Capital Letters PDF

151 Langan: Sentence Skills, II. Sentence Skills 21. Capital Letters © The McGraw−Hill...

151 Langan: Sentence Skills, II. Sentence Skills 21. Capital Letters © The McGraw−Hill Sentence Skills, Form B, Eighth Edition Form B, Eighth Edition Companies, 2009 SECTION 4 Punctuation and Mechanics Capital Letters 21 Introductory Activity Copyright © 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. You probably already know a good deal about the uses of capital letters. Answering the questions below will help you check your knowledge before you begin the chapter. 1. Write the full name of a good friend: 2. In what city and state were you born? 3. What is your present street address? 4. Name a country where you would like to travel: 5. Name a school that you attended: 6. Give the name of a store where you buy food: 7. Name a company where you or anyone you know works: 8. Which day of the week gives you the best chance to relax? 9. What holiday is your favorite? 10. Which brand of toothpaste do you use? 11. Give the brand name of candy or chewing gum you like: 12. Name a song or a television show you enjoy: 13. Write the title of a magazine or newspaper you read:  152 Langan: Sentence Skills, II. Sentence Skills Basic Writing Development Form B, Eighth Edition 21. Capital Letters © The McGraw−Hill Companies, 2009 296 Part 2 Sentence Skills Three capital letters are needed in the example below. Underline the words you think should be capitalized. Then write them, capitalized, in the spaces provided. 14on Super Bowl Sunday, my roommate said, 15“let’s buy some snacks and invite a few friends over to watch the game.” 16i knew my plans to write a term paper would have to be changed. 14. 15. 16. Answers are on page 579. Main Uses of Capital Letters Capital letters are used with 1. First word in a sentence or direct quotation 2. Names of persons and the word I www.mhhe.com/langan 3. Names of particular places 4. Names of days of the week, months, and holidays 5. Names of commercial products 6. Titles of books, magazines, articles, films, television shows, songs, poems, stories, papers that you write, and the like 7. Names of companies, associations, unions, clubs, religious and political groups, and other organizations Each use is illustrated on the pages that follow. First Word in a Sentence or Direct Quotation Our company has begun laying people off. The doctor said, “This may hurt a bit.” “My husband,” said Sheryl, “is a light eater. When it’s light, he starts to eat.” In the third example above, My and When are capitalized because they start new sentences. But is is not capitalized, because it is part of the first sentence.  153 Langan: Sentence Skills, II. Sentence Skills 21. Capital Letters © The McGraw−Hill Sentence Skills, Form B, Eighth Edition Form B, Eighth Edition Companies, 2009 Chapter 21 Capital Letters 297 Names of Persons and the Word I At the picnic, I met Tony Curry and Lola Morrison. Names of Particular Places After graduating from Gibbs High School in Houston, I worked for a sum- mer at a nearby Holiday Inn on Clairmont Boulevard. But Use small letters if the specific name of a place is not given. After graduating from high school in my hometown, I worked for a summer at a nearby hotel on one of the main shopping streets. Names of Days of the Week, Months, and Holidays Copyright © 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Memorial Day falls on the last Monday in May. But Use small letters for the seasons—summer, fall, winter, spring. In the early summer and fall, my hay fever bothers me. Names of Commercial Products The consumer magazine gave high ratings to Cheerios breakfast cereal, Breyer’s ice cream, and Progresso chicken noodle soup. But Use small letters for the type of product (breakfast cereal, ice cream, chicken noodle soup, and the like). Titles of Books, Magazines, Articles, Films, Television Shows, Songs, Poems, Stories, Papers That You Write, and the Like My oral report was on The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank. While watching The Young and the Restless on television, I thumbed through Cosmopolitan magazine and The New York Times. 154 Langan: Sentence Skills, II. Sentence Skills Basic Writing Development Form B, Eighth Edition 21. Capital Letters © The McGraw−Hill Companies, 2009 298 Part 2 Sentence Skills Names of Companies, Associations, Unions, Clubs, Religious and Political Groups, and Other Organizations A new bill before Congress is opposed by the National Rifle Association. My wife is Jewish; I am Roman Catholic. We are both members of the Democratic Party. My parents have life insurance with Prudential, auto insurance with Allstate, and medical insurance with Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Write a paragraph describing the advertisement shown here so that a person who has never seen it will be able to visualize it and fully understand it. Once you have written your paragraph, check to make sure you have used capital letters properly throughout. In the sentences that follow, cross out the words that need capitals. Then write Practice the capitalized forms of the words in the space provided. The number of spaces tells you how many corrections to make in each case. 1  155 Langan: Sentence Skills, II. Sentence Skills 21. Capital Letters © The McGraw−Hill Sentence Skills, Form B, Eighth Edition Form B, Eighth Edition Companies, 2009 Chapter 21 Capital Letters 299 EXAMPLE Rhonda said, “why should I bother to eat this hershey bar? I should just apply it directly to my hips.” Why Hershey 1. My sister, a greeting card addict, sends cards on the fourth of july and veterans’ day. 2. My lazy brother George said, “when I get the urge to exercise, i lie down until it goes away.” 3. When Len’s toyota ran out of gas on the long island expressway, he hitched a ride to the nearest filling station. Copyright © 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 4. According to the latest issue of entertainment weekly, sixty minutes is still the most popular show in its time slot. 5. Alberta opened an account at the First national bank in order to get the free samsung clock radio offered to new depositors. 6. Teresa works part time at the melrose diner and takes courses at the Taylor business institute. 7. In a story by Ray Bradbury called “a sound of thunder,” tourists of the future can travel back in time to observe living dinosaurs. 8. Stacy, whose ambition is to be a hairdresser, studies at the pacific school of cosmetology. 9. Last night there was a fire at the sears store on ninth street. 10. For breakfast, I mixed a slim–fast shake and fried some boca sausage. 156 Langan: Sentence Skills, II. Sentence Skills Basic Writing Development Form B, Eighth Edition 21. Capital Letters © The McGraw−Hill Companies, 2009 300 Part 2 Sentence Skills Other Uses of Capital Letters Capital letters are also used with 1. Names that show family relationships 2. Titles of persons when used with their names 3. Specific school courses 4. Languages 5. Geographic locations 6. Historical periods and events 7. Races, nations, and nationalities 8. Opening and closing of a letter Each use is illustrated on the pages that follow. Names That Show Family Relationships Aunt Fern and Uncle Jack are selling their house. I asked Grandfather to start the fire. Is Mom feeling better? But Do not capitalize words like mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, uncle, aunt, and so on when they are preceded by my or another possessive word. My aunt and uncle are selling their house. I asked my grandfather to start the fire. Is my mom feeling better? Titles of Persons When Used with Their Names I wrote an angry letter to Senator Blutt. Can you drive to Dr. Stein’s office? We asked Professor Bushkin about his attendance policy. But Use small letters when titles appear by themselves, without specific names. I wrote an angry letter to my senator. Can you drive to the doctor’s office? We asked our professor about his attendance policy.  157 Langan: Sentence Skills, II. Sentence Skills 21. Capital Letters © The McGraw−Hill Sentence Skills, Form B, Eighth Edition Form B, Eighth Edition Companies, 2009 Chapter 21 Capital Letters 301 Specific School Courses My courses this semester include Accounting I, Introduction to Web Design, Business Law, General Psychology, and Basic Math. But Use small letters for general subject areas. This semester I’m taking mostly business courses, but I have a psychology course and a math course as well. Languages Yasmin speaks English and Spanish equally well. Geographic Locations I lived in the South for many years and then moved to the West Coast. Copyright © 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. But Use small letters in giving directions. Go south for about five miles and then bear west. Historical Periods and Events One essay question dealt with the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Races, Nations, Nationalities The census form asked whether I was Caucasian, African American, Native American, Latino, or Asian. Last summer I hitchhiked through Italy, France, and Germany. The city is a melting pot for Koreans, Vietnamese, and Mexican Americans. But Use small letters when referring to whites or blacks. Both whites and blacks supported our mayor in the election. Opening and Closing of a Letter Dear Sir: Sincerely yours, Dear Madam: Truly yours, TIP Capitalize only the first word in a closing. 158 Langan: Sentence Skills, II. Sentence Skills Basic Writing Development Form B, Eighth Edition 21. Capital Letters © The McGraw−Hill Companies, 2009 302 Part 2 Sentence Skills Cross out the words that need capitals in the following sentences. Then write the Practice capitalized forms of the words in the spaces provided. The number of spaces tells you how many corrections to make in each case. 2 1. My uncle david, who has cirrhosis of the liver, added his name to the national waiting list for organ transplants. 2. My daughter asked me to buy her a magenta pink motorola razr phone and bluetooth headset for her sixteenth birthday. 3. Former united states president jimmy carter received the nobel peace prize in 2002. 4. Terisa spoke to the class about her experience as a pacific islander from samoa who is now living on the east coast. 5. Next semester, I want to register for principles of marketing and two other business courses. Unnecessary Use of Capitals Many errors in capitalization are caused by adding capitals where they are not Practice needed. Cross out the incorrectly capitalized letters in the following sentences and write the correct forms in the spaces provided. The number of spaces tells 3 you how many corrections to make in each sentence. 1. In our High School, the vice-Principal was in charge of Discipline. 2. My Father settled in to watch his favorite Twilight Zone rerun, the one in which a man sitting in a plane sees a weird Creature out on the Wing.  159 Langan: Sentence Skills, II. Sentence Skills 21. Capital Letters © The McGraw−Hill Sentence Skills, Form B, Eighth Edition Form B, Eighth Edition Companies, 2009 Chapter 21 Capital Letters 303 3. A group called Project Bigfoot offers a thousand-dollar reward to anyone finding the Skull, Hair, or Bones of the legendary Bigfoot. 4. In Salt Lake City, Utah, there is a Monument to the sea gulls that saved the first Settlers’ crops by eating a Plague of Locusts. 5. “My brand-new Motorcycle was crushed by a Tractor-Trailer in the Motel parking lot,” moaned Gene. Collaborative Activity Copyright © 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Editing and Rewriting Working with a partner, read the short paragraph that follows and mark off the ten spots with missing capital letters. Then rewrite the passage, adding the necessary capital letters. Feel free to discuss the rewrite quietly with your partner and refer back to the chapter when necessary. 1Some seventh-graders in a pittsburgh school have gone into the candy-making business. 2It all started one january when a parent showed the children how to make chocolates. 3the first week, the chil- dren made 775 chocolate-covered pretzels and sold the entire batch. 4Then the frick foundation, a charitable organization, donated $2,100. 5With this money, the students bought candy molds and began taking orders for $800 worth of easter candy. 6They also produced red heart lollipops for Valentine’s day. 7The children have even gotten good at packaging their products. 8They proudly tell their parents, “we are learning how to keep our own financial records!” 9They are now plan- ning a line of candies for Christmas, to be delivered by their own Santa claus. 10It is good to hear that one school in america has experienced the sweet smell of success. 160 Langan: Sentence Skills, II. Sentence Skills Basic Writing Development Form B, Eighth Edition 21. Capital Letters © The McGraw−Hill Companies, 2009 304 Part 2 Sentence Skills Collaborative Activity Creating Sentences Working with a partner, write a sentence (or two) as directed. Pay special attention to capital letters. 1. Write about a place you like (or want) to visit. Be sure to include the name of the place, including the city, state, or country where it is located. 2. Write a sentence (or two) in which you state the name of your elementary school, your favorite teacher or subject, and your least favorite teacher or subject. 3. Write a sentence (or two) that mentions three brand-name products you often use. You may begin the sentence with the words, “Three brand-name products I use every day are...” 4. Think of the name of your favorite musical artist or performer. Then write a sentence in which you include the musician’s name and the title of one of his or her songs. 5. Write a sentence in which you describe something you plan to do two days from now. Be sure to include the date and day of the week in your sentence. Reflective Activity 1. What would writing be like without capital letters? Use an example or two to help show how capital letters are important to writing. 2. What three uses of capital letters are most difficult for you to remember? Explain, giving examples.  161 Langan: Sentence Skills, II. Sentence Skills 21. Capital Letters © The McGraw−Hill Sentence Skills, Form B, Eighth Edition Form B, Eighth Edition Companies, 2009 Chapter 21 Capital Letters 305 Review Test 1 Cross out the words that need capitals in the following sentences. Then write the capitalized forms of the words in the spaces provided. The number of spaces tells you how many corrections to make in each sentence. EXAMPLE During halftime of the saturday afternoon football game, my sister said, “let’s get some hamburgers from wendy’s or put a pizza in the oven.” Saturday Let’s Wendy’s 1. Mom put on a johnny mathis CD, and the outside world faded away. 2. After uncle Bruce returned from his trip to florida, he showed us endless slides of the everglades and the miami Zoo. Copyright © 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 3. As grandma turned on wheel of fortune, we slipped out of the living room and began a serious game of monopoly in the den. 4. This saint patrick’s day, the local school band is going to march down fifth avenue. 5. Jackie yelled, “you kids have seen that episode of star trek at least fifteen times!” 6. Last spring, in my introduction to anthropology course, we had to start fires without using matches or flints. 7. After he watched the miss america contest on television, Norman dreamed that miss texas wanted to make him king for a day. 162 Langan: Sentence Skills, II. Sentence Skills Basic Writing Development Form B, Eighth Edition 21. Capital Letters © The McGraw−Hill Companies, 2009 306 Part 2 Sentence Skills 8. In namibia, a country in africa, a small herd of elephants survives in an area where it hasn’t rained for five years. 9. During our visit to the west coast, we ate dinner on the queen Mary, the old british luxury liner docked in Long Beach. 10. “Since last september,” said Dmitri, “i’ve been repossessing cars for a collection agency. I’ve had to collect everything from a small toyota to a rolls-royce.” Review Test 2 On separate paper, write: Seven sentences demonstrating the seven main uses of capital letters. Eight sentences demonstrating the eight other uses of capital letters.