In short, capitalize them when theyโre used as proper nouns but donโt when theyโre used as common nouns. Some proper nouns can also be common nouns, so itโs difficult to know how to capitalize them. English capitalization rules require that the first letter of certain words is capitalized. Specifically, the first word of a sentence, the pronoun I, and proper nouns like names are capitalized. In the case of brand names, companies are of little help, because they capitalize any word that applies to their merchandise.
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Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs must also be capitalized in titles. Because they are proper nouns, a personโs first and last names are capitalized. Likewise, capitalize middle names, nicknames, and suffixes like Jr.
Capitalize Nationalities and Languages
Although the seven coordinating conjunctions are not capitalized, you may have noticed there are many more than seven conjunctions in English. Most of these are called subordinating conjunctions, because they join a subordinate clause to a main clause. Familiar examples include as, although, before, since, until, when. Any title of more than two words can be a challenge. How would you capitalize a title such as not yet rich? Since the first and last word in any title are always capitalized, the only question is whether to cap yet.
Capitalization is the writing of a word with its first letter in uppercase and the remaining letters in lowercase. It is best not to use them if there is any doubt. The title case converter is perfect for those who are a bit unsure on how to title an upcoming essay. It essentially ensures the correct letters are capitalized within the context of a title.
Hyphenated words in a title also present problems. Some writers, editors, and publishers choose not to capitalize words following hyphens unless they are proper nouns or proper adjectives (Ex-Marine but Ex-husband). Others capitalize any word that would otherwise be capped in titles (Prize-Winning, Up-to-Date). The capitalization of family titles can be a confusing topic. Family titles like mom or uncle can be either proper nouns or common nouns.
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Is it Ivory Soap or Ivory soap, a Hilton Hotel or a Hilton hotel? Most writers don’t capitalize common nouns that simply describe the products (pizza, soap, hotel), but it’s not always easy to determine where a brand name ends. There is Time magazine but also the New York Times Magazine. No one would argue with Coca-Cola or Pepsi Cola, but a case could be made for Royal Crown cola.
Now that weโve established capitalization in proper nouns, letโs continue with some others. Capitalize the first word in sentences, the pronoun โI,โ and proper nouns like names, cities, and countries. Capitalization is one of the simplest but most important rules in English writing. Using capital letters correctly makes your writing look professional, clear, and polished. The good news is that English capitalization rules are easier than they seem, though there are some exceptions to learn. In general, do not capitalize the word the before proper nouns.
- Some names are capitalized only in certain situations and lowercase in others.
- Directions like north and west are typically lowercase but capitalized when theyโre part of a geographic name, like the West Coast.
- Time periods are not capitalized when they refer to nonspecific events or a general time period, such as centuries or decades.
- Capitalization is optional if the colon is used to introduce an independent clause.
- Words such as โanโ will be left all in lower case and words that are important will be converted such as โTitleโ.
Text Capitalization โ Change Sentence Case, Capitalize Text & More
A proper noun is a type of noun that refers to a specific person, place, or thing by its name. Proper nouns are always capitalized in English, no matter where they fall in a sentence. They are sometimes called proper names because they endow nouns with a specific name. When family titles are used as common nouns, there is usually an article (the, a, an) or a possessive adjective (my, your, our, etc.) in front of them. Keep the family title lowercase if you see an article or possessive adjective.
Welcome to the Convert Case Text Generator Tool
- A proper noun is a type of noun that refers to a specific person, place, or thing by its name.
- Capitalization is one of the simplest but most important rules in English writing.
- Although the seven coordinating conjunctions are not capitalized, you may have noticed there are many more than seven conjunctions in English.
In this case, yet is an adverb, and adverbs are always capped. The following rules for capitalizing composition titles are virtually universal. Capitalize proper nounsโand adjectives derived from proper nouns. When words like day or month are used generally, they are not capitalized. However, if they are part of a holiday name, they count as a proper noun and are capitalized.
Capitalize Family Titles (With Rules)
Words such as โanโ will be left all in lower case and words that are important will be converted such as โTitleโ. However, seasons are often used in titles, especially in fashion. In this case, they are part of a proper noun and are capitalized. Capitalize periods and events when they refer to specific periods or use proper nouns in the title. Capitalization in titles is where a lot of capitalization errors originate. Below, we explain essential English capitalization rules with examples so youโll know which words to capitalize and which to keep lowercase.
Key Capitalization Rules (with Examples)
However, keep it lowercase if referring to a general department as a common noun. These are the foundation rules, letโs expand with 12 key capitalization rules. Capitalizing composition titles is fraught with capitalize expenses gray areas.
We can speak of a lake in the middle of the country, or we can be more specific and say Lake Michigan, which distinguishes it from every other lake on earth. Underline your text online with this underliner tool. Make your next theater experience a mini-staycation and book Staypineappleโs SIFF Theater promotion.
The capitalized case converter will automatically convert the starting letter of every word into an upper case and will leave the remaining letters as lower case ones. In English, days and months are capitalized because they are proper nouns. In English, countries, nationalities, and languages are capitalized. Country names fall under the category of places, and by extension, the names of the people who live there and the adjective form of their culture are also capitalized. When titles and positions are used as part of a proper noun, they are capitalized; when they refer to the general job or position, they are lowercase.