What capitalization rule is tested when using proper nouns and titles?

What capitalization rule is tested when using proper nouns and titles?

• A. Capitalize only the first word of titles.
• B. Do not capitalize a formal title when used with names.
• C. Capitalize commas and periods inside quotes.
• D. Capitalize proper nouns, specific places, and formal titles when used with names or as part of a title.

Answer: (D)

Capitalization of proper nouns and titles means giving capital letters to specific people, places, and organizations, and to the main words in titles when they appear with a name or as part of a title. Proper nouns like Michael, Paris, NASA are always capitalized. When a formal title is used with a name, the title is capitalized as well: President Lincoln, Dr. Chen, Queen Elizabeth II. When a work’s title is included in writing, the major words in that title are capitalized: The Great Gatsby, War and Peace. This is exactly what the rule in the question is testing: capitalize proper nouns, specific places, and formal titles when used with names or as part of a title. The other choices don’t fit because they either misstate how titles should be capitalized, or mix in a punctuation rule that isn’t about capitalization of proper nouns and titles.

Capitalization of proper nouns and titles means giving capital letters to specific people, places, and organizations, and to the main words in titles when they appear with a name or as part of a title. Proper nouns like Michael, Paris, NASA are always capitalized. When a formal title is used with a name, the title is capitalized as well: President Lincoln, Dr. Chen, Queen Elizabeth II. When a work’s title is included in writing, the major words in that title are capitalized: The Great Gatsby, War and Peace. This is exactly what the rule in the question is testing: capitalize proper nouns, specific places, and formal titles when used with names or as part of a title. The other choices don’t fit because they either misstate how titles should be capitalized, or mix in a punctuation rule that isn’t about capitalization of proper nouns and titles.