May I have a grammar lesson?

[serryjw]

When is president
commander in chief
senate
congress etc
CAPITALIZED??

[miss_american_pie]

1. Here you go

Government offices/departments/institutions should be capitalized, eg House of Representatives.

Titles (pres, c-i-c) are only capitalized when they are used as titles, eg President John Kerry.

[yewberry]

2. Chicago Style:

They are when you are referring to a president (and not the position or the office.) Examples are: the president of the US; the president; President George Washington; President Washington.

The U.S. Congress and Senate are always capitalized. Like most military titles, commander in chief is generally not capitalized.

[serryjw]

3. Thanks both of you

Would commander in chief, Al Gore be CAPITALIZED?

[miss_american_pie]

4. Yes, but no comma

I also would hyphenate, so: Commander-in-Chief AL Gore

[serryjw]

5. WOW! an English class

thanks

[Karenina]

7. When ARE....

..., ..., ..., and ... captialized?

[miss_american_pie]

8. I'm confused

Do you mean when are items in a list capitalized?

[Karenina]

11. Hmmm...

My instinct is (having survived a grammer nazi mom) to ALWAYS mentally expand or reframe the sentence. When ARE (these items) capitalized?

He went to the store.
I went to the store.

HE AND I went to the store.

OR...

The plan involved him.
The plan involved me.
The plan involved US (WHOM??? him and me)

TO BE gets most in trouble...

It was I/ It was she (who...)

Common incorrect usage has morphed into accepted speech.

[yewberry]

6. Yes.

If it's a title, it's capitalized. (Lose the comma, and Chicago style doesn't hyphenate the term.)

[sarge43]

9. Military and naval titles are capitalized when

they refer to an individual - Colonel Smith, Captain Jones, Private Allen, etc. When referring to a group of them, then small case, ie a clutter of colonels.

[yewberry]

10. Yeah, I was unclear re: military terms.

Capitalize when they're referring to an individual--but not when they refer to a position. (And General of the Army and Fleet Admiral are always capitalized!:crazy:)