Writing & Grammar
Title Case Rules – Which Words to Capitalize
Title case looks simple until you hit words like "with", "is", or "the" and suddenly you are not sure. Here are the actual rules — and how they differ between style guides.
The core rule
In standard title case, capitalize the first and last word of the title always, plus all "major" words in between. The words that are NOT capitalized are short prepositions, coordinating conjunctions, and articles — but only when they appear in the middle of the title.
How style guides differ
Chicago style (used in books and publishing) lowercases prepositions regardless of length, and lowercases articles and conjunctions.
APA style (academic psychology and social sciences) is similar to Chicago but capitalizes the first word after a colon even in titles.
AP style (journalism and news) capitalizes prepositions of four or more letters, so "With", "From", and "Into" would be capitalized.
MLA style (literature and humanities) capitalizes the first word, the last word, and all "major" words, treating it similarly to Chicago.
For most everyday writing — blogs, websites, social media, marketing — the exact style guide matters less than being consistent. Pick one approach and stick to it throughout your content.
Tricky words and edge cases
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Convert to Title Case →Frequently asked questions
Which words are NOT capitalized in title case?
In most style guides, short prepositions (in, on, at, by, for, of, to, up), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, yet, so, for), and articles (a, an, the) are not capitalized — unless they are the first or last word in the title. The exact list varies slightly between APA, Chicago, MLA, and AP styles.
Is 'is' capitalized in a title?
Yes. Despite being a short word, 'is' is a verb, not a preposition or conjunction. Verbs are always capitalized in title case regardless of length. The same applies to 'are', 'was', 'be', and other forms of the verb 'to be'.
Do you capitalize 'with' in a title?
It depends on the style guide. In AP style, 'with' (a preposition of four or more letters) is capitalized. In Chicago style, most short prepositions including 'with' are lowercased. When in doubt, check which style guide your context requires — academic, journalistic, and book publishing use different standards.
What is the difference between title case and sentence case?
Title case capitalizes the first letter of most words (e.g. 'The Quick Brown Fox Jumps'). Sentence case only capitalizes the first word and proper nouns (e.g. 'The quick brown fox jumps'). Sentence case is commonly used in blog posts, social media, and conversational writing. Title case is used for book titles, headlines, and formal headings.
Should blog post titles use title case or sentence case?
Both are widely used for blog posts and there is no universal rule. Many publications use title case for a more formal, authoritative feel. Others prefer sentence case as it feels more natural and conversational. The most important thing is to be consistent throughout your site or publication.
Do you capitalize after a colon in a title?
In APA and Chicago style, you capitalize the first word after a colon in a title. For example: 'Writing Well: A Practical Guide'. In AP style, the first word after a colon is also typically capitalized if it starts a complete sentence. Most style guides agree that the word after a colon in a title should be capitalised.