BBB.2 Capitalization: days, months, and holidays
What is capitalization?
Capitalization means using a capital letter at the beginning of certain words. Capital letters help readers understand what is important in a sentence.
- monday → Monday
- december → December
- thanksgiving → Thanksgiving
If a word names a special day, month, or holiday, it usually needs a capital letter.
Capitalizing days of the week
The days of the week are proper names and must always begin with a capital letter.
- Monday
- Wednesday
- Friday
Do not capitalize words like today, tomorrow, or yesterday unless they begin a sentence.
Capitalizing months of the year
The months of the year are also proper names and must be capitalized.
- January
- April
- October
Do not capitalize seasons such as spring, summer, fall, or winter unless they start a sentence.
Capitalizing holidays
Holidays are special days we celebrate, and their names always begin with capital letters.
- Independence Day
- Thanksgiving
- New Year’s Day
Capitalize all important words in a holiday’s name, not just the first word.
Using capitalization in sentences
When writing sentences, remember to capitalize the names of days, months, and holidays wherever they appear.
- We have art class on Tuesday.
- My birthday is in July.
- We eat together on Thanksgiving.
A good way to check your writing is to look for special names and make sure they begin with capital letters.