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Kultur Dokumente
CAPITALIZATION
LESSON SU MMA RY
Capitalization goes beyond the first word of a sentence. This
chapter covers the finer points of capitalization by breaking them
down into two segments: general rules and specific rules.
tart by seeing just how much you already know about the proper use of capital letters. On the next page,
you see the same passage written twice. The first column, called Problem, contains no capitalization at
alldefinitely a problem in writing! Circle those letters you think should be capitalized in the Problem
column, and then check yourself against the Solution column.
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CAPITALIZATION
Problem
Solution
How did you do? As you progress through the lesson, try to identify the specific rules that you missed.
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CAPITALIZATION
EXAMPLE
partial quotation.
Practice
Check your ability to apply these rules in the following
practice questions. Choose the correctly capitalized
option from each of the following sets. Answers to each
set of questions can be found at the end of the lesson.
1. a. the movie terrified me at first. after a few minutes, i began to calm down.
b. The movie terrified me at first. after a few
minutes, I began to calm down.
c. The movie terrified me at first. After a few
minutes, I began to calm down.
2. a. what are you doing? my supervisor asked.
trying to finish the memo Ive been writing,
i replied.
b. What are you doing? my supervisor asked.
Trying to finish the memo Ive been writing,
I replied.
c. What are you doing? My supervisor asked.
Trying to finish the memo Ive been writing,
I replied.
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CAPITALIZATION
EXAMPLES
Friday, Saturday
months
January, February
holidays
Christmas, Halloween
Practice
Using these rules, choose the correctly capitalized version of each of the following pairs.
5. a. Chaucer was one of the foremost poets from
the Middle ages.
b. Chaucer was one of the foremost poets from
the Middle Ages.
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CAPITALIZATION
EXAMPLES
modes of transportation
TransWorld Airlines
names of products
names of officials
Practice
Choose the correctly capitalized version of each of the
following pairs.
9. a. Shakespeares comedy of errors is one of his
easiest plays to read.
b. Shakespeares Comedy of Errors is one of his
easiest plays to read.
10. a. We caught a Vanguard Airlines flight to
Orlando.
b. We caught a Vanguard airlines flight to
Orlando.
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CAPITALIZATION
EXAMPLES
Practice
Proper Adjectives
Examples:
English muffin, Polish sausage, Japanese yen
Practice
Choose the correctly capitalized version of each of the
following pairs.
20. a. Some residents of ireland still speak the Gaelic
Language.
b. Some residents of Ireland still speak the Gaelic
language.
21. a. Frida Kahlo, a Mexican artist, painted many
self-portraits.
b. Frida Kahlo, a mexican artist, painted many
self-portraits.
22. a. My Irish ancestors immigrated to the United
States in 1853.
b. My irish ancestors immigrated to the United
States in 1853.
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CAPITALIZATION
Avoid unnecessarily capitalizing compass directions; however, direction words that refer to a specific area of the country should be capitalized.
Examples:
We headed west after the Depression.
The future of the country was cultivated in the West.
Avoid unnecessarily capitalizing the words referring to family members. Capitalize them only
when they are used as names. If a possessive adjective (my, our, your, his, her, their) comes before the
word referring to a family member, the family
word is not capitalized.
Examples:
When Uncle Harry visited last winter, none of
my other uncles came to see him.
After my mother called me for lunch, Father
served the entree.
Avoid unnecessarily capitalizing the seasons of the
year or parts of the academic year.
Example:
If the university offers History of Education 405
in the spring semester, Horace can graduate
in May.
Avoid unnecessarily capitalizing school subjects.
They should be capitalized only if they are part of
the name of a specific course.
Examples:
I try to avoid math courses because Im not very
good at them.
Betsy is taking Algebra II and Trigonometry I
next semester.
Avoid unnecessarily capitalizing words modified
by proper adjectives.
Examples:
Polish sausage, not Polish Sausage
Mexican restaurant, not Mexican Restaurant
Practice
Choose the correctly capitalized version of each of the
following pairs.
25. a. Digging the Canal through Panama took
many years.
b. Digging the canal through Panama took many
years.
26. a. The Smoky Mountains are in the Southeastern
part of the country.
b. The Smoky Mountains are in the southeastern
part of the country.
27. a. Nicholi Milani does more business in the East
than in the West.
b. Nicholi Milani does more business in the east
than in the west.
28. a. My least favorite subject in school is history,
although I have to admit I enjoyed taking
European History I last semester.
b. My least favorite subject in school is History,
although I have to admit I enjoyed taking
European History I last semester.
29. a. Marianne had never been as far East as
Columbus, Ohio.
b. Marianne had never been as far east as
Columbus, Ohio.
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