Capitalizing
Titles
Which Words Should I Capitalize
in a Title?
Begin the first word, the last word, and other
important words in a title with capital letters.
Here are some examples:
Green Eggs and Ham
The Cat in the Hat
Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?
Which Words Should NOT Be
Capitalized in a Title?
Do not capitalize the following kinds of words
unless they come at the beginning or end of a
title:
•
•
•
•
articles – a, an, the
conjunctions – and, or, but
short prepositions – to, for, in, of, from, on, at
(If a preposition has more than four letters,
such as inside, capitalize it.)
Common Mistake
Because forms of the verb be are short,
people may decide not to capitalize
them. Don’t make this mistake! All forms
of be must be capitalized in a title!
Am
Are
Is
Was
Were
After a Colon
Titles often use colons. The word after the
colon should be capitalized.
Capitalization: A Guide for Fourth Graders
Prague: A Novel
Greasy Hair: The Untold Story
Let’s Practice
Is this title capitalized correctly?
Where Was Patrick Henry on the
Yes! This is
capitalized
correctly.
th of May?
29
Are the first and last words capitalized?
Are other important words capitalized?
Are articles (a, an, the) written in lower case?
Are conjunctions (and, or, but) written in lower case?
Are short prepositions (to, for, in, of, from, on, at)
written in lower case?
Are forms of be (am, are, is, was, were) capitalized?
Is the word after the colon capitalized?
Let’s Practice
If the title is written correctly, put your
thumb up.
If the title is written incorrectly, put
your thumb down.
Let’s Practice
And then what Happened,
Paul Revere?
Let’s Practice
And then what Happened,
Paul Revere?
Let’s Practice
Where Do You Think You’re
Going, Christopher Columbus?
Let’s Practice
Where Do You Think You’re
Going, Christopher Columbus?
Let’s Practice
Will you Sign Here,
John Hancock?
Let’s Practice
Will you Sign Here,
John Hancock?
Let’s Practice
Around the World in a Hundred
Years: from Henry the
Navigator to Magellan
Let’s Practice
Around the World in a Hundred
Years: from Henry the
Navigator to Magellan
Let’s Practice
Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt!
Let’s Practice
Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt!
Let’s Practice
Can’t You Make Them Behave,
King George?
Let’s Practice
Can’t You Make Them Behave,
King George?
Rules for Capitalizing Titles
 DO capitalize the first and last words.
 DO capitalize other important words.
 DON’T capitalize articles (a, an, the).
 DON’T capitalize conjunctions (and, or, but).
 DON’T capitalize short prepositions (to, for, in, of, from,
on, at).
 DO capitalize longer prepositions (inside, above,
within).
 DO capitalize all being verbs (am, are, is, was, were).
 DO capitalize the word after a colon.