Capital Letters for People and Places

Every person and pet has a special name that belongs only to them. These are called proper nouns. When we write a name, we always start with a capital letter. This shows that the name is important! For example, if you write about a 'dog,' you use a small letter. But if your dog's name is Buddy, you must use a big $B$. This rule applies to your friends, your teachers, and even your favorite movie characters. Whether the name is at the start, middle, or end of a sentence, that first letter stays big!

Just like people, specific places have special names. We call a general place a 'park' or a 'school,' and those use small letters. But when a place has a specific name, it needs a capital letter. If you go to Disney World or Central Park, you are visiting a special spot! This also includes the name of your town, like New York, or the name of your specific school, like Lincoln Elementary. If you can find it on a map or a sign, it usually needs a capital letter.

There is one tiny word that is very important: the word I. When you are talking about yourself, the word $I$ is always capitalized. It doesn't matter if it is at the beginning of a sentence or hiding in the middle. Think of it this way: you are a very important person, so you always get a big letter! For example: 'Today, $I$ went to the store.' or 'May $I$ have a cookie?' Never leave $I$ as a small letter when it stands alone.