Learn on PengiElements of Language, 5th CourseChapter 12: Capitalization: Rules of Standard Usage

Lesson 1: Capitalization: First Words, Pronoun I, Proper Nouns, and Proper Adjectives

In this Grade 8 grammar lesson from Elements of Language, 5th Course, students learn the foundational rules of capitalization, including capitalizing the first word of sentences and quoted sentences, the first words of letter salutations and closings, the pronoun I, and proper nouns and proper adjectives. The lesson distinguishes between common nouns and proper nouns and explains how proper adjectives are formed from proper nouns using endings such as -ish, -ese, and -ian. Practice exercises throughout the lesson reinforce each capitalization rule in context.

Section 1

First Words in Sentences

Definition

Capitalize the first word in every sentence.

Explanation

Every sentence deserves a strong start with a capital letter! This rule is super important and applies to all sentences, including sentences that are inside quotation marks. Think of it as the official beginning of any complete thought you write down, giving it the punch it needs to be noticed.

Examples

  • My family is going to the park this weekend.
  • Jennifer asked, “when does the concert start?” [The w in when should be capitalized because it is the first word of the quoted sentence.]
  • the new bakery on the corner opens on Friday. [The t in the should be capitalized because it is the first word of the sentence.]

Section 2

Salutations and Closings

Definition

Capitalize the first word in both the salutation and the closing of a letter.

Explanation

When writing a letter, your greeting (salutation) and your farewell (closing) need to be polite and proper. The rule is simple: capitalize the very first word. Remember that other words in the greeting or closing, like names or titles, should also be capitalized as they normally would be.

Examples

  • dear Ms. Garcia, [The d in dear should be capitalized because it is the first word of the salutation.]
  • yours truly, [The y in yours should be capitalized because it is the first word of the closing.]
  • My dearest uncle,

Section 3

The Pronoun I

Definition

Capitalize the pronoun I.

Explanation

The pronoun I is a bit of a celebrity in the grammar world—it's always capitalized, no matter where it shows up in a sentence. This special treatment helps it stand out from all the other words. This rule also applies when I is part of a contraction, like in I'm or I'd.

Examples

  • My brother and i are going to the movies tonight. [The pronoun I should always be capitalized.]
  • When i get home, I will do my homework.
  • He asked if i'd like to join the team. [The pronoun I should be capitalized, even in a contraction.]

Section 4

Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives

Definition

Capitalize proper nouns and proper adjectives.

Explanation

A common noun is a general word like country or artist, but a proper noun is a specific name like Japan or Picasso. Proper nouns always get a capital letter to show they are unique! Likewise, a proper adjective, which comes from a proper noun (like Japanese from Japan), also needs a capital letter.

Examples

  • a. an english bulldog b. a German shepherd [The proper adjective German is correctly capitalized. The proper adjective english should be capitalized.]
  • a. grand canyon b. Niagara Falls [The name Niagara Falls is correctly capitalized. The words grand and canyon should both be capitalized.]

Section 5

Names of People and Animals

Definition

Capitalize the names and initials of people and animals.

Explanation

Every person and pet with a specific name gets capital letters! This goes for full names like Maria Flores, initials like J. R. R. Tolkien, and pet names like Spot. A key reminder for names with multiple words: small connecting words like 'of', 'the', or 'da' usually aren't capitalized unless they are the first word.

Examples

  • a famous inventor: Leonardo da Vinci [da is a preposition and is not capitalized in this name.]
  • a literary character: Sherlock Holmes
  • my aunt: Susan B. Anthony

Section 6

Geographical and Celestial Names

Definition

Capitalize geographical names. Capitalize the names of planets, stars, constellations, and other heavenly bodies.

Explanation

If you can find it on a map or in the night sky, its specific name needs to be capitalized. This includes continents (Africa), countries (Mexico), states (Florida), and cities (Paris). It also includes celestial bodies like the planet Jupiter, the star Polaris, and the Andromeda Galaxy.

Examples

  • the amazon river ___ The Amazon River
  • the planet venus ___ the planet Venus
  • We traveled through the state of nevada to see the pacific ocean. [The names Nevada and Pacific Ocean should be capitalized.]

Section 7

Organizations, Businesses, and Brands

Definition

Capitalize the names of organizations, teams, government bodies, and institutions. Capitalize the names of businesses and the brand names of business products.

Explanation

Official names for groups and companies are proper nouns. This means you should capitalize the name of your school (Westwood Middle School), a government agency like the Environmental Protection Agency, a sports team like the Los Angeles Lakers, a company like Nike, or a product like a Honda car.

Examples

  • the american red cross ___ the American Red Cross
  • chicago bulls ___ Chicago Bulls
  • I bought a box of Kleenex tissues at target. [The brand name Kleenex and the store name Target should be capitalized.]

Section 8

Structures, Monuments, and Awards

Definition

Capitalize the names of particular buildings and other structures. Capitalize the names of monuments, memorials, and awards.

Explanation

When we name specific man-made places or honors, we use capital letters. This rule applies to famous buildings like the Empire State Building, large structures like the Golden Gate Bridge, important monuments like the Lincoln Memorial, and special awards like the Nobel Peace Prize.

Examples

  • the brooklyn bridge ___ the Brooklyn Bridge
  • She won an emmy award for her performance. [The specific award, Emmy Award, should be capitalized.]
  • Our class visited the washington monument. [The name of the monument, Washington Monument, should be capitalized.]

Section 9

Historical Events and Calendar Items

Definition

Capitalize the names of historical events and periods, special events, holidays, and other calendar items.

Explanation

Specific moments in time get capital letters! This includes major historical events like the Industrial Revolution, eras like the Middle Ages, and all your favorite holidays like Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. Remember to also capitalize months and days of the week, but not the seasons like summer or winter.

Examples

  • world war I ___ World War I
  • Our party is on a saturday in december. [The day, Saturday, and the month, December, should be capitalized.]
  • We have a vacation from school in the spring. [The season spring should not be capitalized.]

Section 10

Nationalities, Peoples, and Religions

Definition

Capitalize the names of nationalities, races, and peoples. Capitalize the names of religions and their followers, holy days and celebrations, sacred writings, and specific deities.

Explanation

To show respect for identity and culture, we capitalize words related to people and their beliefs. This includes nationalities (Italian, Nigerian), ethnic groups (Latino, Navajo), religions (Hinduism, Sikhism), followers of a religion (Buddhists), holy books (the Bible), and names for specific deities (God, Zeus).

Examples

  • The koran is the sacred book of islam. [The sacred book Koran and the religion Islam should be capitalized.]
  • My neighbor is studying asian languages. [The proper adjective Asian should be capitalized.]
  • My friend is christian and celebrates easter. [The religious follower Christian and the holiday Easter should be capitalized.]

Book overview

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Chapter 12: Capitalization: Rules of Standard Usage

  1. Lesson 1Current

    Lesson 1: Capitalization: First Words, Pronoun I, Proper Nouns, and Proper Adjectives

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  2. Lesson 2

    Lesson 2: Capitalization: Geographical Names, Heavenly Bodies, Organizations, Institutions, Businesses, Brand Names, Buildings, and Structures

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  3. Lesson 3

    Lesson 3: Capitalization: Monuments, Awards, Calendar Items, Historical Events, Nationalities, Religious Names, Transportation, School Subjects, and Titles

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Lesson overview

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Section 1

First Words in Sentences

Definition

Capitalize the first word in every sentence.

Explanation

Every sentence deserves a strong start with a capital letter! This rule is super important and applies to all sentences, including sentences that are inside quotation marks. Think of it as the official beginning of any complete thought you write down, giving it the punch it needs to be noticed.

Examples

  • My family is going to the park this weekend.
  • Jennifer asked, “when does the concert start?” [The w in when should be capitalized because it is the first word of the quoted sentence.]
  • the new bakery on the corner opens on Friday. [The t in the should be capitalized because it is the first word of the sentence.]

Section 2

Salutations and Closings

Definition

Capitalize the first word in both the salutation and the closing of a letter.

Explanation

When writing a letter, your greeting (salutation) and your farewell (closing) need to be polite and proper. The rule is simple: capitalize the very first word. Remember that other words in the greeting or closing, like names or titles, should also be capitalized as they normally would be.

Examples

  • dear Ms. Garcia, [The d in dear should be capitalized because it is the first word of the salutation.]
  • yours truly, [The y in yours should be capitalized because it is the first word of the closing.]
  • My dearest uncle,

Section 3

The Pronoun I

Definition

Capitalize the pronoun I.

Explanation

The pronoun I is a bit of a celebrity in the grammar world—it's always capitalized, no matter where it shows up in a sentence. This special treatment helps it stand out from all the other words. This rule also applies when I is part of a contraction, like in I'm or I'd.

Examples

  • My brother and i are going to the movies tonight. [The pronoun I should always be capitalized.]
  • When i get home, I will do my homework.
  • He asked if i'd like to join the team. [The pronoun I should be capitalized, even in a contraction.]

Section 4

Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives

Definition

Capitalize proper nouns and proper adjectives.

Explanation

A common noun is a general word like country or artist, but a proper noun is a specific name like Japan or Picasso. Proper nouns always get a capital letter to show they are unique! Likewise, a proper adjective, which comes from a proper noun (like Japanese from Japan), also needs a capital letter.

Examples

  • a. an english bulldog b. a German shepherd [The proper adjective German is correctly capitalized. The proper adjective english should be capitalized.]
  • a. grand canyon b. Niagara Falls [The name Niagara Falls is correctly capitalized. The words grand and canyon should both be capitalized.]

Section 5

Names of People and Animals

Definition

Capitalize the names and initials of people and animals.

Explanation

Every person and pet with a specific name gets capital letters! This goes for full names like Maria Flores, initials like J. R. R. Tolkien, and pet names like Spot. A key reminder for names with multiple words: small connecting words like 'of', 'the', or 'da' usually aren't capitalized unless they are the first word.

Examples

  • a famous inventor: Leonardo da Vinci [da is a preposition and is not capitalized in this name.]
  • a literary character: Sherlock Holmes
  • my aunt: Susan B. Anthony

Section 6

Geographical and Celestial Names

Definition

Capitalize geographical names. Capitalize the names of planets, stars, constellations, and other heavenly bodies.

Explanation

If you can find it on a map or in the night sky, its specific name needs to be capitalized. This includes continents (Africa), countries (Mexico), states (Florida), and cities (Paris). It also includes celestial bodies like the planet Jupiter, the star Polaris, and the Andromeda Galaxy.

Examples

  • the amazon river ___ The Amazon River
  • the planet venus ___ the planet Venus
  • We traveled through the state of nevada to see the pacific ocean. [The names Nevada and Pacific Ocean should be capitalized.]

Section 7

Organizations, Businesses, and Brands

Definition

Capitalize the names of organizations, teams, government bodies, and institutions. Capitalize the names of businesses and the brand names of business products.

Explanation

Official names for groups and companies are proper nouns. This means you should capitalize the name of your school (Westwood Middle School), a government agency like the Environmental Protection Agency, a sports team like the Los Angeles Lakers, a company like Nike, or a product like a Honda car.

Examples

  • the american red cross ___ the American Red Cross
  • chicago bulls ___ Chicago Bulls
  • I bought a box of Kleenex tissues at target. [The brand name Kleenex and the store name Target should be capitalized.]

Section 8

Structures, Monuments, and Awards

Definition

Capitalize the names of particular buildings and other structures. Capitalize the names of monuments, memorials, and awards.

Explanation

When we name specific man-made places or honors, we use capital letters. This rule applies to famous buildings like the Empire State Building, large structures like the Golden Gate Bridge, important monuments like the Lincoln Memorial, and special awards like the Nobel Peace Prize.

Examples

  • the brooklyn bridge ___ the Brooklyn Bridge
  • She won an emmy award for her performance. [The specific award, Emmy Award, should be capitalized.]
  • Our class visited the washington monument. [The name of the monument, Washington Monument, should be capitalized.]

Section 9

Historical Events and Calendar Items

Definition

Capitalize the names of historical events and periods, special events, holidays, and other calendar items.

Explanation

Specific moments in time get capital letters! This includes major historical events like the Industrial Revolution, eras like the Middle Ages, and all your favorite holidays like Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. Remember to also capitalize months and days of the week, but not the seasons like summer or winter.

Examples

  • world war I ___ World War I
  • Our party is on a saturday in december. [The day, Saturday, and the month, December, should be capitalized.]
  • We have a vacation from school in the spring. [The season spring should not be capitalized.]

Section 10

Nationalities, Peoples, and Religions

Definition

Capitalize the names of nationalities, races, and peoples. Capitalize the names of religions and their followers, holy days and celebrations, sacred writings, and specific deities.

Explanation

To show respect for identity and culture, we capitalize words related to people and their beliefs. This includes nationalities (Italian, Nigerian), ethnic groups (Latino, Navajo), religions (Hinduism, Sikhism), followers of a religion (Buddhists), holy books (the Bible), and names for specific deities (God, Zeus).

Examples

  • The koran is the sacred book of islam. [The sacred book Koran and the religion Islam should be capitalized.]
  • My neighbor is studying asian languages. [The proper adjective Asian should be capitalized.]
  • My friend is christian and celebrates easter. [The religious follower Christian and the holiday Easter should be capitalized.]

Book overview

Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.

Continue this chapter

Chapter 12: Capitalization: Rules of Standard Usage

  1. Lesson 1Current

    Lesson 1: Capitalization: First Words, Pronoun I, Proper Nouns, and Proper Adjectives

    LearnPractice
  2. Lesson 2

    Lesson 2: Capitalization: Geographical Names, Heavenly Bodies, Organizations, Institutions, Businesses, Brand Names, Buildings, and Structures

    LearnPractice
  3. Lesson 3

    Lesson 3: Capitalization: Monuments, Awards, Calendar Items, Historical Events, Nationalities, Religious Names, Transportation, School Subjects, and Titles

    LearnPractice