Grammar Tool

Title Capitalization Tool

Capitalize any title in AP Style, APA, MLA, Chicago, sentence case, or ALL CAPS. Enter a phrase to see exactly which words to capitalize.

Seven Capitalization Styles
Click any style to see it applied to a sample title.
ap

AP Style

Lowercase articles, short conjunctions, and short prepositions (under 5 letters). Always capitalize first and last word.

The Cat in the Hat
apa

APA Style

Lowercase all short words (under 4 letters) except first and last. More aggressive lowercase than AP.

The Cat in the Hat
mla

MLA Style

Same as AP but capitalize all hyphenated parts. Lowercase articles, short conjunctions, and short prepositions.

The Cat in the Hat
chicago

Chicago Style

Lowercase all prepositions regardless of length. Always capitalize first and last word.

The Cat in the Hat
sentence

Sentence Case

Capitalize only the first word. All other words remain lowercase.

The cat in the hat
upper

ALL CAPS

Every letter is capitalized. Used for emphasis, headings, or certain design contexts.

THE CAT IN THE HAT
lower

all lowercase

No words are capitalized. Used for casual or stylistic contexts.

the cat in the hat
Quick Reference: Words to Lowercase
These words are typically lowercase in title case (unless first or last).
WordAP StyleAPA StyleMLA StyleChicago
aLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
anLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
theLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
andLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
butLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
orLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
forLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
norLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
onLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
atLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
toLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
fromLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
byLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
inLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
withLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
ofLowercaseLowercaseLowercaseLowercase
aboutCapitalizeCapitalizeCapitalizeLowercase
throughCapitalizeCapitalizeCapitalizeLowercase
Frequently Asked Questions
Which words do you not capitalize in a title?▾
In AP Style, do not capitalize articles (a, an, the), short conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor), and short prepositions (under 5 letters: on, at, to, from, by, in, with, of, up) unless they are the first or last word.
What is the difference between AP and APA title case?▾
AP Style lowercases short prepositions and conjunctions under 5 letters. APA Style lowercases all short words under 4 letters, making it more aggressive about lowercase words.
Do you capitalize the first and last word of a title?▾
Yes. In all major title case styles (AP, APA, MLA, Chicago), the first and last words of a title are always capitalized regardless of what part of speech they are.
What is sentence case?▾
Sentence case capitalizes only the first word of a title and leaves all other words lowercase. It is commonly used for subheadings, social media captions, and informal contexts.

Understanding Title Capitalization Rules

Title capitalization is not universal. Different style guides have different rules about which words to capitalize and which to leave lowercase. The four major academic and journalistic styles — AP, APA, MLA, and Chicago — each have their own conventions.

AP Style, used by journalists and most news organizations, lowercases articles, short conjunctions, and short prepositions under five letters. This is the most common standard for headlines and web content. APA Style, used in psychology and social sciences, is more aggressive: it lowercases all short words under four letters. MLA Style follows AP rules but also capitalizes hyphenated parts. Chicago Style lowercases all prepositions regardless of length, making it the most conservative about capitalization.

Regardless of style, the first and last words of a title are always capitalized. This is a universal rule across all major style guides. Understanding these differences helps writers, editors, and students produce consistent, professional work.