Most people are familiar with capitalizing proper nouns and words at the beginning of a sentence. This is what is called sentence case, which is used in informal writing. Beyond that, it may be a bit daunting to remember which words are supposed to be capitalized when writing a title and which ones are not. The rules are different for title case, which is primarily used in formal writing.
Whether you’re writing a blog post, an academic paper, a nonfiction book, or anything else that needs a clean, professional title, keep the following tips in mind.
Title Case
Essentially, most major words are capitalized. Short words used in the structure of the sentence are written in lowercase. This is common in:
- Books (both fiction and nonfiction)
- Articles
- Marketing brochures
- Web and blog headers
Example: How to Improve Your Cooking in Three Simple Steps
Always Capitalize These
1. The first and last word
These words are capitalized mainly for aesthetics. This gives the title a clean look.
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Remember Me
2. Nouns
Nouns such as people, places, things, or concepts identify who or what the work is about. This quickly identifies the subject matter for the reader.
- Artists, Nature, Faith
3. Pronouns
These are also capitalized because they often replace a noun and are, therefore, considered an important word in a title.
- He, She, It, We, You, They, Who
4. Verbs
Most verbs express action. Although short ones like is, be, do, go do not express action, they are extremely important to the title and help the reader understand what the book is about. Without verbs, the title would not be complete and understandable.
- How Publishing Works
- What Good Leaders Do
5. Adjectives
Just as in sentences, adjectives describe qualities or characteristics of the nouns in a title. They provide detail that lends specificity to a title and make it stand out.
- Clever, Lonely, Efficient
6. Adverbs
As you know, adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They can add important context to the title.
- Quickly, Very, More
7. Subordinating conjunctions
These introduce dependent clauses and signal a relationship between the two. They are capitalized because they are considered important words, and therefore need to stand out.
- Since, Although, While
Words You Usually Don’t Capitalize
You may have seen quite a few titles in which all words are capitalized, or even a title in all caps. This, however, is not the recommended norm. When all words are capitalized, it takes away the emphasis on the important words and makes it more difficult to read. Below are examples that are considered “minor words” in most style guides.
1. Articles
- a, an, the
2. Coordinating conjunctions
- and, but, or, yet, nor, so
3. Short prepositions
Typically prepositions with four letters or fewer are not capitalized.
- at, by, for, into, from, of, off, to, with, out
Special Cases
There are a few special cases that are often missed by authors.
1. Hyphenated words
Hyphenated compounds combine multiple words into a single idea. The general rule is to capitalize the first word and then capitalize the second word as you would normally, following the traditional rules. In other words, capitalize if it is a major word.
- State-of-the-Art Skyscrapers
- Long-Term Financial Gains
- Well-Known Artists
2. Infinitives
If it is an infinitive phrase, such as a “to” in “to + verb,” you must capitalize the word “to.”
- How To Write Better Paragraphs
3. Prepositions functioning as adverbs
Prepositions can sometimes act as adverbs. If the word is part of a verb phrase, then you must capitalize it.
- Stand Up to Your Bullies
- Breaking Down the Numbers
4. Prepositions longer than four letters
Longer prepositions carry more meaning than shorter ones, as they add structure to the title. They are treated as major words in a title for this reason. These are capitalized.
- Between, Without, Among
Final Thoughts
Title capitalization creates a sense of formality and visual structure which keeps the reader interested. Major words get capitalized because they carry meaning. Minor words stay lowercase because they’re structural glue that keeps the sentence together and helps it make sense to the reader. Always capitalize words that need emphasis and provide clarity to your title, and you will be sure to capture your reader’s attention. Visual balance is appealing!
Heather Malone writes children’s books that focus mainly on Montessori education, special education, and nonfiction. She also dabbles in fiction. Her nonfiction book, Montessori from A to Z, was published in 2023, and her blog on homeschooling students with disabilities using the Montessori method can be viewed at spedmontessorisolutions.com. Her passion is education, which is evidenced by spending over twenty-five years in the field before leaving the classroom to now provide technical assistance to school districts. She lives with her husband and son in Ohio and enjoys traveling to new places in her free time.
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