The Wall Street Journal | October 8, 2023
"Tech startups struggle to raise venture capital in uncertain market."
Capital vs. Capitol
The '30 Seconds' Difference At A Glance
'Capital' has multiple meanings: a city serving as a seat of government, wealth used for investment, or uppercase letters. 'Capitol' specifically refers to a building where a legislature meets, particularly in the U.S.
Washington, D.C. is the nation's capital, and Congress meets in the Capitol building.
A Deeper Look
'Capital' is a word that gets used in lots of different ways. You'll see it when talking about:
London is England's capital city.
She needs capital to start her new business.
Your name should start with a capital letter.
'Capitol' is much simpler - it's just about one specific type of building. In the U.S., it means the building where Congress meets in Washington, D.C., or where state governments meet in their state capitals.
Tourists often visit the U.S. Capitol to see where laws are made.
The state Capitol building was renovated last year.
Common Usage Patterns
Capital
Common phrases: capital city, capital investment, capital letter, capital gains, venture capital
Capitol
Common phrases: state Capitol, Capitol building, Capitol Hill, Capitol Complex, Capitol Police
Key Patterns
'Capital' appears in many contexts across different fields. 'Capitol' is mainly used in government and political contexts.
What Teachers Say
"Remember that Capitol with an 'o' is only for the building. For everything else - cities, money, letters - use capital with an 'a'."
-- Jennifer, Washington D.C.
"In business writing, you'll rarely need 'capitol' unless you're writing about government. 'Capital' is the word you'll use most often."
-- Michael, Chicago
"When teaching American government, I emphasize that the Capitol is in the capital - meaning, the building is in the city."
-- Robert, Austin
From The Headlines
The New York Times | March 15, 2019
"State Capitol undergoes historic renovation project."
USA Today | July 22, 2014
"New high-speed rail to connect state capital with coastal cities."
Test Yourself!
1. The _______ of France is Paris.
2. Protesters gathered outside the state _______ building.
3. The company invested its _______ in a new office near the state _______.
