Capitalization Practice – FCE2
Part 1.
1. What is a proper noun? Give a definition and examples.
A proper noun is the name given to something to make it more
specific.
Proper nouns are written with capital letters regardless of where
they appear in a sentence.
Proper noun Example
Jason Those idiots have been annoying
Jason.
Warwick Castle I would like to visit an old castle.
Can we visit Warwick Castle
Evian All water tastes the same. There’s
a reason why Evian is “naive”
backwards.
Walt Disney Walt Disney got the inspiration
for m
2. What is a common noun? Give a definition and examples
A common noun is the generic name for a person, place, or thing.
Common nouns are written with lowercase letters, unless they start a sentence
Common Noun
(written with lowercase
letters)
car
lake
material
ocean
restaurant
soldier
supermarket
3. What are the differences in capitalization rules in Spanish and
English? Give rules and examples.
Capitalization in Spanish.
In Spanish, the first letter of every sentence is capitalized, as is
the first letter of all proper nouns (names of people, cities,
countries, places, etc.).
Me gusta el desierto de Acatama.
I like the Acatama desert.
Carlos es de Puebla, México.
Carlos is from puebla, México.
Titles like señor (sir or Mr.), señora (ma’am or Mrs.) and doctor
(doctor) are not capitalized, except when used as abbreviations.
El señor Rodríguez canta muy bien.
Mr. Rodríguez sings very well.
La Sra. Mendoza tiene muchos amigos.
Mrs. Mendoza has many friends.
When a full title is used (señor), it is written with a
lowercase letter.
When an abbreviated title is used (Sr.), it is written
with an uppercase letter and a period at the end.
When reading an abbreviates title like Sr. aloud, you
pronounce it like the full word señor.
The first letter of the first word in titles of books, films, and works
of art is generally capitalized.
In Spanish you do not capitalize every word in a
! title. Just the first word.
Cien años de soledad.
One Hundred Years of Solitude.
Los miserables. I
Les Misérables. n
Spanish, you do capitalize each word in newspapers and
magazine titles.
El País (Spanish Newspaper)
Revista Semana (Colombian magazine)
Unlike English, Spanish does not capitalize:
Days of the week
Hoy es viernes.
Today is Friday.
Months
Nací en agosto.
I was born in August.
Languages
Hablo español.
I speak Spanish.
Nationalities
Mauricio es mexicano.
Mauricio is Mexican.
Religions
Roberto es católico
Robert is Catholic.
The fist word in geographical names
Vivo cerca del río Grande.
I live near the Rio Grande.
Religious festivals and national holidays are capitalized in
Spanish
Hoy celebramos el Día de los Muertos
Today we celebrate the Day of the Dead.
En Nochebuena, mi familia come lechón y arroz con
gandules
On Christmas Eve, my family eats suckling pig with
rice and pigeon peas
Capitalization in English.
1 Capitalize the First Word of a Sentence
Always capitalize the first word of a sentence.
The cat is sleeping.
Where did I put that book?
Hey! It’s great to see you! How have you been?
2 Capitalize Names and Other Proper Nouns
You should always capitalize people’s names.
My favorite author is Jane Austen.
Tom and Diane met at Judy’s house.
Have you met my dog, Boomer?
Names are proper nouns. The names of cities, countries, companies, religions,
and political parties are also proper nouns, so you should capitalize them, too.
3 Don’t Capitalize After a Colon (Usually)
In most cases, you don’t need to capitalize after a colon.
I have one true passion: wombat racing.
There are a couple of common exceptions. One is when the word
following the colon is a proper noun.
There is only one place I want to visit: New York City.
The other exception is when the words following the colon form one or
more complete sentences.
Maggie wears a brimmed cap at all times for these two reasons: Strong light
often gives her a headache. She also likes the way it looks.
4 Capitalize the First Word of a Quote (Sometimes)
Capitalize the first word of a quote when the quote is a complete sentence.
Mario asked, “What is everyone doing this weekend?”
Stacy answered, “My sister and I are going to the water park.”
Don’t capitalize the first word of partial quotes.
Gretchen said she was “way too busy” to join the gym.
Mr. Thompson described the rules as “extremely difficult to understand if you
don’t have a law degree.”
5 Capitalize Days, Months, and Holidays, But Not Seasons
The names of days, months, and holidays are proper nouns, so you should
capitalize them.
I hate Mondays!
Tom’s birthday is in June.
Oh no! I forgot about Valentine’s Day!
The names of seasons, however, are not proper nouns, so there’s no need to
capitalize them.
I hate winter!
Having a summer birthday is the best.
6 Capitalize Most Words in Titles
The capitalization rules for titles of books, movies, and other works vary a
little between style guides. In general, you should capitalize the first word, all
nouns, all verbs (even short ones, like is), all adjectives, and all proper nouns.
That means you should lowercase articles, conjunctions, and prepositions—
however, some style guides say to capitalize conjunctions and prepositions
that are longer than five letters.
Sense and Sensibility is better than Pride and Prejudice.
The first movie of the series is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
7 Capitalize Cities, Countries, Nationalities, and Languages
The names of cities, countries, nationalities, and languages are proper nouns,
so you should capitalize them.
English is made up of many languages, including Latin, German, and French.
My mother is British, and my father is Dutch.
The capital of Botswana is Gaborone.
8 Capitalize Time Periods and Events (Sometimes)
Specific periods, eras, and historical events that have proper names should be
capitalized.
Most of the World War I veterans are now deceased.
In the Middle Ages, poor hygiene was partly responsible for the spreading of bubonic
plague.
Middle school students often enjoy studying the social changes that took place during
the Roaring Twenties.
However, centuries—and the numbers before them—are not capitalized.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, England blossomed into an empire.
Part 2. There are mistakes with capitalization in these sentences.
Correct them – capitalize the word that should be.
1. We took a lesson in German and translated it into English.
2. Ali lives in Dubai which is in the United Arab Emirates.
3. These pictures were taken during our holiday to Oaxaca, Mexico.
4. On Saturday and Sunday, I am going to a course in Guadalajara.
5. How long did you study for the test?
6. I like to take my children to Albert Park.
7. I saw all the Marvel movies and Avengers is my favorite.
8. Did Lucy pass her English test?
9. I think January is the longest month.
10. Muslims read the Quran whereas Christians read the bible.
11. My mother is called Ann and my father is called tom.
12. I am going to Cuba to visit my friend Mary.
13. Tom Cruise in an excellent actor
Irving Osorio Bautista
