I spend a lot of time correcting random caps and it drives me mad, so this post underscores the pitfalls of unnecessary capitalisation, highlighting its misuse to lend undue emphasis or importance.
Random capitalisation is akin to the unexpected, like a surprise gift out of nowhere. However, when it comes to capitalisation, randomness leaves me irritated rather than happy, causing a momentary pause and ponder about the reason behind the emphasis.
This confusion often leads time wasting, a diminished view of the writer’s intent and their mastery of language.
Adherence to grammatical norms for capitalisation is definitely waning in some professional communications, resulting in the more liberal use of capitalisation. Yet, the overuse of capitalisaiton is not suited to modern business documents or reports.
The use of capitalisation may stem from a belief that it will make the words more important or from uncertainty about grammar rules, leading to erring on the side of capitalisation. Yet, opting for lowercase would often be the more grammatically sound choice.
To clarify, here’s a brief guide on standard capitalisation rules, touching upon common scenarios encountered in business writing, while noting exceptions and more nuanced instances:
Proper nouns — Generally, capitalise the specific names of individuals, locations, and items.
Incorrect: Charlie Chaplin was a silent Film Star known for his work in the Entertainment Industry.
Correct: Charlie Chaplin was a silent film star known for his work in the entertainment industry.
In these examples, “Charlie Chaplin” is capitalised as it is a person's name, whereas “silent film star” and “entertainment industry” are not, as they refer to general categories or roles.
Titles — Titles should be capitalized when preceding a name but not when following it or used in isolation.
Incorrect: Engineer Emily Johnson; Emily Johnson, engineer.
Correct: engineer Emily Johnson; Emily Johnson, engineer.
Titles that are part of a name can be an exception, such as “Doctor Jones” or “Captain Smith.”
Specific entities — When referring to distinct departments or formal groups, capitalization is appropriate.
Example: The Finance Department has requested updated forecasts from Marketing by next quarter.
However, when speaking in general terms, lowercase is preferred.
Quotations — Capitalise the first word in a direct quote if it forms a complete sentence; otherwise, lowercase is suitable.
Correct: CFO Alex Hart stated, “Budget adjustments will be necessary next quarter.”
Also correct: CFO Alex Hart mentioned that “budget adjustments” will be essential for the upcoming quarter.
It’s vital to remember that effective communication isn’t quantified by the number of capitalised words. Overuse of capital letters doesn’t elevate the importance of a message. This insight is crucial to grasp for anyone aiming to refine their writing skills.
