What is capitalization in English? Do you know, it has some rules as well. In this article, we will learn the definition of capitalization, various rules along with a lot of examples. So, let’s take a look at them. What is Capitalization? Definition Let's try to understand the basics of capitalization. At first glance, it may seem a bit of an embarrassment, as most of us think that we already know when to capitalize in the English language. But believe it or not, sometimes it can be quite confusing. That’s specifically why we have come up with this post. Here, we are going to look at the scenarios where we need to use capitalization. It can be defined as a process by which it can be stated that if the word starts with a capital letter or not obeying few rules. Apart from the well-known ones, like at the beginning of the sentence, there are a few others that may be a wee bit confusing. What is capitalization in English? Rules for Capitalization and Examples There are various simple rules for capitalization Rule-1 Capitalization of the First Letter of a Sentence Rule As we already know, the first letter of any sentence should be written in capital. This is one of the most commonly used capitalization rules to exist, and there is practically no exception to this. Whenever you write something, you need to capitalize the first word. Example I love nature.He went to the jungle.She has written a book. Rule-2 Capitalization of Proper Nouns Rule This is also something all of us more or less know. For a few specific people, places, and things, we need to capitalize the first letters. This is also how you can differentiate the common nouns from the proper nouns. Example Like a tower can be any tower being a common noun by when you say Eiffel Tower, it refers to a specific tower situated in France. Some categories of such proper nouns are: All the mountains, mountain ranges, hills, and volcanoes (Mount Everest, Mount K2).All the countries, cities, and continents (Europe, France, New Delhi).Names of different bodies of water, like lakes, rivers, seas, oceans, streams, and creeks (the Pacific Ocean, The River Ganges, The Mediterranean Sea).The names of famous buildings, monuments, bridges, and tunnels (The E Golden Gate Bridge, Kutub Minar, The Eiffel Tower).Various street names (Lincoln Drive, Park Street, Free-School Street).All the renowned schools, colleges, and universities (MIT, University Of Cambridge, Browns University).Nationalities and languages (French, Chinese, Hindi).The famous trademarks of world-famous companies (Apple, BMW, McDonald's).Time periods and events (the neo-classical age, The Age Of Decadence, The French Revolution).The different forms of Gods and religious texts (the Bible, the Quran, Shiva).Any group or institution (The Republican Party, The Bolshevik Party, The Calcutta Debating Club). Capitalization rules examples Rule-3 Capitalization of the Adjectives Rule There are some proper nouns that often become adjectives by describing nouns. Example Some examples of this kind can be: Adjectives based on place names (Danish, French, Indian)Adjectives derived from names (Shakespearean, Orwellian, Darwinian)Adjectives from religions (Islamic, Hindu, Christian) Rule-4 Capitalization of Pronoun, I Rule If a pronoun is used to start a sentence, then automatically, the pronoun will be capitalized. But the exception, in this case, is “I”, which will always be capitalized no matter where it is used. Capitalization Examples I don’t know what you are going to do, but I am going there by hook or by crook.He assured me that he would be there, but I don’t have much faith in him. Rule-5 Capitalization Rules for Titles of Books and Movies Rule The title should always be capitalized whenever you are referring to books, movies, poems, and other creative works. Usually, when it comes to the titles, you need to capitalize the words in the title: the first wordthe adjectivesthe nounsverbsthe last word Rule-6 Capitalization Rules for Articles, Conjunctions & Prepositions Also, you shouldn't capitalize: the articles (a, an, the)the conjunctions (for, so, and, but)the prepositions with three or fewer letters (on, in, at) Examples Some examples can be: Sense and SensibilityJane EyreThe Unbearable Lightness of BeingCinema ParadisoThe Shawshank Redemption Check out a few worksheets for capitalization for practice. Rule-7 Capitalization after Semicolon Capitalization after semicolon Generally, you don’t have to capitalize after a semicolon. Example The one thing I hate the most: dishonest people. There are a few exceptions to this. One of them is that if the following word is a proper noun. The one monument that I absolutely want to visit: The Empire State Building. Rule-8 Capitalization after Colon Capitalization after colon Generally, you don’t have to capitalize after a colon. Example The marble is black; the man bought it. Rule-9 Capitalization of the First Word of a Quote Rule When you are using a quote, you often need to capitalize the first word. Examples He asked, “When was the last time we saw a full moon together like this?”They replied, “We are not going to wait for your friends to arrive; we have other plans”. You can’t capitalize the first word of a partial quote. Rule-10 Capitalization of Days, Months, and Holidays Rule All the days of the week, names of the months, and holidays are proper nouns and thus should be in the capital. Examples I love Sundays!John’s birthday is in March.Oh no! I forgot about St. Patrick’s Day! Rule-11 Capitalize for Seasons On the contrary, the names of seasons, however, are not proper nouns. You don’t have to capitalize them. I love spring!Having a summer vacation is the best thing in the world.She hates winter. Rule-12 Capitalization for Acronyms Rule An Acronym is a mode where the first letter of each word comes together in a new word. They are always capitalized. Examples NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)FIFA (Federación International de Fútbol Asociación)DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Rule-13 Capitalization for Initialisms Rule Although these mentioned above are pronounced as a single word, the same rule is applicable for initialisms as well. The only difference is that here you pronounce each letter. Examples USA (United States of America)CIA (Central Intelligence AgencyAYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) Rule-14 Capitalization for Initials Rule Lastly, famous personalities who are known by the initial words of their name are also capitalized. Examples JFK (John Fitzgerald Kennedy)MLK (Martin Luther King, Jr.)FDR (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) Conclusion So, there you go, all the must-know rules about the use of capitalization in English writing. Some of them may seem new or confusing to you, but a bit of a revision of these rules will help you shine always. If you have any further queries related to the rules of capitalization in the English language as well as to learn English grammar, please mention them in the comment section below. We will try our best to solve your queries as quickly as possible. Further Study There are so many interesting articles, you may refer to, How to learn English grammarParts of speechCommon errors in EnglishLearn spoken EnglishAbstract nouns
