When do I need a capital letter?
| Use a capital for… | Examples |
|---|---|
| the start of every sentence | The bus was late. |
| the word I | Sam and I went home. |
| names of people and pets | Aoife, Mr Kelly, Biscuit |
| places: towns, countries, rivers, mountains | Belfast, Ireland, the River Bann, Slieve Donard |
| days, months and festivals | Monday, June, Christmas, Diwali |
| languages and nationalities | French, Irish, Polish |
| titles of books, films and songs (main words) | The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe |
Words that do NOT need a capital
- Seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter
- School subjects (unless it’s a language): maths, science, history, but English, French
- Ordinary words like river, mountain, school, mum, unless they’re part of a name: “the River Lagan”, “St Mary’s Primary School”
Watch out! “Mum” needs a capital when you use it as her name (“Can I go, Mum?”), but not after my or your (“my mum”).
Top tip: ask “Is this the name of one particular person, place or thing?” If yes, it needs a capital.
👆 Capital hunt
Tap every word that should ALWAYS start with a capital letter.
🔎 Capital or not?1 of 5