Writeability

Most of us know (or should know) that the first word of a sentence and the pronoun I are always capitalized. 

There are other ways capital letters are used (and often misused). What follows is a short capitalization guideline.

The first word of a sentence 

The pronoun "I"

Example: The first time I went to New York I was overwhelmed.

Proper nouns (the names of specific people, places, organizations, and sometimes things)

Example: The United Nations, Golden Gate Bridge, Vancouver, Winston Churchill

Family relationships (when used as proper names)

Example: I sent a get well soon card to Aunt Tina. 

The names of God, specific deities, religious figures and holy books

Example: the Qur'an, Zeus, Buddha  

                    There is an exception to this. Do not capitalize the non-specific use of the word "god."

                    Example: The word "polytheistic" means the worship of more than one god.

Title preceding names, 

Example: He is the assistant to Mayor Blumenthal

but not titles that follow names

Example: I interview Candice Bee, mayor of Lakeville

Directions that are names (North, South, East and West as sections of a country but not as compass directions)

Example: The Lees live in the Northeast. 

The days of the week, months of the year and holidays 

Example: Thanksgiving, March, Saturday

The seasons when used in a title

Example: The Summer 2009 semester

The names of countries, nationalities and specific languages

The first word in a sentence that is a direct quote

Example: Shakespeare once wrote, "To be or not to be..."

Members of national, political, racial, social, civic and athletic groups

Periods and events

Exmaple: Elizabethan Era

Trademarks

The abbreviations of specific names

Example: RBC (Royal Bank of Canada), UN (United Nations)