✨ Common Mistakes and Quick Fixes: Starting with Lowercase
One of the most common mistakes in writing is starting a sentence with a lowercase letter. Every sentence should begin with a capital letter. This rule helps readers know when a new sentence starts. Capitalization Rules.
❌ Mistake: Starting with Lowercase
If you begin a sentence with a lowercase letter, it looks wrong and can confuse the reader.
Examples (Wrong):
- the story begins at dawn.
- once upon a time, there was a king.
- yesterday we went to the park.
- she likes to read books.
✅ Quick Fix: Start with a Capital Letter
Always capitalize the first word of every sentence.
Examples (Correct):
- The story begins at dawn.
- Once upon a time, there was a king.
- Yesterday we went to the park.
- She likes to read books.
🧩 More Examples to Practice
Try spotting the mistake and fixing it:
- wrong: my dog is very playful. fix: My dog is very playful.
- wrong: we are learning about space. fix: We are learning about space.
- wrong: tomorrow will be sunny. fix: Tomorrow will be sunny.
- wrong: he is my best friend. fix: He is my best friend.
🔄 American vs. British English Differences
The rule about capitalizing the first word of a sentence is the same in both American and British English.
The only differences are in spelling or word choice, not capitalization. For example:
- American English:
- Wrong: color is my favorite subject.
- Fix: Color is my favorite subject.
- British English:
- Wrong: colour is my favourite subject.
- Fix: Colour is my favourite subject.
👉 Notice that “color/favorite” (American) and “colour/favourite” (British) are spelled differently, but both must start with a capital letter.
🧪 Practice Sentences
Can you fix these?
- wrong: the sun sets in the west. fix: The sun sets in the west.
- wrong: english is fun to learn. fix: English is fun to learn.
- wrong: sri lanka is an island. fix: Sri Lanka is an island.
🎯 Summary
- Always start sentences with a capital letter.
- Lowercase beginnings are a common mistake.
- American and British English both follow this rule.
- Only spelling differences (color/colour, favorite/favourite) change, not capitalization.