Title case is one of the most nuanced capitalization styles. Getting it right can be tricky because different style guides have different rules, and exceptions abound. This guide covers everything you need to know about title case, from basic rules to edge cases. The Title Case Converter handles all these complexities automatically, saving you from memorizing dozens of rules.
What is Title Case?
Title case capitalizes the first letter of most words in a title or heading. For example: "The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the Lazy Dog". Unlike sentence case, which only capitalizes the first word, title case creates a more formal, hierarchical appearance.
This style creates visual hierarchy and formality, making it ideal for headlines, book titles, and document headings. Title case signals importance and helps readers quickly identify headings in a document.
The challenge with title case is determining which words to capitalize. While major words get capitals, smaller words like articles and prepositions typically remain lowercase, creating the characteristic rhythm of title case text.
Basic Title Case Rules
Always Capitalize
These words should always be capitalized in title case, regardless of their position:
- First and last words: Always capitalize regardless of word type, even if they are normally lowercase
- Nouns: dog, city, computer, algorithm, database
- Verbs: run, is, goes, write, compute (including forms of "to be")
- Adjectives: quick, blue, important, complex, useful
- Adverbs: quickly, very, extremely, effectively, always
- Pronouns: he, she, it, they, we, you, who, which
- Subordinating conjunctions: because, although, when, while, if
Usually Lowercase
These short words typically remain lowercase unless they start or end the title:
- Articles: a, an, the
- Short prepositions: in, on, at, by, to, for, of, up
- Coordinating conjunctions: and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so
- The infinitive "to": as in "How to Write Better"
Style Guide Differences
Different publications and industries follow different title case rules. Understanding which guide to follow ensures consistency in your writing:
AP Style (Associated Press)
Capitalizes words of four or more letters, including prepositions like "With", "From", "Into", and "Through". This makes AP style easier to apply because you mainly count letters. Most news organizations follow AP style.
Chicago Style (Chicago Manual of Style)
Lowercases prepositions regardless of length unless they are the first or last word. Chicago treats "through", "between", and "without" as lowercase despite their length. Academic and book publishing typically follow Chicago style.
APA Style (American Psychological Association)
Capitalizes words of four or more letters in titles, similar to AP style. APA also capitalizes both words in hyphenated compounds. Academic papers and scientific journals commonly use APA style.
MLA Style (Modern Language Association)
Similar to Chicago style but with some differences in handling subtitles and certain word types. Humanities academic work typically follows MLA style.
Tricky Cases and Edge Cases
Hyphenated Words
Generally, capitalize both parts of hyphenated compounds: "Self-Driving Cars" or "Well-Known Authors". However, if the second element is a short word that would normally be lowercase, some styles keep it lowercase: "Self-aware" versus "Self-Aware" depending on the guide.
Prepositions as Part of Phrasal Verbs
Capitalize when the preposition is part of a phrasal verb: "Turn On the Lights" (not "Turn on the Lights"). The word "on" functions as part of the verb "turn on" rather than as a preposition. Other examples: "Log In to Your Account", "Break Down the Problem", "Look Up the Answer".
Short Verbs
Even short verbs like "is", "be", "am", "are", "was", "do", "go" should be capitalized because they are verbs. "It Is What It Is" is correct, not "It is What it is". This trips up many writers who focus on word length rather than word function.
The Word "It"
Always capitalize "It" because it is a pronoun, not an article. "What Is It About?" not "What is it About?".
Species and Scientific Names
In scientific writing, genus names are capitalized but species names are not, even in titles: "The Behavior of Homo sapiens in Urban Environments".
Common Use Cases
Headlines and News Titles
News organizations consistently use title case for headlines. "Scientists Discover New Species in Amazon Rainforest" immediately reads as a headline. The capitalization pattern signals importance and separates the title from body text.
Book and Article Titles
Publishing standards require title case for book titles, chapter headings, and article titles. "The Great Gatsby", "To Kill a Mockingbird", and "A Brief History of Time" all follow title case conventions that readers instantly recognize.
Marketing and Advertising
Title case appears frequently in marketing materials for product names, taglines, and promotional headlines. "Experience the Difference" or "Your Success Starts Here" use title case to convey professionalism and importance.
Academic Papers
Research paper titles, section headings, and reference citations all use title case following the appropriate academic style guide. Proper title case in citations demonstrates attention to detail and adherence to scholarly standards.
Advanced Techniques
Master these advanced approaches for complex title case scenarios:
Handling Acronyms
Acronyms remain in all caps within title case: "Understanding HTML and CSS for Web Development". Do not convert them to "Html" or "Css". Quality conversion tools preserve common acronyms automatically.
Titles Within Titles
When a title contains another title, maintain the inner title formatting: "A Study of Romeo and Juliet in Modern Theater". The play title keeps its original capitalization.
Questions in Titles
Question words follow normal title case rules: "What Is the Meaning of Life?" capitalizes "What" and "Is" normally.
Colons in Subtitles
Capitalize the first word after a colon: "Web Development: A Comprehensive Guide" starts "A" with a capital despite it being an article.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even experienced writers make these title case errors:
- Lowercasing short verbs: "is", "be", "do", "go" are verbs and should be capitalized. "What Is Love?" not "What is Love?"
- Capitalizing all prepositions: Short prepositions like "in", "on", "at" stay lowercase unless they start the title.
- Inconsistent hyphenation: Apply the same rule to all hyphenated words in a document. Do not capitalize "Self-Driving" in one place and "Self-driving" in another.
- Forgetting the last word: The last word is always capitalized regardless of type. "What Are You Looking At" capitalizes "At" at the end.
- Converting acronyms: "HTML" should not become "Html". Preserve acronym formatting in title case.
Step-by-Step: Applying Title Case
Follow this process for accurate title case conversion:
- Identify your style guide: Determine whether you are following AP, Chicago, APA, or another standard.
- Capitalize major words: Start by capitalizing all nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns.
- Lowercase minor words: Change articles, short prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions to lowercase.
- Check first and last words: Ensure both are capitalized regardless of type.
- Handle special cases: Review hyphenated words, acronyms, and phrasal verbs.
- Verify consistency: Compare with other titles in your document for uniform application.
Try the Title Case Converter
Remembering all these rules can be challenging. The Title Case Converter applies proper title case rules automatically, saving you time and ensuring consistency across all your headlines and titles.
Simply paste your text, and the tool handles all the complex rules for you. No registration required, and everything processes privately in your browser.
When to Use Title Case
Title case is appropriate for these content types:
- Book and article titles: Industry standard for all publications
- Headlines and headings: Creates clear visual hierarchy in documents
- Song and album titles: Music industry convention worldwide
- Movie and TV show names: Entertainment industry standard
- Blog post titles: Professional appearance for web content
- Email subject lines: In formal business communication
- Presentation slides: For heading text in slide decks
Title Case vs. Sentence Case
Modern trends have shifted some publications toward sentence case for a more conversational feel. Tech companies like Google and Apple increasingly use sentence case in their interfaces. However, title case remains standard for formal publications, news headlines, and academic work. Choose based on your audience and platform conventions.
Related Tools
These tools complement title case conversion:
- Sentence Case Converter - Standard capitalization for body text
- Uppercase Converter - Convert to all caps
- Case Converter - Convert between all case styles
- Lowercase Converter - Convert to all lowercase
Conclusion
Title case rules may seem complex at first, but with practice and the right tools, they become second nature. Understanding the differences between style guides helps you apply the correct rules for your context. For quick, accurate conversions that follow proper style guide rules without manual checking, the Title Case Converter handles all the complexity automatically. Perfect your headlines in seconds and maintain professional consistency across all your content.