3rd grade capitalizing places and holidays worksheets
Third graders handle multi-word place names fluently (Rocky Mountains, Kansas City, Gulf of Mexico) and know the half-capped trap (Main street) on sight. The general-versus-specific test, a street versus Oak Street, becomes automatic.
Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.2.2.a.
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The kind of sentences you'll fix
Cross out each small letter that should be a capital, and write the capital above it.
-
we marched down main street on thanksgiving.
Fixed: We marched down Main Street on Thanksgiving.
- our pen pals live in japan.
- aunt rosa hosts thanksgiving in denver.
Every print pulls a fresh set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling never gets the same sheet.
What's on each sheet
- Fix it. Cross out each small letter that should be a capital, and write the capital above it. 8 sentences to fix per page.
- Choose the sentence. Circle the letter of the sentence with the correct capital letters. 7 questions per page.
Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.
How to teach this
Run the specific-or-general test aloud: "a lake" is general, "Lake Michigan" is one particular lake with a name. Maps are the natural playground here; five minutes hunting capitals on a road map is worth a worksheet. Note the small connector exception (Gulf of Mexico keeps of lowercase) if a sharp eye spots it.
Watch for: Both halves of a place name get capitals: Main Street, not Main street. General words stay small: the street near my house, but Oak Street.
Common questions about capitalizing places and holidays
- What about "of" in Gulf of Mexico?
- Small connecting words inside a place name stay lowercase; the big words carry the capitals. It mirrors the title rule students meet next (Beauty and the Beast), so noticing it here gives them a head start on capitalizing titles.
- City is lowercase in "the city" but capital in Kansas City. Why?
- Same word, different job. In Kansas City it's part of an official name; in "the city" it's a general word for any city. The is-it-a-name test decides every case, and it's the single most useful capitalization question a writer can ask.
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Aligned to Common Core L.2.2.a. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 137, updated August 2026.
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