1. When the quotation is a complete sentence:
* Capitalize the first word after the quotation if it's a new sentence.
Example: "I'm not sure I understand," she said. "Can you explain it again?"
* Don't capitalize the first word if it continues the same sentence.
Example: She asked, "What do you mean by 'understand'?"
2. When the quotation is not a complete sentence:
* Capitalize the first word if it's a proper noun.
Example: She asked, "What did you think of the movie 'The Shawshank Redemption'?"
* Don't capitalize the first word if it's not a proper noun.
Example: He said, "I think I need to go to the store."
3. When the quotation is part of a longer sentence:
* Don't capitalize the first word after the quotation unless it's a proper noun.
Example: She asked, "Do you want to go to the beach?" and I said, "Sure, I'd love to."
Key Point: Focus on whether the first word after the quotation is the start of a new sentence or a continuation of the existing sentence.