The document provides a comprehensive overview of capitalization and abbreviation rules in English writing, highlighting three main rules for capitalization: the first word of sentences, the first and last words of headings and titles, and the names of specific persons, places, and things. It also outlines acceptable abbreviations in formal writing, emphasizing the conditions under which certain titles, company names, and terms used with figures and dates can be abbreviated. Additionally, it details the appropriate use of numbers, including when to spell them out and when to use figures.

1. LANGUAGE MECHANICS
Capitalization
Numbers
Spelling Abbreviations

2. CAPITALIZATION

3. CAPITALIZATION
Three Main Rules:
I. The first word of a sentence should be
capitalized.
II.The first and last words of headings and titles
should be capitalized.
III.The names of specific persons, places, and
things should be capitalized.

4. I. The first word of a sentence
should be capitalized.
Examples:
• That man won the lottery.
• My parents always give me career advice.

5. I. The first word of a sentence
should be capitalized.
This rule includes complete sentences within sentences such
as:
• QUOTATIONS – My financial adviser says, “It is never too
early to plan your retirement.”
• CERTAIN QUESTIONS – The real issue was, What were we
to do about the problem?
• STATEMENTS AFTER COLONS (when emphasis is desired) -
We found a solution: We would do the job ourselves.

6. II. The first and last words of headings
and titles should be capitalized.
So should all other words EXCEPT:
• ARTICLES – a, an, the
• COORDINATORS – and, or, but, for, nor;
so and yet are flexible
• SHORT PREPOSITIONS – in, on, of

7. II. The first and last words of headings
and titles should be capitalized.
Examples:
Advertising Strategy for the Small Business
“Tax Shelters: Are They for You?”
Middle Management Stress
“Latest News in Money Market Funds”
Introduction to Computer Programming
“The Ups and Downs of the Adjustable
Mortgage”

8. III. The names of specific persons,
places, and things should be capitalized.
Examples:
• Michael Jordan, like many other successful
athletes, also successfully maneuvered a
career in advertising.
• A motor trip from Sicily to Rome would be an
unforgettable vacation.
• The Eiffel Tower is France’s most famous
landmark.

9. III. The names of specific persons,
places, and things should be capitalized.
Others covered by this rule:
• Names of organizations and institutions
• Historical periods, events, and documents
• National, political, religious, racial, social, and
athletic groups
• Days of the week, months of the year, and names
of holidays
• Compass points used to refer to a region or place

10. III. The names of specific persons,
places, and things should be capitalized.
Others covered by this rule:
• Names of organizations and institutions
 The convention of the American
Psychological Association will be held
during the week of May 24.
 Warren earned his bachelor’s degree at
Yale University.

11. III. The names of specific persons,
places, and things should be capitalized.
Others covered by this rule:
• Historical periods, events, and documents
 Literature of the Renaissance is marked by
an awareness of classical culture.
 The Revolutionary War began in 1775 and
ended in 1783.
 The Declaration of Independence was
adopted on July 4, 1776.

12. III. The names of specific persons,
places, and things should be capitalized.
Others covered by this rule:
• National, political, religious, racial, social, and
athletic groups
 The Republican candidate for mayor spent
the morning shaking hands at the train
station.
 Babe Ruth was one of the most famous
outfielders to ever play with the Yankees.

13. III. The names of specific persons,
places, and things should be capitalized.
Others covered by this rule:
• Days of the week, months of the year, and names
of holidays
 I will have your order ready by Tuesday.
 Winston entered law school in September.
 I always overeat on Thanksgiving.
• Seasons of the year are NOT capitalized.
 Every summer, the Feins rent a cottage on
Cape Cod.

14. III. The names of specific persons,
places, and things should be capitalized.
Others covered by this rule:
• Compass points used to refer to a region or place
 Voters in the Northeast are often stereotyped
as liberals.
• Compass points used as directions are NOT
capitalized.
 Los Angeles is west of Las Vegas.

15. A Few More Special Considerations
Regarding Capitalization
1. Regular nouns are capitalized when they are
part of a name.
*During lunch hour, the street was teeming
with people.
BUT
I work at the corner of Twelfth Street and
Arthur Avenue.

16. A Few More Special Considerations
Regarding Capitalization
*Cheryl graduated from high school in 1976.
BUT
Her alma mater is Madison High School.
*Our office building is thirty stories high.
BUT
The Empire State Building is a major New York
tourist attraction.

17. A Few More Special Considerations
Regarding Capitalization
2. Adjectives that are formed from names are
capitalized.
The American flag is a symbol of democracy.
Hamlet is a frequently produced
Shakespearean play.

18. A Few More Special Considerations
Regarding Capitalization
3. Abbreviations of capitalized words should also
be capitalized.
U.P.S. (United Parcel Service)
BUT
c.o.d. (cash on delivery)

19. A Few More Special Considerations
Regarding Capitalization
4. A person’s title should be capitalized when used
before the name.
Last year, Dean Douglas addressed the student
body at the first assembly of the year.
*Titles used after names are NOT capitalized.
Mr. Paul Douglas, dean of students, attended
the first assembly of the year.

20. A Few More Special Considerations
Regarding Capitalization
4. *Titles of particularly high rank MAY be
capitalized when used without a name:
The President of the United States held a
press conference.
BUT
The president of the U.S. Steel held a press
conference.

21. A Few More Special Considerations
Regarding Capitalization
4. *Terms of kinship MAY be capitalized when
used as the person’s name.
Before I went out, I told Dad that I’d be home
by ten.

22. A Few More Special Considerations
Regarding Capitalization
5. The pronoun I is always capitalized.
I am quite proud of myself.
She washed the dishes, and I did the laundry.

23. A Few More Special Considerations
Regarding Capitalization
6. The first word of a complimentary closing is
capitalized.
Sincerely yours
Yours truly

24. ABBREVIATIONS

25. ABBREVIATIONS
• As a general rule, you should avoid
abbreviations in your writing.
• EXCEPTIONS:
1. When the writing is technical
2. When you are preparing lists or tables

26. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
• Titles
• Company names
• Terms used with figures and dates
• Latin expressions

27. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
• Titles
1.Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., and St. (meaning Saint) are
always abbreviated when used before a name.
Mr. James Cooper
Mrs. K. M. Bowles
Ms. L. Lewis
Dr. Hyde
St. Peter

28. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
• Titles
2. Prof., Gov., Sen., and Rep. may be used before a FULL NAME
(i.e., a first name/initial PLUS a last name).
Prof. Fred Farkas Sen. Helen Coyne
Gov. T.P. Barnes Rep. L.D. Woo
When only a last name is used, however, the title must be spelled out.
Professor Farkas Senator Coyne
Governor Barnes Representative Woo

29. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
• Titles
3. The designations Honorable and Reverend, because they indicate dignity
and respect, should NOT be abbreviated EXCEPT in addresses and lists.
Moreover, they should be used with a first name, initial, or title in
addition to the last name.
Reverend Tom Payne Honorable Bruce Ng
Using the before such designations indicates additional formality.
The Reverend Tom Payne
We invited the Honorable Bruce Ng to the ceremony.

30. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
• Titles
4. Titles appearing after names must be spelled out, EXCEPT Esq., Jr.,
Sr., and academic, professional, and religious designations.
T.P. Barnes, governor
BUT
N. W. Smith, Esq.
Frieda Parkas, Ph.D.
Rod Johnson, C.P.A.
Tom Payne, D.D.

31. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
• Company Names
1. Abbreviate firm names only
when the company prefers
it. The company’s
letterhead will provide you
with this information.
Example: Con Edison =
acceptable for Consolidated
Edison Company

32. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
• Company Names
2. Using & instead of and should be limited to
the company’s official use:
A & P
Lord & Taylor

33. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
• Company Names
3. Organizations and government agencies that are
known by their initials may be abbreviated in writing.
The OPEC nations have agreed to raise the price of oil
by another $2 per barrel.
The CIA has recalled its agents from the Middle East.

34. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
• Terms Used with Figures and Dates
1.A.D. or C.E. and B.C. or B.C.E. should always be
abbreviated.
Claudius I was born in the year 10 B.C. and died
in the year A.D. 54.
*Note: A.D. and C.E. precede the year while B.C.
follows it.

35. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
• Terms Used with Figures and Dates
2. A.M. and P.M. may always be used.
My workday begins at 9:00 A.M. and ends at 4:30 P.M.
*A.M. and P.M. must always be used with figures.
*Do NOT use them with words or the term o’clock.
My workday begins at nine o’clock in the morning and ends
at four-thirty in the afternoon.

36. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
• Terms Used with Figures and Dates
3. Number or numbers may be abbreviated as no. (or No.) and nos. (or
Nos.) respectively when used before figures.
The model I am most interested in is no. 131.
The following checks have not yet cleared:
nos. 451, 454, and 458.
*However, spell out number or numbers at the beginning of a
sentence.
Number 62159 is the missing invoice.

37. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
• Terms Used with Figures and Dates
4. The dollar sign ($) is permissible in writing. It is
proper to write
Sue owes Roger $19.55. INSTEAD OF
Sue owes Roger nineteen dollars and fifty-five
cents.

38. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
*Certain words should NOT be abbreviated in
writing, but can be abbreviated in addresses,
lists, tables, and invoices.
1. Names of cities, states, and countries
Although Arnold was born in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, he has lived in West Germany
most of his life.

39. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
*Certain words should NOT be abbreviated in
writing, but can be abbreviated in addresses,
lists, tables, and invoices.
2. Months of the year, days of the week
The shipment of electric yoyos arrived
Wednesday, October 1.

40. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
*Certain words should NOT be abbreviated in writing, but
can be abbreviated in addresses, lists, tables, and
invoices.
3. Parts of place names, such as Street, Avenue, Road,
Park, Port, Fort, Mount, River, as well as compass
directions
The Adirondack Mountains are northeast of the
Mississippi River.
The hardware store is on the west side of Bruckner
Boulevard.

41. Acceptable Abbreviations
in Formal Writing
*Certain words should NOT be abbreviated in
writing, but can be abbreviated in addresses,
lists, tables, and invoices.
4. Units of measure, courses of study, and the
words page, chapter, and volume
On page 14 of the physics textbook, the speed
of light is listed as 186,000 miles per second.

42. NUMBERS

43. NUMBERS
*General Rules:
1. Spell out numbers that can be expressed in
one or two words.
2. Use figures for other numbers.

44. NUMBERS
*Certain numbers should always be spelled out:
1. Numbers that begin with a sentence
One hundred fifty yards of wire are needed
to complete the project.
We will need 150 yards of wire to complete
the project.

45. NUMBERS
*Certain numbers should always be spelled out:
2. Large round numbers
Six billion dollars (or) $6 billion
 Using figures would imply emphasis:
$6,000,000,000

46. NUMBERS
*Certain numbers should always be spelled out:
3. Time expressed as a number alone or with the
word o’ clock
four in the afternoon
four o’clock

47. NUMBERS
*Other numbers should be indicated with figures:
1. Addresses: house, street, and ZIP code numbers
225 Ash Street, Greenville, Wyoming 71266
11 East 49 Street (or 11 East 49th Street)
P.O. Box 72

48. NUMBERS
*Other numbers should be indicated with
figures:
2. Decimals
6.293
0.00329

49. NUMBERS
*Other numbers should be indicated with figures:
3. Dates
January 31, 1951 (or 31 January 1951)
 Figures are used when the year is mentioned along with the day.
 Ordinal ending (e.g., 1st, 2nd, 3rd) is NOT used when the year is
mentioned.
BUT
May twenty-fourth OR
The twenty-fourth of May OR
May 24 or
May 24th

50. NUMBERS
*Other numbers should be indicated with
figures:
4. Expressions requiring two numbers
10 fifteen-cent stamps
2 five-dollar bills
 The first number is indicated in figures; the
second is spelled out.

51. NUMBERS
*Words and Symbols Used with Numbers
1. The word percent should be spelled out,
EXCEPT on invoices and lists (in which case
you may use %).
nine percent
11 ½ percent

52. NUMBERS
*Words and Symbols Used with Numbers
2. The symbol should ₵ be used only in quoting
prices. Otherwise, use words or units of a dollar.
6 ₵
six cents
$0.06

53. NUMBERS
*Words and Symbols Used with Numbers
3. The symbol # should be used only in tables,
invoices, etc.
 Instead, use number or the abbreviation
no. or No.
 The symbol should NEVER be used with
house numbers or RFD numbers.