Capitalization:  Rules of Standard Usage

 

Capitalize—

   the first word in every sentence;

   the first word in both the salutation and the closing of a letter;

   the pronoun I and the interjection O;

   proper nouns and proper adjectives;

   the names of persons and animals;

   initials in names and abbreviations that either precede or follow names.

   geographical  names;

   the names of planets, stars, constellations, and other heavenly bodies;

   the names of organizations, teams, government bodies, and institutions;

   the names of businesses and the brand names of business products;

   the names of particular buildings and other structure;

   the names of monuments, memorials, and awards;

   the names of historical events and periods, special events, holidays, and  other calendar items;

   the names of nationalities, races, and peoples;

   the names of religions and their followers, holy days and celebrations, sacred writings, and specific deities;

   the names of ships, trains, aircraft, spacecraft, and any other vehicles;

   course names that include a number and the names of language classes;

   a person’s title when the title comes before the person’s name;

   a word showing a family relationship when the word is used before or in place of a person’s name, unless the word is preceded by a possessive;

   the first and last words and all important words in titles and subtitles;

   abbreviations if the words that they stand for are capitalized.

 

Punctuation:  End Marks and Commas

 

End Marks

A statement (or declarative sentence) is followed by a period.

   A question (or interrogative sentence) is followed by a question mark.

An exclamation (or exclamatory sentence) is followed by an exclamation point.

A request or command (or imperative sentence) is generally followed by either a period or an exclamation point.

Use a period after certain abbreviations, including personal names, titles, agencies, organizations, geographical terms, time reference words,      and units of measurement.

Commas

      Items in a Series

Use commas to separate items in a series.

If all the items in a series are joined by and, or, or nor, do not use commas to separate them.

   Short independent clauses in a series may be separated by commas.

Use commas to separate two or more adjectives preceding a noun.

Independent Clauses  

Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor,   or, so, or yet) when it joins independent clauses.

   Use commas to set off nonessential subordinate clauses and nonessential participial phrases.

 

Introductory Elements

Use a comma to set off a mild exclamation such as well, or, or why.  Other introductory words, such as yes and no are also set off by commas.

      Use a comma after an introductory participle or participial phrase.

    Use a comma after two or more introductory prepositional phrases or after one long one.

      Use a comma after an introductory adverb clause.

 

Interrupters

    Use commas to set off an expression that interrupts a sentence.

      Nonessential appositives and appositive phrases are set off by commas.

    Words used in direct address are set off by commas.

      Parenthetical expressions are set off by commas.

 

Conventional Uses

    Use a comma to separate items in dates and addresses.

      Use a comma after the salutation of a personal letter and after the closing of any letter.

    Use commas to set off a title, such as Jr., Sr., or M.D., that follows a      person’s name.

      Do not use unnecessary commas.

   

Punctuation:  Other Marks of Punctuation

 

       ;   Semicolons

    Use a semicolon between independent clauses that are closely related in thought and that are not joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for nor, or so or yet.)

      Use a semicolon between independent clauses joined by at conjunctive adverb or a transitional expression.

    A semicolon (rather than a comma) may be needed before a coordinating conjunction to join independent clauses that contain commas.

      Use a semicolon between items in a series if the items contain commas.

 

       :   Colons

    Use a colon to mean “note what follows.”

      Use a colon before a list of items, especially after expressions such as follows and the following.

    Use a colon before a long, formal statement or quotation.

      Use a colon between independent clauses when the second clause explains or restates the idea of the first.

    Use a colon in certain conventional situations.

      Use a colon between the hour and the minute.

    Use a colon between chapter and verse when referring to a passage from the Bible.

      Use a colon between a title and subtitle.

    Use a colon after the salutation of a business letter.

 

    (   ) Parentheses

      Use parentheses to enclose informative or explanatory material of minor importance.   

    A parenthetical sentence that falls within another sentence.

      A parenthetical sentence that stands by itself.

 

    - - - - Dashes

    Use a dash to indicate an abrupt break in thought or speech.

      Use a dash to mean namely, in other words, or that is before an explanation.

                 

    [  ]     Brackets  

    Use brackets to enclose an explanation within quoted or parenthetical material.

 

Italics or Italics

 

      Use italics (underlining) for the titles and subtitles of books, plays, long poems, periodicals, works of art, movies, radio and TV series, videos, video games, long musical works and recordings, computer games, and comic strips.      

    Use italics (underlining) for the names of trains, ships, aircraft, and space craft.

      Use italics (underlining) for words, letters, symbols, and numerals referred to as such, and for foreign words that have not been adopted into English.

 

    “   ” Quotation Marks

    Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation—a person’s exact words.

      A direct quotation generally begins with a capital letter.

    When an expression identifying the speaker divides a quoted sentence, the second part begins with a lower case letter.

      A direct quotation can be set off from the rest of the sentence by a comma, a question mark, or an exclamation point, but not by a period.