- Definition
Capitalization is when you use a big letter (like "A" instead of "a") at the start of a sentence, for names of people or places, or for important words in titles.
In the sentence 'My dog is brown,' the 'M' is capitalized because it starts the sentence.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A capital letter is like the leader of the line, showing everyone where the sentence starts.
Ask your child: Which letter in this sentence is the tall leader?
Common mix-up: Kids may sprinkle capital letters anywhere in a sentence. Capitals have specific jobs, like starting a sentence or showing a name.
Examples
- Your name, like 'Sam,' always starts with a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence.
- The word 'I' is always a capital letter when you are talking about yourself.
capitalization is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
- Grade 1 Language Arts
- Grade 2 Language Arts
- Grade 3 Language Arts
- Grade 4 Language Arts
- Grade 5 Language Arts
- Grade 6 Language Arts
+2 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
