Result
Yes. "Are" is a verb, so every major style guide capitalizes it in a title, even though it is only three letters long. Short verbs trip people up because they look like the small words that stay lowercase, but the lowercase list is limited to articles, short prepositions, and some conjunctions. Verbs are never on it.
"Are" by Style Guide
| Style guide | "Are" 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 |
The three-letter cutoff some guides use (AP, APA, AMA) applies only to prepositions and conjunctions. It never reaches verbs, which is why "Are" is capitalized while "for" and "and" are not.
Why "Are" Gets a Capital When "And" Does Not
Title case sorts words by what they do, not by how long they are. "Are" links a subject to what it is or does ("Cats Are Liquid"), which makes it the main verb or a helping verb. Both count as major words. "And," "the," and "at" only connect or point to other words, so most guides let them stay small.
The same logic covers every form of "to be." Is, am, was, were, be, and being are all capitalized for the same reason.
Examples in Chicago Style
- Why Prices Are Rising Again
- We Are Not the Same
- The Kids Are All Right
- What Are the Rules for Title Case
Contractions follow the word they start with: "We're," "They're," and "You're" are capitalized as a pronoun plus a verb, and "Aren't" is capitalized as a verb.
Common Mistakes With "Are"
- Lowercasing it because it is short. Length only matters for prepositions and conjunctions.
- Lowercasing it in sentence-style headlines, then switching to title case halfway through a document. Pick one style per document.
- Capitalizing the word after "are" by habit. "Are in Trouble" is right, but in "Are on Track," the preposition "on" stays lowercase in every guide.
Real Titles With "Are"
- We Are the Champions (Queen)
- The Kids Are All Right (2010 film)
- Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (Judy Blume)
Each one capitalizes "Are" mid-title, which is the standard treatment across publishers.
"Are" 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 "are" is lowercase unless it starts the title: "Why prices are rising again." Pick one of the two styles for a whole set of headings rather than mixing them.
Quick Answers
Should "are" be capitalized in a title?
Yes. "Are" is a verb, and every major style guide capitalizes verbs in title case.
Is "are" capitalized in APA style?
Yes. APA capitalizes all major words, and verbs are major words regardless of length. The four-letter rule only decides short prepositions and conjunctions.
Is "are" capitalized in AP style?
Yes. AP lowercases only articles and prepositions or conjunctions of three letters or fewer. "Are" is a verb, so it is capitalized.
Is "are" capitalized at the end of a title?
Yes, as in "Come as You Are." It would be capitalized anywhere in the title, and AP, Chicago, and MLA also capitalize every last word.