Proper Nouns and Adjectives

CapitalizationLike most other conventions of language,

capital letters help make writing easier to read. They call attention to certain special words and indicate the beginnings of sentences.

There are specific rules for capitalizing words. This PowerPoint will show you the rules. You can revisit this PowerPoint at any time if you have questions about capitalization.

Rule: Capitalize proper nouns and proper adjectives.

Proper Nouns and AdjectivesA common noun is the name of a general

group of people, places, or things.Example: queen, country, government

A proper noun is the name of a particular person, place, or thing.

Example: Elizabeth, France, CongressA proper adjective is an adjective formed

from a proper noun.Example: Elizabethan, French, Congressional

Rule: Capitalize people’s names and the initials or abbreviations that stand for names.

Names of PeopleJ. K. RowlingJoanne Kathleen RowlingJ. R. R. TolkienJohn Ronald Reuel TolkienArthur C. ClarkeArthur Charles Clarke

Rule: Capitalize the titles – written or abbreviated – used with people’s names.

Names of PeopleGov. R. T. AlbergMrs. Jennifer ManzanoJudge Ellen SullivanPfc James A. MorrisDr. L. K. JenkinsRev. Charles Klein

Rule: Do not capitalize a title that is used without a name. It is a common noun.

Names of PeopleBarbara Sloan is president of the bank.

The judge in this courtroom is Justice Banks.

The principal announced a staff meeting.

The tribe searched the reservation for its chief.

Rule: Do capitalize titles of very high importance, even when they are used without a name.

Names of Peoplethe President of the United States

the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

the Prime Minister of Great Britain.

the Pope

Rule: Capitalize such family words as mom, father, aunt, and grandpa when they are used as names.

Family Relationships

What was Dad like when he was sixteen, Grandma?Jessica is here, Mom.Uncle Don is coming home from Iraq.

Rule: Do not capitalize such family words as mom, father, aunt, and grandpa if it is preceded by a possessive word or by a, an, or the.

Family Relationships

Mom calls our grandma every Sunday.My aunt’s car needs a new battery.The father in the movie was played by Denzel Washington.

Rule: Always capitalize the pronoun I.

The Pronoun I

He and I went to the football game.I work after school.Mike, Suzy, and I were confused by the assignment.

Rule: Capitalize all words – including personal pronouns – referring to God, to the Holy Family, and to religious scriptures.

The Supreme Being and Sacred Writings

the Almighty the Biblethe Sanskrit the Talmudthe Blessed Virgin Allahthe Son of God the Book of Jobthe Great Spirit the Lord

They asked the Lord for His blessing.

Rule: In a geographical name, capitalize the first letter of each word except for articles and prepositions.

Geographic Names:Continents

AfricaNorth AmericaSouth AmericaAustraliaAsiaEurope

Geographic Names:Bodies of Water

the Atlantic Oceanthe Ohio Riverthe Gulf of Mexicothe Dead Seathe Panama CanalLake Michigan

Geographic Names:Land Forms

Mount McKinleythe Grand CanyonDeath Valleythe Black HillsCape CodAleutian Islands

Geographic Names:Political Units

FloridaProvince of OntarioDenverRepublic of KenyaState of IsraelSixteenth Congressional District

Geographic Names:Public Areas

Yellowstone National ParkFort SumterBadlands National MonumentFord TheaterFallen Timbers BattlefieldEverglades National Park

Geographic Names:Roads and Highways

Route 30Interstate 7713th StreetPerry DriveWest Tuscarawas StreetLincoln Way

Rule: Capitalize names and sections of the country.

Directions and SectionsThe West has several old trading posts.The South is sometimes called “Dixie.”The Sorensons moved from New England to the West Coast.

Rule: Capitalize proper adjectives that come from names of sections of the country.

Directions and Sections

A Midwestern townSouthern foodWestern saddleEast Coast company

Rule: Do not capitalize directions of the compass.

Directions and Sections

Barrow, Alaska, is north of all other United States cities.Drive east on Interstate 80 to New York.We’re heading south for the winter.

Rule: Do not capitalize adjectives that come from words showing direction.

Directions and Sections

The parking lot is on the north side of the building.The southerly breeze turned into a fierce wind.

Rule: Capitalize the names of organizations and institutions and abbreviations of these names.

Organizations and InstitutionsRepublican PartyFederal Trade CommissionAFL-CIOEdison Middle SchoolAultman HospitalNCAAAmerican Library Association

Rule: Do not capitalize such words as school, church, and hospital when they are not used as parts of names.

Organizations and Institutions

Several people from our church are going.She works at the hospital.Were you tardy to school?

Rule: Capitalize the names of historical events, documents, and periods of time.

Events, Documents, and Periods of Time

Boston Masssacrethe RenaissanceKristallnachtUnited States Constitution the Vietnam WarTreaty of Versailles

Rule: Capitalize the names of months, days, and holidays, but not the names of seasons.

Months, Days, and Holidays

DecemberRamadanThursdayHalloweenautumn

Rule: Do not capitalize the names of school subjects, except course titles followed by a number.

School Subjects

historyArt Iindustrial artsadvanced biologyMath 300

Rule: Remember that the names of languages are always capitalized.

School Subjects

EnglishSpanishJapaneseFrench

Rule: Capitalize the names of planes, trains, ships, and automobiles.

Planes, Trains, Ships, and Automobiles

U.S.S. ConstellationConcordeFord MustangOrient Express

Rule: Capitalize the abbreviations B.C. and A.D.

B.C. and A.D.

Julius Caesar died on March 15, 44 B.C.Mohammed was born in 570 A.D.