Capitalize proper nouns (those naming specific persons, places, and things) and most proper adjectives (those formed from proper nouns). All other nouns are common nouns and are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence or are used as part of a proper noun: a street or the street where you live, but Elm Street. The following list shows proper nouns and adjectives on the left and related common nouns and adjectives on the right.
PEOPLE
| Ang Lee | the film’s director |
| Nixonian | political |
NATIONS, NATIONALITIES, ETHNIC GROUPS, AND LANGUAGES
| Brazil, Brazilian | their native country, his citizenship |
| Italian American | an ethnic group |
PLACES
| Pacific Ocean | an ocean |
| Hawaiian Islands | tropical islands |
STRUCTURES AND MONUMENTS
| the Lincoln Memorial | a monument |
| the Eiffel Tower | a landmark |
SHIPS, TRAINS, AIRCRAFT, AND SPACECRAFT
| the Queen Mary | a cruise ship |
| the City of New Orleans | the 6:00 train |
ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES, AND GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
| United Auto Workers | a trade union |
| Library of Congress | certain federal agencies |
ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS AND COURSES
| University of Maryland | a state university |
| Political Science 102 | my political science course |
HISTORICAL EVENTS AND ERAS
| the Easter Uprising | a rebellion |
| the Renaissance | the fifteenth century |
RELIGIONS AND RELIGIOUS TERMS
| God | a deity |
| the Qur’an | a holy book |
| Catholicism, Catholic | a religion, their religious affiliation |
TRADE NAMES
| Nike | running shoes |
| Cheerios | cereal |
Some contemporary companies use capitals called InterCaps in the middle of their own or their product’s names. Follow the style you see in company advertising or on the product itself—eBay, FedEx, iTunes.
Titles of individuals
Capitalize titles used before a proper name. When used alone or following a proper name, most titles are not capitalized. One common exception is the word president, which many writers capitalize whenever it refers to the president of the United States.
| Chief Justice Roberts | John Roberts, the chief justice |
| Professor Lisa Ede | my English professor |
| Dr. Edward A. Davies | Edward A. Davies, our doctor |