Glossary

Sentence Case

A capitalization style where only the first word of a sentence and proper nouns are capitalized.

Definition

Sentence case is a capitalization convention in which the first letter of the first word in a sentence is capitalized, along with proper nouns, and all other letters are lowercase. It is the standard capitalization format for body text in most forms of writing — articles, emails, reports, and general prose. Sentence case mirrors natural written English and is the default style produced by word processors.

Why It Matters

Using the correct capitalization style is important for professionalism and readability. Sentence case signals standard prose writing and is appropriate for most body text. Using the wrong capitalization style disrupts reading flow and can make content look amateurish. Many content management systems and SEO tools check for consistent capitalization as a content quality signal.

Examples

Correct sentence caseThe quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Wrong — all capsTHE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPS OVER THE LAZY DOG.

Wrong — title case in bodyThe Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the Lazy Dog.

Proper noun exceptionWe visited Paris last summer.

Common Mistakes

Capitalizing every word in a sentence (confusing sentence case with title case).

Forgetting to capitalize proper nouns like names, cities, and brand names.

Using sentence case for headings when title case would be more appropriate for the style guide.

Not capitalizing the first word after a colon when introducing a full independent clause.

Related Tools

Sentence Case Converter

Convert text to sentence case — capitalize first letter of each sentence.

Case Converter

Convert text between UPPER, lower, Title, camelCase, and more.

Related Terms

Title Case

A capitalization style where major words in a heading are capitalized.

Uppercase

Text written entirely in capital letters.

Lowercase

Text written entirely in small letters.

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