Capitalization, explained clearly.
Practical, current guidance for titles, sentence case, style guides, names, and the edge cases that deserve a closer look.
Are Academic Degrees Capitalized? Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, and More
Academic degree capitalization depends on whether you are using the formal name of a degree, a generic description, an abbreviation, or a field of study.…
Read article CapitalizationAre Seasons Capitalized? Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter Explained
The names of the seasons are usually lowercase in English. Write “spring,” “summer,” “fall,” “autumn,” and “winter” with lowercase letters when you are…
Read article Title caseWhen Should Job Titles Be Capitalized?
Job title capitalization depends on how the title is being used. A professional title can be part of a person's name, a generic description of a role, a…
Read article Title caseShould Email Subject Lines Use Title Case or Sentence Case?
There is no universal capitalization rule for email subject lines. Both title case and sentence case can work. The better choice depends on brand voice,…
Read article Title caseHow to Capitalize Subtitles: Colons and Punctuation Explained
A subtitle adds a second layer to a title. It can clarify the subject, define the audience, narrow the scope, or add a memorable phrase. Capitalization is…
Read article Title caseHow to Capitalize Movie and TV Show Titles
Movie and television titles are easy to recognize but not always easy to format. A film poster may use all caps. A streaming platform may preserve unusual…
Read article Title caseHow to Capitalize Song Titles Correctly
Song titles often look informal, but writing about music still requires consistent capitalization. A streaming service, artist, record label, music…
Read article Title caseHow to Capitalize a Book Title: Rules and Examples
Book title capitalization seems straightforward until the title contains a subtitle, a long preposition, a hyphenated compound, or a word such as “to.” The…
Read article Style guidesAre Prepositions Capitalized in Titles? APA, AP, MLA, and Chicago Compared
Prepositions are the fastest way to prove that there is no single universal Title Case. A word such as “With” is capitalized in APA and AP title case but…
Read article Title caseHow to Capitalize Hyphenated Words in Titles
Hyphenated words are one of the hardest parts of title case because a hyphen does not tell you whether both parts should be capitalized. The answer depends…
Read article CapitalizationDo You Capitalize Words After a Colon? Rules for Every Style
A colon creates one of the most common capitalization questions in English writing. Sometimes the word after a colon should begin with a capital letter.…
Read article Style guidesAPA Title Case vs Sentence Case: When Should You Use Each?
APA Style uses both title case and sentence case. That simple fact explains a large share of capitalization mistakes in academic writing. Writers often learn…
Read article Style guidesChicago Title Case Rules: Complete Guide to the 18th Edition
Chicago title case changed in a way that many writers and older online converters still miss. The 18th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style, published in…
Read article Style guidesAPA vs MLA vs Chicago vs AP Title Capitalization: What Is the Difference?
APA, MLA, Chicago, and AP title case often look almost identical until one small word exposes the difference. The major styles generally capitalize the first…
Read article Title caseWhich Words Should Be Capitalized in a Title?
The safest answer is not “capitalize all important words.” The real answer depends on the title style you are using. APA, AP, Chicago, MLA, Bluebook, AMA,…
Read article Title caseWhich Words Should Not Be Capitalized in a Title?
Words that stay lowercase in title case are usually called minor words. The common examples are articles, coordinating conjunctions, and some prepositions.…
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