Capitalization - SS1 English Lesson Note

Capitalization refers to the use of capital letters to start a word or sentence or to highlight certain words or phrases within a sentence. Here are some general rules for capitalization:

1. The first letter of a sentence should always be capitalized.
2. Proper nouns, such as people's names, the names of specific places, and the names of organizations, should always be capitalized. For example: John Smith, Paris, and the United Nations.
3. The first letter of titles, such as books, movies, and songs, should be capitalized. For example: The Great Gatsby, Titanic, and Stairway to Heaven.
4. The first letter of the first word in a direct quotation should be capitalized. For example: He said, "I am going to the store."
5. The first letter of each major word in a title or heading should be capitalized. For example: The Importance of Education.
6. The pronoun "I" should always be capitalized.
7. The days of the week and the months of the year should be capitalized. For example: Monday, January.
8. Capitalization is not typically used for common nouns, such as "dog" or "car", unless they are part of a title or heading.

The uses of capital letters:

a. to begin a sentence- The capital of Nigeria is Abuja.

b. to begin a direct speech- He said, ‘ The earth is round’.

c. to begin the title of a book- The Bible, Brilliant English.

d. for the pronoun ‘I’.

e. to begin a line of poetry in some poems.

f. to begin any word standing for God and Christ. e.g. When Jesus saw the leper, He cured him.