When to use CAPITAL LETTERS in English

When to use CAPITAL LETTERS in English

Do you know when to use capital letters in titles? It seems so confusing. Some letters are capitalized and some are not. In this lesson, I focus on the extra-confusing words — the ones that are sometimes capitalized and sometimes not! You’ll learn the easy capitalization rules for writing about subjects, courses, companies, workplaces, occupations, and job titles. You’ll also learn how to capitalize the names of movies, shows, books, songs, reports, articles, and more. You can do this — watch and learn! Then take the quiz at https://www.engvid.com/capital-letters-in-english/

TRANSCRIPT

Hi. I’m Rebecca from engVid, and this lesson is about confusing capitals. Now, usually when you learn the rules of English capitalization, certain words are always capitalized. Okay? For example, the first word in a sentence, the word “I”, the names of people and places, and so on. Okay? Some words are always capitalized, but in this lesson I’m not going to review all of the rules of capitalization, but I am going to show you about when to capitalize certain words and when not to capitalize them, because sometimes the same words are capitalized in one context, but not capitalized in another context. But it’s not hard to understand; it’s actually very easy. Okay? So I’m going to explain it to you right now. Let’s get started.

So, the first one is in the area of a subject or a course. For example, if we’re talking about a subject that you study, for example, algebra, then you do not capitalize it. For example, if you say: “I’m studying algebra this year.” Okay? So you’re just talking about the subject, and therefore it’s not capitalized. But if you’re talking about the subject as a course, as the name of a course, then you do capitalize it. Okay? For example: “This year I’m taking Algebra 101.” Okay? That’s the name of that course, so you do capitalize it then. Okay? Let’s look at another example. “She’s studying psychology. This year she’s studying… She’s taking Psychology 201.” Or: “She’s enrolled in the Psychology 201 class.” Okay? Excuse me. All right.

Another example: “I would like to study business in university.” Okay? The person is being very general, just talking about the subject. But: “This year I’m taking a course called Global Business.” Okay? Now you’re giving the name of the course, right? So what’s the rule here? If we’re just talking about the general subject, no capital; if we’re talking about the course, then yes, we do capitalize it. Okay? All right. There is one little exception: When we’re talking about languages, and this is always true. So if you’re studying French or whether you’re taking French 101, you’re always going to capitalize the name of a language. Okay? And that’s just because in English we always capitalize the name of a language; doesn’t matter which one. Okay? That’s it. All right.

Now, when it comes to places, let’s look at how it works. So, for example, if I say: “She works in a bank.” Okay? A bank, the bank, it’s just the place, the building or whatever. Okay? The business. So then it’s not capitalized. But if I say: “She works at the Brookfield Bank”, now I gave you the name of the bank, so therefore it is capitalized. Okay? Because, again, the name of something is capitalized; the name of a person, or a place. Right? So then it will be capitalized. Or I say: “I went to the library.” Okay? “I often study at the library.” Okay? Just a library in general, not capitalized. Or: “I often visit the Toronto Public Library.” Now I’m giving you the name of a specific library, right? So, of course, it gets capitalized. Got it? Okay.

Or: “He goes to university.” Okay? He’s in university, just a regular word so we don’t capitalize it. But: “He got admission to the University of Oxford.” Okay, now we’re giving the name of the university, so you do have to capitalize it. Okay? Got it? All right. So I hope that’s pretty clear so far. All right? So when we’re giving the name of a course or we’re giving a name of the particular place, like a bank, a library, university, a school, a business-right?-then you’re going to capitalize it; and otherwise, in general, not. Okay.

Now let’s look when we’re talking about professions and titles. So, the rule is like this: If you’re just talking about… Let’s say: “I went to see the doctor.” Okay? Or: “I need to see a doctor.” So if before the profession you say the word “a” or “the”-okay?-then you don’t capitalize it because you’re just talking about a doctor in general; you’re not giving the name of the doctor, you’re not saying which doctor. So, here we just say: “I need to see a doctor.” Or: “I have an appointment with Dr. Patel.” Now this is the name of the doctor, right? So then we need to capitalize the “D” for “Doctor” and, of course, his or her name. All right? Next: “I would like to speak to the professor.” Okay? “The professor”, again, general, so no capital, but here: “You need to make an appointment to see Professor Brown.” […]

50 Comments

  1. طريق المسلم on May 24, 2022 at 11:33 pm

    There is no God but Allah



  2. Advocate Kumar Mukesh on May 24, 2022 at 11:34 pm

    Very good style of teaching



  3. Sor Sitha on May 24, 2022 at 11:34 pm

    sister, how about the word (against)? Do we use Capital Letter or not?
    Ex: Defense Practice against(Against) Cyber Attacks



  4. venudas meshram on May 24, 2022 at 11:34 pm

    👍 👍



  5. HARIVALLABHAN VENKATESAN on May 24, 2022 at 11:35 pm

    Very excellent



  6. Nakaya Mason on May 24, 2022 at 11:35 pm

    Love you 😘😊



  7. muhammad owais on May 24, 2022 at 11:39 pm

    1:51 issued.



  8. Seth S. on May 24, 2022 at 11:40 pm

    Thanks from Israel!



  9. Trishu ki vines on May 24, 2022 at 11:41 pm

    My doubt is what is prepotions of time and place



  10. Jun Wang on May 24, 2022 at 11:42 pm

    Why "N" in "No capital" and "C" in "Capital" is capitalized?



  11. Tamires Cacheto on May 24, 2022 at 11:43 pm

    It was great!!!
    Thank you so much



  12. Your Name Here on May 24, 2022 at 11:43 pm

    I’m a native English speaker who has worked in corporate culture for 20 years and I learned things from this video!



  13. Cc Cc on May 24, 2022 at 11:45 pm

    thank you



  14. Seth S. on May 24, 2022 at 11:46 pm

    We can see in the subtitles what’s capitalized and what’s not



  15. Abiha Ch on May 24, 2022 at 11:48 pm

    A very useful lesson,indeed.Keep up the good work.



  16. قناة العائلة on May 24, 2022 at 11:50 pm

    هاي هاي داكشي عندكم كي الماء هههههه



  17. Ashutosh pandey on May 24, 2022 at 11:50 pm

    Why we sometimes capitalise The Earth
    And sometimes not



  18. salma 82 on May 24, 2022 at 11:52 pm

    Why do say okay all the time?



  19. إشراق الأفق on May 24, 2022 at 11:53 pm

    Do we capital pronouns or subordinating conjunction???



  20. Sabir Mostafa on May 24, 2022 at 11:56 pm

    What about color name in terms of note taking in IELTS listening??



  21. Uzma Naushad on May 24, 2022 at 11:57 pm

    Excuse me teacher if we write any list of words , can we write the words starts with capital letters, as we listing them vertically



  22. Frederick Jordan on May 24, 2022 at 11:58 pm

    Superb explanation



  23. Learn English with Rebecca · engVid on May 24, 2022 at 11:58 pm

    Thanks for watching, everyone! To make your best English leaning plan, this lesson can help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a49RcxrJ0xY



  24. ucnhtmenow on May 24, 2022 at 11:59 pm

    I don’t know if I just knew the rules for capitalizing I’ve or I’m, or if i’ve always done it because my phone does. It’s actually funny how much you can learn from the auto capitalization and auto correct on your phone lol..



  25. CreativityZero on May 25, 2022 at 12:02 am

    Thanks for the lesson. Could you please make a video explaining the differences between present perfect and present perfect continuous?



  26. Shristhi Pahadi on May 25, 2022 at 12:02 am

    I wish I had you as a teacher



  27. Fridolin Nusa on May 25, 2022 at 12:03 am

    I am lucky as an Indonesian. I think Bahasa Indonesia (Indo-language) and English are similar in how to use capitalization.



  28. manualLaborer on May 25, 2022 at 12:04 am

    just use Title Case so everyone is confused.



  29. j k on May 25, 2022 at 12:07 am

    🌸💜🌸💜🌸💜🌸💜🌸💜🌸💜🌸



  30. DaFireStabber on May 25, 2022 at 12:07 am

    How do you have so many subscribers. You shouldn’t



  31. طريق المسلم on May 25, 2022 at 12:08 am

    Hi guys can I depend on oxford dictionary to learn American english



  32. Tingaling Moon on May 25, 2022 at 12:09 am

    Nice video. I love how you explain it!



  33. GEVA PEERY on May 25, 2022 at 12:09 am

    Can you explain why the C is capitaled or not in this example ?
    Jewish conservatives – Conservative Judaism ?



  34. Aaa Aaaa on May 25, 2022 at 12:11 am

    Very helpful



  35. Kamal S on May 25, 2022 at 12:14 am

    Madam,
    May I know which of the following two sentences is better?
    1. Indeed, the Lord is with the Patient.
    2. Indeed, the Lord is with the patient.



  36. joseph kiary on May 25, 2022 at 12:14 am

    Hi. If i want to say, i am doing Math Course ( as High School not University) Math Capital or Small?



  37. sukhveer singh on May 25, 2022 at 12:16 am

    Mam make a lession on simple complex and compound sentences



  38. Sehar Shehzadi on May 25, 2022 at 12:16 am

    Dear teacher thank you



  39. PowerDaniel on May 25, 2022 at 12:17 am

    Thanks 😊 you Drop this 👑



  40. Pedro Figueiredo on May 25, 2022 at 12:21 am

    Thanks a lot, Rebecca. This is an excellent lesson. (Azores Islands, 28sept2021);



  41. OUMAIMA ELHIDALI on May 25, 2022 at 12:21 am

    Thank you teacher from Morocco 🇲🇦❤



  42. Abida Jawad Ali on May 25, 2022 at 12:22 am

    I gave the quiz. Thanks ma’am to help me.



  43. Claudia Diaz on May 25, 2022 at 12:22 am

    Is it correct to write ALL capital letters when I’m doing the inside address part ex: JOHN DOE- 123 S. MAIN ST. HUSTON TX 85800



  44. earp phane on May 25, 2022 at 12:24 am

    "iPhone" or "Iphone" ?



  45. Declan Conner on May 25, 2022 at 12:26 am

    french doors? I think that is an exception.



  46. Raman Dwivedi on May 25, 2022 at 12:27 am

    Why u capitalize "Get" in sentence..
    How to Get the Ideal Job



  47. Uzma Naushad on May 25, 2022 at 12:30 am

    Just like
    1- Menu
    2- Brown
    3- Write

    Please reply



  48. Bat on May 25, 2022 at 12:31 am

    hey im new to the channel i dont know for sure if u said this in your video but can u tell me when there is a number in the begining of the sentence where does the capital go, like does it go bye bye or does it go next to the number like this (3 New words)



  49. Palak Shroff on May 25, 2022 at 12:31 am

    Ma’am, can u pls show up light on when to capitalise: sun, sky, earth, moon, east?



  50. Pooja Nagpal on May 25, 2022 at 12:32 am

    Amazing 👍🙌