A sentence needs a clear start, so the reader knows a new idea is beginning. We mark the start with a capital letter: a big letter, like T instead of t.
Key idea
The first word of every sentence begins with a capital letter.
Why it works
A period shows where one idea stops, and the capital letter right after it shows where the next idea starts. Together they help the reader’s eyes find each sentence.
Worked example: Two sentences in a row
“We went to the park. we saw a duck.”
- Find the period: after “park.”
- The next word, “we,” starts a new sentence.
- It needs a capital: “We.”
Answer: “We went to the park. We saw a duck.”
Common mistake
Remembering the capital on the first sentence, then forgetting it on the next ones. After every period, look at the next word: it starts a new sentence.
For the grown-up. Capital letters belong at the start of a sentence, on the word I, and on names. Children sometimes write capitals anywhere they like the look of them; gently point back to these three places.