Writing for Grammar: Capital Letters - Part 2

This resource was written by Purdue Owl.
Last full revision by Chris Berry.
Last edited by Karl Stolley on August 20th 2006 at 8:23PM

7) Titles preceding names, but not title that follow names

She worked as the assistant to Mayor Hanolovi.
I was able to interview Miriam Moss, mayor of Littonville.

8) Directions that are names (North, South, East, and West when used as sections of the country, but not as compass directions)

The Patels have moved to the Southwest.
Jim’s house is two miles north of Otterbein.

9) The days of the week, the months of the year, and holidays (but not the seasons used generally)

Halloween
October
Friday
winter
spring
fall

10) Exception: Seasons are capitalized when used in a title.

The Fall 1999 semester

11) The names of countries, nationalities, and specific languages

Costa Rica
Spanish
French
English

12) The first word in a sentence that is a direct quote

Emerson once said, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."

13) The major words in the titles of books, articles, and songs (but not short prepositions or the articles "the," "a," or "an," if they are not the first word of the title)

One of Jerry’s favorite books is The Catcher in the Rye.

14) Members of national, political, racial, social, civic, and athletic groups

Green Bay Packers
African-Americans
Anti-Semitic
Democrats
Friends of the Wilderness
Chinese

15) Periods and events (but not century numbers)

Victorian Era
Great Depression
Constitutional Convention
sixteenth century

16) Trademarks

Pepsi
Honda
IBM
Microsoft Word

17) Words and abbreviations of specific names (but not names of things that came from specific things but are now general types)

Freudian
NBC
pasteurize
UN
french fries
italics

For more information, refer to CP Caps and Spelling, The Canadian Press, 15th Edition, 2000.