Spelling, numbers, and conventions - Capitalisation and hyph...

Learning Outcomes

After reading this article, you will correctly apply capitalisation and hyphenation rules in your IELTS Writing and Reading answers. You will be able to use capital letters where exam conventions require them, identify and avoid common errors with proper nouns and acronyms, and use hyphens accurately in compound adjectives and numbers written in words.

IELTS Academic, General & UKVI Syllabus

For IELTS, you are required to use accurate spelling, including correct capitalisation and hyphenation, in all writing and short-answer tasks. For revision, focus on these syllabus points:

• Use capital letters for the first word in a sentence, names, places, countries, nationalities, languages, official titles, and acronyms.
• Apply hyphens to compound adjectives before a noun, and in numbers written as words from 21 to 99.
• Avoid unnecessary capitalisation and incorrect hyphen use.
• Spell names, addresses, days, and months with correct initial capitals in Listening and Reading answers.
• Recognise British and international English conventions in spelling for IELTS.

Test Your Knowledge

Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, remember to look more closely at that area during your revision.

1. Which words need capital letters in the sentence: "he travelled from sydney to visit the museum of modern art in new york"?
2. How do you write the number 34 in words within an IELTS essay?
3. Does "state-of-the-art design" require hyphens? Why or why not?
4. Should "autumn" start with a capital letter in the phrase "The park is beautiful in autumn"?

Introduction

Correct spelling for IELTS includes proper use of capital letters and hyphens alongside standard spelling. Examiners check not only the letters themselves, but also whether required capitals, hyphens, and number conventions are present. Answers with missing or misplaced capitals or hyphens may be marked incorrect, especially with names, titles, addresses, and numbers in words. You must use these conventions precisely in both Writing and short-answer Reading or Listening tasks.

Key Term: Capitalisation
The use of an uppercase letter at the beginning of a word. Required for sentence openings, names, nationalities, days, months, titles, and acronyms.

Key Term: Proper Noun
A name of a specific person, place, organisation, event, or work, which always begins with a capital letter.

Key Term: Hyphen
The short dash (-) used to join two or more words as a single concept or to clarify meaning, especially in compound adjectives and written numbers.

Capitalisation Rules

When to Use Capital Letters

You must use a capital letter for:

• The first word of every sentence.
• Names of people, places, countries, nationalities, languages, cities, and regions:
  • "Santiago", "Asia", "English", "French"
• Official titles and when a title precedes a name:
  • "President Lee", "Doctor Evans", "Professor Green"
• Days, months, and recognised holidays:
  • "Wednesday", "August", "Eid", "Christmas"
• Specific organisations, companies, institutions, events, and documents:
  • "The United Nations", "Oxford University", "IELTS Test Report Form"
• Acronyms or initialisms:
  • "UNESCO", "BBC", "EU"

What Not to Capitalise

• Ordinary nouns (river, building, report), except if starting a sentence.
• Seasons ("autumn", "winter", not "Autumn" unless at the start of a sentence).
• General job titles after a name or used generically:
  • "the president of the club", "an engineer from Japan"
• Articles, conjunctions, or prepositions unless at the sentence start or forming part of an official title.

Sentence Case vs. Title Case

Use sentence case for IELTS essays and most answers:

• "Water pollution affects health."

Use title case only if required to copy an official name or publication title:

• "Museum of Modern Art"

Common Mistakes

• Do not capitalise a word immediately after a comma unless it is a proper noun.
• Never capitalise every word in a sentence except for acronym requirements.
• Capitalise the exact official name, not shortened or descriptive versions:
  • "the Olympic Games", not "the games"
• Do not use a capital for seasons unless they begin a sentence.

Worked Example 1.1

Please correct the capitalisation in the following sentence:

she met professor tanaka at tokyo national university in april.

Answer:
She met Professor Tanaka at Tokyo National University in April.

Hyphenation Rules

When Hyphens Are Required

Use a hyphen in these situations:

• Compound adjectives before a noun:
  • "a world-famous author", "a two-week course", "a high-speed train"
• Numbers written as words from 21 to 99:
  • "twenty-one students", "thirty-four years old"
• Many prefixes before a capital letter, word, or when double vowels may confuse:
  • "non-English", "anti-inflammatory", "co-operate"
• Certain words to avoid ambiguity or double meaning:
  • "re-sign" (sign again) vs. "resign" (quit)

Do not use a hyphen:

• After adverbs ending in -ly:
  • "a highly skilled worker" (no hyphen)
• When a compound term follows the noun it describes:
  • "The child is well behaved."

Key Term: Compound Adjective
A combination of two or more words joined with a hyphen, used before a noun to create a single descriptive idea.

Spelling Numbers with Hyphens

For numbers between 21 and 99, join the tens and the units with a hyphen:

• "forty-two", "seventy-six"

Numbers above 100 are written with "and" after "hundred", no hyphens for the hundreds part:

• "one hundred and fifty-eight"

Hyphens and Prefixes

Many prefixes are joined without a hyphen (e.g., "email", "online"), but use a hyphen where established spelling rules or dictionaries require it, especially with unusual combinations or proper nouns (e.g., "self-employed", "pre-IELTS", "ex-president").

Hyphens and Line Endings

Do not split words using a hyphen at the end of the line in IELTS Writing. Maintain whole words unless unavoidable, and avoid splitting at all in exam scripts.

Worked Example 1.2

Which of the following sentences shows correct use of hyphens?

a) It is a well known writer.
b) The sixty-three children performed.
c) The recently-established programme succeeded.
d) The programme was recently established.

Answer:
a) Incorrect ("well-known" is required before "writer")
b) Correct (hyphens for "sixty-three")
c) Incorrect (no hyphen after "-ly" adverb)
d) Correct

Conventions in IELTS Answers

Listening and Reading Short Answers

• Names and addresses must include capital letters for surnames, street names, towns, and countries.
• Days of the week and months require capitals:
  • "Saturday", "December"
• Acronyms and official titles:
  • "WHO", "Railway Station"
• Section headings: Follow the format provided in the question; match capitals only if required.

Short Answer Completion and Hyphens

• For numbers written in words, use hyphens when required:
  • "thirty-nine"
• Compound adjectives or terms in questions must include hyphens in your answer where needed, especially if the answer is a direct copy from a list or table.
• Do not add unnecessary hyphens or join words inappropriately.

Worked Example 1.3

What is the correct way to write the following in words as an IELTS Reading answer: 46?

Answer:
Forty-six

Exam Warning

Spelling errors involving missing capitals or hyphens can lead to loss of marks, especially in Listening or Reading short answers for names, addresses, and hyphenated vocabulary. Always check before submitting.

Revision Tip

When proofreading, underline or silently check each word that might require a capital or hyphen—especially names, titles, addresses, days, months, and written numbers.

Key Point Checklist

This article has covered the following key knowledge points:

• Use capital letters for the first word of every sentence, all proper nouns, official titles before a name, days, months, holidays, and acronyms.
• Do not use capitals for ordinary nouns, endings of sentences, or for seasons unless starting a sentence.
• Apply hyphens for compound adjectives before a noun and for numbers written in words between 21 and 99.
• Do not use a hyphen after -ly adverbs or when the compound comes after the noun.
• Always write names, addresses, days, and months with the correct capitalisation in all IELTS answers.
• Include all required hyphens in compound adjectives or numerical words in IELTS tasks.

Key Terms and Concepts

• Capitalisation
• Proper Noun
• Hyphen
• Compound Adjective