CAPITALIZATION

BELL RINGERS

CAPITALIZATION Always capitalize the following:

The first word of a sentence I love my kids.

The first word of a sentence following a colon Every meeting begins with: This meeting will now come

to order. The first word of a direct quote

Abraham Lincoln said, “The ballot is stronger than the bullet.”

The first word of a statement or question inserted in a sentence without quotation marks This paper attempts to answer the question, What is the

meaning of life?

PRACTICE Write each of the following sentences, and strike through

each error in capitalization and write the correct form above it.

1. for breakfast this morning, i had two bowls of cereal and a banana because, Oh, I was hungry.

2. The game of volleyball can be summed up briefly as follows: using only their hands, two teams of six players hit a ball back and forth over a net.

3. oh, i almost forgot to tell you this: your friend Paula called and said, “don’t forget to meet me at the library at noon tomorrow.

PROPER NOUNS AND ADJECTIVES A common noun names any one of a group of persons,

places, things, or ideas. A proper noun names a specific person, place, thing, or idea. A proper adjective is formed from a proper noun. Proper nouns and proper adjectives are always capitalized.

Always capitalize names of persons. Jr and Sr should always be capitalized as well as the abbreviations of titles, such as Dr. and Gen. Capitalize geographic names, capitalize directions used to name regions. However, words such as south and western are not capitalized when indicating direction. A word such as town, road, or river is capitalized only when it is part of a proper noun.

Proper nouns and adjectives Always capitalize the names of

organizations, teams, business firms, institutions, buildings, and government bodies.

Always capitalize the names of historical events and periods, special events, and holidays and other calendar items. Capitalize the names of the seasons only when they are part of a proper noun or when they are being personified.

Proper nouns and adjectives Always capitalize the names of nationalities,

races, and peoples; the names of religions and their followers; holy days and celebrations; holy writings; and specific deities. Do not capitalize the word god and goddess when they refer to deities of ancient mythology. However, the names of specific mythological deities are capitalized. Always capitalize the brand names of products, as well as the names of trains, ships, aircraft, spacecraft, awards, planets, and any other particular things, places, or events.

PRACTICE 2 REWRITE THE SENTENCES OR PHRASES

CORRECTLY. 1. Edward MacDowell, whose work was first

performed in 1895, composed orchestral music based on iroquois, chippewa, dakota, and kiowa melodies.

2. frances perkins, the first female member of the cabinet

3. the Sophomore class field trip to the Courthouse

School subjects and titles School subjects are not capitalized, except for

course names followed by a number and the names of languages.

Always capitalize the title of a person when it comes before the name of the person. Do not capitalize a title when it is alone or following a person’s name.

Capitalize a word showing a family relationship when it is used with a person’s name but not when it is preceded by a possessive.

Titles Always capitalize the first and last words

and other important words in titles of books, periodicals, works of art, plays, poems, stories, historical documents, movies, radio and television programs, and musical compositions. Do not capitalize unimportant words within titles.

PRACTICE 3If the sentence is correct, write C. If it is incorrect, correct it.

1. The president frequently entertains members of Congress at the White House.

2. My english class is reading Shakespeare’s play As you Like It.

3. Did you know that Seri’s aunt is a Professor at Swarthmore college?

SPELLING

SPELLING RULES When a prefix is added to a word, the

spelling of the original word remains the same. Il+logical=illogical un+noticed= unnoticed

When the suffix –ly or –ness is added to a word, the spelling of the original word usually remains the same. However, for most words ending in y, change the y to I before adding –ly or –ness Final+ly=finally happy+ness=happiness

Spelling rules Drop the final silent e before adding a suffix

beginning with a vowel. But keep the final silent e in words ending in ce or ge before a suffix beginning with a or o. Rake+ing=raking peace+able=peaceable

Keep the final silent e before a suffix beginning with a consonant. Nice+ly=nicely base+ment=basement

For words ending in y preceded by a consonant, change the y to an i before any suffix that does not begin with i. Busy+ness=business try+ing=trying

Spelling rules For words ending in y preceded by a vowel,

keep the y when adding a suffix. Pay+ment=payment buy+ing=buying

Double the final consonant in a word before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel if the word (1) has only one syllable or has the accent on the final syllable and (2) ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel. Hop+ing=hopping forget+ing=forgetting

Day 1 practice Spell out each of the following words as

directed… 1.courage+ous 2. sleepy+er 3. prepare+ing 4. commit+ed 5. happen+ed 6. hurry+ed 7. Shop+ing

Spelling Rules To form the plural of most nouns, ass –s

Highway=highways If the noun ends in s, x, z, sh, or ch, add

es Class=classes

If the noun ends in y preceded by a consonant, change the y to an i and add –es. poppy-=poppies enemy=enemies

Spelling rules For some nouns ending in f or fe add –s.

For others, change the f or ge to v and add –es. Chief=chiefs wife=wives sky=skies

If the noun ends in o preceded by a vowel, add -s. If the noun ends in o preceded by a consonant, add –es. Ratio=ratios potato=potatoes

hero=heroes

Spelling Rules The plural of some nouns is formed irregularly.

Mouse-mice woman-women Ox-oxen child-children

Some nouns have the same form in both the singular and the plural. Grouse-grouse Japanese-Japanese salmon-

salmon For most compound nouns, form the plural of

only the last word of the compound. Teaspoon-teaspoons lighthouse-lighthouses

Spelling Rules For compound nouns in which one of the

words is modified by the other word or words, form the plural of the noun that is modified. Sister-in-law=sisters-in-law Justice-of-the-peace=justices-of-the-peace

Practice day 2 Write the plural form of each noun

1. booth 2. district attorney 3. ex-senator 4. alloy 5. knife 6. forty-five-year-old

Words often confused All ready---all prepared Already—previously All together---all in the same place Altogether---entirely Clothes---wearing apparel Cloths---pieces of fabric Desert—dry region/to leave Dessert—part of a meal Its—possessive form of it It’s—it is

Words often confused Passed—past tense of pass Past—time gone by/beyond (preposition) Than—comparative conjunction Then—at that time; next Who’s—who is, who has Whose—possessive form of who Your—possessive form of you You’re—you are

Practice day 3 Which word is correct? 1. (Its, It’s) a serious crime for a soldier

to (desert/dessert) his battalion. 2. His clothes will look (loose/lose) if he

continues to (loose, lose) weight. 3. First (your, you’re) a junior, and (than,

then) a senior).

End Marks

End Marks End Marks are punctuation marks that

indicate the purpose of a sentence. A statement (or declarative sentence) is

followed by a period. A question (or interrogative sentence) is

followed by a question mark. An exclamation is followed by an exclamation

point. An imperative sentence by be followed by

either a period or an exclamation point.

End Marks A question mark or an exclamation point

should be placed inside closing quotation marks when the quotation itself is a question or an exclamation. Otherwise, these punctuation marks belong outside the quotation marks. Enrique asked, “What time is it?” (quotation

is a question) Did you say, “It’s six-o’clock”? (the

sentence as a whole is a question)

Daily Practice 1 Write S if the sentence is a statement, Q if it

is a question, I if it is imperative…and then add the appropriate end mark. Some will require closing quotation marks as well as end marks.

1. Perhaps you should ask her what time she will return

2. This column by Ellen Goodman is called, “Where Are the Women

3. What an incredible catch he made

Daily Practice 2 S if the sentence is a statement, Q if it is a

question, E if it is an exclamation, or I if it is imperative. Then add the appropriate end mark.

1. Have you ever read Robert Frost’s poem “Fire and Ice

2. Unable to open the door, Sofia called loudly for help

3. Why did the theater usher say, “Stay in your seats

End Marks An abbreviation is usually followed by a period.

Dr. S. Kathuria Oak Ave. 7:00 A.M.

When an abbreviation that ends with a period is the last word in a statement, do not add another period as an end mark. However, if the abbreviation is the last word in a question or an exclamation, add the appropriate end mark.

We went to Narberth, Penn. Have you ever been to Narberth, Penn.?

Daily Practice 3 Add end marks to the following

sentences and to the abbreviations within them. 1. Was W E B DuBois an early civil rights

leader 2. Can I reach Sandra at P O Box 787, Mt

Vernon, N Y 3. Wow At 6:00 A M , we saw a moose

running loose on Main St