Uppercase letters, also known as capital letters, are the larger form of letters in the English alphabet. They are typically used for the beginning of sentences, proper nouns, and abbreviations. Uppercase letters are also used for emphasis and to distinguish certain words or phrases. In contrast, lowercase letters are the smaller form of letters and are used for the remaining letters in sentences and following the first letter of proper nouns. The distinction between uppercase and lowercase letters is an important aspect of letter case, which is generally applied in a mixed-case fashion for legibility and readability in written text.