CaPiTaLs

well, i'm feeling random today, so I want to ask you something. why do you think there are capitals at the start of sentences? as you can see, i'm not doing it at all. it's much easier to use smaller letters. if something is a proper noun like Legend of Zelda, then i understand. but why are the i's when we say "i did this," or "i did that" capitalized? it doesn't make sense to me. sentences are ended with periods, and don't need a capital letter to begin the next sentence. any thoughts? think i'm just too random today? post what you think (or if you think i'm way too random).

Easier to read I believe.

So you can see the start of the sentence.

Originally Posted by Ninboy

Easier to read I believe.

well think of this: people make mistakes all the time with capitals(and the keyboard makes it harder). when people are making names for threads, it doesn't really matter if the first word is capitalized, because you still know what it says. but when too many capitals are used, it seems like the person is shouting something. (also, i'll be using small letters only in this thread) if people make more mistakes with capitals, people will think they're using a meaner voice tone. but if it was all small letters, only proper nouns would be capitalized, giving only those things meaner voice tones if a mistake is made.

So as not to bring down the wrath of the...



Use the shift key. It's your friend.

Originally Posted by Scott

So as not to bring down the wrath of the...



Use the shift key. It's your friend.

Umm, can't see what the picture is, but I'll use capitals from now on. BUT STILL, you can TELL if the SeNtenCE is endeing, because of THE PERIOD>(don't capitalize it!).

Originally Posted by iLink

So you can see the start of the sentence.

That's the same idea I have. Just in case you miss the period, the capital letter will show you that it's the start of the sentence.

Originally Posted by NickelFreak

That's the same idea I have. Just in case you miss the period, the capital letter will show you that it's the start of the sentence.

Yeah, but at the beginning of paragraphs? And the I's TOO. WHAT ABOUT THEM?/?//?

Originally Posted by Triforcer

Yeah, but at the beginning of paragraphs? And the I's TOO. WHAT ABOUT THEM?/?//?

It makes things far easier to read. You can argue the same points about all punctuation, but if we didn't use it, we end up with this:

so one day i was walking along a road when i came to a stop so i stopped but then i could go so i went and saw a red car it was a very cool red car with racing stripes and huge speakers and i kept on walking until i saw a building that was tall and ugly then i saw a guy who said hello so i said hello to him and we had a long conversation how are you today he said very good i replied whats the weather like he asked very nice i said so then i walked home


Not exactly easy to read, is it? If we go through that and add punctuation we get:

So, one day I was walking along a road; when I came to a stop. So I stopped, but then I could go again so I went and saw a red car. It was a very cool red car, with racing stripes and huge speakers. I kept walking until I saw a building that was tall and ugly. I then saw a guy who said "Hello", so I said "Hello" to him and we had a long conversation. "How are you today?" he said. "Very good" I replied "What's the weather like?" he asked. "Very nice" I said. I then walked home.

It's not astounding, and I'm sure I've made a few grammatical errors of my own, but it is much, much easier to read, agreed?

Originally Posted by Triforcer

Yeah, but at the beginning of paragraphs? And the I's TOO. WHAT ABOUT THEM?/?//?

It is just how English works, it is the only pronoun we capatilize outside the the beginning of a sentence. Why, because that is the way English works. Same thing applies for German, all nouns are capitalized, and almost completely opposite for French. It is how the languages work, just do what Scott says. Grammar is grammer, you can't change it.

Why? Because that is just how things are. Why do we have so many words meaning one thing? Why do we have same words but, meaning different things? We just do, and a lot of languages capitalize the first sentence. A language a long time ago probably did it and now most people do. Think of it as a trend.

And yes, it does look more pretty when you capitalize the first word after a period. Grammar is your friend.

Originally Posted by Triforcer

Umm, can't see what the picture is, but I'll use capitals from now on. BUT STILL, you can TELL if the SeNtenCE is endeing, because of THE PERIOD>(don't capitalize it!).

Well, he did state he wasn't trying to be a grammer Nazi, but I hope you get the idea.

Capitalization is your friend. Trust me, it's recognized more.

*Locked* Question definately answered.

Originally Posted by GDwarf

I'm sure I've made a few grammatical errors of my own

Indeed:

Originally Posted by GDwarf

So, one day I was walking along a road; when I came to a stop.

Improper semicolon use. A comma would be correct there.

Originally Posted by GDwarf

So I stopped, but then I could go again so I went and saw a red car.

Your repetition of the word "so" is irritating and your writing style here is generally poor.

Originally Posted by GDwarf

I then saw a guy who said "Hello", so I said "Hello" to him and we had a long conversation. "How are you today?" he said. "Very good" I replied "What's the weather like?" he asked. "Very nice" I said.

Your format here is incorrect - you're missing a period after "I replied." In addition, there should be a comma used inside the quotation marks at the first hello.

Originally Posted by Scott

Oh, I'm sure.

Improper semicolon use. A comma would be correct there.

A semicolon, rather than a period, would have been better to separate those clauses.