Key Difference

• Capital has several meanings, often relating to wealth, importance, or a major city.
• Capitol specifically refers to a building where a legislative body meets.

1. Capital (with an “a”)

“Capital” has a few distinct meanings and uses:

1. City: It refers to a city where a government is located. For example:
   • “Paris is the capital of France.”
   • “The capital city hosts many important events.”
2. Money: In finance, “capital” refers to wealth or funds.
   • “The company needs capital to expand its operations.”
   • “Venture capital is essential for startups.”
3. Uppercase Letters: “Capital” is also used to describe uppercase letters.
   • “Please write your name with a capital letter at the beginning.”
4. Importance or Punishment: It can describe something very significant or refer to serious punishment (e.g., “capital punishment”).
   • “This is of capital importance.”
   • “The country abolished capital punishment.”

📝 Quick Reminder: If you’re talking about money, cities, or uppercase letters, you’ll use “capital.”

2. Capitol (with an “o”)

“Capitol” refers specifically to the building where a legislative body meets. It’s mainly used in the United States:

• U.S. Capitol: This is the building in Washington, D.C., where the U.S. Congress meets.
  • “Tourists visit the Capitol in Washington, D.C., every year.”
• State Capitols: Many U.S. states also have buildings named “capitol” for their legislative bodies.
  • “The Texas Capitol is located in Austin.”

📝 Quick Reminder: If you’re talking about the government building, remember that “capitol” is spelled with an “o” – think of the “o” in “official” to help you remember!

Common Mistakes and Tips

• Mistake: “The capitol city of France is Paris.”
  • Correction: “The capital city of France is Paris.” (“Capital” is correct because we’re talking about a city, not a building.)
• Mistake: “They need more capitol to fund the project.”
  • Correction: “They need more capital to fund the project.” (“Capital” is correct because we’re talking about money.)

💡 Pro Tip: To remember the difference, think of:

• Capital with an “A” for “A City, Assets, or Alphabet letters.”
• Capitol with an “O” for the “Official building” where lawmakers meet.

Practice Time!

Try these sentences. Fill in the blanks with either capital or capitol:

1. The __________ of California is Sacramento.
2. The U.S. Congress meets in the __________ building.
3. She invested a large amount of __________ into her new business.
4. Always start a sentence with a __________ letter.
5. Many tourists visit the __________ in Washington, D.C.

Answers:

1. capital
2. Capitol
3. capital
4. capital
5. Capitol