Capitalization

At first glance, for most of us, the rules of capitalization seem simple and therefore, we take them very lightly. Everyone would probably know that the first letter that begins a sentence should be capitalized. But apart from this common knowledge, it is important to keep in mind certain other rules that will help us improve the quality of our writing. 

Rules

Some basic rules apart from the one mentioned above are: 

Rule 1: 

Capitals should always be used to begin names and other proper nouns and the adjectives that are derived from them, like; 

• My name is David. 
• We are going to Jamie’s house. 
• Let us learn more about Shakespearian sonnets. 
• Do you listen to German songs? 

Rule 2: 

Always capitalize the first word that begins with a quote, like; 

• Philip asked, “What are your plans for the weekend?” 
• Simona said, “My car is in the workshop.” 
• Daniel shouted, “Someone please help us!” 

Rule 3: 

Always capitalize the names of days, months, and holidays, like; 

• I love Saturdays. 
• My birthday is on December. 
• What will you be doing in Christmas? 

However, the names of seasons should not be capitalized. 

For example: 

• We went to Florida last summer. 
• What are your winter plans? 

Rule 4: 

When it comes to the titles of movies, books, and other works of art, always capitalize all the nouns, verbs, and adjectives, whereas all the articles, prepositions, and conjunctions should be in the lower case, like; 

• Pride and Prejudice is my favorite novel. 
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a beautiful movie. 
• Silence of the Lambs is a masterfully crafted movie. 

Rule 5: 

The names of countries, nationalities, cities, and languages should always be capitalized, like; 

• Have you ever been to Germany? 
• We are planning a trip to Florida this summer. 
• My father is American, and my mother is French. 
• Do you speak Arabic? 

Rule 6: 

The pronoun I should always be capitalized irrespective of its position in a sentence, like; 

• Mark thinks that I will be able to win the title. 
• Why do you think that I am the one to finish this task? 
• What else should I do to win your trust?