1. What Does It Mean to Capitalize?

• To capitalize a word means to write the first letter of the word in uppercase (big letter) and the rest in lowercase (small letters).
• Example: “Sam” instead of “sam”.

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2. When Do We Capitalize Names?

• We capitalize the names of specific people and pets because they are special and unique.
• The first letter of each name should always be a big letter.

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3. Capitalizing Names of People:

• Always capitalize the first letter of a person’s first name and last name.
• Examples:
  • John Smith
  • Maria Garcia
  • Emma Brown
• Even if the name is short, like “Tom” or “Sue,” it should be capitalized.

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4. Capitalizing Names of Pets:

• Just like people, pets have special names that should also start with a big letter.
• Examples:
  • Buddy (for a dog)
  • Whiskers (for a cat)
  • Goldie (for a fish)

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5. Why Do We Capitalize Names?

• Capitalizing names shows respect and helps us recognize that the name belongs to a specific person or pet.
• It helps us know when we are talking about someone or something special.

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6. Practice Examples:

• Correct: Lily is playing with her dog, Max.
• Incorrect: lily is playing with her dog, max.

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7. Important Tips:

• Always check that the first letter of names is big (capitalized).
• This rule applies to names at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.

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8. Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Do not forget to capitalize the name even if it is at the end of a sentence.
  • Example: “She loves her cat, Shadow.”
• Do not use a big letter for common nouns like “girl” or “dog” unless they are part of a name.
  • Example: Correct: “The girl’s name is Anna.”
  • Incorrect: “The Girl’s name is Anna.”