Start of a sentence
The library closes at six. Capitalise the first word of a new sentence.
The pronoun I
Maya and I are ready. The pronoun I is always capitalised.
A specific name
We visited Stockholm. A proper name is capitalised; the general word city is not.
Names, dates, and identity
| Category | Capitalise the specific name | Keep the ordinary word lowercase |
|---|---|---|
| People | Amina Hassan gave the talk. | A student gave the talk. |
| Days and months | We meet on Tuesday in October. | We meet on a weekday in autumn. Seasons normally stay lowercase. |
| Titles before names | Professor Lind gave the lecture. Uncle Amir called. | The professor gave a lecture. My uncle called. |
| Languages and nationalities | She speaks Swedish and is Canadian. | She speaks a language and has dual citizenship. |
| Religions | We studied Buddhism and Islam. | We studied several religions. |
| Holidays | The school closes for Christmas. | The school closes for a holiday. |
Places and named groups
| Category | Capitalise the specific name | Keep the ordinary word lowercase |
|---|---|---|
| Specific places | They crossed Lake Mälaren and arrived in Stockholm. | They crossed a lake and arrived in a city. |
| Organizations | She volunteers for Amnesty International. | She volunteers for a human rights organization. |
| Companies and products | He works for Spotify and uses an iPhone. | He works for a company and uses a phone. Keep a brand’s established spelling. |
| Official departments | She contacted the Department of Education. | She contacted the education department at her school. |
| Regions vs. directions | They travelled through the American South. | They drove south for an hour. |
History, school, and culture
| Category | Capitalise the specific name | Keep the ordinary word lowercase |
|---|---|---|
| Historical periods and events | We studied the Renaissance and the Great Depression. | We studied a period of economic hardship. |
| Official course names | She enrolled in Introduction to Biology. | She enjoys biology and history. |
| Titles of works | We read The Hobbit and watched Spirited Away. | We read a novel and watched a film. |
Check the exact name: Official names and work titles can have their own spelling. Title capitalisation also depends on the style guide: short words such as of and the may remain lowercase within a title.