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Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives C
21f(5). Capitalize the names of historical events and periods, special events, holidays, and other
calendar items.
The names of seasons are not capitalized unless they are personified or part of proper nouns.
EXAMPLES the American Civil War
the Fourth of July
Annual Spring Fling
the Middle Ages
Walk Across America
Saturday
Valentine’s Day
a winter evening
correctly write the word above it. If the word or word group is already correct, write C.
Presidents’ Day
Example 1. presidents’ day
1. New year’s eve
14. the first day of Autumn
2. Independence day
15. tournament of roses parade
3. thanksgiving
16. Hollister county Spelling bee
4. a benefit for the Special olympics
17. the second week of october
5. founders’ day
18. February
6. battle of waterloo
19. veterans day
7. Yalta Conference
20. Hundred Years’ war
8. wednesday
21. New York World’s Fair
9. grandparents’ day
22. Davis cup
10. the roaring twenties
23. Victory of General Zaragosa day
11. Rose of tralee festival
24. a summer day
12. Industrial revolution
25. Mardi Gras
13. Pan american day
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MECHANICS
EXERCISE For each of the following items, cross out any word that has an error in capitalization and
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Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives D
21f(6). Capitalize the names of nationalities, races, and peoples.
EXAMPLES Australian
Lakota
Yoruba
Yoruban
New Yorkers
21f(7). Capitalize the names of religions and their followers, holy days and celebrations, sacred
writings, and specific deities.
MECHANICS
The words god and goddess are not capitalized when they refer to the deities of ancient
mythology, but the names of specific gods and goddesses are capitalized.
EXAMPLES Hinduism
Roman Catholic
Good Friday
Feast of Ramadan
Yom Kippur
the Bhagavad-Gita
Koran
Buddha
the goddess Hera
EXERCISE For each of the following items, cross out any word that has an error in capitalization and
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
correctly write the word above it. If the word or word group is already correct, write C.
Torah
Example 1. the torah
1. a chicano artist
14. written in the veda
2. the teachings of Confucius
15. a portuguese newspaper
3. an italian opera
16. the swiss
4. the russian language
17. a canadian hockey team
5. north carolinians
18. Kwanzaa
6. a greek temple
19. the south american coast
7. the Roman goddess Demeter
20. a jewish holiday
8. taoism
21. a methodist church
9. the feast of epiphany
22. a book of the new testament
10. the zuni people
23. an indian movie
11. the book of genesis
24. the german language
12. a palestinian leader
25. praying to allah
13. the prophet Mohammed
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Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives E
21f(8). Capitalize the names of businesses and the brand names of business products.
Do not capitalize a common noun that follows a brand name.
EXAMPLES Sears, Roebuck and Co.
a Sears lawn mower
21f(9). Capitalize the names of planets, stars, constellations, and other heavenly bodies.
21f(10). Capitalize the names of ships, trains, aircraft, and spacecraft.
Proper names of boats or cars are generally capitalized.
EXAMPLES the Orient Express
Dodge Caravan
the shuttle Discovery
SS Iowa
EXERCISE For each of the following items, cross out any word that has an error in capitalization and
correctly write the word above it. If a word or word group is already correct, write C.
Jupiter Earth
Mars
Examples 1. jupiter, earth, and mars
earth
2. where on Earth
1. Chase bank
14. quaker oatmeal
2. Bounty paper towels
15. the perseids
3. tower records and CDs
16. amtrak express metroliner
4. comet Kohoutek
17. the shuttle columbia
5. ace hardware store
18. Skylab
6. voyager 2
19. arm & hammer baking soda
7. Metro Plumbing Services
20. the evening star venus
8. total eclipse of the Sun
21. toyota camry
9. milwaukee arrow (a train)
22. jupiter and saturn
10. the constellation orion
23. a texaco station
11. lysol spray disinfectant
24. capitol auto
12. horseshoe nebula
25. the star polaris
13. viking 1
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ELEMENTS OF LANGUAGE | Third Course
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
MECHANICS
The word earth is not capitalized unless it is used along with the names of other heavenly
bodies that are capitalized. The words sun and moon generally are not capitalized.
EXAMPLES Mercury
the Pleiades
Ursa Major
the earth and the moon
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Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives F
21f(11). Capitalize the names of awards, memorials, and monuments.
EXAMPLES Nobel Peace Prize
Washington Monument
Congressional Medal of Honor
Heisman Memorial Trophy
21f(12). Capitalize the names of particular buildings and other structures.
EXERCISE For each of the following items, cross out any word that has an error in capitalization and
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
correctly write the word above it. If the word or word group is already correct, write C.
Memorial
Example 1. Jefferson memorial
1. purple heart
14. the Courthouse in Falls City
2. Hancock tower
15. the Ritz Hotel
3. Ryman auditorium
16. national baseball Hall of Fame
4. golden globe award
17. Distinguished flying cross
5. the Empire State building
18. Washington monument
6. Newbery medal
19. Oakland Bay bridge
7. Chamizal national memorial
20. Hoover dam
8. a Bridge in Italy
21. taj mahal
9. Honolulu tower
22. the lincoln memorial
10. Arlington national cemetery
23. mount rushmore national memorial
11. the Globe Theatre
24. the golden gate bridge
12. Vietnam veterans memorial
25. the space needle in Seattle
13. Pulitzer prize
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MECHANICS
Generally, do not capitalize words like hotel, theater, college, high school, post office, and courthouse
unless they are part of a proper name.
EXAMPLES Buckingham Palace
Brooklyn Bridge
Reed High School
a palace
that new bridge
a high school student