Mum or mum, Dad or dad, Aunt or aunt etc.?

Question

Sadly I slept through grammar lessons at school and bunked the punctuation section completely! (23 years later I am a published author and regret those missed lessons like hell!)

Which is correct, can anyone tell me? Capitals or not.

Answer 1

If you can substitute the person's name, and have the sentence make sense with no further changes, capitalize.

When I got home, Dad was waiting for me on the front porch.
When I got home, Adam was waiting for me on the front porch.

If the sentence is syntactically wrong when you substitute the person's name, don't capitalize.

When I got home, my dad was waiting for me on the front porch.
When I got home my Adam was waiting for me on the front porch.

Answer 2

My mom really wanted to become a US medical nurse during WW11. She lived with her native American grandmother and 2 aunts, they were very strict and very Victorian in their views about women. Their old fashioned ideas plus some of their native customs didn't mesh with a single young women being alone around so many men without an older women to watch over her. She wasn't allowed to join up. She did however at her own risk of their disapproval sneak out out to sing and dance with the USO. She also went on those recycling drives where she collected pots and pans etc. to be melted down for weapons. She did what she could but her grandmother would not sign for her to join up. She later worked in a weapons factory during the war years. My father was a US Army medic in the S. Pacific and my step-father was a US Navy medic during WW11. At least my mom married some medical people. My step-father was also a 2 time POW, WW11 and Korea, he had 3 or 4 purple hearts, forgot he lost one of them somewhere and he was pinned with a bronze star by one of the presidents on some ship, not sure forgot, think it was Truman and the ship was the Missouri, he was usually drunk when he told the story as it upset him so much to talk about it all with a clear mind. His cousin went down in Pearl Harbor.

Answer 3

I think it depends in which context you are using the title. If it is as a name e.g "I will ask Mum" then a capital is used. If you use it as a Noun i.e "how many aunt's do you have? " Then it is not a capital?? I think that is correct.

Answer 4

Is Mum A Noun

Answer 5

It depends on how it is used. "Hello, Dad," would be capitalized (proper noun), for instance, but "Sam is Bob's dad," would not be capitalized (dad is used as a modifier in this case).

You have to look at the context of each sentence.

Answer 6

A specific person is capitalized ex: My Mom and example of it not being capitalized: is a mom is vital in someones life.

Answer 7

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My Mum was in the Wrens. Photos showed she looked beautiful in her uniform. Met my Dad there who was in the RN. His sister from penzance came to Plymouth to be an Auxiliary Nurse. All Mums brothers joined the forces. So they did their bit. UK

Answer 8

According to the website referenced below, there are Proper Nouns and common nouns. Proper nouns are the names of specific people, places, things - etc. Common nouns name general people, places, things, etc.

Take a look at the website and I think you will find the info you are looking for.

Congrats on your writing career - inspite of being challenged grammatically...HA!

Answer 9

I always apply capitals when writing any of the above words. Am not an expert but think I'm right.

Answer 10

Capitalize if you are talking about a specific mum or dad or aunt, as in "Mum, can you buy me that toy?" or "Dad wants me to go to the chemist." or "Aunt Ethel bought me a toy at the chemist's."

If you are generalizing, you don't, as in "Some mums aren't very kind." or "Tomorrow, there is a special sale for dads at the chemist's." or "You won't see any aunts at the sale."