Using capital letters
Capital letters are mainly used to begin the names of specific people, organisations and places.
- The names of people and their titles
James, Ravi, Melissa, Jerome Bruner, Dr Johnson, the Prime Minister, the Archbishop of Canterbury
- The names of specific organisations and groups
Board of Studies, the University of New England, the Australian Broadcasting Association; the Epilepsy Association, Armidale High School, Year 10
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(note: when you use these titles in sentences you do not capitalise the word the that precedes the name.) |
- Geographical places
Australia, Paris, the North Pole; Beardy Street, the Nepean River, Byron Bay
- Languages and nationality
I speak English, Italian and Arabic.
We must learn from the many strengths of Aboriginal learning styles.
- Days and months
Friday, September
- Deity
God, Buddha, Krishna
- Specific courses
History 150, Mathematics II, Drama in the Classroom
I think that mathematics is an exciting and challenging area of study.
She won the HSC Mathematics prize.
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(note: the difference between the general use (uncapitalised) and the specific instance (capitalised).) |
- Historical events and periods
the Second World War, the Depression, the Renaissance
- Titles of books and films:
There are two ways to do this: maximal and minimal capitalisation.
1. Maximal capitalisation (traditional, used for names of books and journals)
The Lord of the Rings, Journal of Higher Education
(capitalise every important word)
2. Minimal capitalisation (used for names of articles within journals)
Quality assurance in the curriculum
Gender bias in Australian schools
(capitalise only the first word and any other word that would normally take a capital)
- The first word of the closing phrase in letters
Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely
