Capitalization Rules

8th grade, language artsCapitalization RulesRule #1 Capitalize the first word of every sentence.Example: Many people worked for the independence of the colonies.Rule #2 Capitalize the first word of a direct quotation thats a complete sentence.Example: Travis said, One of those people was Paul Revere.Rule #3 - When a direct quotation is interrupted by explanatory words, such as she said, dont begin the second part of the direct quotation with a capital letter.Example: I read a famous poem, said Kim, about Paul Revere.Rule #4 If the second part of the quotation starts a new sentence, then you should capitalize the first word.Example: I know that poem, said Sarah. My class read it last week.Rule #5 Dont capitalize an indirect quotation that is preceded by that.Example: The teacher said that the poem was written by Longfellow.Rule #6 Capitalize the first word in a salutation and a closing of a letter. (title and name of person)Example: Dear Mrs. Adamson,Sincerely yours,With love,My dear Abigail,Rule #7 Capitalize a title before a persons name or if its used in place of a name. Example: President Wilson, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Has the enemy surrendered, General? asked the soldier.Rule #8 DO NOT capitalize a title that follows a name or is used as a common noun. Example: Woodrow Wilson, president of the United States during WWI, supported cooperation among nations. Who was Wilsons vice president?Rule #9 Capitalize Jr. and Sr. and abbreviations of academic degrees. Example: M. Smith, M.D.Janice Stein, Ph.D.Otis James Jr.Rule #10 - Capitalize words that show family relationships when theyre used as titles or as substitutes for names. Example: Last year Father and Aunt Beth traveled to Oregon.Rule #11 DO NOT capitalize words that show family relationships when they follow possessive nouns or pronouns. Example: Jos uncle took photographs. My aunt Mary framed them.Rule #12 ALWAYS CAPITALIZE THE PRONOUN I. Example: American history is the subject I like best.Capitalization Rules Contd#13 - Capitalize the names of cities, counties, states, countries, and continents.#14 - Capitalize the names of bodies of water and other geographical features.#15 - Capitalize the names of sections of a country.#16 - Capitalize all important words in the names of particular historical events, time periods, and documents.#17 - Capitalize brand names but not the nouns following them.#18 - Capitalize the names of days of the week, months of the year, and holidays. Dont capitalize the names of the seasons.Rule #19 Capitalize direction words when they name a section of a countryExample: the South, the West Coast, the NortheastRule #20 DO NOT capitalize direction words used in other ways.Example: southern California, northerly winds, Tennessee is south of KentuckyRule #21 Capitalize names of streets and highways.Example: Main Street, Route 66Rule #22 Capitalize names of particular buildings, bridges, monuments, and other structures.Example: the White House, Golden Gate Bridge, the Rose BowlRule #23 - Capitalize all important words in the names of clubs,organizations, businesses, institutions, and political parties.Example: Girl Scouts of America, American Red Cross, Microsoft CorporationRule #24 Capitalize the names of languages, nationalities, and ethnic groups. Example: English, Japanese, Native AmericansRule #25 - Capitalize proper adjectives. A proper adjective is an adjective formed from a proper noun. Example: African American voters, Mexican art, a Broadway musical, Appalachian familiesRule #26 - Capitalize the names of religions and the people who practice them. Capitalize the names of holy days, sacred writings, and deities.Example: Islam, Muslims, Easter, the Bible, AllahRule #27 - Capitalize the names of trains, ships, airplanes, and spacecraft.Example: the Orient Express, Titanic, Spirit of St. Louis, Voyager 2Rule #28 - Dont capitalize the names of school subjects, exceptfor proper nouns and adjectives and course names followed by a number.Example: language arts, geography, earth science, American history, French, Algebra 1