You've finished writing something great — an essay, a blog post, a report, a cover letter. Then you stare at the title and suddenly freeze: Should "is" be capitalized? What about "in"? Or "and"? Or "a"?
Title capitalization is one of those grammar rules that trips up even experienced writers. The good news: once you understand the logic behind it, the rules become second nature. This guide breaks it all down clearly, with plenty of examples so you can apply it right away.
The Golden Rule of Title Capitalization
Before diving into specific words, here's the core principle: capitalize the important words, lowercase the minor ones — unless a minor word appears at the very beginning of the title.
In grammar terms, "important" words are called major words: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns. "Minor words" are function words: short prepositions, articles, and coordinating conjunctions.
Simple enough — but the details matter. Let's go word by word.
Is "Is" Capitalized in a Title?
Yes — "is" is always capitalized in a title.
"Is" is a verb (a form of the verb to be), and verbs are always considered major words under every major style guide, including APA, MLA, Chicago, and AP. No matter how short or small it looks, a verb gets capitalized.
Here are some examples:
- This Is Us
- What Is the Meaning of Life?
- The Problem Is Bigger Than You Think
- Love Is a Battlefield
Even when "is" appears in the middle of a title, it stays capitalized. This surprises some writers who assume that short words always stay lowercase — but that rule only applies to certain parts of speech, not verbs.
Should "It" Be Capitalized in a Title?
Yes — "it" is always capitalized in a title.
"It" is a pronoun, which is a major word. Like verbs, pronouns are capitalized regardless of their length or position in the title.
- As It Happens
- Make It Work
- Fake It Till You Make It
Is "And" Capitalized in a Title?
Generally, no — "and" is not capitalized in a title.
"And" is a coordinating conjunction, which falls into the "minor words" category. Most style guides (Chicago, MLA, APA) agree that short coordinating conjunctions — like and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet — should stay lowercase when they appear in the middle of a title.
- Crime and Punishment
- The Sound and the Fury
- Sex, Lies, and Videotape
Exception: If "and" is the very first word of a title (rare but possible), capitalize it. The first word of any title is always capitalized, no matter what part of speech it is.
Is "For" Capitalized in a Title?
This one's a little trickier. "For" is usually not capitalized in a title — but it depends on how it's being used.
When "for" acts as a coordinating conjunction (meaning "because"), it follows the same rule as "and" and stays lowercase under most style guides. When "for" acts as a preposition, it also stays lowercase in most styles — as long as it's a short preposition (typically four letters or fewer).
- Waiting for Godot
- A Room with a View (same logic applies to short prepositions)
- Recipes for Success
Note: The AP Stylebook capitalizes prepositions of four or more letters, which would include "with" and "from" but still leave "for" lowercase. Chicago style lowercases all prepositions regardless of length. When in doubt, pick one style and stick with it.
Is "In" Capitalized in a Title?
"In" is generally not capitalized in a title when it functions as a preposition.
"In" is a short preposition, and short prepositions are lowercase in most styles. This applies whether "in" is sitting in the middle of a title or tucked near the end.
- Lost in Translation
- A Walk in the Woods
- Somewhere in Time
Exception: If "in" is part of a phrasal verb — where it changes the meaning of the verb — some style guides treat it as an adverb and capitalize it. For example: Tune In, Drop Out. When "in" is working as part of the verb's meaning rather than indicating a location or direction, capitalization is appropriate.
Is "At" Capitalized in a Title?
No — "at" is not capitalized in a title when used as a preposition.
"At" is a short preposition (just two letters), so it stays lowercase in the middle of a title under every major style guide.
- Breakfast at Tiffany's
- A Stranger at the Gate
- What Happens at Midnight
Should "A" Be Capitalized in a Title?
"A" (the article) is not capitalized in a title — unless it's the first word.
Articles — a, an, and the — are always minor words and stay lowercase when they appear in the middle or end of a title. But when an article opens the title, it gets capitalized like any other first word.
- A Tale of Two Cities ✅ (first word — capitalize)
- Once Upon a Time ✅ (middle — lowercase)
- The Great Gatsby ✅ (first word — capitalize)
- Beauty and the Beast ✅ (middle — lowercase)
A Quick-Reference Cheat Sheet
Here's a summary of the most commonly confused words and whether they're capitalized in titles:
- Is → Always capitalize (verb)
- It → Always capitalize (pronoun)
- And → Lowercase (coordinating conjunction) — unless it's the first word
- For → Lowercase (conjunction/short preposition) — unless it's the first word
- In → Lowercase (short preposition) — unless it's the first word or part of a phrasal verb
- At → Lowercase (short preposition) — unless it's the first word
- A / An / The → Lowercase (articles) — unless they're the first word
Does the Style Guide Matter?
Yes — and this is worth knowing. Different style guides have slightly different rules:
- Chicago Manual of Style: Lowercase all prepositions (regardless of length) and all articles and coordinating conjunctions. Capitalize all nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns.
- APA Style: Similar to Chicago for titles in references, but capitalizes only the first word and proper nouns in article/book titles within the paper itself.
- MLA Style: Lowercase articles, short prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions. Capitalize everything else.
- AP Style: Capitalizes prepositions of four or more letters; lowercases articles, conjunctions, and short prepositions.
If you're writing for school, check which style your instructor requires. If you're writing for publication, follow the outlet's preferred guide. For blog posts or casual writing, Chicago or MLA title case is the most widely accepted standard.
Not sure which style you're using — or whether your titles are formatted correctly? The Grammar Checker at WriteGenius can catch inconsistencies and formatting errors across your entire document, saving you from awkward mistakes in published work.
Practical Tips for Getting Titles Right Every Time
- Always capitalize the first and last word of any title, no matter what part of speech they are. This is a universal rule across all style guides.
- Ask "what kind of word is this?" before deciding. Verb? Capitalize. Article? Lowercase. Pronoun? Capitalize. Preposition? Usually lowercase.
- Watch out for phrasal verbs. Words like "in," "up," "out," and "on" can function as adverbs in phrasal verbs (Turn It Up, Log In) and should be capitalized in those cases.
- Be consistent. Whatever style you choose, apply it uniformly across all headings and subheadings in your document.
- When rewriting titles or headlines from existing content, tools like the Paraphraser can help you rephrase ideas while keeping the tone intact — just remember to double-check capitalization afterward.
What About Subtitle Capitalization?
Subtitles follow the exact same rules as main titles. Treat the word immediately after the colon (or dash) as the first word of a new title — meaning capitalize it regardless of its part of speech.
Example: Writing Well: A Guide for Everyone — "A" is capitalized because it's the first word after the colon.
Final Thoughts
Title capitalization doesn't have to be a guessing game. The key is understanding the difference between major words (capitalize them) and minor words (lowercase them, except at the start). Verbs like "is" always get capitalized. Articles like "a" and prepositions like "in" and "at" generally don't — unless they open the title.
With a clear framework and this cheat sheet in hand, you'll be writing polished, professional titles every time. And if you ever want a second opinion on your grammar or phrasing, WriteGenius's Grammar Checker is always ready to give your work a quick, reliable review.