Capitalization
General rules for capitalization:
Propernouns
| Apropernounidentifiesaspecificperson,place,orthing.Wordsderivedfrompropernounsarealsocapitalized.Alsocapitalizetitlesofpersonswhenusedaspartofapropernamebutusuallynotwhenusedalone.
| Examples:Japan,Japanesefood,theDemocraticParty,John,DistrictAttorneyJones
Firstwordofasentenceorquotedsentence
| Thefirstwordofasentenceshouldbecapitalized.Also,capitalizethefirstwordofaquotedsentencebutnotaquotedphrase.Ifaquotedsentenceisinterrupted,donotcapitalizethefirstwordaftertheinterruption.
| Examples:Thejournalistwrote,“Thesituationseemsmoreominousasthevariouspartieshavefailedtoreachanagreement.”
“Sports”,saidRussellBaker“istheopiateofthemasses.”
Also capitalize:Titlesofworks
| Majorwords(andthefirstword)intitlesandsubtitlesofworkssuchasbooks,articles,andsongsshouldbecapitalized.
| Examples:TheLastoftheMohicans;ReturntoMe
Firstwordfollowingacolon
| Capitalizethefirstwordafteracolononlyifitbeginsanindependentclause(andthatisactuallyoptional).
| Example:Wecometothisconclusion:The(orthe)federalgovernmentisneededtoprotecttherightsofminorities.
Abbreviations
| Capitalizeabbreviationsforgovernmentdepartmentsandagencies,otherorganizations,corporations,tradenames,andcalllettersforradioandtelevisionstations.
| Examples:FBI,IBM,Xerox,WRVL
Usecapitalizationalsoforthepronoun‘I’.
Examples1.BaliisanIndonesianIsland.
2.HernameisMary.
3.ShelivesinSpain.
4.TheyliveinaGeorgianhouse.
5.TheGreatGatsby
6.TheQueenofEngland
7.JosephConrad’snovel,HeartofDarkness
8.theUniversityofDelaware
9.theSecondWorldWar
10.Helivesat10GreenstokeAvenue,Newbay,Bristol.
11.ShewasbornonTuesdaythesixthofJune,1998.
12.TheshopsonFifthAvenueweredecoratedforChristmas.
Afewmoreexamples…13.JapaneseandRussianaredifficultlanguagestolearn.
14.ManystarsshoponRodeoDrive.
15.“Wait,” hesaid,“untiltheBearshavewontherestoftheseason.”
16.ThereporteraskedMayorJohnsonabouttheeventsofthepreviousday.
17. On the fourth of July, we celebrate theWar of Independence.
18.EveryonewasplanningtogooutforIndianfood.
19.HehasalwaysdrivenaPorche.
Afewmoreexamples…
20.TheclasshadtoreadandwriteapaperontheLordoftheRings.
21.TheyallwatchAmericanIdolonFoxeveryTuesday.