A capital crusade: to capitalise or not to capitalise?

We've all been there, typing away in our daily communications, questioning whether to let those letters soar high as capitals or keep them grounded as lower case.

And let’s face it, we see people committing capital sins all the time…. From those who feel the need to put EVERY WORD IN CAPITAL LETTERS, to those who Randomly capitalise words like they're sprinkling Confetti at a grammar Party.

So, if you're feeling a bit baffled by the rules of capitalisation, fear not! We’re embarking on a wild capital crusade and exploring the six rules of capitalisation (and if there is an exception to that rule… because there is almost always a rule breaker when it comes to the English language!)

Starting a sentence

The first rule is simple – always start your sentence with a capital letter. It's the punctuation equivalent of saying, "I've arrived!" 

Proper nouns

Proper nouns deserve the red-carpet treatment. Whether you're discussing the Sydney Opera House, introducing your best mate, mentioning your favourite brand of clothing or the location of your next holiday, capitalise these words to give them the recognition they deserve.

However, some of the most globally recognised brands, such as eBay, iPad, amazon, IKEA, NIKE, and DIOR have thrown our beloved capitalisation rules out the window and never looked back. But that’s okay – we all love a rebel.

Titles and honours

When addressing someone with a title or honour, such as General Manager, Doctor, Prime Minister, or Order of Australia, it is important to capitalise these noble identifiers.

However, remember to save the capital letters for the job titles, not the type of job. You need not promote types of jobs to capital status, even if the type of job is important (for example a teacher, politician, lifesaver etc).

Organisations and government bodies

When mentioning organisations or government bodies, pay homage to their significance by capitalising their official names. From the Australian Government to the Bureau of Meteorology, let these capital letters soar high.

But once you demote it from its formal name, it’s okay to let those capital letters take a holiday; for example, no capital letters are needed when referring to the Australian Government as 'the government', or City of Newcastle as 'council'. 

Acronyms

Acronyms are the best friends of any government organisation. Whether you're submitting your SWMS (Safe Work Method Statement), working for ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) or live in NSW (New South Wales), capitalising these acronyms is important.

However, when messaging your team mate on Teams, don’t LOL at them – chill out and lol instead. 

Headings

In the vast landscape of written content, headings act as guiding stars. While some feel the need to capitalise every word in a heading, we believe a heading will have more of an impact if you capitalise only the important words. Embrace the beauty of balanced letters!

Overall, I think we would all agree that there are times when we should respect capital letters and give them the authority they deserve, and then there are times when we should let our letters roam free in lowercase pastures.  And if you save your capital letters for the true VIPs, your communication will be as smooth as a lowercase river flowing through well-structured sentences. 

May the capital letters be forever in your favour!