Joe's Cafe
EnglishClub.com : Joe's Cafe : The King is dead. Long live the King!
« Satisfied Customer
China: Meet our Handlers »
Joe's Cafe, 24/7 pit stop for ESL learners and teachers | June 2009
Egg's off, bacon's off, bread's off, tea's off. English is on though.

The King is dead. Long live the King!

I received the following question from Jeanette about using capitals:

“I am a writer and always have problems with the following:
‘The king is dead. Long live King Edward.’
‘She told me Captain Lorca read the book. The captain could read.’
I am referring to the same king in the first sentence, and to the same captain in the second.  Why wouldn’t both be capitalized? Thanks for your help. I have no rule to follow with this problem.”

It’s a good question, with (quite) a simple answer.

In the case of “King Edward” and “Captain Lorca” we are using a person’s name. As you know, names in English are always capitalized. We write Edward, not edward. We write Lorca, not lorca.

When we also use a title with a name, we capitalize the title too. So we write King Edward, not king Edward. We write Captain Lorca, not captain Lorca.

But when we use the title just as a common noun, there is usually no need to capitalize it.

  • My taxi-driver could speak English
  • The waitress was tall.
  • Our doctor is nice.
  • The pilot spoke to the passengers.
  • Do you know the president?
  • The captain could read.

Just occasionally we may use an initial capital to show respect for a specific person with a very high title such as king or president. Usually this is when there is only one such personage (in a country, or perhaps in a company or ship). When we do this everybody knows exactly who we are talking about - it is like using the person’s name. Look at these examples, which show specific titles (capitalized) and non-specific titles:

  • The Prime Minister met the King last night.
  • Who is the King’s doctor?
  • The doctor prescribed some medicine.
  • There are many presidents in the world.
  • He is the president of this company.
  • The President wants to see you now.
  • Who will be the next president?
  • Who is the king of this country?
  • What is the King’s name?
  • The Titanic sank in the Atlantic. The Captain went down with the ship.
  • President Hu Jintao is General Secretary of the Communist Party of China.

This is also a question of style, and some writers might capitalize when others might not. When we are writing about a title or titles in general there is almost always no need to capitalize. Almost all writers would agree on the following examples:

  • Would you like to be a king?
  • Yesterday I met two kings and a president.
  • There were some kings at the meeting.
  • Each ship has a captain.
  • This hospital has twenty doctors.

So Jeanette is perfectly correct to write “The king is dead. Long live King Edward.” And the title of this post is also correct “The King is dead. Long live the King!”)

The important thing to remember is that when you use a title + name, they must both be capitalized

  • Queen Elizabeth
  • President Obama
Joe | Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 | Filed under Writing

77 Responses to “The King is dead. Long live the King!”

  1. Wajdi Gary says:
    18th June 2009 at 9:18 am

    I learned a lot from this lesson.. Thanks A Bundle!

  2. Linda k (Hollywood) says:
    19th June 2009 at 12:00 am

    Hi everyone
    ” The king is dead” Is the announcement of
    monarch who has just died.
    “Long live the king” refer to the heir who is
    immediately the successor to the to a throne upon
    the death of the preceding monarch.

    “The king is dead.Long live the king”
    (French:Le roi est mort,vive Roi)

    Best wish
    Linda k (Hollywood USA)

  3. Linda k (Hollywood) says:
    19th June 2009 at 12:09 am

    The king is dead is the announcement of monarch
    who has just died.
    Long live the king refer to the heir who is
    immediately the successor to a throne upon the
    death of the preceding monarch.

  4. fa says:
    27th June 2009 at 6:51 am

    ……… ‘When we do this everybody knows exactly (WHO or WHOM) we are talking about’

  5. Vespid says:
    9th July 2009 at 1:08 am

    Good day !
    And good lesson , the king is dead , Long live Vespid …. aha ha …
    every one have a nice day !
    (China )

  6. Jackie says:
    9th July 2009 at 5:46 am

    This is common mistakes, we are used to ignoring!!

    Good lesson

    The King is dead, Long live the King

  7. JUASHO says:
    20th July 2009 at 6:29 pm

    i didn’t understood anything

  8. Duy says:
    22nd July 2009 at 3:26 am

    Thanks Budle, it’s good lesson

    have a nice day, evry one

  9. BADRIA AL-MUTAIRI (kw) says:
    31st July 2009 at 6:01 pm

    Hi all,

    I only wants to Thank u for this lesson.

  10. yara says:
    3rd August 2009 at 2:20 pm

    This lesson is really benefited me a lot since my major is TEFL.

  11. Anushka says:
    18th August 2009 at 4:17 pm

    THis was a great lessons. The king is dead, after that long live King Edward was confusing.

    thanks for explaning

  12. Mohammad Rawoof says:
    10th September 2009 at 6:41 am

    the lesson was really helpful for improving writing skills, I would suggust including a paragraph, letter or a story as well to such lessons for readers to read so that it will be found more interusting.

    Thanks,

  13. Christian says:
    16th September 2009 at 2:39 pm

    Thank you
    that lesson is very useful

  14. Whatever You want says:
    18th September 2009 at 11:47 pm

    I don’t remember when I join Englishclub.com but Lucky I have joined here
    maybe 8,9 years ago I have used chat room and I have know a lot of foreign friends and than I have improved and learn too much things about I would like to say thanks ur lessons are very useful…
    now I have a lot of friend in all of world!
    I feel so popular =)

  15. faraf says:
    26th October 2009 at 7:10 pm

    the club is a good idea

  16. Koteswara Rao says:
    15th November 2009 at 10:45 am

    Excellent.This is what I am searching for.Thank you.

  17. Long Nguyen Huu says:
    18th November 2009 at 3:05 am

    Pls help me to learn E!

  18. Keogh says:
    19th November 2009 at 12:50 pm

    Thanks a lot. The lesson was useful. Now I get it whwhwh.. Thanks Again ^^

  19. veareak says:
    7th December 2009 at 2:56 pm

    please show me how to be a good writing in English?

  20. david says:
    18th December 2009 at 1:45 am

    Sorry!,…. i didn’t understand!!!
    Somebody can explain me!!…tnks

  21. Karina says:
    28th December 2009 at 11:54 am

    It is a very good lesson.
    Thank u.
    K

  22. Eric says:
    4th January 2010 at 10:42 pm

    Thank you ! very interesting !
    We have to write : the king of Morocco or The King of Morocco???

  23. MRM says:
    30th January 2010 at 9:23 pm

    what funny attractive lesson like killing Kings and Presidents OBAMA,
    thanks to all

  24. jirik says:
    15th February 2010 at 10:26 am

    Thank you;)

  25. Nidhi says:
    25th February 2010 at 10:48 pm

    I can’t beleieve it The school is almost over.

    How to make this sentence correct punctuation wise? Do I put an exclamatory mark after both it and over?

    The T in the will become a lowercase..pl help

  26. Phorntita says:
    1st March 2010 at 8:31 am

    Hi! Everyone
    I’m a new comer to this site. I choose to read this topic of Writing in Joe’s Cafe, the reason is that I’m interested in Writing and need much progress in developimg it.
    Phorntita

  27. Ty says:
    25th March 2010 at 9:58 am

    Well, English is life long learning,and take your time.

  28. ekasofia says:
    16th April 2010 at 3:47 pm

    thank you for you lesson..
    it really help me to understand
    i’m a new comer to this site n i really need to progress my english..

  29. ekasofia says:
    16th April 2010 at 3:47 pm

    thank you for you lesson..
    it really help me to understand
    i’m a new comer to this site n i really need help to progress my english..

  30. Connygiwa says:
    5th May 2010 at 3:33 am

    I’m new comer. It’s really a good site for me to learn English. Now I know how to use the captial words. Thanks all.

  31. Anonimo says:
    30th May 2010 at 9:28 pm

    Pen3 y ping@ a todos ustedes weones

  32. Rasika says:
    14th June 2010 at 10:55 am

    It is a very good lesson. This helpful to improve English writing.

  33. apple says:
    17th June 2010 at 1:49 pm

    I think there are no rules in large and small letters, except for President Obama. these things are more flexible. But if we could use them more regularly, why not? thanks a lot, good lesson.

  34. Snow says:
    28th June 2010 at 8:52 am

    Thanks. That’s very helpful, solving the question I had had in mind for a long time.

  35. abdul says:
    1st July 2010 at 5:29 pm

    i am new comer on this site . i want to improve my writting skills soo plz gimme a suggesation about this thanx.

  36. Ha says:
    21st July 2010 at 4:23 am

    Good lesson

  37. Mairan says:
    29th July 2010 at 3:34 pm

    it was good man.. i liked it..continue please thank you

  38. Judie says:
    11th August 2010 at 4:31 am

    It is very useful with me. Thanks …

  39. elisha says:
    16th August 2010 at 2:11 pm

    well, i dont know the reason but i know how to use it.

  40. Viviana says:
    21st August 2010 at 6:00 pm

    Thank you so much. By the way I want to ask you about nationalities?, like peruvian, indian, colombian, it should be capitalized too?
    Thanks again

  41. naidu says:
    26th August 2010 at 11:21 am

    sss

  42. rawad says:
    15th September 2010 at 1:59 pm

    it is very successful lesson, there are many points i did n’t know
    thanks

  43. ziz says:
    3rd October 2010 at 9:19 am

    pleas i am search speak any one in englesh
    pleas help me

  44. ziz says:
    3rd October 2010 at 9:20 am

    any one here

  45. Anne says:
    4th October 2010 at 9:48 am

    I actually didn’t know exactly when you write capitals or not.

    Very helpfull lesson.

    But indeed @Viviana,
    Should nationalities be capilized too?

    Thanks!!

    (Holland)

  46. noha says:
    25th October 2010 at 5:58 am

    Hi, how you all????
    I am New member in English club. I’m 25 years. Am from Saudi Arabia, but now I am studing English language in United state in Boston. I want to speak English with your help And therefore participated in the englishclub :)

  47. farh jama says:
    27th October 2010 at 5:46 pm

    Hi, I ama a new comer, and I really need help to write good English.
    Everytime, I try to write something my teacher returned me and said please go back you home-work and correct you mistakes. Although , Iam not good in writng and you can see how bad my writeing is ,I would like to do something better.Please help me becasue I need you help.

  48. Dimitar says:
    2nd November 2010 at 8:41 am

    Hallo!
    I wish to communicate online with a intermediate learner to improve our language together!
    My skype is mitko1752
    Thank you in advance. :)

  49. Imtiyaz says:
    12th December 2010 at 3:13 am

    hi this is the guest to ur site and want to learn english writting so any one can reply me on imtiyazb786@yahoo.com

  50. yusanjan says:
    20th December 2010 at 9:56 am

    it si really good lesson for me

    Thank you

  51. potato says:
    5th January 2011 at 2:07 am

    internet is so wonderful to learn english , thank EC

  52. Zeidan Banat says:
    22nd January 2011 at 6:21 pm

    Thank you so much for this lesson. It is so benfefitial for students. I hope you give some kind of advice of how to teach writing for secondary students.
    Thanks in advance

  53. David Toan says:
    1st February 2011 at 4:04 pm

    Hi! Every one.

  54. farah jama says:
    17th February 2011 at 2:34 am

    Hi, today is my second time in this site and Iam really encouraging my fried’s sugestion saying ,” hey let’s talk together and I think he or he means by onle sorry my ugly hand writing.

  55. vizimax says:
    23rd February 2011 at 4:31 pm

    thumbs upppp

    :)

  56. awea says:
    29th March 2011 at 5:28 pm

    thx, good lesson

  57. agyo says:
    1st May 2011 at 8:02 am

    i don’t think about this story

  58. amine says:
    2nd May 2011 at 1:45 am

    hi everyone, im samir , im from morocco , im taking english classes in hcc florida. Im a new comer here,and im looking for friends, from all over the world to speak english…. good luck everyone. my skype is: samir_bendriss

  59. manjula prasad says:
    3rd May 2011 at 11:15 am

    i am learning english but i have no know teachers so i try to do my best in this web side.i think i can learn very well without teachers .i can do what i want .this the good way.i belive

  60. Ahsan says:
    12th May 2011 at 4:32 am

    Its really an intresting lesson and i hope it will help me in improving my writing skills.

    thanks

  61. yona says says:
    29th May 2011 at 8:12 am

    it’s a good lesson
    thanks

  62. ly says:
    25th June 2011 at 12:10 pm

    thank you very much! it is useful for me.

  63. Robin says:
    26th June 2011 at 2:42 am

    Thanks for EC Website and Josef Essberger..
    I was so glad to come here..
    Let’s study together..

    Best Regards
    Robin Guo

  64. than quoc hiep says:
    10th July 2011 at 3:43 am

    hi …every one !
    i’m from vietnamese.now i’m a student .the major to learning for me very need English languese after go out school.so then i’ll joined in the club.i’ll to do anything to improve ENGLISH skill but not success.i’m hope that the club is helping me .special speaking and written skill
    thank you ! have a nice day !

  65. twfeeq says:
    10th July 2011 at 12:20 pm

    Writing correctly is not an easy things, It is ruled thing. I used to write and to read comments here but I afraid that some of writers have written their comments with lot of mistakes, It may be has a negative influence on others writings, I wish if we have here a correction tools look after this mistakes not for spelling rules only but for grammar’s mistakes also.

  66. Nasser says:
    28th July 2011 at 11:44 am

    Dear friends,
    My name is Nasser and i live in Netherlands.
    I would like to improve my writing skills and get correspond with native speaker. I have a dream to write my own story in English one day.
    I genuinely inspired by this website.
    I have already tried to get contact with native speaker, but I don,t seem to be able to get through with them. I hope I can finally find some natie English speaker.
    Do you have any clue?
    How can I improve my writing skills.
    Kind regards,
    Nasser

  67. jupiter says:
    31st August 2011 at 3:48 am

    hi! i come from vietnam,i want to join in club and i hope people help me to my english is improved!
    thanks!

  68. jupiter says:
    31st August 2011 at 3:53 am

    please, help me improve speaking skill! i am very bad speaking,so how must i do to improve speaking?
    thanks

  69. Jock Lee says:
    2nd September 2011 at 10:59 am

    it is very good lesson, I like it very much.

  70. Mahhhgolll says:
    7th September 2011 at 5:25 am

    I got it.Thanks a lot dear Mr.Essberger.

  71. Askar says:
    20th September 2011 at 9:11 am

    Hi, I need to improve my english and reasing writing skills. Any one willing join in my network. we can do hopefully. Askar

  72. krishna says:
    22nd September 2011 at 9:15 am

    i have a bundles of entusiasm to learn english

  73. Venus fx says:
    4th April 2012 at 12:00 pm

    Hi! I’ve found the website greatly helpful! I’ve been always referred to as a girl with weak vocabulary! But I won’t backdown because Iam enthusiastic and passionate about learning English!

  74. Jorge says:
    20th February 2013 at 1:35 pm

    Thanks, it was very helpfull.

  75. Nick says:
    24th February 2013 at 7:00 am

    Thanks , great job… best wishes from Romania…

  76. Masood says:
    20th March 2013 at 12:35 pm

    Thanks for the lesson
    It’s the rule of grammar to capitalize The King or The President if we use their names. But the truth is that the most of them doesn’t deserve it.

  77. Tahereh says:
    4th May 2013 at 5:47 pm

    Hi, dear Joe
    Thanks for your the best answer. I read it and enjoy.

Leave a Comment