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Lesson Objectives
The objective of this lesson is to enable students to understand and correctly apply the rules of capitalization in their writing to ensure clarity, accuracy, and professionalism.
Capitalization is one of the foundations of good writing. It not only makes our sentences grammatically correct but also shows respect to names, places, and important ideas. By learning these rules, students can improve clarity, add professionalism to their writing, and avoid common mistakes. Below are the 20 essential rules of capitalization explained with examples for easy understanding.
1. Capitalize the first word of every sentence.
✅ Example: She is my best friend.
❌ Wrong: she is my best friend.
2. Capitalize the pronoun “I”.
✅ Example: My brother and I went to the park.
❌ Wrong: My brother and i went to the park.
3. Capitalize the first word in direct quotations.
✅ Example: She said, “We are going to the market.”
❌ Wrong: She said, “we are going to the market.”
✅ Example (split): She said, “We are going to the market,” and then she left.
4. Capitalize proper nouns (specific names).
✅ Example: Rahim, Maria, William Shakespeare, Dhaka, Mount Everest, Eiffel Tower
❌ Wrong: rahim, shakespeare, dhaka, eiffel tower
5. Capitalize the names of days, months, and holidays (but not seasons).
✅ Example: Monday, January, Eid, Christmas
❌ Wrong: monday, january, christmas
✅ Seasons: I love spring. The Winter Olympics.
6. Capitalize the names of nationalities, languages, and religions.
✅ Example: Bangladeshi, English, Islam, Christianity
❌ Wrong: bangladeshi, english, islam
7. Capitalize the first, last, and important words in titles.
✅ Example: The Old Man and the Sea, To Kill a Mockingbird
❌ Wrong: the old man and the sea, to kill a mockingbird
8. Capitalize historical periods, events, and documents.
✅ Example: The Renaissance, World War II, the Declaration of Independence
❌ Wrong: the renaissance, world war ii
9. Capitalize names of organizations, companies, and institutions.
✅ Example: United Nations, Google, Dhaka University
❌ Wrong: united nations, google, dhaka university
10. Capitalize the first word of each line in poetry (traditional style).
✅ Example:
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet,
And so are you.
11. Capitalize compass directions only when they refer to regions.
Compass directions such as north, south, east, and west are **not capitalized** when they simply indicate a direction (e.g., “go east”). However, when they refer to a **specific region or area**, they should be capitalized because they become proper nouns (e.g., “the East Coast,” “the South”).
✅ Example: I live in the East. The South is very hot.
❌ Wrong: I live east. The south of my house is sunny.
12. Capitalize family relationships when used as names or titles.
Family relationship words like mother, father, uncle, aunt, sister, brother are capitalized when they are used as proper names or titles in place of a person’s name.
This is because in these cases, they function as proper nouns, referring to a specific individual.
For example, when you say “Mom is helping me,” Mom replaces her actual name and therefore must be capitalized. Similarly, “Uncle Rahim is kind” capitalizes Uncle because it is part of the proper name.
However, if the family word is used as a common noun to describe the relationship in general, it is not capitalized. For instance, “My mother is kind” or “His uncle lives in Sylhet” uses mother and uncle as ordinary nouns, not names.
✅ Example: I will ask Mom for help. Uncle Rahim is kind.
❌ Wrong: I will ask mom for help. uncle Rahim is kind.
✅ Example: My mother is kind. His uncle lives in Sylhet.
13. Capitalize the first word of a salutation and closing in letters.
✅ Example: Dear Sir, … Yours sincerely,
❌ Wrong: dear sir, … yours sincerely,
14. Capitalize acronyms and abbreviations.
✅ Example: NASA, USA, UNESCO, BBC
❌ Wrong: nasa, usa, unesco, bbc
15. Capitalize names of works of art, monuments, and landmarks.
✅ Example: Mona Lisa, Statue of Liberty, Great Wall of China
❌ Wrong: mona lisa, statue of liberty, great wall of china
16. Capitalize “God,” “Allah,” and names used for deities.
✅ Example: God is merciful. The Bible is a holy book.
❌ Wrong: allah is merciful. the bible is a holy book.
17. Capitalize school subjects only if they are languages or specific course titles.
School subjects such as math, science, history, geography are generally common nouns** and are not capitalized in regular usage.
For example, in the sentence “She likes math and science,” math and science remain lowercase because they refer to general subjects, not specific titles.
However, if the subject is a language, it is always capitalized because languages are considered proper nouns. Examples include English, Bengali, French, Spanish. For instance: “I am good at English.”
Additionally, if the subject appears as part of a specific course title or formal class name, the capitalization must be used to indicate the official name of the course. For example: “He studies History 101” or “She is enrolled in Physics 201.” Here, History 101 and Physics 201 are formal course titles, so both the subject and the course number/title are capitalized.
In short: lowercase general subjects, capitalize languages, and capitalize subjects as part of official course titles.
✅ Example: I am good at English. He studies History 101.
❌ Wrong: I am good at english. He studies history 101.
✅ Example: She likes math and science.
18. Capitalize official titles when used before a name.
✅ Example: President Lincoln, Professor Rahman, Dr. Smith
❌ Wrong: president Lincoln, professor Rahman
✅ Example: He became a president in 2000.
19. Capitalize the first word after a colon when it introduces a complete sentence.
✅ Example: She had one goal: To win the race.
❌ Wrong: She had one goal: to win the race.
20. Capitalize words for emphasis or personification in poetry/literature.
✅ Example: O Death, where is thy sting?
✅ Example: The river whispered to the Moon.
Answers
📖 Key Features
- 📌 Format: Reading Text with High Quality Graphics
- 📌Content: Vocabulary from Units 8 to 11 of Class VIII (Other Units will be Included)
- 📌 Exercise:All the words with IPA transcription, word class, Bengali and English meanings, and example sentences
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- 📌 Perfect for: Presentation Purposes and Personal Learning too
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