1. Capitalization 4. Capitalize family titles such as mother, grandfather, aunt and cousin when they are used as names, but if the title is preceded by a possessive word (my, your, our, their) or by a, an, or the it is not capitalized. Hey, mom, can I go to Ramona’s house? grandpa smith is older than grandpa sanchez. mom said, “Go ask dad. If dad says ‘No,’ then my answer is no too.” Gosh, mom was surprised when dad said “yes”! I’m older than cousin mario, but younger than his sister, cousin cindy. I like both cousins.

2. Capitalization 4. If the family title is preceded by a possessive word (my, your, our, their) or by a, an, or the it is not capitalized. I like your mom, but I think my mom is taller. My uncle, russell, is shorter than uncle richard. Your aunt is younger than my grandmother. People usually expect a grandmother to do some babysitting. I think their uncle is funnier than my uncle, but my grandmother is taller than their grandfather.

3. Capitalization 4. Capitalize family titles such as mother, grandfather, aunt and cousin when they are used as names, but if the title is preceded by a possessive word (my, your, our, their) or by a, an, or the it is not capitalized. Your grandfather served in the military with my grandfather, and grandma sanchez was a nurse in the army, during the war. I discovered that grandma met grandpa when he was in the hospital where she worked as a nurse with aunt betty. The first time grandpa saw my grandma he said, “Dear lady, you will marry me one day,” and grandma’s response was, “Really?” I know my cousins love to tell that story about my grandfather.

4. Capitalization 4. Capitalize family titles such as mother, grandfather, aunt and cousin when they are used as names, but if the title is preceded by a possessive word (my, your, our, their) or by a, an, or the it is not capitalized. When grandma sanchez hears her children, my cousins, tell that story, she gets a twinkle in her eyes. “I knew what he said was true,” grandma often says, “because I felt the same way about him.” Those grandparents and cousins are fun to be around because they tell nice stories.

5. Capitalization There are times when uncle ross likes to tease his wife, aunt bella, about how much my cousins don’t look like either of them. My uncle says, “I think the stork brought us my sister’s children by mistake, because our children all have her short, little nose.” When he says that, my aunt laughs and responds, “Thank goodness, because if they’d gotten either your nose or mine, they’d look like they had ski jumps on their faces!” I think aunt bella’s right. She and my uncle have enormous noses!