Revised as of
24 Mar 2023
Oh lord, just when you think you know what you’re doing . . . along comes the rules on capitalization. Sure we know how to do this. Only, there pops up those nitpicky rules about when, where, and how.
How to address people depending on how much of their name you use or if they’re merely referred to, when you need to capitalize directions whether they’re compass or street, rules about products and compound words, generics versus brand names, if the title or name comes before or after ???, and so much more.
This could be one of those posts that should be bookmarked for quick reference!
Formatting Tips started . . .
. . . as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with words that should have been capitalized or italicized, in quotes or not, what should be spelled out and what can be abbreviated, proper styling for the Latin names of plants, the proper formatting and usage of titles and more in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us any questions you’ve had on this subject that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
If you found this post on “Capitalization” interesting, consider subscribing to KD Did It, if you’d like to track this post for future updates.
| Capitalization | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Formatting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| General Rule: Sentences, direct quotes, and dialogue begin with a capital letter. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| See the post, “Acronyms & Initialisms” for rules on capitalization. POST CONTENTS: By CategoryAlphabetical
Animal
CASE Registered or Trademarked Name Compound Word Days of the Week, Months of the Year Specific Course or Subject Geographic Name Genera (Plants) Organizations Historical Period and Era Foreign Honorific Disease
Address, Street
Animal Article Beer Bible, parts of Book Calendar Case, Sentence Case, Title Cocktail College Degree Companies Compass Point Compound Word Country Country: Regions, Sections of a Cultural Days of the Week, Months of the Year Departments: Names of Government, Organization, & Corporate Disease Domain Name Education Ethnicity Festivals, Other Special Days Fields of Study Foreign Honorific Game Genera (Plants) Generic References to Government Geography Geographic Areas, Popular Names of Geographic Name God, Goddess Government, Generic References to Groups Historical Period and Era Holidays Honorific Honorific, Foreign Instrument Language Magazine Military Organization Military Title Model Month + Day Newspaper Nobility Organizations Family & Personal”Title” Philosophic Plants Play Plays and Poetry, parts of Political Groups Product Names Professional Title Proper Name Proper Pronoun Prophet Regions, Sections of a Country Registered Name Religious Groups Residents of Regions / Sections Rulers Science Scientific Movement Seasons Song Specific Course or Subject Street Address Subject, Specific Course or Term of Affection Theory “Title”, Family & Personal Title, Military Title, Professional Title Case Trademarked Name Website Wine
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Animal | NOTE: If you have a question as to whether a species is capitalized or not, check with an official site such as the American Kennel Club. A breeding site is not necessarily reliable as their emphasis is on the breed, and they may capitalize it simply because the animal is important in their eyes. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CALENDAR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Days of the Week, Months of the Year | Rule: Always capitalize them.
See abbreviate days on how and when to shorten them. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Months of the Year | Rule: Always capitalize them.
See abbreviate months on how and when to shorten them. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Month + Day | Rule: The date, or day, when combined with the month depends on if you are spelling the date out or using an Arabic figure ( Skillin, 129). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Holiday, Festival, Other Special Days | Rule: Always capitalize them. See C.S.Lakin’s post, “Capping the Holidays” for further examples. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Christmas Kwanzaa Rosh Hashanah Valentine’s Day Ramadan D day Fourth of July |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Seasons | Rule: Seasons of the year are not capitalized. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
spring, summer, fall, winter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CASE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sentence Case | Definition: Capitalize the first word of a sentence, even if the word normally begins with a lowercase letter. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Iphones are great cellphones.
I love my iPhone. Ebooks are a great way to travel, packing tons without using up space. I love traveling with eBooks as they take up no space at all. Ipads are great! Great iPad! Mary has news for you. Have you heard the news about Mary? |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title Case | For the rules on capitalizing a title, see Title Case. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COMPANIES and PRODUCTS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Company Names | Rule: Capitalize company names. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Sears, Target, IBM, Apple, Microsoft
Exceptions include eBay, iTunes . . . |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Exceptions: ALL CAPS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: Use all caps IF each letter is pronounced as a separate letter. Use initial caps IF pronounced as a word. AP on Acronyms: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Products | CAUTION: Companies tend to protect the name they give to their products by using a trademark, making it a proprietary name protected by law. This means they can sue your ass if you don’t provide proper attribution (Skillin, 171). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trademark, Registered, Service Mark | Rule: It’s not yet completely international, but close enough that technically, you must use the ™, ®, ® ℠, or ℠ after a brand name whenever you type or write it. It is honored more in the breach than in reality, but now ya know and you can save yourself some grief! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Ideally, you will use the mark appropriate to the local language(s) or otherwise meaningful to your readers and/or the people in the country in which the products or services you are writing about are advertised and sold. The International Trademark Association points out that the mark isn’t required for every single occurrence within your story, but at a minimum, it should be used at first mention or where it is most prominently mentioned. If you’re not sure, mark the ones you feel are prominent or mark ’em all.
Your best bet is to use a generic term or make up your own product or company name. Use ®, register mark, to indicate that the name/logo/product is formally registered with the government. 1. Most countries use ® or ® ℠ as a registered trademark or service mark. Other proper forms of notice for registered trademarks in the US include: Registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and Reg. US Pat. & Tm. Off. Different countries may have other symbols or designations:
Use ™, trademark, to indicate that you consider the name/logo/product to be a trademark (you have to use this for a period of time before you can formally “register” it), and most countries recognize it. 1 Use ℠, to identify an unregistered service mark, if your name/logo/product is actually not a product, but a service 1. 1 These symbols — ™, ®, ® ℠, and ℠ — “have no legal significance; their use does have the preventative effect of indicating possible claims to trademark rights in the designations with which they are used” (International Trademark Association). |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Examples of registered names include, but are NOT limited to: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Exceptions include: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: The company chose to start with a lowercase letter.
Exceptions: Starting a sentence with a word like iPhone or eBay, then you must capitalize the initial lowercase letter. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: The trademark name has passed into the public domain. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: Never capitalize the common-noun part of the trademark. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Beer, Cocktails, Wine | Rule: APA is all over the place with this one. Chicago says not to capitalize. The general consensus is that you choose and then stay consistent with it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Beer | Rule: Proper names are capitalized while the generic name should be in lowercase. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cocktail, Hard Liquor | Rule: Proper names are capitalized while the generic name should be in lowercase.
* Exceptions to the proper name rule include names that no longer are associated with their origin. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wine | Rule: To cap or not to cap is confusing when it comes to wine. AP and the New York Times uppercases regional names and lowercases varietals. The rest of the world capitalizes everything.
When it comes to novels, I’d suggest following the notes in the first two columns of the following table. If your characters are drinking an Italian Asti Spumante, cap it. If they’re drinking a California chardonnay, don’t cap it, etc. And no, this is not a comprehensive list, but an example of what to pay attention to. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Uppercase
Wine named for a place AND it comes from that place |
Lowercase
Wine named for a place, but doesn’t come from that place |
Uppercase
Wine named for a grape AND the grape is named for a place AND the wine comes from the place |
Lowercase
Variety (type of grape) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asti Supmante is made in the village of Asti in Italy | asti spumante is not from Asti in Italy | moscato, muscat grape | |
| Bordeaux is from the Bordeaux region in France | bordeaux is from countries such as the US, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico | merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, muscadelle, sémillon, sauvignon blanc | |
| Brunello di Montalcino is made with a brunello grape and comes from Tuscany | brunello, a.k.a., sangiovese | ||
| Burgundy is from the Burgundy region in France | burgundy is NOT from Burgundy in France | chardonnay, pinot noir, gamay, aligoté, sauvignon, césar, pinot beurot, sacy, melon, | |
| Cabernet Sauvignon is from Bordeaux, France | cabernet sauvignon is from the US, Argentina, South Africa, etc. | cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec, petit verdot, carménère, | |
| Capri is from the island of Capri | capri is from anywhere but the island of Capri | piedirosso, falanghina, greco bianco | |
| Chablis is from the Chablis region in France | chablis is from everywhere but the Chablis region in France | chablis | |
| Châteauneuf-du-Pape is made in and around the town of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and is a varietal. | Primarily grenache | ||
| Champagne is from the Champagne region in France | sparkling wines (commonly referred to as champagne) are grown in the US, Spain, Australia, etc. | chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier | |
| Chardonnay is produced in the Chablis region in France | chardonnay is produced anywhere but the Chablis region in France | chardonnay | |
| Chianti is from the Chianti region in Italy | chianti is from the US, Argentina, etc. | sangiovese, canaiolo, malvasia bianca | |
| Cognac is from the Cognac region in France | brandy, cognac, grappa, and marc are not from Cognac in France | ugni blanc, a.k.a., trebbiano, folle blanche and colombard with a bit of folignan, jurançon blanc, meslier St-François, a.k.a., blanc ramé, sélect, Montils or sémillon | |
| Concord grape wine is from Concord, Massachusetts | concord grape wine is not from Concord, Massachusetts | concord grape | |
| Madeira is from the island of Madeira | madeira is not from Madeira | Primarily malvasia, bual, verdelho, sercial | |
| sauterne is a non-French wine and is considered a semi-generic label | catawba, Niagara, Delaware, sémillon, sauvignon blanc, and ?? | ||
| Sauternes is from the Sauternais region in France | sémillon, sauvignon blanc, and muscadelle grapes that have been affected by noble rot | ||
| Tokay is from the Tokaj region in Hungary | tokay is not from Tokaj | furmint |
| Country, Ethnicity, Language | |||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Spain, Spaniards Japan, Japanese African-American Hispanic |
||||||||||||||||
| Compound Word | Definition: Two words that are joined together to form a new meaning.
Greater detail can be found in “Compound Word“. |
||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
||||||||||||||||
| Cultural, Philosophic, and Scientific Movements | |||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Jungian Transcendentalism Darwinism |
||||||||||||||||
| EDUCATION | |||||||||||||||||
| College Degree | |||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
||||||||||||||||
| Field of Study | |||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
economics math biology physical therapy |
||||||||||||||||
| Name of a Specific Course or Subject | |||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Biological Sciences English Literature International Technical Communication – COM 3310 – 001 |
||||||||||||||||
| Games | See also rules on italicization. | ||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
||||||||||||||||
| GEOGRAPHY | |||||||||||||||||
| Entire Geographic Names | Rule: Capitalize the names of countries, regions, counties, cities and other official and specified political, administrative, and geographical divisions and topographical features. | ||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Platte River Black Sea Rocky Mountain National Park Atlantic Ocean Bering Sea Rocky Mountains |
||||||||||||||||
| Popular Names of Geographic Areas | |||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Dust Bowl the Dairy State |
||||||||||||||||
| Region or Section of a Country | Rule: Generally, “if you can put the in front of the name, it’s capitalized” Fogarty).
the East, the North, the South, the West |
||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
The West is generally associated with cowboys, skiing, and movie stars.
Are you from the South? Out on the West Coast, we have to drive to get to a season. He’s from back east somewheres. |
||||||||||||||||
| Residents of Regions / Sections | Rule: It depends on which style guide you’re using: “the Chicago Manual of Style prefers southerner, whereas the Associated Press prefers Southerner Fogarty). | ||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Them southern boys know their barbecue.
Not all farmers are midwesterners. |
||||||||||||||||
| Compass Point | east, west, south, north | ||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Head east until you get to the southeast end of Georgia, then turn north. | ||||||||||||||||
| Street Address | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AP | Rule: Street names used without a numbered address are capitalized and spelled out. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Southeastern Road East Fourth Street |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: When used with a numbered address, directions and avenue, boulevard, and street are abbreviated while any other street designation is spelled out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1011 S. Heron Ave. 1011 S. Heron Drive 509 W. 10th St. 391 Forest Circle |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: When the generic street name is used alone or in the plural, it’s lowercase Chicago, 8.60). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| street, road, drive, alley, etc.
It’s between Eighty-eighth and Eighty-ninth streets. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Genera (plants) | Rule: Always capitalize the Genus, the Cultivar, and the Name of the person who discovered or created the plant, but NEVER capitalize the specificEpithet, the subspeciesEpithet, or the variety.
Used by APA, AP Style, Chicago. See italicization for proper use of italics, abbreviations for proper shortening usage, or “Taxonomy” for much greater detail. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Genus specificEpithet ssp. subspeciesEpithet
Trogon Genus collaris specificEpithet ssp. puella subspeciesEpithet Genus specificEpithet var. variety ‘cultivar’ Lavandula Genus angustifolia specific epithet ‘Munstead’ cultivar |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rule: Capitalize and use a roman font for:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Pharamachus Genus belong to the family Trogonidae Family. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: Names of developed and trademarked varieties take initial caps. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
the popular Knee-Hi sweet pea the Crimson Glory tea rose juicy Winesaps Turkey Red wheat |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Historical Periods and Eras | Rule: When a word refers to a period or era with a specific and limited scope in certain fields, it should be capitalized. When used in a more general sense, it is lowercase. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HONORIFIC | Definition: A title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank or honorary academic title when used in addressing or referring to a person.
For more, see the post on “Honorifics, To Cap or Not to Cap“. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Rule: Generic honorifics are lowercase unless they begin a sentence or if the honorific is used as a specific name or nickname for a particular person.
One example which Jane Davitt (@janedavitt) points out in her comment in the post, “To Cap or Not to Cap: Honorifics“, about the BDSM world in which a submissive may be required to address his/her Dom/Domme as Sir. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| sir, my lady, señor, mademoiselle, my lord, miss . . . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Civil, Ruling, or Noble Titles (President, Queen, King) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Professional Title | See Abbreviations for rules on abbreviating professional titles. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military Title | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Examples in a Sentence | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Family & Personal Titles | Definition: Family titles are mom, father, sister, brother, aunt, cousin, etc.
Personal titles are mister, mrs, miss, ms. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Family Title | Definition: A form of address (or name) in a family unit. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal Title | Definition: A title or honorific used before a person’s name to show respect.
Credit to: Shutterfly; How |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: Using male titles. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Credit to: Chaudhary |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: Use the title the woman prefers before her last name or first and last name. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Term of Affection | Definition: Terms of affection include bro’, honey, sis, sweetie, baby, etc., and are never capitalized, unless —
Do remember to treat such terms as vocative case. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign Honorific | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country: Spain | Rule: Show great respect by using Don with the man’s first or full name and Doña with a woman’s full name.
See Abbreviations for those rules. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: If you are well-acquainted with the woman, you may use the honorific + her first name.
See Abbreviations for those rules. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: Use Señor for men and Señora for women and only with their last name. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| GROUPS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Organizations | Rule: Capitalize the proper name of a group, but use lowercase when an organizational name is used to refer to a titled group. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Partial List of Generic Organizational Names | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Departments | Definition: Official names of governments, organizations, and corporate departments. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Rule: Such departments are normally capitalized, however, never capitalize the name when it is used informally. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Department of Defense Society for the Prevention of Cruelty |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Generic Government Reference | Rule: Do NOT capitalize a reference to a non-specific government entity. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military Organization | Rule: Capitalize only branches of the armed forces when preceded by the name of the country. There are always exceptions; verify the usual practice of any organization. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Religious and Political | Rule: The name of a religious or political group is a proper noun and should be capitalized.
If an adjective is used to refer to the proper noun of such a group, it too is capitalized. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal Pronoun | Rule: The personal pronoun Iis always capitalized. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
I am the king.
Will I always be an idiot? I am the oldest child in my family. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PROPER NAME | Rule: Proper names are always capitalized. Unless the person, organization, product, building, or place prefers a lowercase. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Article | Rule: The individuals/families’ preference always take precedence. And, of course, there are general rules for different situations or countries as well as rules for alphabetization.
A.k.a. prefix, particle, prepositions |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Rule: In general (and per the Chicago Manual of Style), follow the user’s preference:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
APA: Capitalize the article if it:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| De la Mare made the final decision: The earthquake victims would receive food and medical supplies.
Du Maurier’s autobiography, Growing Pains, ignored most of her later life: “Here there be dragons”. There is one artist in particular who was instrumental in the birth of the Renaissance: Da Vinci was a genius in many fields from art to philosophy to science. Legend:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: In reference list entries, keep the author’s original capitalization. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| de Haan, A. D., Deković, M., & Prinzie, P. (2012). Longitudinal impact of parental and adole . . . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish | Rule: Not usually capped IF a forename or title precedes. Do capitalize the article if used without a first name or title or drop the particle. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arabic Exceptions | Rule: Treat al- and el- as you would the French de and d’ (see below). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| French Exceptions | Rule: In French names, Le, L’, La, and Les are usually capped; however, de and d’ are not. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Comtesse de La Fayette Jean de La Fontaine Alexis de Tocqueville Philibert de L’Orme Charles Le Brun Charles de Gaulle Duc de La Rochefoucauld |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RELIGION | Rule: Capitalize the names of gods, goddesses, prophets. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Allah Jesus Christ Buddha Shiva Zeus Jupiter God (when referring to God the Almighty; see God versus god) The Chaldean Oracles of Zoroaster |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SCIENCE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disease | Rule: Diseases named after regions or people are capitalized. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Instrument | Rule: The 6th ed. APA capitalizes the names of instruments, tests, or scales, but uses lowercase for test or scale when referring to subscales of tests of an overall instrument. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Model | Rule: APA (6th ed.) do not capitalize unless a person’s name is associated with it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Theory, Hypothesis, Law |
Rule: Do not capitalize unless a person’s name is associated with it.
Some style guides may prefer capitalization. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TITLE CASE | Definition: Title case refers to the titles of books, magazines, movies, music, newspapers, plays, poems, software, songs, speeches, and titles of their parts such as scenes, articles, chapters ++ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
General Rule: Never capitalize the articles, conjunctions, and short prepositions, except when different organizations and companies have different capitalization requirements including:
Preposition Rule:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Book | Rule: Book titles are almost always italicized. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Death is Not the End No Nest for the Wicket Towers of Midnight |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rule: Papal encyclicals require different handling:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: Sacred texts are capped, but not italicized. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| the Bible the Koran |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bible, parts of | Rule: Always capitalize in reference to sacred Christian writings comprising the Old Testament and New Testament.
Consider exploring abbreviating the Bible. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
A reading from the Book of Genesis A reading from the Book of 2 Kings A reading from the Book of Galatians |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rule: Always use lowercase to describe a publication that is preeminent in authority or readership. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This manual is the bible of the gourmet world.
Bill Hylton and Fred Matlack’s Woodworking with the Router comes close to being the router bible. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Magazine | Rule: Magazine titles are always italicized. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Time Ladies’ Home Journal Wired |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Newspaper | Rule: The names of newspapers are always italicized but NOT the the in front of the name. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
USA Today Milwaukee Journal the New York Times the Washington Post |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Play | Rule: Play titles are either italicized or put in quotes (see the rules on Italicizing a Play), but they do follow book capitalization rules. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
Death of a Salesman Cats |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plays & Poetry, divisions of | Rule: Use lowercase when referring to divisions in a play or poem, i.e., acts, cantos, or stanzas UNLESS the text uses uppercase. See “Numerals” for the rules on using numbers with a play or poem. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
act 3 canto 2 stanza 5 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Song | Rule: Song titles are always encased in quotation marks. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
“Jumpin’ Jack Flash” “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WEBSITES | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Return to top or post contents |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: You might not think this is a big deal. But journalists do.
Writing like they write and following their rules shows you know how to play their game. Use AP style in your press releases, letters to the editor, articles, and anything you submit to them — even pitches. TO DO: Invest in the AP Stylebook or the iOS app. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domain Name | Definition: A name owned by a person or organization and consisting of an easily remembered sequence followed by a suffix indicating the top-level domain. It’s used as an Internet address to identify the location of a particular web site, e.g., kathydavie.com, instead of forcing people to remember a string of numbers. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Formatting Tips by exploring its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Word Confusions, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Capitalization
APA Style. Ed 6th. American Psychological Association. 15 July 2009. Print.
Chaudhary, Angbeen. “Master vs. Mister.” Grammar.com. n.d. Web. 14 Mar 2023. <https://www.grammar.com/master_vs._mister>.
Chicago Manual of Style. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Print.
“Flowers, Fruits, and Plants.” National Geographic Style Manual. National Geographic. Google. n.d. Web. n.d. <https://sites.google.com/a/ngs.org/ngs-style-manual/home/F/flowers-fruits-and-plants>.
Fogarty, Mignon. “When Do You Capitalize Directions?” Quick and Dirty Tips. 29 June 2017. Web. n.d. <http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/when-do-you-capitalize-directions#sthash.CmcNIZE1.dpuf>.
Fowler, Mark. “Can I Mention Brand Name Products in My Fiction?” Rights of Writers. 27 Dec 2010. Web. n.d. <http://www.rightsofwriters.com/2010/12/can-i-mention-brand-name-products-in-my.html>.
Grammar Girl.com. n.d. Web. n.d. <https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/>.
A Guardian/Observer Style Guide. n.d. Web. n.d. <http://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-a>.
“A Guide to Proper Trademark Use for Media, Internet, and Publishing Professionals.” International Trademark Association. 2012. Web. n.d. <http://www.inta.org/Media/Documents/2012_TMUseMediaInternetPublishing.pdf>.
“How Do You Pluralize ‘Mr.’ and ‘Mrs.’?” Usage Notes. Merriam-Webster. n.d. Web. 14 Mar 2023. <https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/how-to-pluralize-mr-mrs-miss-honorifics-usage>.
International Trademark Association. n.d. Web. n.d. <http://www.inta.org/>.
Lakin, C.S. “Point Me in the Right Direction.” 22 Mar 2013. Web. n.d. <http://www.livewritethrive.com/2013/03/22/point-me-in-the-right-direction/>.
Michy. Accentuate Services. n.d. Web. n.d. <http://accentuateservices.com/archives/567>.
Nichol, Mark. “Capitalization Rules for the Names of Games.” Daily Writing Tips. Aug 2011. Web. n.d. <http://www.dailywritingtips.com/capitalization-rules-for-the-names-of-games/>.
Pullum, Geoffrey K. “Phrase-hoarding.” Silliness. Language and the Law. Language and Education. Language and Advertising. Language Log. 28 Feb 2014. <https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=10775>. This is a list of phrases you can’t use because they’ve been co-opted by institutions.
Shutterfly Community. “When To Use Miss, Ms. Or Mrs.: Everything You Need To Know.” Shutterfly. 21 May 2021. Web. 14 Mar 2023. <https://www.shutterfly.com/ideas/difference-between-ms-mrs-miss/>.
Skillin, Marjorie E., Robert M. Gay, and other authorities. Words into Type. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1974. Third edition. Print.
Pinterest Photo Credits
Museu de Belles Arts de Castelló Català, is Joanbanjo‘s own work under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons.
