Capitalization Rules
As a title, they are written in capital letters and as a profession or when they are used commonly, they are written in small letters.
ex
As a title
Doctor Sohail Ahmed.
Senator Sameer Ahmed.
Professor Uzair Ahmed.
As a profession or commonly used
Mr. Sohail Ahmed is a doctor.
Mr. Sameer Ahmed is a senator.
Mr. Uzair Ahmed is a professor.
In any official designation (official name of a post) is being used commonly, the first letter of it is written in small letters.
ex
Commonly
He is a principal.
He is a head master.
She is secretary.
He is an assistant commissioner.
He was a good governor.
This is a house.
Specifically
He is the Principal of Government college Lahore.
He is the Head Master of Central high school Quetta.
She is the Secretary sports Balochistan.
He is the Assistant Commissioner of Kalat.
He was the Governor of Balochistan.
This is the Governor’s house.
Capitalize the first letter of the family relationship words when they are used as a substitute instead of the person’s name.
ex
Where are you Mother?
where is Father?
Don’t forget us Uncle (Amir).
The words which show family relationship are not generally capitalized.
If you always use a family relationship word before the name of a person, write down the first letter in capital letters.
ex
Always
Uncle Amir. ( I always call him Uncle Amir.)
Aunt Naila. ( I always call her Aunt Naila.)
Generally speaking
Asif is his uncle.
Naila is his Aunt.
Note : Write down the first letters of North, East, West, Sound in capital letters if you mean to say any specified and divided geographical area or part of the world or any county.
(ii) Write down the first letter of (nort, east, west, south) in small letters if you merely indicate towards the direction of a common place.
ex
Specified geographical areas
Two brothers decided to migrate; one of them migrated to the North Korea and one of them migrated to the South Africa.
He went to the North America for higher studies.
They live in the South Korea.
The Northern areas of Pakistan are very beautiful.
Merely Directions
Two brothers decided to migrate; one of them migrated to west and one of them migrated to east.
The dacoits fled towards west and the police were sent towards east to chase the dacoits.
We live in small farm house in the south.
She lives in a hut in north.
The first letters of the titles of books, newspapers and magazines are written in capital letters.
ex
The Frontier Airlines.
The Balochistan News.
The Daily Independence.
The News.
The first letters of the main words of headings/headlines of newspapers, essays, precis and poems are written in capital letters.
ex
The Governor Meets The President.
Three Men Were Killed.
Man and Computer.
Love.
Starry Sky.
If any name starts with Mc, St, or O, capitalize the following letters as well.
ex
McCongy = He lives on M cCongy road.
St.Joseph = She reads in St.Joseph school.
David O’Nancy = David O’Nancy lives in Canada.
Note : “Al” is an Arabic word which is used to show the connection of a noun with another noun. When “al” is used before a proper noun, the first letters of both “al” and the proper noun are written in capital letters. It is especially written on buses, vans, hotels etc.
ex
Al Uzair = of Uzair
Al Hammad = of Hammad
Capitalize the first letter of the personal and official titles when they come before the names of the persons.
ex
Captain Bashir
Senator Sameer Ahmed
Professor Uzair Ahmed
Governor Asim
Doctor Noor Yaseen
Note : If the title comes after the name of a person, it is written with small letters.
ex
Before the name
Captain Bashir
Senator Sameer Ahmed
Professor Uzair Ahmed
Governor Asim
After the name
Bashir is captain.
Sameer is senator.
Uzair is professor.
Asim is governor.
If someone addresses someone directly using his personal or official title instead of his name, the title is capitalized.
Direct address
When will my son be released, Tehsildar?
When will our problems be solved, Senator?
Generally speaking
The tehsildar said that his son would be released soon.
The senator promised that their problems be solved soon.
Note : “Titles” of academic degrees or honours are capitalized even if they come after the names of the persons.
ex
Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Nishan-i-Haider
Sameer Ahmed, M.A. English.
The first letters of the starts and planets are capitalized except (the sun, the moon, and the earth).
ex
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Note : “Earth” the planet where we live is usually written in small letters but sometimes it can be capitalized.
ex
Usually
The earth moves around the sun.
Sometimes
The scientists analyse the Earth by satellite.
Note : The first letters of “the moon” and “the sun” are written with small letters.
ex
The sun gives us light and heat.
The moon shines.
Note : Don’t capitalize the names of the seasons; capitalize the names of the seasons if they are part of a proper noun.
ex
Names of seasons
I like summer.
It rains a lot in winter.
Part of proper nouns
We met each other in Winter Carnival.
Note : Common nouns are written in/with small letters; if they are part of a proper noun, then, both, the common and proper nouns are written in/with capital letters.
ex
Common nouns
This is a ground.
This is a stadium.
He lives near a sea.
She reads in an academy.
He teaches at university.
Common nouns part of the proper nouns
This is Jinnah Ground.
This Qaddafi Stadium.
He lives near the Black sea.
She reads in Ahmed’s Academy.
He teaches at Balochistan University.
The first letters of every main word of Addresses are written in/with capital letters.
ex
Rasani Road Quetta.
Master Biryani, which serves very tasty biryani, is situated on Shawak Shah Road Quetta.
Note : Don’t capitalize the first letter of the word “the” unless it is the part of the official name.
Not the part of names
the United states
the Union council
We met the head master.
The part of names
The Bank of America
The Council of Foreign Affairs.
The Head Master of Central High School.
Note : Roman numerals are usually capitalized.
ex
Maj. George XI.
Multiply VI by XII.
Note : Roman numerals are not capitalized when they are used for “serial numbers” or “page numbers”.
ex
S.No
i ii iii ix
Page No.
i iv ix
