General 50 Capitalization Rules
General Rule # 1:Capitalize the first word of every sentence.
Definition: This is the most fundamental rule. Example: The dog ran across the yard.General Rule # 2:Capitalize the pronoun “I”.
Definition: The first-person singular pronoun is always capitalized, no matter where it appears in a sentence. Example: I went to the store, but I forgot my wallet.General Rule # 3:Capitalize proper nouns.
Definition: Proper nouns are specific names of people, places, things, and organizations. Example: John Smith, Paris, The Grand Canyon, Google.People and Titles
General Rule # 4:Capitalize a person’s name.
Definition: This includes their first, middle, and last names. Example: Mary Jane Smith.General Rule # 5:Capitalize titles of people when they precede a name.
Definition: A title is capitalized when it is used as part of a proper name. Example: President Biden, Doctor Watson, Professor Miller.General Rule # 6:Do not capitalize a title when it follows a person’s name.
Definition: When the title is descriptive and not used as a direct part of the name, it is lowercase. Example: Joe Biden, the president, will speak tonight.General Rule # 7:Do not capitalize a title used alone.
Definition: When the title is a common noun and not referring to a specific person by name. Example: The president of the company is away.General Rule # 8:Capitalize family relationship titles when used as a name.
Definition: When a title like “Mom” or “Grandma” is used in place of a person’s name. Example: I asked Mom for help.General Rule # 9:Do not capitalize family relationship titles when preceded by a possessive pronoun.
Definition: Words like “my,” “his,” or “her” make the title a common noun. Example: I asked my mom for help.General Rule # 10:Capitalize honorifics and suffixes.
Definition: Titles like “Mr.,” “Mrs.,” and suffixes like “Jr.” or “Sr.” are always capitalized. Example: Mr. Roberts, Sally Jones, Jr. Places and GeographyGeneral Rule # 11:Capitalize names of countries, cities, and states.
Definition: These are proper nouns. Example: Japan, London, California.General Rule # 12:Capitalize names of specific streets and landmarks. Definition: Proper names of geographical features. Example: Wall Street, the Eiffel Tower.
General Rule # 13:Capitalize names of planets, stars, and constellations.
Definition: Astronomical bodies are proper nouns. Example: Mars, the Sun, the North Star, Orion’s Belt.General Rule # 14:Do not capitalize “sun,” “moon,” and “earth” unless they are part of a list of other celestial bodies.
Definition: These are often treated as common nouns in general use. Example: The earth orbits the sun. (But: I studied Mars, Venus, and Earth.)General Rule # 15:Capitalize specific regions and areas.
Definition: When a direction refers to a specific, named region. Example: I live in the South. The Midwest is beautiful.General Rule # 16:Do not capitalize compass directions.
Definition: When a direction is used simply to indicate movement or a general location. Example: Drive south for two miles. The wind is coming from the east. Time and EventsGeneral Rule # 17:Capitalize days of the week and months of the year.
Definition: These are specific names. Example: Tuesday, October.General Rule # 18:Capitalize holidays.
Definition: Specific names of holidays. Example: Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day.General Rule # 19:Do not capitalize seasons.
Definition: Seasons are considered common nouns. Example: I love the colors of autumn.General Rule # 20:Capitalize names of specific historical eras and events.
Definition: Named historical periods or events are proper nouns. Example: the Renaissance, the Civil War.General Rule # 21:Do not capitalize centuries.
Definition: Centuries are general periods of time. Example: the nineteenth century. Organizations and Titles of WorksGeneral Rule # 22:Capitalize names of specific companies, organizations, and institutions.
Definition: These are proper nouns. Example: Microsoft, the United Nations, Harvard University.General Rule # 23:Capitalize the first and last words of a title.
Definition: In titles of books, articles, songs, etc., the first and last words are always capitalized. Example: The Catcher in the Rye.General Rule # 24:Capitalize all major words in a title.
Definition: This includes nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Example: The Hobbit: An Expected Journey.General Rule # 25:Do not capitalize articles, short prepositions, or conjunctions in a title.
Definition: Unless they are the first or last word, words like “a,” “an,” “the,” “in,” “on,” “of,” “and,” and “but” are lowercase. Example: Of Mice and Men.General Rule # 26:Capitalize the first word of a direct quotation that is a complete sentence.
Definition: When you are quoting a full sentence. Example: He said, “Always be kind.”General Rule # 27:Do not capitalize the first word of a partial quotation.
Definition: When the quote is a fragment integrated into your sentence. Example: She called him “a plague on the city.” Miscellaneous RulesGeneral Rule # 28:Capitalize brand names and trademarks.
Definition: Specific names of products and services. Example: Coca-Cola, Photoshop.General Rule # 29:Do not capitalize generic versions of brand names.
Definition: When the brand name is used as a common noun. Example: I need a new tissue.General Rule # 30:Capitalize nationalities, languages, and religions.
Definition: These are proper adjectives and nouns. Example: English, French, Judaism.General Rule # 31:Capitalize the first word after a colon if it introduces a complete sentence.
Definition: This rule can be debated and depends on the style guide, but it’s a common practice in American English. Example: I have a plan: We will leave at dawn.General Rule # 32:Do not capitalize the first word after a colon if it introduces a list or a fragment.
Definition: When the text after the colon is not a complete sentence. Example: We need three things: milk, eggs, and bread.General Rule # 33:Capitalize acronyms and initialisms.
Definition: Letters that represent a phrase are typically capitalized. Example: NASA, FBI.General Rule # 34:Capitalize specific course titles.
Definition: When you’re referring to a particular course. Example: I’m taking Algebra II and English Literature.General Rule # 35:Do not capitalize general subject areas.
Definition: When you’re referring to a field of study in general. Example: I enjoy studying math and science.General Rule # 36:Capitalize names of specific diseases if they are named after a person or place.
Definition: Proper names used in medical terminology. Example: Parkinson’s disease, Ebola virus.General Rule # 37:Do not capitalize general diseases or medical conditions.
Definition: When the name is not derived from a proper noun. Example: He has cancer.General Rule # 38:Capitalize the first word of a salutation in a letter.
Definition: The greeting in a letter. Example: Dear Sir or Madam.General Rule # 39:Capitalize the first word of the closing in a letter.
Definition: The closing or valediction. Example: Sincerely yours, Best regards.General Rule # 40:Capitalize the first word of each item in a list.
Definition: If the items are complete sentences, they should be capitalized. Example: * Go to the store. Buy milk. Return home.General Rule # 41:Capitalize the first word of a subheading.
Definition: Subheadings follow the same rule as titles for capitalization. Example: Capitalization Rules.General Rule # 42:Capitalize the names of political parties and their members.
Definition: These are proper nouns. Example: the Democratic Party, a Republican.General Rule # 43:Capitalize the names of specific government bodies or departments.
Definition: When referring to a specific group by its proper name. Example: the Department of Justice.General Rule # 44:Do not capitalize generic government terms.
Definition: When referring to the concept of a government body. Example: The government is holding a meeting.General Rule # 45:Capitalize official names of races and ethnic groups.
Definition: Proper nouns for groups of people. Example: African-American, Native American.General Rule # 46:Do not capitalize general terms for race or color.
Definition: General descriptive terms are common nouns. Example: The crowd was a mix of black and white people.General Rule # 47:Capitalize the “first” word of a list that is introduced by a phrase or clause.
Definition: This is a stylistic choice to make the list items stand out. Example: Here are the items: Milk, eggs, and cheese.General Rule # 48:Capitalize proper adjectives.
Definition: Adjectives derived from proper nouns. Example: English literature, Freudian slip.General Rule # 49:Capitalize the names of specific awards, medals, and trophies.
Definition: These are proper nouns. Example: Academy Award, Pulitzer Prize.General Rule # 50:Capitalize the name of a specific building, monument, or bridge.
Definition: These are proper nouns. Example: Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge.Deference Between (BrE vs. AmE) Definition and Examples
British English (BrE) and American English (AmE) are the two primary dialects of the English language. While they are mutually intelligible, they differ in several key areas including spelling, vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar.1 The differences arose after the American colonies separated from Britain, with Noah Webster’s dictionary playing a major role in standardizing American spelling.2
Spelling 
The most noticeable difference is in spelling.3 American English tends to use a more phonetic spelling, while British English often retains older, more traditional spellings.4
-or vs. -our: Words with “-our” in BrE typically end in “-or” in AmE.
BrE: colour, labour, favour
AmE: color, labor, favor
-er vs. -re: Words with “-re” in BrE often end in “-er” in AmE.5
BrE: centre, theatre, metre6
AmE: center, theater, meter
-ize vs. -ise: Many verbs ending in “-ize” in AmE can also be spelled with “-ise” in BrE.7
BrE: realise, apologise
AmE: realize, apologize
-ense vs. -ence: Some nouns and verbs are spelled differently.8
BrE: defence, licence9
AmE: defense, license10
Consonant doubling: BrE often doubles the final consonant of a word before adding a suffix, even when the word is not stressed on the last syllable.
BrE: travelling, counselling, jewellery
AmE: traveling, counseling, jewelry11
Vocabulary 
Many everyday items have different names in BrE and AmE.12 This is often the source of the most confusion.
| British English | American English |
| flat | apartment |
| lorry | truck |
| lift | elevator |
| trousers | pants |
| chips | French fries |
| crisps | potato chips |
| petrol | gasoline |
| bonnet | hood (of a car) |
| boot | trunk (of a car) |
| pavement | sidewalk |
| subway | subway or underground |
| queue13 | line14 |
Grammar 
While grammar is largely the same, there are some subtle differences in usage, particularly with verb tenses and prepositions.15
Past Tense of Get: BrE uses “got” as the past participle of get, while AmE uses “gotten” (e.g., I haven’t got a car vs. I haven’t gotten a car).16
Present Perfect vs. Simple Past: BrE often uses the present perfect for recent actions, whereas AmE might use the simple past.17
BrE: I’ve just eaten lunch.
AmE: I just ate lunch.
Collective Nouns: In BrE, collective nouns like “team” or “family” can be treated as plural (e.g., The team are winning), while in AmE, they are almost always singular (e.g., The team is winning).18
Prepositions: Prepositions in certain phrases can differ.
BrE: at the weekend, in a team
AmE: on the weekend, on a team19
Pronunciation 
Pronunciation differences are perhaps the most significant distinction for spoken language.
Rhoticity: American English is rhotic, meaning the “r” sound is pronounced in all positions (e.g., car, farm).20 Most BrE accents, such as Received Pronunciation (RP), are non-rhotic, dropping the “r” sound unless it comes before a vowel (e.g., ca, fahm).21
Vowel Sounds: Many vowels are pronounced differently.22 For example, the vowel sound in words like “dance” and “grass” is often a longer “ah” sound in BrE, but a shorter “a” sound in AmE.
“T” sound: In AmE, the letter “t” between two vowels is often pronounced as a quick, soft “d” sound (e.g., water sounds like “wadder”). This is not common in BrE.
Stress: The stress on certain words can vary.
BrE: AD-vert-is-ment23
AmE: ad-ver-TISE-ment24
Referral Link 
For a more in-depth comparison, you can refer to the Wikipedia entry on this topic:
Abdul Jabbar
Author, Writer, Dreamer
“I believe that clarity is the foundation of effective communication. My work is dedicated to demystifying the often-confusing world of grammar and punctuation, making it accessible to everyone. I write to empower you with the tools to express yourself with precision and confidence, one rule at a time.”