Capitalization: Titles

 

            We all know that the person in the Oval Office right now is President Bush with a capital "P" on "President"; but would we write that he is the President of the United States, with a capital "P"?

 

            No - you don't capitalize a title when it's used after a name, or alone in place of a name as a generic term. So: "President Bush is the president."

 

            You would write about your Uncle Jack, but mention that your uncle likes to fish. And you would write that "the archbishop of your region is coming to town," and that "Archbishop Newcomb will speak at 9 a.m."

 

            Of course we're supposed to honor our mother and our father, but you don't have to go so far as to capitalize those words in reference to your parents. If you are using the word "mother" as a name, you could write: "Mother has prepared a lovely meal," but when you're referring to her in her role as a mother, use lower case: "My mother has prepared a lovely meal."

 

By Susan Darst Williams • www.GoBigEd.com • Grammar Granny 023 • © 2006