A small word such as "the" can leave you second-guessing an otherwise finished title. With em dash capitalization, the first word after the mark depends on your author style guide and whether you use title case or sentence case. APA capitalizes it in both systems.
That rule isn't universal, though. Identify your capitalization system, then check how your guide treats the dash; other guides may differ.
Key Takeaways
- In APA titles, capitalize the first word after an em dash in both title case and sentence case.
- Capitalizing that first word doesn't mean capitalizing the whole phrase; apply the chosen case system to the remaining words.
- For styles other than APA, check the applicable guide and determine whether the dash introduces a subtitle or sets off an aside.
- Consider word identity, title structure, and style requirements separately; spacing around the dash is a separate choice.
The quick answer to em dash capitalization
The answer depends on your style guide and whether the title uses title case or sentence case. In APA, capitalize the first word after the dash, even when it would normally stay lowercase. That includes articles such as “a” and “the,” along with short prepositions such as “in.”
For other styles, check the applicable guidance before treating every dash as a fresh beginning. A dash can introduce a subtitle, but it can also set off an additional thought within the title.
These distinctions give you a useful starting point:
| Title format | First word after a dash | Remaining words |
|---|---|---|
| APA title case | Capitalize it | Apply APA title case rules |
| APA sentence case | Capitalize it | Use sentence case, preserving proper nouns |
| Another guide or house style | Check its punctuation and subtitle rules | Follow that system consistently |
The important distinction is between the word immediately after the dash and everything that follows it. Casing that first word doesn't mean casing the entire phrase.
If you're unsure which system your publication uses, compare title case and sentence case before editing individual words. Otherwise, you might fix the first word while leaving the rest of the title in the wrong format.
APA title case: capitalize the next word
APA gives a direct answer rather than leaving the choice to visual preference. Its official title case guidance includes the first word after the dash among the words that take an initial capital.
Give normally lowercase words an initial capital
In APA title case, minor words generally stay lowercase within a title. However, position can override that treatment.
If "the" immediately follows the dash, write "The." Similarly, an immediately following "a" becomes "A," and "in" becomes "In." You don't need to decide whether these words sound important.
Checking only word length or grammatical category can lead to a mistake. The first word's position determines why it takes a capital.
The words after the dash don't need to form a complete sentence. APA's title rule applies either way.
Continue normal title case through the phrase
After the first word, apply the remaining APA rules as usual. Capitalize major words, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns. APA also capitalizes words of four or more letters.
Short minor words farther along in the phrase can still remain lowercase. The dash doesn't turn every later "a," "the," or "of" into a capitalized word.
For example, "Is" takes a capital in title case because it's a verb, despite having only two letters. Word length alone isn't enough.
For academic headings and paper titles, keep the broader APA title case rules in mind alongside this rule.
APA sentence case: the same first-word exception
Sentence case usually looks more like an ordinary sentence than a headline. Yet APA has a title-specific rule that can surprise writers: it also capitalizes the first word after the dash in sentence-case titles.
APA's official sentence case guidance states this directly.
Capitalize the first word, then return to lowercase
Under APA sentence case, the word immediately after the dash gets an initial capital. Most later words stay lowercase unless another rule applies.
That means a common noun or verb farther into the phrase stays lowercase. Proper nouns, meanwhile, keep their capitals. "Figma," "Shakespeare," and "New York" retain their usual case in a sentence-case title.
This creates a visible difference between APA title case and APA sentence case. Both capitalize the first word after the dash, but they treat the remaining words differently.
Don't switch the whole second portion into title case because its opening word has a capital.
Check where the title appears in academic writing
APA uses both case systems, so the location matters. Paper titles and headings generally use title case. Article and book titles in reference entries generally use sentence case.
The same work can therefore appear with different case in different parts of a paper. That's a formatting requirement, not necessarily an inconsistency.
Before correcting a reference entry, identify the kind of title you're editing. A journal's name follows different capitalization requirements from the article title listed alongside it.
Then apply the dash rule within the appropriate system. Checking the dash alone won't catch an incorrectly cased reference title.
Chicago guidance needs careful interpretation
Chicago shouldn't be described as automatically identical to APA on this question. Its guidance needs a careful reading, especially when a dash sets off material within a title rather than introducing a subtitle.
Don't turn a qualified answer into a universal rule
A Chicago Q&A on title capitalization compares its reasoning to a dash used in place of parentheses. It also acknowledges that the specific casing question it addresses isn't explicitly covered in CMOS.
That answer doesn't establish a blanket instruction to capitalize every word immediately after the dash. It also doesn't support a blanket instruction to lowercase every such word.
For a Chicago-based publication, consult the relevant title and subtitle guidance, plus any house-style instructions. A house style may separately specify surrounding spaces, but spacing doesn't determine whether the words introduce a subtitle. Keep explicit rules distinct from editorial interpretation.
A capitalization tool's output can help, but it shouldn't settle a question that depends on how the title is structured.
Identify a subtitle or an internal aside
A dash introducing a subtitle has a different role from a pair of dashes enclosing an aside. The first divides the title into distinct parts. The second inserts material within an existing title.
That distinction matters when applying guidance about the first word of a subtitle. Don't assume an internal aside has become a subtitle merely because a dash precedes it.
For recurring headings, document the publication's treatment. A clear house rule prevents editors from making opposite decisions on otherwise similar titles.
Separate the dash's function from capitalization
Punctuation and capitalization answer different questions. The dash shows how parts of a title relate; the title case system determines which words receive capitals.
Chicago's explanation of em-dash usage describes how a dash can introduce an additional thought, much like parentheses. That helps explain why a dash doesn't always indicate a subtitle.
Before changing a letter, read the title for meaning. Decide whether the words after the dash introduce a second title unit or add information within the existing one.
A word can deserve a capital because it's a major word, even when the dash creates no new title boundary.
A colon requires its own check. In APA titles, the first word after a colon is capitalized in both title case and sentence case. You don't need a complete sentence after the colon for that title rule to apply. The words that follow don't need to form a complete sentence.
In ordinary prose, the rule may differ. Titles and running sentences can follow different instructions.
A comma, including the Oxford comma or serial comma, separates list items; a semicolon serves another function. An en dash has a distinct role; a hyphen can form a compound adjective, and a hyphen rule doesn't automatically answer the dash question.
Deciding whether to use surrounding spaces is a separate style choice. Identify the punctuation mark, its role, and the applicable rule rather than treating all punctuation alike.
Word identity still controls many capitals
Sometimes the dash isn't why a word takes a capital. It may already qualify under the title's case rules.
In title case, nouns and verbs take capitals even when they're short. In sentence case, those same words generally stay lowercase unless their position or identity requires otherwise.
Familiar book titles show the difference between major and minor words. In Pride and Prejudice, "Pride" and "Prejudice" take capitals, while "and" stays lowercase. In The Old Man and the Sea, the opening "The" is capitalized, but the later "the" isn't.
These word-level choices still matter when punctuation appears inside a title. Don't treat every capital near the dash as evidence of a special rule.
Check proper nouns and acronyms separately. Keep names such as "Jane Austen" and "Figma" in their established forms, along with acronyms such as "NASA." For possessive nouns, an apostrophe doesn't change a name's casing, as in "Jane Austen's."
Sentence case doesn't mean lowercasing everything except the opening word. Proper names and established mixed-case product names, including "iPhone," still need their usual forms.
Checking word identity first often resolves the easy cases. Save the punctuation analysis for words whose case genuinely depends on position.
A practical editing process for dashed titles
Grammar checks and title-case checks answer different questions. Review the whole title before focusing on one letter, so a correct local edit doesn't leave a larger formatting problem untouched.
- Identify the applicable punctuation style guide or publication policy. Check the assignment instructions, publisher's requirements, or existing house style.
- Confirm whether the title needs title case or sentence case. For APA, check whether you're editing a heading, paper title, or reference entry.
- Determine what the dash does. Distinguish a subtitle break from material inserted within the title, and check the surrounding spaces separately.
- Apply the rule to the first word after the dash. In APA titles, capitalize it in either case system.
- Review the remaining words separately. Check major words, minor words, proper names, and acronyms under the chosen style.
For a broader comparison, consult the differences among title case styles. Guides can disagree about words farther into the title, even when the opening word looks the same.
A title case converter is useful for that final review. Select the intended style rather than accepting an unspecified default. Don't assume the converter can infer whether a phrase functions as a subtitle or an aside.
Finally, compare the result with neighboring headings. Consistency helps readers recognize the document's structure, but the required guide still takes priority.
If a publication has an unusual house rule, record it in its editorial instructions. That gives future writers a clear answer without requiring them to reverse-engineer older headlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you capitalize the first word after an em dash in APA titles?
Yes. APA capitalizes the first word after the dash in both title case and sentence case, even if it would normally be lowercase.
Should every word after the em dash be capitalized?
No. Capitalize the first word, then apply the usual rules for the title's case system. In sentence case, later words generally stay lowercase unless they're proper nouns or another rule applies.
Does Chicago require a capital after every em dash?
Not as a universal rule. Check the relevant Chicago guidance and any house style, and consider whether the dash introduces a subtitle or sets off an aside.
How do I decide which capitalization rule to use?
Identify the style guide and whether the title uses title case or sentence case. Then determine what the dash does and apply the rule to the first word and the remaining words separately.
Let the style guide settle the capital
For APA titles, the rule after the dash is clear: capitalize the first word in both title case and sentence case. Then apply the appropriate rules to the remaining words.
For other styles, check the dash's function and the publication's guidance before applying the APA rule. The reliable habit is to separate word identity, title structure, and style requirements before changing a letter.