Ask a Capitalization Question
Not too long ago, we published a post regarding the ins and outs of capitalization. It seems we’ve attracted a great deal of traffic from people looking for answers that aren’t readily available in the post.
If you have a capitalization question on your mind – let loose and ask it in the comment section below. We will promptly answer your inquiries as soon as we receive notice. And don’t be shy, you never know when you can help a fellow writer facing the same dilemma.
Posted by The Priceless Team
When referring to the great depression in a sentence but not a the beginning should it be capitalized? I am thinking yes but not for sure.
Hi Jennifer,
Yes, historical periods and eras, such as the Great Depression, are capitalized.
Should the names of seasons be capitalized?
Hi Peter,
Do not capitalize the names or derivatives of seasons – spring (springtime), summer, winter, fall, and autumn UNLESS:
1) Used as part of a formal name like “Summer Olympics.”
2) Paired with another noun and serving as a proper noun, like:
“Fall 2010 semester”
“Fall television line-up”
“Winter holiday shopping sale”
3) You are personifying a season in prose, poetry, or creative writing, like: “In December, Winter lifts his icy hand.”
Someone has asked us if ‘breast cancer’ and other cancers are capitalized. The answer is no, unless it is being used in a title, such as Breast Cancer Walk-a-Thon.
Example: Did you know that breast cancer can strike both men and women?
In a sentence like:
Look at the atlas and point to an island in the southern hemisphere.
is both the s and the h in southern hemisphere capitalized or is none capitalized.
Hi Valerie,
Capitalize the entire thing: Southern Hemisphere
Capitalize when referring to a specific hemisphere (Western Hemisphere, Northern Hemisphere, and Eastern Hemisphere) BUT lowercase ‘hemisphere’ when speaking about more than one (Eastern and Western hemispheres) and the hemisphere.
Do you capitalize Your Honor when referring to a judge? If so, are both words capitalized or just “honor”?
Hi Teresa,
Oooo – good one. When referring to a judge, use ‘Your Honor’ – both words capitalized. All honorific titles are capitalized, including Your Royal Highness, Her Royal Highness, Your Majesty, Your Grace, My Lord, and His Lordship.
Do you capitalize ailments? Such as breast cancer and autism?
Hello Juan,
Do not capitalize ailments, such as breast cancer or autism…unless they appear in the name of an organization or event, such as the Breast Cancer Society, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Week, or the Autism Fun Run.
Suppose I am addressing (for example) Lord Bob, who is nobility. In writing, would he be My Lord, my Lord, or my lord? I feel it falls under the “capitalizing honorifics” rule, but repeatedly I’m told that I could only write My Lord if Bob is God, so it’d be “my lord” unless the word my began the sentence.
TLR,
You’re absolutely right – this question does fall under honorifics. If Bob is nobility and you’re referring to him as ‘My Lord,’ it is capitalized. To quote question 9, “All honorific titles are capitalized, including Your Royal Highness, Her Royal Highness, Your Majesty, Your Grace, My Lord, and His Lordship.”
Hi!
I’m editing an early modern play-text and the titles appear ‘Barbarian Moor’, ‘invading ‘Moors’, ‘thrice noble lord’ and ‘they my lord’. As Moor refers to a religious group, examples like ‘invading Moors’ should be capitalized I think.
Thanks – Ben.
Hi Ben!
You are correct – Moor or Moors is capitalized within the text. In your examples, the correct usage would be ‘barbarian Moor’ or ‘invading Moors’.
Hi,
if I am starting a sentence with a removed letter do I then capitalize the next letter? I’m thinking yes, but am not sure!
eg,
‘Twas
Thanks
Hi Kay – your instincts are right on! Even though you’re starting the sentence with an apostrophe to note the removed letter, you’d capitalize the first letter of the sentence.
Do you capitalize summer olympics?
Hi Moe,
Yes, Summer Olympics is capitalized. Comment #4 (above) also addresses other times a season is capitalized.
I beg to differ about your Honor. The court reporters in New York City have never capitalized the “y” in “your” while capitalizing the “H” in “Honor.” this has been consistent for decades (I started practicing here in 1973.)
Hello Robert,
Thank you for your comment – it certainly had us stumped for a bit, because not capitalizing the ‘y’ in ‘your Honor’ seems to go against the grain. After doing a great deal of research, we found that most sources recommend capitalizing both the ‘y’ and the ‘h’, as in ‘Your Honor’ – as this title is taking the place of the judge’s name, and is meant to honor him or her.
I contacted Robert Hickey, Deputy Director, The Protocol School of Washington, and author of Honor and Respect: The Official Guide to Names, Titles, and Forms of Address to get his input on this question. His reply was:
” I like your logic … but the closest I can suggest — is that I have consistently found that when the courtesy title is at the beginning of a line … the article is capitalized … but when it is in the middle of a sentence, then the article is not: For example.
On an envelope:
The Honorable Michael Bloomberg
Mayor of New York
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
But in a sentence, the “the” is not capitalized:
Today at 2:00 p.m. there will be an address by the Honorable Michael Bloomberg …
Of course it is not exactly comparable since ‘Your Honor’ is an oral form in the US … not a written form … so would not be on an invitation or letter. Salutations are based on oral forms of address …. but to a judge the name in the salutation would be Judge Smith not Your Honor.”
So, perhaps the ‘y’ isn’t capitalized when it falls into the middle of a sentence because the writers are following the similar rule for courtesy titles such as ‘the Honorable.’ Or, perhaps it’s a preference thing. In any case, we would still recommend that writers capitalize both words.
Michigan enrolled 146 Hmong participants between fall 2009 and fall 2010.
Is “fall” capitalized in this instance or not?
Hi Brenda,
Thank you for your question!
In this example, Fall 2009 and Fall 2010 ARE capitalized because it is the title of a time period and therefore a proper noun.
Should I capitalize “constitutional rights”? What about the “armed forces” of the United States?
e.g., “That would be a violation of his constitutional rights.”
“Are you a member of the armed forces of the United States?”
Hi Barbara,
While the Constitution would be capitalized in a sentence, constitutional rights is not.
In your second example, Armed Forces of the United States is a proper noun and would be capitalized.
According to the US Navy style guide, “Capitalize only as a proper name (Armed Forces Day), not as a noun (the armed forces) or adjective (an armed-forces member). Lower case unless part of a title or when preceded by U.S., as in U.S. Armed Forces.”
Without the inclusion of the United States, it would be safe to not capitalize.
So glad I found this thread! I love capitalization questions. I have a question about season capitalization that, believe it or not, is not answered above. A friend wrote something about a bad state of affairs. He then concluded (rather forcefully, I thought): “That will end this fall.” I felt “fall” should be capitalized. On reviewing your first several answers here I concluded I was wrong. But following answer #23 above perhaps my instinct was right because it is a specific time period? Thanks for your help!
One more quick one: no capital on “congressional” unless it’s a proper noun like the Congressional Country Club, correct?
Hello there,
You are correct. “congressional” is lowercase unless it is part of a proper name, such as Congressional Country Club.
I am editing a story and would appreciate your help in correctly capitalising the following:
- His Majesty’s ship Hood or His Majesty’s Ship Hood
- His Majesty’s frigate Intrepid or …..
- His Majesty’s bomb vessel Dreadnought
etc
Many thanks
Hi Wyndham,
Because His Majesty’s Ship (HMS) is a proper title in several countries, it is capitilalized – Your example, His Majesty’s Ship Hood, would be correct.
His Majesty’s frigate or his Majesty’s bomb vessel are not official titles, however, and do not have to be capitalized.
I’m editing a book I wrote. It’s set in 1530 France and riddled with references to the royal Court, French Court, the Court, etc. When should “court” be capitalized in this context? Thanks!
Hi Cindy,
Court is capitalized when it is used as a part of a definitive name of a country’s higher justice systems, like French Court, Supreme Court, or the Royal Court. Local level courts (ie magistrate’s court) or just the court is not.
I hope that answers your question! And good luck with your book!
Hi — Thanks for your answer on #27! But could you help me out with #26? Thank you!
Sorry for overlooking that question enviro!
The names of seasons are only capitalized if they are part of a title, or when personified in poetry.
Salem Fall Festival, for instance, is a title/proper noun so it is capitalized.
We will plant flowers next spring, on the other hand, is general usage so it is lowercase.
I hope that helps!
Unforutnately, our state is going bankrupt. My question is state capitalized. Thank you.
Hi Ava,
State is not capitalized in your example.
Thank you for your question!
For the signature at the bottom of a card, should it be “the Harp family” or “The Harp Family”?
Do you capitalize team in reference to a group working together, like in your name?
Ex: The Absher team will work cooperatively.
Hi Erin and Marcia!
In both of your questions, it would be correct to capitalize the words in both titles.
The Harp Family as a signature would be correct.
And ‘The Absher Team works cooperatively’ is correct.
Thanks for your comments!
When using a term such as “…thanks to Our Lord”, is it proper to capitalize both Our and Lord, or should it just be “…thanks to our Lord”?
When writing american novel would you capitalize either word?
Hi Barbie, you would only capitalize “Our Lord” if you’re using the entire phrase as a title. In a typical sentence, such as your example “….thanks to our Lord,” most people would capitalize only the word “Lord” as a sign of respect.
Jessica – when writing this phrase in a typical sentence, you would capitalize the word “American” only.
Do you capitalize the subject “Writing” in this sentence.
In essay writing this quarter, we will…..
Hi Linda,
For the situation you described, you should only capitalize “essay writing” if it is the actual title of a class.
Example: This quarter, in Essay Writing 101, you will learn…