Editor's Corner

Capitalization Quiz

If you are one of our loyal readers who likes quizzes, it’s your lucky day! This quiz (from DailyWritingTips.com) will test your capitalization skills. The rules that apply to these quiz questions are common capitalization rules that we adhere to at JHA.

So, when you’re ready, correct the capitalization in the following five sentences, and then scroll down to see the correct answers and explanations.

The only prize for getting them all right is your own self-satisfaction. You can’t put a price on that!

1. Next sunday will be our fifth Anniversary.

2. My best school subjects are History, french, math, and Physics.

3. Sallie bought new curtains for her French windows.

4. When we visit Rome, we hope to obtain an audience with the pope.

5. London and paris were already centers of culture in the middle ages.

Answers and Explanations

1.
Original: Next sunday will be our fifth Anniversary.
Correct : Next Sunday will be our fifth anniversary.

In English, days of the week are capitalized. Common nouns, like “anniversary” are not.

[dbb – Capitalizing
common nouns is a common error. Common nouns are nouns used to name general items rather than specific ones. Whereas,
proper nouns are used to name specific things. For example, “the credit union” is a common noun but “First City Credit Union” is a proper noun.]

2.
Original: My best school subjects are History, french, math, and Physics.
Correct : My best school subjects are history, French, math, and physics.

Languages are capitalized, but other school subjects are not.

3.
Original: Sallie bought new curtains for her French windows.
Correct : Sallie bought new curtains for her french windows.

Although capitalized in other contexts, “french” is not capitalized here because “french windows” refers to a certain type of window. The same usage would apply to “russian dressing” and “danish pastry.”

4.
Original: When we visit Rome, we hope to obtain an audience with the pope.
Correct : When we visit Rome, we hope to obtain an audience with the Pope.

The word “pope” is capitalized here because it refers to a person who bears the title.

5.
Original: London and paris were already centers of culture in the middle ages.
Correct : London and Paris were already centers of culture in the Middle Ages.

Names of cities are capitalized, as are distinctive historical periods.

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

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