When you craft the perfect title, every word counts, including the small ones like 'between.' The capitalization of words in titles can trip up even the best writers, but fear not. Different style guides have their own rules for title capitalization, and if you're looking to master the art, knowing whether to capitalize 'between' can make a significant difference. Look at the heart of Chicago, MLA, APA, and AP styles to gain clarity and ensure your titles shine with polished grammar.
Quick Answer
The rule for "between" depends on the style guide. In Chicago and MLA, keep "between" lowercase in titles unless it is the first or last word, because both guides lowercase prepositions of any length. In APA and AP, capitalize "between" 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 crafting a title, every word counts, including 'between'. The rule of thumb is to capitalize main words in titles, which typically includes nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. But what about words like 'between'?
Understand Title Capitalization Rules
Capitalizing titles can be tricky, but there's a simple way to get it right. In most title capitalization style guides, such as Chicago, MLA, and APA, the word 'between' is considered a preposition. Rules for these styles state that prepositions of four or more letters should be capitalized in titles. Since 'between' has seven letters, it's usually given a capital 'B'.
However, the AP style is a bit different. It suggests that you capitalize prepositions of four letters or more, which would still mean 'between' gets capitalized. This is useful because whether you're following Chicago, MLA, APA, or AP guidelines, 'between' should be capitalized in a title.
Examples for Clarity
Let's look at examples to put this rule into context:
- Chicago/MLA/APA: The Secret Lies Between the Pages
- AP: Navigating Between Star Systems
Notice in both examples, 'Between' starts with a capital 'B'. It doesn't matter where 'between' appears in the title; it should be capitalized as it meets the criteria in all style guides mentioned.
However, always remember to check the specific style guide when writing a title, as rules can change or may have exceptions. Keep your titles polished and professional by following these simple guidelines.
when you're deciding whether to capitalize the word 'between' in a title, think about the style guide you are following. For Chicago, MLA, APA, and AP, the rule is simple: if 'between' is part of a title or a heading, treat it as you would other words that are not articles, prepositions, or conjunctions with fewer than four letters. Since 'between' has seven characters, you capitalize it in titles according to each of these styles. Remember this easy rule, and you'll have no trouble with titles in your essays, articles, or stories. keep writing clearly and confidently!
For a deeper breakdown of how each guide handles capitalization, see the title case styles guide.
