Capitalization

As with commas, capitalization is one of those mechanical elements that writers sometimes use inconsistently. Whenever you find yourself in doubt, it is best to consult your references. In this course, we outline the main principles. For more details, consult the guidelines on mechanics in the Background Readings, the World Bank Style Guide, or The Gregg Reference Manual.

You should always capitalize proper nouns. However, many words can also appear in lower case without loss of meaning. Have a look at the following examples that show when to use capitalization.

Rule	Example
When you use words like president, state, administration, government, or ministry generically, there is no need for capitalization.	The delegation met with the president at the White House.
However, when you use the same words as part of a proper noun or title, then you need to capitalize.	The delegation was greeted by President Obama at the White House.
The same applies for geographic names: capitalize names of places, but use lowercase for general areas, descriptions, or positions.	The recent project involved loan agreements managed by various Latin American central banks.
	The project for the northern part of the country was conducted in collaboration with the Central Bank of Colombia.
For writing at the World Bank, you should capitalize names of projects and loans.	The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors today approved a US$50 million loan for Brazil to enhance the impact of the Federal Water Resources Management Project (PROAGUA) in the country's most drought-prone regions.