Final answer:
In the sentence provided, the name 'Otis' is a proper noun and should be capitalized to adhere to English grammar rules.
Step-by-step explanation:
The word that needs to be capitalized in the sentence 'My first childhood pet, a gray cat named otis, was given to me as a gift on my fifth birthday.' is Otis. In English, proper nouns should always be capitalized.
Proper nouns are names given to specific entities such as people, places, and branded items, which distinguish them from the general variety. Therefore, since 'Otis' is the specific name given to the cat, it should be capitalized to indicate that it is a proper noun.
As a general rule, always remember to capitalize the first letter of proper nouns to adhere to proper English grammar rules.
In the sentence "My first childhood pet, a gray cat named otis, was given to me as a gift on my fifth birthday," the word that needs to be capitalized is 'otis' since it is a proper noun. Proper nouns, such as the names of people, pets, and specific places, always require capitalization.
The corrected sentence should read: "My first childhood pet, a gray cat named Otis, was given to me as a gift on my fifth birthday."