English Grammar: Nouns

Nouns — Capitalization of Proper Nouns

A student of language should be familiar with the accepted rules regarding the capitalization of proper nouns and proper adjectives. Proper adjectives are adjectives derived from proper nouns.

The following list of rules for the capitalization of proper nouns follows accepted, present-day usage:

1. Capitalize names of particular persons and places.

2. Capitalize geographic names: continents, countries, states, cities, rivers, mountains, lakes, falls, harbors, valleys, bays, etc.

3. Capitalize names of definite regions, localities, and political divisions.

4. Capitalize names of bridges, buildings, monuments, parks, ships, automobiles, hotels, forts, dams, railroads, streets, etc.

5. Capitalize names of historical events, historical periods, and historical documents.

6. Capitalize names of governmental bodies and departments.

7. Capitalize names of political parties, business and fraternal organizations, clubs and societies, companies, and institutions.

8. Capitalize titles of rank when they are joined to a person's name.

9. Capitalize days of the week, months of the year, holidays, and days of special observance, such as feast and fast days.

10. You should not capitalize names of the seasons unless they are personified. When something is personified it is represented or considered as if it were a person. Personification is frequently used in poetry.

11. The words north, east, south, and west are capitalized when they refer to sections of the country. They are not capitalized when they refer to directions.

12. The special names given to planets and stars are capitalized. The words sun, moon, star, and planet are not capitalized.