Capital Letters - Names: English-Zone.Com

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CAPITAL LETTERS

Capitalized words fall into three main groups: Names, Titles, and First Words.

Here are some examples with NAMES:

C
A
P
I
T
A
L
I
Z
E
-
A
L
L
-
N
A
M
E
S

a) NAMES OF PEOPLE: Ms. Elaine Elizabeth Myers
Mrs. Kaye Mastin Mallory
Mr. Ming-Wa Nguyen

b) FAMILY TITLE AS PART OF THE NAME: Aunt Bonnie
Uncle John
Cousin Katey

***Example / Exception***
CAPITALIZED: I wonder where Aunt Susan is. ("Aunt" is used as part of her name.)
LOWER CASE: I wonder where your aunt is. ("aunt" is NOT used as part of her name.)

c) FAMILY TITLE INSTEAD OF THE NAME: Mother / Father
Grandfather / Uncle

***Example / Exception***
CAPITALIZED: I wonder why Mother is late today. ("Mother" is used as her name.)
LOWER CASE: I wonder why your mother is late today. ("mother" is NOT used as her name.)

e) DAYS OF THE WEEK: Monday, Saturday

f) MONTHS OF THE YEAR: April, September

g) HOLIDAYS: Valentine's Day, Christmas

***Special note: the names of the seasons are NOT capitalized.
CORRECT: My favorite season is summer.
INCORRECT: My favorite season is Summer.

h) CITIES: Fullerton / City of Orange

***Example / Exception***
CAPITALIZED: I visited the City of Orange on my vacation. ("City" is used as part of the name.)
LOWER CASE: I visited a small city on vacation. ("city" is NOT used as part of the name.)

i) STATES: Washington / California

j) BUILDINGS, PARKS, ZOOS: Marsten School / The White House
San Francisco Zoo / Central Park

***Example / Exception***
CAPITALIZED: I visited the San Francisco Zoo on my vacation. ("Zoo" is used as part of the name.)
LOWER CASE: I visited the zoo on my vacation. ("zoo" is NOT used as part of the name.)

k) LANGUAGES, COUNTRIES, NATIONALITIES: Spanish, English, Chinese
South Korea, the United States
German, French, Japanese

***Example / Exception***
CAPITALIZED: We went to South Korea on vacation. ("South" is used as part of the name.)
LOWER CASE: We drove south on Harbor Drive. ("south" is NOT used as part of the name.)

n) GOD / RELIGIOUS BOOKS God, the Bible, Buddha
Allah, the Koran, the Torah

***Special note: even the pronouns referring to God are capitalized.
CORRECT: And God sent His son into the world to spread His word.
INCORRECT: And God sent his son into the world to spread his word.

C A P I T A L I Z E - A L L - N A M E S
	a) NAMES OF PEOPLE:	Ms. Elaine Elizabeth Myers Mrs. Kaye Mastin Mallory Mr. Ming-Wa Nguyen

	b) FAMILY TITLE AS PART OF THE NAME:	Aunt Bonnie Uncle John Cousin Katey
	*Example / Exception* CAPITALIZED: I wonder where Aunt Susan is. ("Aunt" is used as part of her name.) LOWER CASE: I wonder where your aunt is. ("aunt" is NOT used as part of her name.)

	c) FAMILY TITLE INSTEAD OF THE NAME:	Mother / Father Grandfather / Uncle
	*Example / Exception* CAPITALIZED: I wonder why Mother is late today. ("Mother" is used as her name.) LOWER CASE: I wonder why your mother is late today. ("mother" is NOT used as her name.)

	e) DAYS OF THE WEEK:	Monday, Saturday
	f) MONTHS OF THE YEAR:	April, September
	g) HOLIDAYS:	Valentine's Day, Christmas
	***Special note: the names of the seasons are NOT capitalized. CORRECT: My favorite season is summer. INCORRECT: My favorite season is Summer.

	h) CITIES:	Fullerton / City of Orange
	*Example / Exception* CAPITALIZED: I visited the City of Orange on my vacation. ("City" is used as part of the name.) LOWER CASE: I visited a small city on vacation. ("city" is NOT used as part of the name.)

	i) STATES:	Washington / California

	j) BUILDINGS, PARKS, ZOOS:	Marsten School / The White House San Francisco Zoo / Central Park
	*Example / Exception* CAPITALIZED: I visited the San Francisco Zoo on my vacation. ("Zoo" is used as part of the name.) LOWER CASE: I visited the zoo on my vacation. ("zoo" is NOT used as part of the name.)

	k) LANGUAGES, COUNTRIES, NATIONALITIES:	Spanish, English, Chinese South Korea, the United States German, French, Japanese
	*Example / Exception* CAPITALIZED: We went to South Korea on vacation. ("South" is used as part of the name.) LOWER CASE: We drove south on Harbor Drive. ("south" is NOT used as part of the name.)

	n) GOD / RELIGIOUS BOOKS	God, the Bible, Buddha Allah, the Koran, the Torah
	***Special note: even the pronouns referring to God are capitalized. CORRECT: And God sent His son into the world to spread His word. INCORRECT: And God sent his son into the world to spread his word.