Grammar · Punctuation & Mechanics
Capitalisation Rules
Which words get a big letter, and which stay small? Names, days, languages and titles, with The Lego Movie.
Grammar › Punctuation & Mechanics › Capitalisation Rules
The rule in one sentenceUse a capital letter for the first word of a sentence, for I, and for every name (people, places, days, months, languages, titles); keep ordinary words in small letters.
About the film
The Lego Movie is a film from 2014. Emmet is a normal builder in a city called Bricksburg. He follows the instructions every day, and he loves the song Everything Is Awesome. Then he meets Wyldstyle, a girl who builds without instructions, and Batman, a hero in black. Together they try to stop Lord Business.
What does it do?
A capital letter is a signal. It says: a sentence starts here, or this is a name. English uses more capitals than many languages. Days, months and languages all get one.
Look at the film tile above. Emmet is a name, so it has a capital. builder is his job, an ordinary word, so it stays small.
Look at the last two tiles. Monday gets a capital, but winter does not. Days and months are names. Seasons are not.
The word I is always a capital, even in the middle of a sentence:
Batman is a hero. Lord Business is the boss of the city.
Names get capitals. The words that describe them, hero and boss, stay small.
Visual guide
Teacher Teddy’s illustrated guide to this rule is being drawn — the full swipe-through infographic will appear here soon.
How to make it
Capital — a start or a name
Emmet and Wyldstyle travel to Cloud Cuckoo Land.
Batman doesn’t like the song, but I do.
I is a capital everywhereIs the film in English or Spanish?
first word + languagesSmall letter — an ordinary word
Emmet is a builder. He works in the city every day.
The film isn’t about a summer holiday.
seasons stay smallDo you like the song in the film?
song and film are things, not namesWhen to use each one
Capital letter — names and starts
Small letter — ordinary words
Words that help: big or small?
If a word is in one of these groups, you know what to do.
Capital letter → a name or a start
Small letter → an ordinary word
Common mistakes
❌ emmet lives in bricksburg.
✅ Emmet lives in Bricksburg.
A person and a place are names. Names always get a capital.
❌ My friend and i watched the film on saturday.
✅ My friend and I watched the film on Saturday.
“I” is always a capital, and days of the week are names.
❌ Emmet is a Builder. He works every Day.
✅ Emmet is a builder. He works every day.
A job and an ordinary word stay small. Only names get capitals.
❌ The film came out in Spring, and it is in english.
✅ The film came out in spring, and it is in English.
Seasons stay small, but languages get a capital. Many learners do the opposite!
One more thing
This part is a little harder. You can come back to it later.
Titles have their own rule. In a film title, the first word and all the main words get capitals. Small words like of, and, a and the stay small in the middle.
✅ The Lego Movie ✅ Everything Is Awesome ✅ A Story of Bricks and Friends
The last word of a title is always a capital, even if it is a small word.
Practice: choose the right word
Eight questions. Choose the correct version. You get the answer, and why.
1. ___ lives in Bricksburg.
A person’s name → capital.
2. Emmet is a ___.
A job is an ordinary word → small letter.
3. Batman and ___ like the colour black.
“I” is always a capital.
4. We watched the film on ___.
Days of the week are names → capital.
5. The film came out in ___.
Seasons are ordinary words → small letter.
6. Is the film in ___?
Languages always get a capital in English.
7. Which title is correct?
The main words of a title get capitals.
8. Wyldstyle builds a ___ in the city.
A thing, not a name → small letter.
Your turn
Choose one ending. Then listen to your sentence.
Every sentence here is correct. Pick the one that is true for you. Say it out loud too!
Keep going
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Practise listening at your level
Hear this grammar used for real — Beginner English listening practice. Full movie reviews in slow, clear English, levelled for Beginner learners. One new episode every week, free, with a transcript. BeginnerFree playlistWatch on YouTube