Result
Yes. "Am" is a form of the verb "to be," and every style guide capitalizes verbs in a title, even two-letter ones. "I Am Legend" and "Who Am I?" both capitalize it.
"Am" by Style Guide
| Style guide | "Am" mid-title | Why |
|---|---|---|
| AP | Capitalize | Verbs are major words |
| APA | Capitalize | Verbs are major words |
| Chicago | Capitalize | Verbs are major words |
| MLA | Capitalize | Verbs are major words |
| AMA | Capitalize | Verbs are major words |
| Bluebook | Capitalize | Verbs are major words |
Examples in Chicago Style
- I Am Not a Robot
- Who Am I Writing For
- What I Am Reading This Year
- Why I Am Leaving Social Media
"Am" Versus "AM"
"Am" the verb is capitalized like any word in a title. "AM" or "a.m.," meaning morning, follows the style guide's rule for time abbreviations, not title case. AP writes "a.m." in lowercase with periods, even in titles.
Related Words
Every form of "to be" is capitalized: "is", "are", "was", "be", and "being".
Real Titles With "Am"
- I Am Legend (Richard Matheson)
- I Am Malala (Malala Yousafzai)
"Am" in Sentence Case
APA reference lists, many news sites, and most UI text use sentence case instead of title case. There, only the first word and proper nouns get capitals, so "am" is lowercase unless it starts the title: "What I am reading this year." Pick one of the two styles for a whole set of headings rather than mixing them.
Quick Answers
Should "am" be capitalized in a title?
Yes. "Am" is a verb, and verbs are capitalized in every style guide.
Is "am" capitalized in APA?
Yes. APA capitalizes verbs regardless of length.