Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

We’re living in a time when it sometimes seems that the standard rules in English no longer apply. Whether it’s in texts, social media posts, or emails, English basics are being ignored. This is especially true for how and when to use capital letters, also known as the upper case of a letter.

I know. I’m sounding like the guy who yells at kids for playing on his lawn. You may be thinking that this doesn’t matter since we’re not talking about formal writing. Well, I don’t mind if kids are playing on my lawn, but I do care if they are playing in my garden. I spend a lot of time tending to my garden. I water it, weed it, fertilize it – it’s something that demands care and attention because it can be a beautiful place and also give back so much in return. I nurture my garden and it nurtures me. The same can be said for the English language. If you respect proper English, you will be rewarded.

The basic rules of English have been followed by Charles Dickens, John F. Kennedy, and Salman Rushdie. Poets, statesmen, philosophers, screenwriters – they all have a clear understanding of the established practices of English and they follow them. Okay, sometimes maybe not e.e.cummings. But you have to know the rules before you can break them. And writing well is important if you are to be taken seriously. That’s a fact which won’t go away anytime soon.

Keeping all that in mind, let’s review the standard rules for using capital letters in English.

Why We Use Capital Letters

One use of capitalization in English stands out above all others – the capital I, used to refer to oneself. I wrote about the subject years ago, in this blog. No other language singles out and capitalizes this pronoun, only English. It calls attention to the self. And, if nothing else, capitalization is a signal to the reader to pay attention to this word. But, if used too often, as it can be in texts and on social media, then that significance loses its importance over time.

1. The first word of every sentence begins with a capital letter.

There are no exceptions to this rule. This tells the reader that a new and important thought is beginning. I think that this is where we go wrong when we text. Many of us write in the lower case until we want to emphasize something, which we then capitalize with every letter. Please, get out of that habit.

2. Use a capital letter to begin all proper nouns.

Proper nouns refer to specific people, places, and things. Beyonce is a proper noun, as is Oklahoma and Dell Computers. This is the important distinction between buying an apple and buying an Apple.

3. Capitalize the first word in a title or heading.

The title of this blog is The Rules of Capitalization. Rules and Capitalization are important words in the title, as is The, because it is the first word in the title, but of is not an important word in the title. The heading of this section of the blog is Why We Use Capital Letters. All words in the heading are significant.

4. Capitalize the first word in a line of poetry unless the poet didn’t.

No man is an island,

Entire of itself.

Each is a piece of the continent,

A part of the main.

5. Capitalize the first word of a direct quotation.

He asked, “Can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me that I’m getting better?”

Do you have a question about using capital letters? Please post it in the comments box below. I’ll be happy to respond.