Fixing Capitals
Learn
When we write, some letters need to be capital letters (big letters). Learning when to use capitals is an important skill that will help you become a better writer!
What are Capital Letters?
Capital letters are the big, tall versions of letters. They are also called "uppercase letters." For example: A, B, C are capitals. The small letters a, b, c are called "lowercase."
When to Use Capital Letters
- First word of a sentence: Always start a sentence with a capital. The dog ran fast.
- The word "I": The word "I" is always capital. I like to read.
- Names of people: Sara, Mr. Smith, Grandma
- Names of places: Texas, Main Street, Green Park
- Days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
- Months of the year: January, February, March
- Holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Halloween
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to capitalize the first word of a sentence
- Writing "i" instead of "I"
- Not capitalizing names of people and places
- Capitalizing words that do not need capitals
Test-Taking Tip
On tests like the SAT and ACT, you will see questions about capitalization. Look carefully at each word. Ask yourself: "Does this word need a capital letter? Is it a name, a place, or the start of a sentence?"
Examples
Let's practice finding and fixing capital letter mistakes.
Example 1: First Word of a Sentence
Incorrect: the cat sat on the mat.
Think: Every sentence starts with a capital letter.
Correct: The cat sat on the mat.
Example 2: The Word "I"
Incorrect: My friend and i went to the park.
Think: The word "I" is always capital.
Correct: My friend and I went to the park.
Example 3: Names of People
Incorrect: I saw my friend emma at school.
Think: Names of people are capitalized.
Correct: I saw my friend Emma at school.
Example 4: Days of the Week
Incorrect: We have art class on tuesday.
Think: Days of the week are capitalized.
Correct: We have art class on Tuesday.
Example 5: Multiple Fixes Needed
Incorrect: last saturday, i went to the zoo with aunt maria.
Think: Find ALL the words that need capitals.
Correct: Last Saturday, I went to the zoo with Aunt Maria.
Practice
Find and fix the capital letter mistakes in these sentences.
1. my name is jack.
Show Answer
My name is Jack. (First word and name need capitals.)
2. i like to play soccer on saturday.
Show Answer
I like to play soccer on Saturday. ("I" and days of the week need capitals.)
3. we celebrate thanksgiving in november.
Show Answer
We celebrate Thanksgiving in November. (First word, holiday, and month need capitals.)
4. mrs. brown is my teacher.
Show Answer
Mrs. Brown is my teacher. (First word and name need capitals.)
5. my dog max loves to run in the park.
Show Answer
My dog Max loves to run in the park. (First word and pet's name need capitals.)
6. is today monday or tuesday?
Show Answer
Is today Monday or Tuesday? (First word and days need capitals.)
7. i live in texas with my family.
Show Answer
I live in Texas with my family. ("I" and state names need capitals.)
8. my birthday is in june.
Show Answer
My birthday is in June. (First word and month need capitals.)
9. dr. lee is a kind doctor.
Show Answer
Dr. Lee is a kind doctor. (Title and name need capitals.)
10. can you come to my party on friday?
Show Answer
Can you come to my party on Friday? (First word and day need capitals.)
Check Your Understanding
Question 1: Name three things that should always be capitalized.
Show Answer
Possible answers: First word of a sentence, the word "I", names of people, names of places, days of the week, months of the year, holidays.
Question 2: What is wrong with this sentence? "i went to the Store on monday."
Show Answer
The "i" should be capital "I". The word "Store" should NOT be capitalized (it's not a name). "monday" should be "Monday".
Question 3: Should the word "dog" be capitalized in this sentence: "I have a dog named Spot"?
Show Answer
No. "dog" is not a name - it's just a regular word. But "Spot" IS capitalized because it's the dog's name.
Question 4: How can you check if you used capitals correctly in your writing?
Show Answer
Read each sentence carefully. Check: Is the first word capitalized? Is "I" capitalized? Are names of people, places, days, and months capitalized? Are words that shouldn't be capitalized left lowercase?
Next Steps
- Practice every day: When you write, check your capitals. Did you start each sentence with a capital? Did you capitalize names?
- Play a game: Look through a book and find all the capital letters. Can you figure out WHY each one is capitalized?
- Keep learning: In the next lesson, you will learn about Fixing Punctuation to make your sentences even better!