Question

Which sentence contains correct capitalization?

The Red and Arkansas rivers run generally West to East.
The Red and Arkansas Rivers run generally west to east.
The red and Arkansas rivers run generally west to east.
The Red and Arkansas rivers run generally west to east.

Answer 1

The Red and Arkansas rivers run generally west to east.

Answer 2

The sentenece that contains correct capitalization is:

The Red and Arkansas rivers run generally west to east.

In this sentence, there are two rules that we should pay attention to:

1. Names of bodies of water must be capitalized whenever they are a proper noun, such as the Dead Sea, Lake Erie or the Red River. Here, as there are two names together, rivers is not part of their names but the noun that connects both.
2. The directions north, east, south and west should not be given capital letters, unless they are part of a proper name like West Sussex.