwards Air Force Base
Names/Persons
- Proper Nouns – Capitalize all proper nouns that are names of individuals.
Examples:
Sally Jane Anderson John. A. Smith
- Personal Pronoun “ I ” – Capitalize the word " I " when referring to oneself in the first person. This
word is always capitalized, even when used in mid sentence.
Examples:
I will try to make the time for a vacation this year.
This year, I will try to make the time for a vacation.
- Epithets - Capitalize epithets added to proper names or applied to people or places.
Examples:
the Dallas Cowboys the Golden Gate the Green Belt
William the Conqueror the Empire State Building
- Family - Father and Mother – Capitalize when used as a means of personally addressing the
individual, but not when used as a possessive pronoun.
Examples:
Before I forget to tell you, Father, they are expecting you at 7:00 PM at the hall.
My mother has agreed to stay with our children.
- Family - Uncle, Aunt, Cousin – Capitalize these and other family terms when used with a proper
noun, but not when used as a possessive pronoun.
Examples:
I saw Aunt Sarah dancing all night.
When I arrived, Cousin Bill was directing traffic.
My uncle sold the farm because of his bad health.
- Prefixes – Capitalize prefixes in the names of foreign people unless preceded by a given name or
title.
Examples:
Van Leeuwen Thomas van Leeuwen
De Paul Cardinal de Paul
With British and American names, such prefixes are usually capitalized even if preceded by a given
name or title. Individual preference prevails in these cases.
Nation or Republic
- Capitalize when used as a synonym for a country.
Examples:
The Nation stands by its men and women in combat.
The future of the Republic is riding on his shoulders.
Organized Bodies
- Capitalize when referring to these organized groups as a whole.
Examples:
Shriners Democrats Elks
Organizations
- Capitalize names of clubs, societies, associations, companies, foundations, institutes, etc.
Examples:
Knights of Columbus American Lung Association Microsoft Corporation
Poetry
- Traditionally, the first word of every line of poetry is capitalized.
- In some modern English poetry formats, only the first word of the first line is capitalized, and
sometimes even this word is all lower-case.
Point Form
- There are no hard rules to capitalization when using a "point form" to list your points. Choose
whichever looks best esthetically within your document.
- As a general guideline to using "point form," use a numbered list when order is important and use a
bulleted list when the order of the points is not important.
Quotations
- Capitalize the first word of every complete quotation within quotation marks.
Example:
The waitress asked, “Do you want your coffee with cream and sugar?”
- DO NOT capitalize that part of a quotation resumed within the same sentence.
Example:
“Do you want your coffee,” the waitress asked, “with cream and sugar?”
Sentences
- Capitalize the first word of every sentence, whether it is a complete sentence or not.
State or Province/Provincial
- Capitalize when used with a name or when used in place of the name. Lower-case applies when
used as a general term.
Examples:
The Province of Ontario New York State State’s legislation
provincial park state prison
Titles - Personal
- Academic and Religious titles – Capitalize when preceding a name or when used as a means of
personally addressing the individual.
Examples:
Professor David Schwartz Bishop Larry Wiseman
Doctor Paul McNeil Dr. Paul McNeil
Reverend Henry Krause Rev. Henry Krause
Please be completely honest with me, Doctor, about your prognosis.
* The titles Doctor and Reverend are usually abbreviated, but are often spelled out with formal use.
- Government titles – Capitalize when referring to definite persons or to their positions.
Examples:
the Queen of England the President of the United States
Secretary of Defense Congressman from Massachusetts
- Rank, Respect, and Honor titles – Capitalize all titles of rank, respect and honor when preceding a
name.
Examples:
President Theodore Roosevelt Senator Robert Morris
Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist Speaker John Denison
- Titles instead of Names – Capitalize titles when used as a means of personally addressing the
individual.
Examples:
We’ve talked with the troops, General, and they seem to be in good spirits.
Mr. Secretary, please give me your opinion on this issue.
I came across the crime scene, Officer, and immediately called the police.
Is there enough support, Senator, to get this bill passed?
Titles - Other
- Book titles – Capitalize all principal words (nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs) and first
word in book titles.
Example:
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.
- Document and Report titles – Capitalize all principal words (nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs,
adverbs) and first word in these titles.
Examples:
U.S. Constitution American Lung Association Annual Report
- Captions/Pictures – Capitalize all principal words (nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs) and
first word in the captions under pictures.
Example:
Da Vinci’s “Last Supper”
- Musical Composition titles – Capitalize all principal words (nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs,
adverbs) when referring to musical compositions.
Example:
Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, Opus 28, No.15
- Radio Program titles – Capitalize all principal words (nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs)
and first word in radio program titles.
Example:
All Things Considered with hosts Robert Siegel, Michele Norris, and Melissa Block
- Television Show/Movie titles – Capitalize all principal words (nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs,
adverbs) and first word in these titles.
Example:
The Wizard of Oz, with Judy Garland
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Punctuation
Punctuation is the system of symbols (. , ! - : etc) that we use to separate sentences and parts of sentences, and
to make their meaning clear. Each symbol is called a "punctuation mark".
The Value of Punctuation
An English teacher wrote these words on the board:
woman without her man is nothing
The teacher then asked the students to punctuate the words correctly. The men wrote the top line. The women
wrote the bottom line.
Summary of Punctuation Marks
Punctuation Mark Name Example
full stop or period I like English.
comma I speak English, French and Thai.
I don't often go swimming; I prefer to play
semi-colon tennis.
You have two choices: finish the work today
colon or lose the contract.
hyphen This is a rather out-of-date book.
In each town—London, Paris and Rome—
dash we stayed in youth hostels.
question mark Where is Shangri-La?
exclamation mark "Help!" she cried. "I'm drowning!"
slash, forward Please press your browser's Refresh/Reload
slash or oblique button.
backslash C:\Users\Files\jse.doc
double quotation
marks "I love you," she said.
single quotation
marks 'I love you,' she said.
apostrophe This is John's car.
underline Have you read War and Peace?
underscore [email protected]
I went to Bagkok (my favourite city) and
round brackets stayed there for two weeks.
The newspaper reported that the hostages
square brackets [most of them French] had been released.
curly brackets or { b := a + 1
braces RESULTIS b }
ell
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