Learn on PengiElements of Language, 2nd CourseChapter 13: Capital Letters: Rules for Capitalization

Lesson 6: School Subjects and Proper Adjectives

In this Grade 5 grammar lesson from Elements of Language, 2nd Course, students learn two capitalization rules: when to capitalize school subjects — including languages like French and Spanish and course names followed by numerals like Orchestra 101 — and how to capitalize proper adjectives formed from proper nouns, such as Egyptian from Egypt or Roman from Rome. Practice exercises have students identify and correct capitalization errors in sentences and convert between proper nouns and their adjective forms.

Section 1

Capitalizing School Subjects

Definition

Do not capitalize the names of school subjects, except course names followed by numerals and languages.

Explanation

Most of your school classes like 'history' or 'art' don't get a capital letter. But, there are two big exceptions! Always capitalize languages (like English or German) and any course that has a number after its name (like Chemistry 101). It's a simple rule to remember!

Examples

  • I need to study for my history and math tests. [The school subjects history and math are not capitalized because they are not languages and do not have a numeral.]
  • Next semester, I will take German and Latin. [The school subjects German and Latin are capitalized because they are languages.]
  • My brother is enrolled in Advanced Art 201 this year. [The course name Advanced Art 201 is capitalized because it is followed by a numeral.]

Section 2

Proper Adjectives

Definition

A proper adjective is an adjective formed from a proper noun.

Explanation

Think of a proper noun, like a country (Mexico) or a person (Einstein). When you turn that noun into a word that describes something else (a Mexican hat, an Einsteinian theory), you've created a proper adjective! Since the original noun is capitalized, the adjective gets a capital letter too. Sometimes the spelling is tricky, so don't be afraid to check a dictionary!

Examples

  • Proper Noun: Vietnam — Proper Adjective: Vietnamese
  • Proper Noun: Rome — Proper Adjective: Roman
  • Proper Noun: Canada — Proper Adjective: Canadian

Section 3

Capitalizing Specific Proper Nouns

Definition

Capitalize the names of trains, ships, aircraft, and spacecraft. Capitalize the names of businesses and the brand names of business products.

Explanation

When you're talking about specific, named things like the famous ship Titanic or a particular spacecraft like Challenger, you need to use capital letters. The same rule applies to the names of companies, like PepsiCo, and the brand names they make, like Doritos chips. This gives them special importance!

Examples

  • My grandfather traveled on a famous ship called the Queen Elizabeth. [The name of the ship is capitalized.]
  • Charles Lindbergh flew the Spirit of St. Louis across the Atlantic. [The name of the aircraft is capitalized.]
  • We bought our new laptop from Best Buy. [The name of the business is capitalized.]
  • My favorite running shoes are made by Asics. [The brand name of the product is capitalized.]

Book overview

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Chapter 13: Capital Letters: Rules for Capitalization

  1. Lesson 1

    Lesson 1: First Words; Inter Salutations and Closings; The Pronoun I

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  2. Lesson 2

    Lesson 2: Proper Nouns and Common Nouns

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  3. Lesson 3

    Lesson 3: Proper Nouns A

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  4. Lesson 4

    Lesson 4: Proper Nouns B

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  5. Lesson 5

    Lesson 5: Proper Nouns C

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  6. Lesson 6Current

    Lesson 6: School Subjects and Proper Adjectives

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  7. Lesson 7

    Lesson 7: Titles of Persons and Creative Works

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Lesson overview

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Section 1

Capitalizing School Subjects

Definition

Do not capitalize the names of school subjects, except course names followed by numerals and languages.

Explanation

Most of your school classes like 'history' or 'art' don't get a capital letter. But, there are two big exceptions! Always capitalize languages (like English or German) and any course that has a number after its name (like Chemistry 101). It's a simple rule to remember!

Examples

  • I need to study for my history and math tests. [The school subjects history and math are not capitalized because they are not languages and do not have a numeral.]
  • Next semester, I will take German and Latin. [The school subjects German and Latin are capitalized because they are languages.]
  • My brother is enrolled in Advanced Art 201 this year. [The course name Advanced Art 201 is capitalized because it is followed by a numeral.]

Section 2

Proper Adjectives

Definition

A proper adjective is an adjective formed from a proper noun.

Explanation

Think of a proper noun, like a country (Mexico) or a person (Einstein). When you turn that noun into a word that describes something else (a Mexican hat, an Einsteinian theory), you've created a proper adjective! Since the original noun is capitalized, the adjective gets a capital letter too. Sometimes the spelling is tricky, so don't be afraid to check a dictionary!

Examples

  • Proper Noun: Vietnam — Proper Adjective: Vietnamese
  • Proper Noun: Rome — Proper Adjective: Roman
  • Proper Noun: Canada — Proper Adjective: Canadian

Section 3

Capitalizing Specific Proper Nouns

Definition

Capitalize the names of trains, ships, aircraft, and spacecraft. Capitalize the names of businesses and the brand names of business products.

Explanation

When you're talking about specific, named things like the famous ship Titanic or a particular spacecraft like Challenger, you need to use capital letters. The same rule applies to the names of companies, like PepsiCo, and the brand names they make, like Doritos chips. This gives them special importance!

Examples

  • My grandfather traveled on a famous ship called the Queen Elizabeth. [The name of the ship is capitalized.]
  • Charles Lindbergh flew the Spirit of St. Louis across the Atlantic. [The name of the aircraft is capitalized.]
  • We bought our new laptop from Best Buy. [The name of the business is capitalized.]
  • My favorite running shoes are made by Asics. [The brand name of the product is capitalized.]

Book overview

Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.

Continue this chapter

Chapter 13: Capital Letters: Rules for Capitalization

  1. Lesson 1

    Lesson 1: First Words; Inter Salutations and Closings; The Pronoun I

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  2. Lesson 2

    Lesson 2: Proper Nouns and Common Nouns

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  3. Lesson 3

    Lesson 3: Proper Nouns A

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  4. Lesson 4

    Lesson 4: Proper Nouns B

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  5. Lesson 5

    Lesson 5: Proper Nouns C

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  6. Lesson 6Current

    Lesson 6: School Subjects and Proper Adjectives

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  7. Lesson 7

    Lesson 7: Titles of Persons and Creative Works

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