Mechanics:: Capitalization and Punctuation

S E C T I O N
1 Mechanics:
Capitalization and
Punctuation
S ince every sentence begins with a capital, the how-to’s of capitalization seem like a logical place to
begin learning about language mechanics. When doing the exercises in this section, refer to the
following checklist. Matching your answer to a rule will reinforce the mechanics of writing and
secure that knowledge for you.
Capitalization Checklist
✓ The first word of every sentence➞Yes, we do carry the matching bed skirt.
✓ The first word of a quoted sentence (not just a quoted phrase)➞And with great flourish, he sang, “O beautiful
for gracious skies, for amber waves of grain!”
✓ The specific name of a person (and his or her title), a place, or a thing (otherwise known as proper nouns). Proper
nouns include specific locations and geographic regions; political, social, and athletic organizations and agen-
cies; historical events; documents and periodicals; nationalities and their language; religions, their members
and their deities; brand or trade names; and holidays.
✓ The abbreviation for proper nouns. Government agencies are probably the most frequently abbreviated.
Remember to capitalize each letter.➞The CIA makes me feel very secure.
✓ Adjectives (descriptive words) derived from proper nouns.
Ex: America (proper noun)➞the American (adjective) flag
✓ The pronoun I.
✓ The most important words in a title➞Last March, I endured a twenty-hour public reading of A Tale of Two Cities.
1
– MECHANICS: CAPITALIZATION AND PUNCTUATION –
Punctuation Checklist Semicolons

✓ Between two independent clauses (an independ-
Periods ent clause is a complete thought. It has a subject and
✓ At the end of a declarative sentence (sentence that a predicate.)➞Edward joined the basketball team;
makes a statement)➞Today, I took a walk to remarkably, the 5´4˝ young man excelled at the sport.
nowhere. ✓ Between elements in a series that uses commas
✓ At the end of a command or request➞Here’s a cloth. ➞The possible dates for the potluck dinner are Thurs-
Now gently burp the baby on your shoulder. day, June 5; Saturday, June 7; or Monday, June 9.
✓ At the end of an indirect question➞Jane asked if I
knew where she had left her keys. Colons
✓ Before a decimal number➞Statisticians claim that ✓ Between two complete ideas when the second idea
the average family raises 2.5 children. explains the first.➞Keri pushed her dinner away:
✓ Between dollars and cents➞I remember when $1.50 She had eaten on the car ride home.
could buy the coolest stuff. ✓ Before a list➞Grandma brought Chloe’s favorite
✓ After an initial in a person’s name➞You are Sir three sweets: chocolate kisses, Tootsie Rolls, and a
James W. Dewault, are you not? Snickers bar.
✓ After an abbreviation➞On Jan. 12, I leave for Africa. ✓ Between titles and subtitles➞Finding Your Dream
Home: A Buyer’s Guide.
Question Marks ✓ Between volumes and page numbers➞Marvel
✓ At the end of a question➞Why do you look so sad? Comics 21:24
✓ Inside a quotation mark when the quote is a ques- ✓ Between chapters and verse➞Job 4:12
tion➞She asked, “Why do you look so sad?” ✓ Between hours and minutes➞It’s 2:00 a.m.—time
to sleep.
Exclamation Points
✓ At the end of a word, phrase, or sentence filled with Apostrophes
emotion➞Hurry up! I cannot be late for the meeting! ✓ Where letters or numbers have been deleted—as in
✓ Inside a quotation mark when the quote is an excla- a contraction➞I looked at my father and whispered,
mation➞The woman yelled, “Hurry up! I cannot be “It’s (It is) okay to cry every so often.”
late for the meeting!” ✓ At the end of a name where there is ownership
(remember to also add an s after the apostrophe if
Quotation Marks the word or name does not end in an s already)
✓ When directly quoting dialogue, not when para- ➞Mary Jane’s horse sprained his ankle during
phrasing➞Hamlet says, “To be, or not to be. That is practice.
the question.”
✓ For titles of chapters, articles, short stories, poems,
songs, or periodicals➞My favorite poem is “The
Road Not Taken.”
2
–– MECHANICS: CAPITALIZATION AND PUNCTUATION ––
Commas ✓ Around nonessential clauses, parenthetical phrases,

✓ Between items in dates and addresses➞Michael and appositives (A nonessential or nonrestrictive
arrived at Ellis Island, New York, on February 14, clause is a word or group of words that are not nec-
1924. essary for the sentence’s completion; a parentheti-
✓ Between words in a list➞The university hired a cal phrase interrupts the flow of a sentence; and an
woman to direct the Bursar’s, Financial Aid, and Reg- appositive is a word or group of words that rename
istrar’s offices. the noun preceding them)➞Matt’s mother, Janie
✓ Between equally important adjectives (be care- (appositive), who has trouble with directions (non-
ful not to separate adjectives that describe each essential clause), had to ask for help.
other)➞The reporter spoke with several intense, tal- ✓ After introductory words, phrases, and clauses➞
ented high school athletes. Hoping for the best, we checked our luggage.
✓ After a tag that precedes a direct quote➞David ✓ Before conjunctions (Conjunctions are words that
whined, “I am famished.” link two independent clauses together)➞Drew
✓ In a quote that precedes a tag and is not a question wanted to experience ballroom dancing before his
or an exclamation➞“I am famished,” whined David. wedding, so he signed up for lessons at a local hall.
SET 1 (Answers begin on page 103.)

For the following questions, choose the lettered part of the sentence that contains a word that needs a capital
letter. If no additional words should be capitalized, choose answer e. Refer to the checklist at the beginning of
the chapter if you want to be certain about your answer.
1. Last week, | dr. Tanya Miller received | a special award from the | city of Atlanta. | None
a b c d e
2. The new bakery | in the center of town | sells a wide assortment | of italian pastries. |None
a b c d e
3. Michael Blake, jr., | is such an accomplished golfer | that he won three tournaments | in a row. | None
a b c d e
4. Catherine complained loudly, | “why can’t you ever | pick me up on time | in the morning?” | None
a b c d e
5. The Declaration of Independence | is one of the most important | documents in the history |
a b c
of the United States. | None
d e
6. Sally’s Sweet shop, | one of the oldest businesses in town, | is located on one of the main streets |
a b c
of Millersville. | None
d e

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S E C T I O N

Punctuation Checklist Semicolons

Commas ✓ Around nonessential clauses, parenthetical phrases,

SET 1 (Answers begin on page 103.)

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