Seasons stay small
Here is the rule that surprises everybody.
Days take capitals. Months take capitals. Seasons do not.
- spring
- summer
- fall
- winter
All four stay lowercase, every time.
Why seasons are different
A season is not a name. It is a word for a stretch of weather. So is “morning” for a stretch of the day.
You would not capitalize “morning” or “night”. Seasons work the same way.
| Takes a capital | Stays small |
|---|---|
| December | winter |
| July | summer |
| Saturday | morning |
| October | fall |
Look across each row. The left word names one thing on a calendar. The right word is a stretch of time that comes around again and again.
All in one sentence
“We go to the lake every summer in July.”
One small s and one capital J, sitting six words apart. The month has a name. The season does not.
A mistake to watch for
Seasons feel important, especially the one with your birthday in it. Importance is never the test. Ask whether the word is a name.
“I love Summer.” is wrong.
“I love summer.” is right.
Your turn
Choose the correct one.
- “We swim every (Summer / summer).”
- “My birthday is in (May / may).”
- “It snows in (Winter / winter).”
- “We rake leaves in (October / october).”
Check your answers
- “summer”
- “May”
- “winter”
- “October”
Remember
- Seasons stay lowercase.
- Days and months are names and seasons are not.
- Feeling important is not the same as being a name.