1. Grammar- Capitalization
Mr. Jordan
BJHS

2. Rules, rules, rules…
Capitalize the first letter of the first word in a sentence.
Capitalize the pronoun I.
Capitalize the first letter of the first word in most lines of poetry.
Capitalize the first word, the last word, and all important words in any title.
Capitalize Roman numerals and the letters for the first major topics in an outline. Capitalize the first letter of the first word in an outline.

3. Capitalize the first letter of a sentence.
fall break was relaxing and enjoyable.
many of my friends were out of town during break.
I think we should have this rule down by now!

4. Capitalize the pronoun I
What is a pronoun?
Give me some examples.
Had the captain forgotten that i left early?
When i was little, i broke my arm.
I think we have this rule down too!

5. Capitalization in poetry?
Capitalize the first letter in most lines of poetry.
“Faith” is a fine invention
For Gentleman who see!
But Microscopes are prudent
In an Emergency!
- Emily Dickinson

6. Cont.
Natures first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay. -Robert Frost

7. Capitalize important words in titles
Capitalize the first and last words of a title, along with all other important words.
How do I know if a word is important?
Capitalize Verbs
Capitalize prepositions that have 5 or more letters
DO NOT capitalize a, an, the, and, but, or, nor
Enough Is Enough Should Is be capitalized?
“Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” Should Under be capitalized?
The Hobbit Should The be capitalized?

8. Capitalize Roman numerals, major topics, and first letter of the first word in an outline.
I. Novels
Fiction
The Giver
In Cold Blood
II. Poetry
Poetic devices
Metephor
Simile

9. Rules 6,7,8
#6- Capitalize the first letter of the first word in a direct quotation.
#7- Capitalize Mother, Dad, and other titles when they serve as a replacement for the person’s name.
#8- Capitalize the names of organizations

10. Quotations Capitalize the first letter of a direct quotation. Ex:
Lyle asked, “Where is my comb?”
“In the drawer,” replied his father.
“I’m finished,” yelled Chris, “let’s go!”
-Should let’s be capitalized or not?
“Did you,” asked Joe, “open this door?”
- How about open?

11. Titles other than works…
Capitalize Mother, Dad, and other titles when they serve as a replacement for the person’s name.
Ex:
We haven’t told (Mother/mother) about our plan.
How are you feeling, (Son/son)?
Capitalize the title if it appears with a name.
Grandpa Smith Judge Worth Senator Lee
Aunt Cecilia Captain Lowe Doctor Bob

12. Organizations Capitalize the name of organizations. Ex:
Boy Scouts of America
American Red Cross
Kiwanis Club

13. Rules 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13
#9- Capitalize business names. #10- Capitalize government bodies and departments #11- Capitalize institution names #12- Capitalize names of particular geographic places. #13- Capitalize historical events, periods of time, and historical documents

14. Business names Capitalize all business names. Examples:
Fanton Enterprises American Airlines
Brown Company Jolen’s Restaurant
Pratt Limited Fast Body Shop Inc. Crenton Inn Beamer Grocery Store

15. Government bodies and depts.
Capitalize government bodies and departments
Examples:
Senate Congress Cabinet
House of Representatives
Treasury Department Department of Interior
Department of Defense

16. Institution names Capitalize all institution names. Examples:
The Ohio State University
Bogle Junior High School
Banner Gateway
Maricopa County Jail

17. Geographic places Capitalize geographic places. Examples:
Potomac River Canada Andes Mountains
Sunset Point Lake Superior Cape Cod
Bering Strait Tampa Bay
North Sea Atlantic Ocean Great Plains
New England Gulf of Mexico

18. Historical events, times, & documents
Capitalize historical events, time periods, and documents.
Examples:
Ice Age Middle Ages Magna Carta
Battle of Waterloo American Revolution
Declaration of Independence
Constitution of the United States of America

19. Rules 14,15,16
#14- Capitalize names of days, months, holidays, and special days.
#15- Capitalize a proper adjective but not the noun it modifies unless the noun is part of a title.
#16- Capitalize brand names but not the products

20. Days, Months, Holidays Examples: Monday Fourth of July October
Pearl Harbor Day Hanukkah Columbus Day
George Washington’s Birthday
Valentines Day

21. Proper Adjectives
Capitalize Proper adjectives, BUT NOT the noun it modifies unless it is part of the title.
Examples:
a Columbus Day parade
our Tuesday meeting
Alaskan coast
Labor Day weekend
a Scottsdale rodeo

22. Capitalize Brands Capitalize brand names, BUT NOT the products.
Examples:
Roman Meal bread Birdseye vegetables
Carnation milk Fisher Price recorder

23. Rule 17,18,19,20
#17- Capitalize religions, religious denominations, religious documents, names of churches, and names for a supreme being. #18- Capitalize languages #19- Capitalize races, and ethnic groups #20- Capitalize North, South, East, West, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest when they refer to a region of the country or world.

24. Capitalize religions Examples:
Hindu religion God Protestant Dead Sea Scrolls
Methodist God Torah Ten Commandments
Notes:
Cornerstone Church- is capitalized because it is a name of a church, BUT
a Baptist church- is not capitalized except for Baptist which is a denomination.

25. Languages Capitalize languages Example: English Spanish German French
Latin Arabic Chinese Japanese

26. Races and Ethnic Groups
Capitalize races and ethnic groups
Examples:
Races-
African American Caucasion
Asian American Indian Hispanic
Ethnicities-
Hawaiian Polynesian Cajun

27. North, South, East, West
Capitalize North, South, East, West, Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, Southwest when talking about regions of the world or country.
Examples:
Does your Uncle Ray live in the East?
The Southwest includes the state of Arizona.
Turn north on Higley Rd.

28. Rules 21, 22,23,24,25,26,27
#21- Capitalize specific names of structures #22- Capitalize names, initials, and titles appearing with names. #23- Capitalize political parties #24- Capitalize the first letter only in most hyphenated words begin a sentence. #25- Capitalize President when it refers to the leader of the United States #26- Capitalize a specific, well-known area or event #27- Capitalize the first word of the greeting and closing of a letter

29. Specific Structures Examples: Empire State Building Golden Gate Bridge
Eiffel Tower Washington Monument
Yankee Stadium Grand Central Station

30. Names and Initials
Capitalize names and initials along with titles that appear with names
Examples:
Abe
Deborah R. Stone
Professor Elk
Admiral James Stevens
Fido

31. Political Parties Example: Republican Party Tea Party Democrats
Communist Party
Socialist Party
Green Party

32. Hyphenated words
Capitalize only the first hyphenated word when it comes at the beginning of a sentence.
Example:
Twenty-two ducks live in that pond.
Fathers-in-law meet in that room today.
Capitalize both parts of a hyphenated word if it is a title
Examples:
Vice-President Biden is funny.

33. President
Capitalize the word President when it refers to the leader of the United States.
Example:
Did you vote for President Obama?

34. Well-known areas or events
Capitalize well-known areas or events
Examples:
Did President Bush work late in the Oval Office?
Her ice skating at the Winter Olympics was fantastic.

35. Greetings and Closings of a letter
Capitalize the first word of a greeting and closing of a letter.
Example:
Dear Soandso,
Blah blah blah blah blah.
Sincerely, Me