Ever stumbled upon the challenge of crafting the perfect title and found yourself scratching your head about capitalization? You're not alone. Capitalizing words in titles can be a tricky business. One word often under scrutiny is "after." Understanding the rules of capitalization in different style guides, like Chicago, MLA, APA, and AP, can turn your titles from amateur to polished. Let's cut through the confusion and look at the world of proper title formatting, exploring whether 'after' should get a capital letter or stay lowercase. Grasp these simple guidelines and you'll elevate your writing in no time.
Quick Answer
The rule for "after" depends on the style guide. In Chicago and MLA, keep "after" lowercase in titles unless it is the first or last word, because both guides lowercase prepositions of any length. In APA and AP, capitalize "after" mid-title because both guides capitalize words of four or more letters.
You can also paste any title into the free title case converter at the top of the page to apply these rules automatically.
When you're writing the title of your next big piece, you might wonder about small words like 'after'. Should you capitalize it? It seems small, but it can make a big difference in your title's look.
Capitalize 'After' in Most Style Guides
In most title capitalization rules, like those in Chicago, MLA, APA, and AP styles, 'after' gets a capital letter if it's significant in the title. That means, if 'after' is used as a preposition, conjunction, or as part of a verb, you usually make it uppercase.
Examples to Understand 'After'
Let's see some examples to get this right. In the title 'After the Storm,' 'after' is a preposition and gets a capital 'A'. Even in 'Chasing After Dreams,' it's part of the verb 'chasing after,' so again, it's with a capital 'A'. However, in sentences like 'And they lived happily ever after,' when it's used at the end of a title, some styles may not capitalize it.
Always Check the Style Guide
Keep in mind, the rules can change depending on the style guide. It's best to keep the guide handy for reference. Every guide has its own rules for capitalization, and they can be quite picky.
In short, look at how 'after' is used in your title. If it's an important word, give it a capital. If not, you might leave it in lowercase. Just make sure to double-check with your preferred style guide to be absolutely certain.
Understand that in title capitalization, small words like 'after' do not typically get the big-letter treatment. In styles like APA, MLA, and Chicago, such prepositions remain lowercased when they are part of a title unless they begin or end the sentence. However, AP style ups the ante by capitalizing all words with four or more letters, so 'after' gets capitalized because it has five characters. When you craft your titles, keep this tip in mind to ensure each word lands in its proper place. now you're all set to ace those headlines with confidence!
For a deeper breakdown of how each guide handles capitalization, see the title case styles guide.
