Capitalization rules in English

In English, there are many rules for using capital letters. As an academic writer, I understood its importance after publishing my research papers in international peer-reviewed journals. Following are the rules that explain where to capitalize a letter. This could be a handy reference for you. So bookmark this page in your browser for future reference.

Rule 1: The first word in a sentence

Eg: Welcome to my website

Rule 2: The pronoun

Eg: She and I are good friends.

Rule 3: Abbreviations and acronyms formed from the first letters of words

Eg: UNESCO, IBM, USA, SAARC

Rule 4: All proper nouns. Proper nouns include

a. Names of deities     –     Allah, God, Jesus, Shiva

b. Names of people and their titles    –     Mr. and Mrs. Smith

President Abdul Kalam

But NOT a title without a name    –     That economist is the former prime minister

c. Names of specific groups of people (nationalities, races, and ethnic groups), languages, and religions – Asian, American, African, Muslim, Hindu, Sentinelese.

d. Names of specific places on a map    –     New Delhi, Aurangzeb Road, South Pole, Indian Ocean

e. Name of specific geographic areas     –     the Middle East, Eastern Europe

But NOT the names of compass directions    –    Drive north for two blocks, and then turn west

f. Names of days, months, and special days   –     Friday, July, Ramadan

But NOT the names of the seasons      –     spring, summer, winter, autumn

g. Names of specific structures such as buildings, bridges, dams, monuments – Taj Mahal, Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge

h. Names of specific organizations (government agencies, businesses, schools, clubs, etc..,)    –   Revenue Department, Indian Bank, Arsenal Football Club.

i. Name of school/college subjects with course numbers    –   Cost Accounting 415, Managerial Economics 521

j. First, last, and all important words in the titles of books, magazines, newspapers, plays, films, stories, songs, paintings, statues, television programs    –    Origin of Species, The Wealth of Nation

     Note: Italicize (or underline) titles of books, magazines, newspapers, plays, and films