Title Case Rules Explained: AP, Chicago and APA

Title case means capitalizing the main words of a title while leaving certain short words lowercase. Every major style guide agrees on the basics but differs on the details.

The rules most styles share

• Always capitalize the first and last word.
• Capitalize "major" words: nouns, pronouns, verbs (including short ones like "Is" and "Be"), adjectives and adverbs.
• Lowercase articles: a, an, the (unless first or last).
• Lowercase coordinating conjunctions: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet.
• Capitalize the first word after a colon in a title.

Where the styles differ

Examples:

• AP: "What to Look For When Buying a Laptop"
• Chicago: "What to Look for When Buying a Laptop"

Hyphenated words

Most styles capitalize both parts of a hyphenated compound: "Self-Made", "Long-Term Plan". Chicago has extra exceptions for prefixes such as "Anti-inflammatory".

Use a converter, then check

Our title case converter follows the shared core of these styles: short articles, conjunctions and prepositions stay lowercase unless they start or end the title, and hyphenated words are capitalized on both sides. After converting, check proper nouns, brand names and acronyms, and adjust for your house style.

Consistency is the real rule

Readers rarely notice whether "With" is capitalized. They do notice when every heading on a page follows a different pattern. Pick one style for your site and apply it everywhere.

Frequently asked questions

What is title case?

What is title case? It is a capitalization style that capitalizes the major words of a title (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns) and keeps minor words such as articles, short conjunctions and short prepositions lowercase unless they are the first or last word.

What words are capitalized in a title?

What words are capitalized in a title depends on the style guide, but all styles capitalize the first and last word and every major word. Articles, conjunctions and prepositions (the minor words) are the ones that vary. Do you capitalize short words like "is" and "be"? Yes: they are verbs, so they are capitalized.

Are prepositions capitalized in titles?

Are prepositions capitalized in titles? In Chicago style, no, regardless of length. In AP style and APA style, prepositions of four letters or more are capitalized ("With", "From", "About"). In MLA style, all prepositions stay lowercase.

Is "with" capitalized in a title?

Is with capitalized in a title? In AP and APA, yes, because it has four letters. In Chicago and MLA, no. Our title case converter follows the rules the styles share and keeps "with" lowercase; adjust for your house style.

How to convert text to title case?

How to convert text to title case: paste it into our text case changer online and click Title Case. It keeps short words lowercase and handles hyphenated words in title case by capitalizing both parts ("Self-Made"). Check proper nouns afterwards.

Should "and" or "the" be capitalized in a title?

Should and be capitalized in a title? Only as the first or last word. Should the be capitalized in a title? Same rule: lowercase in the middle, capitalized at the start. Coordinating conjunctions and articles are the classic minor words; together, articles conjunctions and prepositions are the three groups to remember.

What are the AP style title case rules and Chicago style title case rules?

AP style title case rules capitalize the first and last word and all words of four or more letters, and lowercase short articles, conjunctions and prepositions. Chicago style title case rules lowercase all prepositions and also have detailed guidance for hyphenated compounds.

What is APA title case and MLA title capitalization?

APA title case capitalizes major words and any word of four letters or more. MLA title capitalization capitalizes principal words but keeps articles, prepositions and coordinating conjunctions lowercase, plus "to" in infinitives.