However, the most common error regarding seasons stems from their proximity to other capitalized words. Writers often assume that because the seasons follow months or specific events, they must also be capitalized. This is a misconception. While months and days of the week are proper nouns and are always capitalized (e.g., "January," "Monday"), the seasons are not. Even when a season immediately follows a capitalized month, it remains lowercase. For instance, one would correctly write, "I graduated in May summer," or "The semester begins in January winter." The capitalization of the month does not "infect" the season that follows it.
Lila looked out the window. The maple tree in their yard was a blaze of orange and red. The air smelled like woodsmoke. And for the first time, she saw it: not just a period on the calendar, but a slow, glorious performance—a character in its own right. is a season capitalized
Unlike the days of the week (Monday) or the months of the year (January), seasons are viewed as general periods of time. I love the smell of the air in spring. Incorrect: I love the smell of the air in Spring. Correct: We are planning a ski trip this winter. Incorrect: We are planning a ski trip this Winter. When You SHOULD Capitalize Seasons However, the most common error regarding seasons stems
June set down her fork. “Well,” she said slowly, “if you’re writing a newsletter or a business report, ‘winter’ is lowercase. But if you’re writing a poem, or a story where the season is a character—where Winter has a cold hand and a silver tongue—then you can capitalize.” While months and days of the week are
Lila stared at the page. Tom reached over and gently uncapped her red pen.
In creative writing or poetry, authors sometimes "personify" a season, treating it like a living character with a name.
