YY.2 Capitalize days, months, and holidays
What is capitalization?
Capitalization means using a capital (uppercase) letter at the beginning of certain words. Capital letters help readers understand important words in a sentence.
- i like school. ❌
- I like school. ✔️
Capital letters are used for special words, not for every word in a sentence.
Capitalizing days of the week
The names of days must always begin with a capital letter.
- monday ❌ → Monday ✔️
- I go to school on Friday.
- We visit grandma on Sunday.
Days of the week are capitalized even when they are in the middle of a sentence.
Capitalizing months of the year
The names of months always start with a capital letter.
- january ❌ → January ✔️
- My birthday is in March.
- School starts in September.
Do not capitalize seasons like summer or winter, but always capitalize months.
Capitalizing holidays
Holidays are special days we celebrate. The names of holidays must begin with capital letters.
- thanksgiving ❌ → Thanksgiving ✔️
- We eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
- We watch fireworks on Independence Day.
All important words in a holiday name are capitalized.
Checking your capitalization
When writing, check your sentences to make sure days, months, and holidays begin with capital letters.
- We have school on monday. ❌
- We have school on Monday. ✔️
- My family celebrates Christmas.
Ask yourself: Is this a day, month, or holiday? If yes, use a capital letter.
Common Core alignment: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.2.A – Capitalize dates and names of people.
Notes for teachers
This free lesson is aligned with CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.2.A. Use it for whole-class instruction, independent practice, or homework.
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