Capitalizing Words and Punctuating Titles
| Learning Objectives: - Employ proper capitalization for titles of books, articles, and other words.
- Identify which titles require italics/underlining and which require quotation marks.
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LESSON
Proper capitalization is essential to the success of your written work. It ensures that your writing is clear and easily understood. In this lesson, you will learn when you should capitalizeTo use capital letters. words. You will also learn the correct way to punctuateTo use punctuation marks in a text. titles, including whether you should use italicsA formatting style where the typeface appears slanted., underliningA formatting style where the typeface appears with a line underneath., or quotation marksA set of single or double inverted commas (' ' or " ") that are placed around a word or passage to mark the beginning and end of a direct quotation or a title..
Capitalizing Words
Capitalize words at the beginning of a sentenceA group of words, phrases, or clauses that expresses a complete thought. A complete sentence has these characteristics: a capitalized first word, a subject and a predicate, and end punctuation, such as a period (.), question mark (?), or exclamation mark (!)., in acronymsA word that is an abbreviated form of a phrase, term, or organization that is made up of the first letter of each word in the item. Example: NASA is the acronym for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. , and in proper nounsThe name of a person place or thing. Proper nouns should be capitalized. Examples: person: George Washington; place: The White House; thing: The Washington Monument.. Acronyms are words formed by the first letter of each word in a phrase, such as DMV, which stands for the Department of Motor Vehicles. A proper noun is the name used for a specific and individual person, title, place, organization, or thing. Capitalize every word in the proper noun, except prepositionsPart of speech including words or groups of words that connect an object (a noun or a pronoun) to other words to describe it. They usually describe space (location) or time. Examples include: over, in, to, around, through., articlesIn grammar, there are three articles in English: a, an, and the. These words define the specificity of a noun. For example, contrast the meanings of the following sentences: Get in the car. Get in a car. and coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS)Part of speech that connects words, phrases, and independent clauses. The acronym FANBOYS—for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so—can help you remember coordinating conjunctions., unless it is the first or last word.
Here is a list of proper nouns that you should capitalize.
- Titles of works (such as books, movies, plays, etc.): I recently read the Shakespeare tragedy Romeo and Juliet.
- Specific buildings: My parents climbed the steps of the Empire State Building on their last trip to New York City.
- Names of specific family members, but not general terms that show relationship: While I have many lovely aunts and uncles, Aunt Sally is my favorite.
- Organizations: The Red Cross and the United Way are both charitable organizations.
- Titles when used as part of a person's name: Fifty class presidents were selected to meet President Obama.
- Schools: There is a big rivalry in Kansas during basketball season when Kansas University plays Kansas State University. Both schools have excellent teams.
- Countries, states, cities, towns, counties, and streets: I currently live on Aldrich Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota; that's in Hennepin County.
- Directions when they refer to a specific region or neighborhood, not when used as compass directions: My relatives live in the South. I drove three blocks and headed east toward the grocery store.
- Companies: The companies that are frequently singled out as great places to work include Google, SAS, and American Express.
- Brands: While my dad has been a marathon runner for years, he's never been able to decide between Nike and Adidas products.
- Ethnicities/race, countries, and languages, but not when referring to people as black or white: My company is searching for both Chinese and Japanese interpreters to help with the new international accounts.
- Specific people: There is a woman who lives on my block named Mrs. Jones who may be able to help you.
- Names of specific courses: I managed to avoid most math courses in college; however, I was required to take and pass Calculus and Introduction to Statistics.
- Governmental bodies and agencies: Most of my family has served in the United States Coast Guard.
- Religions and references to specific gods: Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God. Other faiths believe that their spiritual icons achieved god-like status through their living experience, such as Buddha.
- Holidays, days of the week, and months of the year: My best friend and I go out for sushi on the Friday before Christmas Eve each December.
- Periods and events: Many analysts are comparing this sudden chilling of American and Russian relations to the Cold War.
- Planets: I enjoy trying to find Jupiter with my telescope.
- Initials: It's difficult to believe she graduated from high school without ever reading a book by J.D. Salinger.
Punctuating Titles
This section will explain how to punctuate titles of various works, including how and when to use italics, underlining, and quotation marks.
Italics
Use italics to set off the titles of larger, whole works, including the following:
| Books | Journals | Artwork (paintings, sculptures) |
| Magazines | Albums | Ships |
| Television shows | Operas | Aircrafts |
| Radio/podcast programs | Ballets and other performances | Spacecrafts |
| Long poems | Broadway shows | Websites |
| Plays | | Pamphlets/brochures |
| Newspapers | | Reports |
For example:
The Baldwin Project is a great resource of classic public domain literature.
One of my favorite books is Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail.
Underlining
Note that underlining takes the place of italicizing if you are writing the title out by hand. Use italics when you are typing; otherwise, underlining follows the same rules as italicization.
Quotation Marks
Use quotation marks to set off titles of "smaller" works; those that make up sections or portions of a larger, whole work. For example, you italicize the title of a book when referenced in its entirety. However, when you discuss or citeTo give credit to the source of ideas or information. a specific chapter of that book, use quotation marks. Smaller works include the following:
- Essays
- Chapters of books
- Articles in magazines, journals, and newspapers
- An individual page of a website
- Episodes of televisions or radio shows, and podcasts
- Acts in plays
- Short poems
- Short stories
- Songs
Here are some examples of short works used in sentences:
The final episode of The West Wing was called "Tomorrow," fittingly.
In this example, the television show is The West Wing and is italicized. The episode is "Tomorrow," and is set off in quotation marks.
For such a short poem, "This is Just to Say" has inspired countless essays.
In this example, the title of the poem is set off in quotation marks.
There are many titles that can easily muddle a sentence if not set off by quotes or italics.
For example:
I will always remember my favorite year because I saw it with my high school sweetheart.
In this sentence, My Favorite Year is the name of a movie; without knowing this, the lack of capitalization and italics to set it off makes the sentence very confusing.
Correct:
I will always remember My Favorite Year because I saw it with my high school sweetheart.
Another instance in which punctuating titles is especially important is where a short story or song (set off by quotation marks) shares the same title as a book or album (set off by italics). These set-offs provide your reader with more information about your sources and ultimately make your essay easier to follow.
For example:
Whenever I hear one fine day I think of the movie one fine day.
In this sentence, the title of the song and the movie are the same, so without proper quotation marks, capitalization, and italics, it is difficult to understand. The song should be capitalized and in quotation marks and the movie should be capitalized and italicized.
Correct:
Whenever I hear "One Fine Day" I think of the movie One Fine Day.
+ PRACTICAL APPLICATIONUnderstanding capitalization and setting off titles is a useful skill for any student or professional. Not only is it necessary for identifying titles in writing, it is required in writing your own essays. For example, you may need to provide an attributive phraseA short introduction to source material that identifies the author and often the title of a work that will be quoted or discussed in an essay or research paper. or a citationA reference within a text to an outside source of ideas, quotes, or information. Citations can be placed within sentences or in a separate works cited or reference section, as specified by the style guide in use. that involves the title of a book. Properly using italics or quotation marks or underlining is important for accuracy purposes; correct title punctuation also provides helpful cues for your readers, making your writing clear.
It will also benefit your grades because when an instructor comes across an essayA short piece of writing that focuses on at least one main idea. Some essays are also focused on the author's unique point of view, making them personal or autobiographical, while others are focused on a particular literary, scientific, or political subject. that is editedThe process of improving a writing by reviewing content and making changes that affect its overall meaning and clarity., proofreadThe process of carefully searching a writing draft for mistakes at the sentence- and word-level in order to correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes., and free of errors, it likely will positively influence how you are graded as well as the instructor's impression of your overall work.
The following are example sentences using titles and capitalization both correctly and incorrectly. As you review them, notice the examples that contain errors and how to correct them.
- In preparation for our trip to london, England, our class has been instructed to read Shakespeare's "As You Like It," "Hamlet," and "Othello."
This example contains two errors. "London" must be capitalized because it is the name of a city. The writings referred to in the sentence should be italicized and not set off by quotation marks because they are titles of plays.
Correction: In preparation for our trip to London, England, our class has been instructed to read Shakespeare's As You Like It, Hamlet, and Othello.
- I live South of downtown, on Murdock drive.
This example contains two errors. "South" should be lowercase as it referring to a compass direction. "Drive" should be capitalized because it is the name of a street.
Correction: I live south of downtown, on Murdock Drive.
- I appreciate that uncle Jeremy likes to make me CDs of his favorite Arcade Fire and Van Morrison songs.
This example contains one error. "Uncle" should be capitalized as it is referring to a specific and named individual, Jeremy. Note that the acronym CD (compact disc) and the proper nouns "Arcade Fire" and "Van Morrison" are correctly capitalized.
Correction: I appreciate that Uncle Jeremy likes to make me CDs of his favorite Arcade Fire and Van Morrison songs.
- While my reading list includes a number of long books, such as Bleak House by Charles Dickens, I prefer magazines, like Rolling Stone and National Geographic.
This example contains no errors. Note that the book and magazine titles are properly italicized.
- Paul's family just returned from a long road trip during which they saw the hoover dam, hiked in the grand canyon, and visited Los Angeles.
This example contains two errors of the same type. Both "Hoover Dam" and "Grand Canyon" should be capitalized because they are proper nouns. Note that the proper names, "Paul" (at the beginning of the sentence) and "Los Angeles," are properly capitalized.
Correction: Paul's family just returned from a long road trip during which they saw the Hoover Dam, hiked in the Grand Canyon, and visited Los Angeles.
- I have never been to New York city, but I hear the upper east side is pretty cool.
This example contains two errors. "City" should be capitalized because "New York City" is a proper noun. "Upper East Side" should also be capitalized because it refers to a specific neighborhood in New York City.
Correction: I have never been to New York City, but I hear the Upper East Side is pretty cool.
- Sam Watkin's article "Running your Dog Ragged?" is a really good read for anyone worried about over-exercising his or her pet.
This example contains no errors. The mentioned article is properly set off by quotation marks.
- Human resources placed a strict ban on the use of websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and any personal Blogs during working hours.
This example contains three errors. "Resources" should be capitalized in this case because it is referring to a specific company department. Website titles, such as Facebook and Twitter, should be italicized. Without the addition of a specific blog title, there is no reason to capitalize the word blogs.
Correction: Human Resources placed a strict ban on the use of websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and any personal blogs during working hours.
- My roommate ben recently switched out of his Economics class so he could take Introduction to Philosophy.
This example contains two errors. "Ben" should be capitalized, because it is a name and proper noun. While the capitalization of Introduction to Philosophy is correct because it refers to a specific course, "Economics" is a general term and should be lowercase.
Correction: My roommate Ben recently switched out of his economics class so he could take Introduction to Philosophy.
- When Joanna was asked what she wanted for Christmas, she replied, "I would like tickets to the nutcracker, of course!"
This example contains two errors. "The Nutcracker" should be capitalized and italicized because it is the title of a ballet. Note that the proper nouns "Joanna," "Christmas," and "I" are correctly capitalized.
Correction: When Joanna was asked what she wanted for Christmas, she replied, "I would like tickets to The Nutcracker, of course!"
The following are example sentences using titles and capitalization both correctly and incorrectly. Identify those examples that contain errors, correct the errors, and explain your reasoning. For those examples that do not contain errors, explain why it is correct.
- I love John wayne movies about the wild west.
What errors (if any) occur in this sentence?
This example contains two errors. "Wayne" should be capitalized because it is a name. "Wild West" should be capitalized because it refers to a certain geographical location and era.
Write the corrected sentence (if necessary).
Correction: I love John Wayne movies about the Wild West.
- After earning his BA, my father served seven years in the United States National Guard.
What errors (if any) occur in this sentence?
This example contains correct capitalization. "BA" is an acronym that stands for Bachelor of Arts and is a title, so it is always capitalized. "United States National Guard" is also properly capitalized because it is a government body or agency.
Write the corrected sentence (if necessary).
- Even though she is a grown woman, aunt Judy is an avid reader of comic books, such as The Fantastic Four and Wonder Woman.
What errors (if any) occur in this sentence?
This example contains two errors. First, because "aunt" is used in a specific manner, it needs to be capitalized. Second, comic books are entire works, so they should be italicized.
Write the corrected sentence (if necessary).
Correction: Even though she is a grown woman, Aunt Judy is an avid reader of comic books, such as The Fantastic Four and Wonder Woman.
- CEO Jim Waters announced his retirement from the Company at the last Holiday party.
What errors (if any) occur in this sentence?
This example contains two errors. "Company" should be lowercase, because it does not provide the specific name of the company. Similarly, "Holiday" should be lowercase because it is not referring to a specific holiday.
Write the corrected sentence (if necessary).
Correction: CEO Jim Waters announced his retirement from the company at the last holiday party.
- In his most recent book Run Run Run, veterinarian Peter Philips explains why some dogs need more exercise than others.
What errors (if any) occur in this sentence?
This example contains correct capitalization and use of italics. Book titles are always italicized. The word "veterinarian" is a generic title and is appropriately lowercased. The proper noun "Peter Philips" is also properly capitalized.
Write the corrected sentence (if necessary).
- According to most Buddhists and the book "When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times," greater happiness comes to those who practice being loving, compassionate, and kind to everyone.
What errors (if any) occur in this sentence?
This example contains one error. The title of the book should be set off with italics rather than quotation marks. "Buddhists" is appropriately capitalized.
Write the corrected sentence (if necessary).
Correction: According to most Buddhists and the book When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times, greater happiness comes to those who practice being loving, compassionate, and kind to everyone.
- At the last PTA meeting, parents of Gordon High School students were encouraged to supervise their teens and discourage overuse of website apps such as Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat.
What errors (if any) occur in this sentence?
This example contains correct capitalization and use of italics. PTA is capitalized, as it is an acronym for Parent Teacher Association. The capitalization of "Gordon High School" is proper because it refers to a specific school by its name. It is also correct to italicize the names of websites.
Write the corrected sentence (if necessary).
- My Science class is taking a trip through the south by the Smoky mountains.
What errors (if any) occur in this sentence?
This example contains several errors. "Science" should be lowercase because it is not a specific class title; "south" should be capitalized because it is referring to a specific region, and "mountains" should be capitalized because it is preceded by "Smoky," the name of the mountain range.
Write the corrected sentence (if necessary).
Correction: My science class is taking a trip through the South by the Smoky Mountains.
- Although I do not earn much money in my current position as Office Administrator, I hope one day to save enough to travel to India and Nepal.
What errors (if any) occur in this sentence?
This example contains one error. "Office administrator" should not be capitalized because it is not associated with a name. The proper nouns "India" and "Nepal" are properly capitalized.
Write the corrected sentence (if necessary).
Correction: Although I do not earn much money in my current position as office administrator, I hope one day to save enough to travel to India and Nepal.
- Dr. Mary McNeal of Whitville College recently published an article in Physicians' Monthly Journal entitled "Setting Limits on Overtime and Second Jobs."
What errors (if any) occur in this sentence?
This example contains correct capitalization and use of italics. "Dr." is a formal title and is therefore always capitalized; it also comes at the beginning of the sentence. Because "Whitville College" names a specific school, it is capitalized. Italicizing Physicians' Monthly Journal is correct, because it is the title of a journal. Finally, using quotation marks to set off the article title is proper.
Write the corrected sentence (if necessary).
In general, what words should be capitalized and which should not?
Specific terms should be capitalized and more general terms should not.
Why is it important to have consistent rules for punctuating titles?
It is important to have consistent rules for punctuating titles so that writers and readers are able to rely upon that punctuation to either provide or gather more information. When reading a text, the punctuation tells you whether a referenced source is a book or an article, an album, or a song. This becomes especially important when various work types share the same title.
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