8 Capitalization Rules You Should Know

Grammarly

21 Apr 202304:01

Summary

TLDRThis video from Grammar League provides a concise guide to capitalization rules, offering eight essential tips to help viewers master them. Key points include capitalizing the first word of a sentence, proper nouns such as names and cities, and specific elements like days and holidays. The video also covers when not to capitalize, such as after colons and seasons. Viewers are encouraged to use Grammarly for further writing assistance. The video wraps up by promoting more episodes on writing and communication tips, ensuring viewers' skills remain sharp.

Takeaways

😀 Capitalize the first word of a sentence—it's always mandatory.
🐶 Proper nouns like names of people, cities, countries, companies, and specific titles should always be capitalized.
⚖️ After a colon, you generally don't capitalize the following word unless it's a proper noun or a complete sentence.
🗣️ Capitalize the first word of a full-sentence quote but not for partial quotes.
📅 Always capitalize days, months, and holidays, but seasons should not be capitalized.
📚 In titles, capitalize the first word, all nouns, verbs, adjectives, and proper nouns, but lowercase articles, conjunctions, and prepositions unless they are longer than five letters.
🌍 Always capitalize cities, countries, nationalities, and languages, as they are proper nouns.
⏳ Capitalize specific time periods, eras, and historical events, but centuries and the numbers before them should not be capitalized.
🔄 Remember to check capitalization rules when writing to ensure correct usage, especially with names and quotes.
📝 Use tools like Grammarly to help you with capitalization and other writing mechanics for flawless communication.

Q & A

What is the first rule of capitalization mentioned in the video?
-The first rule is to always capitalize the first word of a sentence.
What kinds of words are proper nouns that should be capitalized?
-Proper nouns include names of people (e.g., Jane Austen, Judge Judy), cities, countries, companies, religions, and political parties.
When should you capitalize 'Mom' and 'Grandma'?
-You should capitalize 'Mom' and 'Grandma' when they are used as forms of address, like in 'Wait until Mom sees this.'
Is it necessary to capitalize the first word after a colon?
-Usually, you do not need to capitalize the first word after a colon unless it is a proper noun or begins a complete sentence.
When should you capitalize the first word of a quote?
-Capitalize the first word of a quote when it is a complete sentence, for example, 'Mario asked, What is everyone doing this weekend?'
Should you capitalize the names of seasons?
-No, seasons are not proper nouns, so you do not need to capitalize them. However, days, months, and holidays should be capitalized.
What words should be capitalized in titles of books, movies, and other works?
-Capitalize the first word, all nouns, all verbs, all adjectives, and all proper nouns in titles. Articles, conjunctions, and prepositions are typically not capitalized unless a style guide specifies otherwise.
What are some examples of historical events or time periods that should be capitalized?
-Specific periods, eras, and historical events with proper names should be capitalized, such as the Renaissance or World War II. However, centuries and the numbers before them are not capitalized.
Should you capitalize nationalities, cities, and languages?
-Yes, nationalities, cities, countries, and languages are all proper nouns, so they should be capitalized.
What tool does the video recommend for checking capitalization and improving writing skills?
-The video recommends using Grammarly to check grammar and improve capitalization and overall writing skills.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Introduction and Video Purpose

The speaker introduces the video, stating it is part of the 'Level Up' series on writing and communication advice, focusing on capitalization rules. They encourage viewers to subscribe, like, comment, and check out Grammarly for writing assistance before diving into the lesson on capitalization.

📝 Rule 1: Capitalizing the First Word of a Sentence

This section explains the first capitalization rule: always capitalize the first word of a sentence. The speaker emphasizes how simple and essential this rule is.

👤 Rule 2: Capitalizing Names and Proper Nouns

The speaker explains that names of people, cities, countries, companies, and other proper nouns must be capitalized. They also clarify that familial terms like 'Mom' or 'Grandma' are capitalized when used as forms of address.

🔡 Rule 3: Capitalizing After a Colon

The rule states that in most cases, you don't capitalize after a colon. However, exceptions are made for proper nouns or when the phrase following the colon is a complete sentence. Examples are provided to illustrate both the rule and its exceptions.

💬 Rule 4: Capitalizing the First Word of a Quote

The speaker highlights that the first word of a complete sentence in a quote should be capitalized. However, partial quotes do not require capitalization. Examples clarify when to apply each rule.

📅 Rule 5: Capitalizing Days, Months, and Holidays

This section covers the rule that names of days, months, and holidays are capitalized since they are proper nouns. Seasons, however, are not proper nouns and therefore should not be capitalized.

📖 Rule 6: Capitalizing Titles of Works

The speaker explains that in titles of books, movies, and other works, the first word, all nouns, verbs, adjectives, and proper nouns should be capitalized. Articles, conjunctions, and prepositions are usually lowercase, though some style guides may capitalize longer conjunctions and prepositions.

🌍 Rule 7: Capitalizing Cities, Countries, Nationalities, and Languages

This rule addresses that cities, countries, nationalities, and languages are proper nouns and should always be capitalized. The speaker reinforces the importance of applying this rule consistently.

🕰️ Rule 8: Capitalizing Time Periods and Events

The final rule explains that specific historical events, periods, and eras should be capitalized if they have proper names. However, generic terms like 'centuries' and the numbers associated with them are not capitalized.

🤔 Conclusion and Grammarly Recommendation

The speaker concludes by encouraging viewers to reflect on their capitalization habits and to use Grammarly for help with writing skills. They promote the tool as a way to ensure flawless capitalization and invite viewers to explore more writing tips in future episodes.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Capitalization

Capitalization refers to writing certain words with their initial letters in uppercase. In the video, capitalization is the main theme, as the speaker provides rules on when and how to capitalize words properly. Examples include capitalizing the first word of a sentence and names of people or places.

💡Proper nouns

Proper nouns are specific names of people, places, or things, which are always capitalized. The video mentions that names like 'Jane Austen' or 'New York City' should be capitalized, as well as cities, countries, and political parties. These distinguish proper nouns from common nouns, which are not capitalized.

💡First word of a sentence

This refers to the rule that the first word of any sentence must always be capitalized. It is the first rule discussed in the video, emphasizing its simplicity and importance for clear writing. For example, in the sentence 'Jane loves reading,' 'Jane' is capitalized because it is the first word.

💡Colon

A colon is a punctuation mark (:) used to introduce lists, explanations, or quotes. The video explains that, typically, the word following a colon is not capitalized unless it is a proper noun or the beginning of a complete sentence. An example provided is, 'There is only one place I want to visit: New York City.'

💡Quote

A quote refers to someone’s exact words, which are often placed in quotation marks. The video covers the rule that the first word of a complete sentence within a quote should be capitalized. For instance, in the sentence 'Mario asked, What is everyone doing this weekend?', 'What' is capitalized.

💡Days, months, and holidays

These are specific time-related proper nouns that should always be capitalized. The video mentions that the names of days (like 'Monday'), months (like 'October'), and holidays (like 'Christmas') are capitalized. However, seasons like 'summer' are not, because they are not proper nouns.

💡Titles

Titles refer to the names of books, movies, and other works, where certain words must be capitalized. The video discusses that in titles, the first word, all nouns, verbs, adjectives, and proper nouns should be capitalized. An example could be a book title like 'The Great Gatsby.'

💡Nationalities and languages

Nationalities and languages are proper nouns that should be capitalized. The video mentions that names of countries, nationalities, and languages, such as 'French' or 'Spanish,' are always capitalized to show respect for identity and cultural recognition.

💡Historical periods and events

These are specific time frames or events in history that have proper names and should be capitalized. The video provides examples like the 'Renaissance' or 'World War II,' which are capitalized because they represent significant periods or events in history.

💡Grammarly

Grammarly is a writing tool mentioned multiple times in the video that helps users improve their grammar, punctuation, and writing skills. The video encourages viewers to download Grammarly for assistance with capitalization and other writing-related issues.

Highlights

Introduction to the video on capitalization rules and an invitation to subscribe to the channel.

Rule #1: Always capitalize the first word of a sentence.

Rule #2: Capitalize names and other proper nouns such as cities, countries, companies, religions, and political parties.

Proper nouns also include terms like 'Mom' and 'Grandma' when used as forms of address.

Rule #3: Do not capitalize after a colon, except when the word following the colon is a proper noun or forms a complete sentence.

Example of a proper noun after a colon: 'I want to visit: New York City.'

Rule #4: Capitalize the first word of a quote when it's a complete sentence, but don't capitalize partial quotes.

Example of capitalizing a full quote: 'Mario asked, What is everyone doing this weekend?'

Rule #5: Capitalize days, months, and holidays, but do not capitalize seasons.

Rule #6: Capitalize most words in titles such as the first word, nouns, verbs, adjectives, and proper nouns, but lowercase articles, conjunctions, and prepositions.

Some style guides recommend capitalizing conjunctions and prepositions longer than five letters.

Rule #7: Capitalize names of cities, countries, nationalities, and languages.

Rule #8: Capitalize specific time periods, eras, and historical events with proper names, but not centuries and their numbers.

Reminder: Grammarly can help check capitalization and other grammar rules with its writing tool.

Encouragement to visit Grammarly.com for more writing assistance and communication improvement.