Grammar
Capitalization in English: names, titles, and sentences
maria starts work on monday. Maria starts work on Monday. The words sound the same, but capital letters help readers see a name and a day of the week straight away.
Use capital letters at the beginning of sentences and for the names, titles, days, months, and pronoun that English convention requires.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
I have English class on Friday. /aɪ hæv ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ klɑːs ɒn ˈfraɪdeɪ/
The short answer
Start every complete sentence with a capital letter. Use capitals for specific names, such as Maria, London, and Monday, and for the pronoun I. Do not capitalize an ordinary noun only because it is important in the sentence.
I met Professor Green at the library on Tuesday.
Why it works: I, Professor, Green, and Tuesday need capitals. Library is a common noun here, so it stays lowercase.
6 more examples
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The bus leaves at seven.
The sentence begins with a capital T because it is the first word.
Not this:
thebus leaves at seven. What changes: This needs a capital T because it begins a complete sentence. -
Amina lives near Lake Victoria.
Amina and Lake Victoria are specific names, so each important word in those names begins with a capital.
Not this:The
lakeis near the village. What changes: Lake is lowercase here because it is a general noun, not the name Lake Victoria. -
We have English class on Friday.
English is the name of a language, and Friday is the name of a day.
Not this:We have a
classat the end of the week. What changes: Class and week are common nouns, so they are lowercase in the middle of this sentence. -
My cousin is Brazilian and speaks Portuguese.
Brazilian names a nationality, and Portuguese names a language. Both use capitals.
Not this:My cousin enjoys
brazil nuts. What changes: Brazil is normally lowercase in the food name brazil nuts. It is not the country name in this use. -
Mayor Chen opened the new park in April.
Mayor is capitalized because it is a title directly before Chen's name. April is the name of a month.
Not this:The
mayoropened the new park in spring. What changes: Mayor is lowercase when it is a general job title without the person's name. -
I put the keys on the table.
The English pronoun I always has a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence.
Not this:My brother and
Icook dinner on Saturdays. What changes: I remains capitalized after and because this rule does not depend on its position.
Read the full guide
When you write, first find the start of each sentence. Then look for names and other words that English treats as special. A capital letter often signals that a word is a particular person, place, day, language, or title. It does not turn every important word into a name.
Begin every sentence with a capital letter
The first word of a complete sentence begins with a capital letter. This is true after a full stop, a question mark, or an exclamation mark when a new sentence follows. Check the first letter when you edit your writing.
The shop closes at six.
The capital T tells the reader that a new sentence begins here.
Are you ready? We can leave now.
We begins with a capital W because it starts the second sentence.
Which letter needs a capital in this sentence: where is the station?
Write Where is the station? The first word of the question needs a capital W.
Capitalize particular names
Use capitals for proper nouns: the names of people, places, streets, buildings, organizations, and events. A general noun stays lowercase, but the same word can take a capital when it becomes part of a particular name.
Omar works on King Street in Bristol.
Omar, King Street, and Bristol are names, so they use capital letters.
Omar walks down the street to the market.
Street and market are general nouns here, so they are lowercase.
Which form is a country name: the country or Canada?
Canada is a particular country name, so it begins with a capital C.
Use capitals for days, months, languages, and nationalities
Days and months are names, so English writes Monday, June, and December with capitals. Languages and nationalities also use capitals: Arabic, Korean, Mexican, and Swedish. Seasons are usually lowercase unless they are part of a name.
The course begins on Wednesday in September.
Wednesday and September name a day and a month.
Nadia is Egyptian, and she studies Spanish.
Egyptian names a nationality, and Spanish names a language.
Choose the correct spelling: french or French?
Write French because it is the name of a language.
Capitalize a title before a person's name
A title usually has a capital when it comes directly before a person's name. Write Dr. Singh or President Alvarez. Use lowercase when you describe a role in general or when the title follows the name.
Captain Ross spoke to the passengers.
Captain is part of the name phrase Captain Ross, so it has a capital C.
The captain spoke to the passengers.
Captain is a general role here, so it is lowercase.
Which form is usual before a name: doctor Malik or Doctor Malik?
Write Doctor Malik because the title comes directly before Malik's name.
Always write the pronoun I with a capital letter
The English word I always uses a capital letter. It stays capitalized at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of a sentence. This is a fixed spelling rule, so do not change it to lowercase i in informal writing.
I will call you after lunch.
I is the subject of the sentence and uses a capital letter.
Sam and I take the same bus.
I stays capitalized even though it comes after Sam and.
What is wrong with this sentence: My friend and i are late.
Change i to I. The pronoun I is always capitalized.
Keep general words lowercase
Do not add a capital simply because a word is important or comes after a colon. Common nouns, ordinary job names, school subjects, and seasons are normally lowercase in the middle of a sentence. Use a capital only when the word is part of a specific name or another rule applies.
My sister wants to be a nurse.
Nurse is an ordinary job name, so it is lowercase.
We study math in the summer.
Math and summer are general words in this sentence, so they are lowercase.
Should you capitalize teacher in The teacher is absent today?
No. Teacher is a general noun here. Capitalize it only when it is part of a name or title that follows a capitalization rule.
Before you go
Remember this
Start each sentence with a capital letter. Capitalize names, days, months, languages, nationalities, and titles that come directly before a name. Keep general nouns lowercase in the middle of a sentence, and always write I with a capital letter.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Capitalization in English: names, titles, and sentences"
When do I use a capital letter in English?
Use a capital letter at the beginning of every complete sentence and for proper names. Proper names include people, places, days, months, languages, and nationalities. For example, Amina lives near Lake Victoria has capitals because it names a person and a particular lake.
the bus leaves at seven.
Do days and months have capital letters in English?
Yes. Days and months are written with capital letters: Monday, Friday, January, and April. They are treated as names. General time words such as week, month, and summer are usually lowercase unless they begin a sentence or form part of a name.
Amina lives near Lake Victoria.
Why is the pronoun I always capitalized?
I is a fixed spelling rule in English. Write I with a capital letter wherever it appears in a sentence. For example, I put the keys on the table and My brother and I cook dinner both use a capital I.
The lake is near the village.
Should job titles have capital letters?
Capitalize a title when it comes directly before a person's name, as in Mayor Chen opened the new park in April. Use lowercase for a general role, as in The mayor opened the new park. The name after the title makes the difference.
We have English class on Friday.
Should every important word have a capital letter?
No. Capital letters follow specific writing rules; they do not mark every important word. Common nouns such as library, class, table, and nurse usually stay lowercase in the middle of a sentence. Capitalize them only when they are part of a proper name or another rule requires it.
We have a class at the end of the week.