In connection with spelling we must pay careful attention to the use of capitals. Capitalization is a great help to us in giving prominence to words and in making our meaning clear. The following rules are the most important:

I. Capitalize the pronoun I and the interjection O.

II. Begin with a capital every independent sentence, every line of poetry, and every direct quotation formally introduced.

III. Capitalize the names of Deity, such as God, the Father, the Almighty.

IV. Capitalize the names of the months, the days of the week, and any word which is used to give special significance to a particular thing.

Denver, the Missouri River, Mount Washington, the Melrose High School, the National Biscuit Company, Patriot's Day, the Declaration of Independence, the Reformation, the Renaissance, the American Revolution, the Ware Grammar School.

Note. We must include adjectives formed from proper names, such as English and German, unless the adjectives are used merely to express a quality, as in the case of stoical and quixotic.

V. Capitalize nouns and adjectives in titles of newspapers, essays, and books.

"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," "Young People and Old Pictures."

VI. Capitalize titles of honor or office, when used with the name of a particular person.

The President of the United States, Governor Bradford, Mayor Brown, Captain James.

VII. Capitalize personified terms, if by so doing you will make the meaning clearer.

Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee Jest, and youthful Jollity, Quips and Cranks and wanton Wiles, Nods and Becks and wreathed Smiles, Such as hang on Hebe's cheek, And love to live in dimple sleek; Sport that wrinkled Care derides, And Laughter holding both his sides.

Exercises

152. Write a sentence in which you name every month in the year, all the days of the week, and the seasons. (Remember that the names of the seasons do not begin with capitals).

153. Write a sentence in which you mention all the schools you have ever attended.

154. Give in class a complex sentence in which you mention an advanced school that you think you may like to enter in the future, and a firm for whom you may wish to work.

155. Explain the use of the capitals in these sentences:

The North and the South are trying to understand each other. When I lived in the West, I had a study that faced the west.

156. Copy from some section of this book (1) four lines of poetry, and (2) four direct quotations, at least two of which are introduced formally.

157. Write a sentence in which you mention all your studies. (Why should algebra begin with a small letter and English with a capital ?)

158. Make a list of five proper adjectives.

159. Write the titles "mayor," "king," "president," and "governor," in connection with names of persons.

160. Write a letter to a publishing house, asking to have sent you the prices of four books, which you may wish to purchase. (Consult Chap. VIII and follow the directions given there for the arrangement and form of your letter).

161. (1) In a paragraph give your opinion of a newspaper with which you are familiar.

(2) In a short talk give your opinion of the magazine which you know best.

162. Spelling Match. Be prepared to spell any word in this chapter.