English Language Arts
Grade 9
15 min
Correct capitalization errors
Correct capitalization errors
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify and correct capitalization errors at the beginning of sentences and in direct quotations.
Correctly capitalize proper nouns, including specific people, places, organizations, and brands.
Differentiate between common nouns that are not capitalized and proper nouns that are (e.g., 'a university' vs. 'Harvard University').
Apply title case capitalization rules for the titles of literary works, articles, and films.
Correctly capitalize historical periods, significant events, and specific documents.
Edit their own analytical and narrative writing to eliminate capitalization errors, enhancing clarity and professionalism.
Ever wonder why your phone autocorrects 'i' to 'I' but not 'he' to 'He'?...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Proper NounThe specific name of a particular person, place, organization, or thing. Proper nouns are always capitalized.Instead of 'the student', we use the proper noun 'Amelia'. Instead of 'the country', we use 'Japan'.
Common NounA general name for a person, place, organization, or thing. Common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence or are part of a title.The words 'author', 'city', 'river', and 'theory' are common nouns.
Proper AdjectiveAn adjective that is formed from a proper noun and is always capitalized. It describes a noun by referencing a specific person, place, or thing.The term 'Shakespearean' (from Shakespeare) describes a sonnet. We enjoy 'Mex...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The 'First Word' Rule
Capitalize the first word of every sentence, the first word of a direct quotation that is a complete sentence, and the pronoun 'I'.
This is the most fundamental rule that signals the beginning of a new thought or spoken words. For quotations, if the quoted material is a full sentence, it begins with a capital letter, even if it appears in the middle of your own sentence.
The 'Proper Nouns & Proper Adjectives' Rule
Capitalize all proper nouns and proper adjectives. This includes specific names of people, places, organizations, religions, languages, nationalities, historical events, and documents.
This rule is about distinguishing between general categories (a war, a document) and specific, named entities (the Civil War,...
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Challenging
Which of the following thesis statements demonstrates the most professional and correct use of capitalization for a formal literary analysis paper?
A.In *The Great Gatsby*, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the symbol of the Green Light to explore the futility of the American Dream during the roaring twenties.
B.In *The Great Gatsby*, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the symbol of the green light to explore the futility of the American Dream during the Roaring Twenties.
C.In *the great gatsby*, f. scott fitzgerald uses the symbol of the green light to explore the futility of the american dream during the Roaring Twenties.
D.In *The Great Gatsby*, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the symbol of the Green Light to explore the futility of the American dream during the Roaring Twenties.
Challenging
Analyze the following sentence: 'My aunt, who is a french teacher at a high school in the South, told me that Mom wants to visit Paris this summer.' Which part of the sentence contains a capitalization error?
A.'french teacher' should be 'French teacher'
B.'high school' should be 'High School'
C.'the South' should be 'the south'
D.'Mom' should be 'mom'
Challenging
Which sentence correctly navigates the capitalization of a familial title when used as a name versus when used with a possessive pronoun?
A.I told my Dad that dad was the best cook in the family.
B.I told my dad that Dad was the best cook in the family.
C.I told my Dad that Dad was the best cook in the family.
D.I told my dad that dad was the best cook in the family.
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