Title capitalization refers to the set of rules that determine which words in a title or headline get capitalized, and the exact rules change depending on the style guide you're using. EssayReply's title case converter, also called a title capitalizer, applies these rules automatically, so you can capitalize a title correctly in MLA, APA, AP, Chicago, AMA, or Wikipedia style without memorizing every exception yourself.
How to Use Our Title Case Converter
1) Choose the title case you need
Different style guides require different capitalization cases for titles. Below are the most common ones our tool supports:
Title Case: It is a style of capitalization used for creating titles or headings. All words are generally capitalized except for articles, prepositions and conjunctions unless they are the first or last word of the title. This style is commonly used in published works and works of art in English. There are different styles with slightly different rules, which are described in the next section of this article.
Sentence Case: It is a style of writing that capitalizes only the first word of each sentence, proper nouns, and other words as needed. In this style of writing, all other words are written in lowercase.
Lower Case: (or lowercase), it is a type of lettering that uses only small letters, as opposed to Uppercase or Capital Letters. It is typically used for writing in the English language, and it can also be used for other types of writing.
Snake_Case: It is typically used for variable names, identifiers, and some directory and file names. It can also be used in HTML, CSS, URLs, and email addresses. Snake_case improves code readability by using underscores instead of multiple capital letters. It's useful for variable names and identifiers in languages like HTML, C++, Python, Ruby, or Swift.
Kebab-Case: (also known as "lisp case" or "dash case"), it is a term used to describe a type of string formatting that uses hyphens to separate multiple words or phrases. Kebab-case is typically used in programming, but can be seen in other areas such as URLs or URLs with parameters. Kebab-case has some other advantages over camelCase and snake_case strings, mainly related to word separation for better readability and understanding.
ALL CAPS: It is used when a particular letter or combination of letters needs to be emphasized within a sentence or phrase. For example, a writer might use ALL CAPS for acronyms, proper nouns, and headlines. In legal documents, ALL CAPS are sometimes used for emphasis to indicate that something is mandatory or forbidden. It can also be used in informal contexts such as email communications and internet forums for aesthetic purposes or to make a point more clearly.
2) Choose the title case style if "Title Case" was selected
If you've chosen "Title Case," the next step is to choose the Title Case style you need:
APA: Commonly used in the fields of psychology, education, and social sciences.
MLA: Commonly used in the fields of humanities and liberal arts.
AP: Commonly used by journalists, magazines and newspapers for news stories.
AMA: Commonly used by medical professionals for citation and referencing guidelines.
Chicago: Commonly used for papers written in history, business and legal studies.
Wikipedia: The style used by Wikipedia for formatting entries on the website.
If you're not sure, just with with APA. More details about each style you can read down below.
3) Check additional options
Our Title Capitalization Tool has two additional options that you can choose from: "Don't change words in caps" and "Multi-title" input.
The "Don't change words in caps" option preserves existing capitalization for acronyms, brand names, and proper nouns, preventing unintended alterations.
The "Multi-title" input option gives you the ability to convert multiple titles at once, one after another. This is useful if you have a list of titles or headlines that need converting into Title Case style of your choice quickly and accurately.
4) Input your text and convert
Lastly, paste the text that you want to change and press "Covert." It will instantly conver the text in the input box following your chosen criteria.
You can instantly copy the results by pressing the small copy icon in the upper right corner of the text input area.
You can then press "Clear" to erase anything in the input box.
Title Capitalization Rules
Title and headline capitalization rules can be confusing, but they are essential for writing clear and consistent titles. The capitalization of words in a title is often governed by specific conventions, such as the American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Language Association (MLA), American Medical Association (AMA) or Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago). Further, you'll learn the rules of these major title capitalization styles, as well as some important tips to remember when choosing the best option for your titles.
Quick Comparison: APA, MLA, Chicago, and AP Title Case Rules
Each style guide handles capitalization a little differently. All four capitalize the same principal parts of speech and every word in a hyphenated compound; where they genuinely diverge is first/last-word handling and prepositions. AP is the strictest about length, capitalizing everything from four letters up. Here's how the four most common academic and journalistic styles handle title capitalization side by side, including how prepositions get capitalized.
| Style | First & Last Word | Principal Words | Prepositions | Hyphenated Compounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLA (9th ed.) | Always | Yes | Lowercase, unless part of a phrasal verb | Yes |
| APA (7th ed.) | First word only | Yes | Lowercase (short/minor), unless part of a phrasal verb | Yes |
| AP (55th ed.) | Always | Yes | Lowercase at 3 letters or fewer; 4+ letters capitalized | Yes |
| Chicago (17th ed.) | Always | Yes | Lowercase, unless first/last or part of a phrasal verb | Yes |
Use this as a fast reference, then check the full rule set below since exceptions (Latin phrases, species names, infinitives) vary by guide.
Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook, 9th Edition Title Capitalization Rules
The Modern Language Association (MLA) Style Capitalization Rules are often used in the Humanities, including literature, linguistics, and history. To ensure accuracy when citing sources or writing titles in MLA format, consider the following guidelines:
Capitalize major words (nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives).
Capitalize the first and last words.
Exception: if the last word is the second work of a Genus Species name, lowercase it.
Do not capitalize articles and coordinating conjunctions: a, the, an, as, and, but, or, nor, to, yet, so, if.
Do not capitalize prepositions.
Exception: Capitalize if it is part of a phrasal verb.
Capitalize every word in these Latin phrases.
Capitalize all words in hyphenated compounds.
Capitalize any word after a full stop, question mark, exclamation mark, colon, or any combination of these symbols.
Exception: full stops in Latin abbreviations should not be counted.
Do not capitalize "to" in an infinitive.
American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual, 7th Edition Title Capitalization Rules
The American Psychological Association (APA) Style Capitalization Rules are most often used in the social sciences, including psychology, education, and sociology.
Capitalize the first word of the title and any subtitle.
Capitalize major words.
Capitalize any word after a full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark.
Capitalize all words in hyphenated compounds.
Do not capitalize minor words (articles, coordinating conjunctions, and short prepositions).
Do not capitalize prepositions unless they are part of a phrasal verb.
The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook, 55th Edition Title Capitalization Rules
The Associated Press (AP) Style Capitalization Rules are mainly used for newspapers, magazines, and other forms of journalism.
Capitalize words with four or more letters.
Capitalize the first and the last words of the title.
Do not capitalize articles, conjunctions, or prepositions with three or fewer letters unless it is the first or last word of the title.
Capitalize all words in hyphenated compounds.
Capitalize verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs.
Do not capitalize prepositions.
Do not capitalize the "to" in an infinitive.
American Medical Association (AMA) Manual of Style, 11th Edition
The American Medical Association (AMA) Style Capitalization Rules are used mainly for medical-related writing, such as journals, textbooks, and other publications.
Capitalize the first and last words of the title.
Capitalize nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
Capitalize all words in hyphenated compounds.
Capitalize the second word in a species name, e.g. Felis catus.
Capitalize any word after a full stop, question mark, exclamation mark, or colon.
Do not capitalize articles, conjunctions, or short prepositions unless it is the first or last word of the title.
The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition Title Capitalization Rules
The Chicago Manual of Style is one of the most widely used style guides in the United States and provides two sets of capitalization rules: headline style and sentence style. Our title case converter uses the headline style.
Capitalize the first and last words of the title.
Capitalize nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
Capitalize all words in hyphenated compounds.
Lowercase articles, conjunctions, and prepositions unless they are the first or last word of the title.
Do not capitalize prepositions.
Exception: Capitalize if it is part of a phrasal verb.
Do not capitalize the "to" in an infinitive.
Wikipedia Manual of Style
The Wikipedia Manual of Style is the style manual for all of Wikipedia's articles. The rules are similar to the Chicago Manual of Style, with a few exceptions.
Capitalize the first word.
Do not capitalize other words unless they are proper nouns or part of a title that would be capitalized in running text.
Capitalize all words in hyphenated compounds.
Do not capitalize prepositions unless they are part of a phrasal verb.
What's the Difference Between Title Case and Sentence Case?
Many writers search for how to capitalize my title correctly, only to find that correct title capitalization depends on which of two formats they're using. Both are valid, but they follow different rules and suit different contexts.
Title Case and Sentence Case, Defined
| Format | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Title Case | Capitalizes principal words (nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives) plus the first and last word. Articles, short conjunctions, and short prepositions stay lowercase unless they open or close the phrase. Used for headlines, book titles, and most academic paper titles. |
| Sentence case | Capitalizes only the first word and any proper nouns, exactly like a normal sentence. Used for subheadings, UI labels, and some academic and journalistic style guides that prefer a plainer look. |
The Same Phrase in Every Style
To see how much these rules actually change the outcome, here's one sample phrase run through each format and style guide.
| Style | Rendered Result |
|---|---|
| Title Case (default) | The Relationship between Exercise and Mental Health |
| Sentence case | The relationship between exercise and mental health |
| MLA | The Relationship between Exercise and Mental Health |
| APA | The Relationship Between Exercise and Mental Health |
| AP | The Relationship Between Exercise and Mental Health |
| Chicago | The Relationship between Exercise and Mental Health |
Notice "between": MLA and Chicago keep it lowercase since it's a preposition with no length exception, while APA and AP capitalize it because it's longer than their short-preposition cutoff. That one-word difference is exactly what a title case converter catches automatically so you don't have to memorize every exception yourself.
Which Words Are Capitalized in a Title?
Title capitalization comes down to a short, repeatable rule set across every major style guide. The words that get capitalized are the same core group: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, plus whichever word opens or closes the phrase. The words that usually stay lowercase are articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor), and prepositions, though exactly which prepositions stay lowercase depends on the guide. AP style lowercases prepositions of three letters or fewer but capitalizes anything four letters or longer, while MLA lowercases prepositions of any length unless one is part of a phrasal verb.
Sources
- Common and scientific names of wildlife species — Colorado State University Libraries, via the Internet Archive
- List of English prepositions — Wikipedia
- English phrasal verbs — Wiktionary
- List of Latin phrases (full) — Wikipedia
- List of Latin abbreviations — Wikipedia
- Infinitive verbs — Grammarly
- Felis catus — IUCN Red List