After reading these four capitalization tips, you’ll know when to capitalize north, east, south, and west.
The Tip
When to capitalize north, east, south, and west is one of the more complicated rules of capitalization. But we’re always up for the challenge, right? Of course! Let’s look at a few tips that can help us understand this rule.
Before we begin, it’s important to note that various style guides and dictionaries may differ on these rules, so make sure to consult the correct source before editing. For this article, we’ll refer to The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th edition (the style preferred by most novel publishers) and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Now, let’s dive into those tips.
1. If the direction appears as part of a name on a map, it is capitalized.
Any named entity found on a map is capitalized, whether it be a country, city, river, or mountain. If the cardinal direction is part of a name on that map, capitalize it. Here are some examples:
North Dakota
South China Sea
West Virginia
2. Nouns and adjectives that come from the names on a map or specific regions are capitalized.
For example, Asia is capitalized, so Asian, an adjective derived from Asia, is also capitalized. Here are other examples specific to cardinal directions:
Southern belle
North American
Westerner
3. Compass points are lowercased if they indicate direction or location.
When no specific place is being referenced, the compass point is used in the general sense and not capitalized.
where the north wind meets the sea
a southern climate
continue east
in the southwest of Wyoming
travel northward
looking to the west
4. If the points of a compass refer to a formal or specific geographic region, then they are capitalized.
Similar to capitalizing entities found on maps, geographic regions are also capitalized.
the East Coast
the Middle East
the North Pole
the South
the Northwest Passage
Here’s where it gets tricky because sometimes we don’t know if we’re referring to a specific place or just the direction of a place. For example, did you know that the US state of Tennessee is formally divided into three sections: East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee? Because these three places are formally written into state law and recognized as specific areas, they are capitalized.
Now, let’s look at Idaho. Idaho does not have these divisions. So if we were to say “east Idaho,” east would not be capitalized because it isn’t part of the name of a formal place but rather a relative direction of the compass. But, Idaho is made up of seven regions: Panhandle, Clearwater, Southwest, Magic Valley, Southeast, Upper Snake, and Salmon. So we would capitalize Southwest Idaho if we were referring to that specific region. However, if we weren’t referring to that specific region but were just talking about that general direction in Idaho, we would not capitalize southwest: “I live in the southwest of Idaho” versus “I live in Southwest Idaho.”
Hopefully, you’re getting the picture that this rule is very nuanced. So research is going to be your best bet for accuracy. When in doubt, look up the term online, in a dictionary, or on a map. Context clues in the surrounding text can also be a huge aid.
Let’s look at some more examples:
I live in the south of Minnesota.
I live in the South of France.
The capitalization in both of these sentences is correct. The south of Minnesota is not a specific region. Here, we are simply talking about the direction. However, the South of France is a region that is formally recognized and can be found on a map, so it is capitalized.
Here are other examples.
I am from the East.
I am from the east.
Again, the capitalization in both of these sentences is correct, depending on what we are referring to. When capitalized, East refers to a specific region. For example, in the United States, the East is short for the macroregion the Eastern United States, which includes many states east of the Mississippi River.
When east is not capitalized, we are referring to only the direction, not a specific region. Let’s look at the following dialogue as an example:
“My family is from the west side of the mountain,” David said. “What about yours, Juniper?”
Juniper straightened her shoulders. “I am from the east.”
For this particular usage of east, the dialogue aids us in knowing whether the sentence refers to a specific region or a direction.
The Quiz
Now that you’ve read the tips, let’s put them into practice. Test your knowledge with the following sentences, and remember to look it up if you aren’t sure:
1. As he gestured toward the EAST, I understood he wanted me to get going.
2. The Oregon Trail was settled by pioneers traveling WEST.
3. I’m a SOUTHERNER through and through.
4. Shayla was born and raised in the MIDWEST.
5. I lived on the WEST COAST, specifically Oregon, for fifteen years.
6. Clem pulled on his boots and headed NORTH toward the NORTHERN mines.
7. The EASTERN bridge needed major repairs.
8. The lion is native to SOUTH AFRICA.
9. Look to the SOUTHWEST, and you’ll see the dirt road leading to the truck stop.
10. I want to see the NORTHERN lights.
11. The WEST is known for its rocky climate
12. She turned EASTWARD, and the rising sun warmed her face.
Find the answers at the bottom of the page.
The Published Examples
“They came swimming out of the west, but as they saw the canoe they turned in a great circle and began to follow me.”
(O'Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphins. Houghton Mifflin, 1960.)
West isn’t capitalized because it is referring to a general direction.
“He knew so much about her; where she lived, where she worked, when she jogged along the East River.”
(Clark, Mary Higgins. I've Got You Under My Skin. Simon & Schuster, 2014.)
East is capitalized because it is part of the name of a specific river that can be found on a map.
“Mother had informed me that my friend had been sent to live with relatives in the village of Japha, south of Nazareth.”
(Kidd, Sue Monk. The Book of Longings. Penguin Publishing Group, 2020.)
South is not capitalized because the speaker is referring to a direction, not a specific region.
The Answers
1. As he gestured toward the east, I understood he wanted me to get going.
2. The Oregon Trail was settled by pioneers traveling west.
3. I’m a Southerner through and through.
4. Shayla was born and raised in the Midwest.
5. I lived on the West Coast, specifically Oregon, for fifteen years.
6. Clem pulled on his boots and headed north toward the northern mines.
7. The eastern bridge needed major repairs.
8. The lion is native to South Africa.
9. Look to the southwest, and you’ll see the dirt road leading to the truck stop.
10. I want to see the northern lights.
11. The West is known for its rocky climate.
12. She turned eastward, and the rising sun warmed her face.
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