Capitalization: Names, Roles, and General Words

Edit capitalization using what each word means in its sentence.

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Capitalize specific names, languages, and formal titles immediately before a person's name. Use lowercase for ordinary school subjects, seasons, compass directions, and job descriptions unless they begin a sentence. A family word can be a name, as in Dad, or a description, as in my dad.

Worked example

'In autumn, Professor Lane teaches French and history.' Autumn and history are general words; Professor is a title before a name, and French names a language.

Captain Reed is a title followed by a specific name. The captain describes a role and keeps captain lowercase. — A formal title before a name takes a capital. A general role description does not.

1. These are general subjects, not course titles. Correct: I study spanish and science. I study Spanish and science. I study Spanish and Science. I study spanish and Science.

2. Correct the season in ordinary prose: We plant beans in spring. We plant beans in Spring. We Plant Beans in Spring. We plant beans in spring.

3. Use the formal title before the name: professor Lane leads the seminar. Professor Lane leads the Seminar. Professor Lane leads the seminar. professor Lane leads the seminar.

4. Here the job is a description after the name. Choose the correct sentence. Ari Lane, the professor, leads the seminar. Ari Lane, the Professor, leads the seminar. ari Lane, the professor, leads the seminar.

5. Dad is used as a name first and as a description second. Choose the correct pair. I asked dad. My Dad agreed. I asked Dad. My Dad agreed. I asked Dad. My dad agreed.

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