Slide 1:chomp! chomp! This presentation is brought to you by Grammar Bytes!, ©2008 by Robin L. Simmons.


Capitalization :Capitalization Do I need a capital letter? Or should that letter remain lower case? A a


Slide 3:This presentation covers capitalizing the first letter of the first word of a sentence, proper nouns, and the pronoun I.


A capitalization item on an objective test might look like this . . . :A capitalization item on an objective test might look like this . . .


Sample Item :Sample Item Wanda wouldn’t offer her little brother a Christmas cookie because he ate all of her Halloween candy last october. Brother Cookie October No change is necessary. Wanda wouldn’t offer her little brother a A Christmas cookie because he ate all of her B Halloween candy last october. C Brother Cookie October No change is necessary. Wanda wouldn’t offer her little brother a A Christmas cookie because he ate all of her B Halloween candy last October. C Brother Cookie October No change is necessary. Is brother, cookie, or october a problem? October needs a capital letter, which option C provides.


Capitalize the first letter of the first word of a sentence. :Capitalize the first letter of the first word of a sentence. the rotten pear sat in a puddle of goo on the kitchen counter. Dude, formal writing is not the same as texting your friend! The rotten pear sat in a puddle of goo on the kitchen counter.


Capitalize proper nouns. :Capitalize proper nouns. On tuesday, september 18, elizabeth cooked her first pot of squid eyeball stew. On Tuesday, September 18, Elizabeth cooked her first pot of squid eyeball stew. Proper nouns include the days of the week, the months of the year, and names.


Other Proper Nouns :Other Proper Nouns Titles before Names Specific Places Organizations Companies Product Names Religions Languages Nationalities Holidays Departments Historical Eras Regions of the Country Course Names Titles of Works


Capitalize the pronoun I. :Capitalize the pronoun I. If that liar Darlene claims that she spent the night studying, i will say that i saw her kissing Thomas at the movies. If that liar Darlene claims that she spent the night studying, I will say that I saw her kissing Thomas at the movies. Don’t be lazy! Capitalize those I ’s. You deserve a capital letter!


Quick Test :Quick Test Directions: In the items that follow, choose the option that corrects an error in the underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose “No change is necessary.” Show me what you know.


Item 1 :Byron likes spicy foods, so he chose the Asian chicken wrap. Martha prefers bland dishes and ordered a large basket of french fries. asian Large French No change is necessary. Item 1 Byron likes spicy foods, so he chose the Asian A chicken wrap. Martha prefers bland dishes and ordered a large basket of french fries. B C asian Large French No change is necessary. Byron likes spicy foods, so he chose the Asian A chicken wrap. Martha prefers bland dishes and ordered a large basket of French fries. B C asian Large French No change is necessary.


Item 2 :Item 2 Janelle will take Fundamentals of Biology next semester; she hates Science classes but needs the credits to transfer to a university. fundamentals of biology science University No change is necessary. Janelle will take Fundamentals of Biology next A semester; she hates Science classes but needs the B credits to transfer to a university. C fundamentals of biology science University No change is necessary. Janelle will take Fundamentals of Biology next A semester; she hates science classes but needs the B credits to transfer to a university. C fundamentals of biology science University No change is necessary.


Item 3 :Item 3 My family prefers to cook a ham on holidays, but uncle Bart is a vegetarian, so my mother prepares “tofurkey” for him. Holidays Uncle Vegetarian No change is necessary. My family prefers to cook a ham on holidays, but A uncle Bart is a vegetarian, so my mother prepares B C “tofurkey” for him. Holidays Uncle Vegetarian No change is necessary. My family prefers to cook a ham on holidays, but A Uncle Bart is a vegetarian, so my mother prepares B C “tofurkey” for him. Holidays Uncle Vegetarian No change is necessary.


Item 4 :Item 4 Dai is vietnamese, but she grew up in Puerto Rico, where she attended cooking school; now she is the head chef at the Cuban restaurant on Orange Avenue. Vietnamese Cooking School cuban No change is necessary. Dai is vietnamese, but she grew up in Puerto A Rico, where she attended cooking school; now Bshe is the head chef at the Cuban restaurant on C Orange Avenue. Vietnamese Cooking School cuban No change is necessary. Dai is Vietnamese, but she grew up in Puerto A Rico, where she attended cooking school; now Bshe is the head chef at the Cuban restaurant on C Orange Avenue. Vietnamese Cooking School cuban No change is necessary.


Item 5 :Item 5 Turn left! We need to go west on Highway 50; otherwise, we will be heading toward Daytona beach. West highway 50 Daytona Beach No change is necessary. Turn left! We need to go west on Highway 50; A B otherwise, we will be heading toward Daytona beach. C West highway 50 Daytona Beach No change is necessary. Turn left! We need to go west on Highway 50; A B otherwise, we will be heading toward Daytona Beach. C West highway 50 Daytona Beach No change is necessary.


Item 6 :Item 6 Katelyn used her last dollar to buy m&m candies; she would have enjoyed a Pepsi to wash them down but the cafeteria prices were too expensive. M&M pepsi Cafeteria No change is necessary. Katelyn used her last dollar to buy m&m candies; A she would have enjoyed a Pepsi to wash them B down but the cafeteria prices were too expensive. C M&M pepsi Cafeteria No change is necessary. Katelyn used her last dollar to buy M&M candies; A she would have enjoyed a Pepsi to wash them B down but the cafeteria prices were too expensive. C M&M pepsi Cafeteria No change is necessary.


Item 7 :Item 7 Juan is taking a religion class this semester; he likes the professor and the readings, but he most enjoys the intoxicating perfume that Isabella, his tablemate, wears. Religion Professor Perfume No change is necessary. Juan is taking a religion class this semester; he A likes the professor and the readings, but he most B enjoys the intoxicating perfume that Isabella, his C tablemate, wears. Religion Professor Perfume No change is necessary. Juan is taking a religion class this semester; he A likes the professor and the readings, but he most B enjoys the intoxicating perfume that Isabella, his C tablemate, wears. Religion Professor Perfume No change is necessary.


Item 8 :Item 8 Patrick visited the police station to see if someone had found Squeeze, his 9-foot albino python, but officer Rodriguez said that no reptiles had been recently caught. Police Station Python Officer No change is necessary. Patrick visited the police station to see if someone A had found Squeeze, his 9-foot albino python, but B officer Rodriguez said that no reptiles had been C recently caught. Police Station Python Officer No change is necessary. Patrick visited the police station to see if someone A had found Squeeze, his 9-foot albino python, but B Officer Rodriguez said that no reptiles had been C recently caught. Police Station Python Officer No change is necessary.


Item 9 :Item 9 Jeffrey thought he would hate humanities, but once Professor Kimble reached the Italian renaissance, the beautiful marble nudes got Jeffrey’s attention. Humanities professor Renaissance No change is necessary. Jeffrey thought he would hate humanities, but A once Professor Kimble reached the Italian B renaissance, the beautiful marble nudes got C Jeffrey’s attention. Humanities professor Renaissance No change is necessary. Jeffrey thought he would hate humanities, but A once Professor Kimble reached the Italian B Renaissance, the beautiful marble nudes got C Jeffrey’s attention. Humanities professor Renaissance No change is necessary.


Item 10 :Item 10 Niki is a practicing hindu, so she was offended when Sean pulled into a McDonald’s drive-thru to order a Big Mac. Hindu mcdonald’s big mac No change is necessary. Niki is a practicing hindu, so she was offended A when Sean pulled into a McDonald’s drive-thru B to order a Big Mac. C Hindu mcdonald’s big mac No change is necessary. Niki is a practicing Hindu, so she was offended A when Sean pulled into a McDonald’s drive-thru B to order a Big Mac. C Hindu mcdonald’s big mac No change is necessary.


Slide 21:The End.