Capitalization

Always capitalize the first and last word in a title. Capitalize all the other words except for a, an, the, and conjunctions and prepositions of four letters or fewer. This applies to titles of books, chapters, periodicals, poems, stories, plays paintings, musical compositions, and subtitles. Examples: The Chronicles of Narnia (The is the first word,

There are two additional rules for capitalizing when writing letters. 1. Capitalize the first word and all nouns in the salutation (or greeting). Correct: Dear Sir: My dearest Aunt, Greetings! 2. Capitalize the first word in the complimentary closing. Correct: Sincerely, Truly yours, With best wishes, For more, see Letter Writing topic in Grammar Contents.

The first letter of the first word in a sentence is capitalized. Correct: The first word in a sentence is capitalized. The first word of an interjection, an incomplete question, or fragmentary response is capitalized. Correct: “Did you do it?” “No.” “Why not?” “Because.”

Capitalize the first word in a quotation if the quotation is a complete sentence or if it is an interjection, an incomplete question, or fragmentary response. Correct: He said, “Why did you come back?” (Quotation is a sentence by itself.) Incorrect: She replied, “you wanted me to.” (A fragmentary response, you needs a capital.) A

Sentence after a Colon The first word of sentence following a colon is capitalized. Correct: Grapes were not squeezed for juice: The pulp was pressed. (A complete sentence follows the colon.) Incorrect: Please bring the following items to work tomorrow: A grab-bag gift, a goofy hat, and a smile. (A list follows the colon, not