Result
Yes. "Can" is a helping verb in most titles ("You Can Do It") and a noun in the rest ("The Tin Can"). Verbs and nouns are major words, so every style guide capitalizes "can," even though it is only three letters long.
"Can" by Style Guide
| Style guide | "Can" mid-title | Why |
|---|---|---|
| AP | Capitalize | Verbs and nouns are major words |
| APA | Capitalize | Verbs and nouns are major words |
| Chicago | Capitalize | Verbs and nouns are major words |
| MLA | Capitalize | Verbs and nouns are major words |
| AMA | Capitalize | Verbs and nouns are major words |
| Bluebook | Capitalize | Verbs and nouns are major words |
Examples in Chicago Style
- What You Can Learn from a Bad First Draft
- Yes We Can
- How Small Teams Can Ship Faster
- Can a Headline Be Too Short
Helping Verbs Are Capitalized Too
Some writers lowercase "can" because it sits next to the main verb and seems minor. Style guides don't make that distinction. Helping verbs such as "will", "should", "may", "do", "does", and "had" are all capitalized in title case.
Negatives follow the same rule: "Can't" and "Cannot" are capitalized, as in "Can't Buy Me Love."
Why Length Doesn't Matter Here
The "three letters or fewer" rule in AP, APA, and AMA only applies to prepositions, conjunctions, and articles. "Can" is none of those, so it stays capitalized in every position.
"Can" 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 "can" is lowercase unless it starts the title: "What you can learn from a bad first draft." Pick one of the two styles for a whole set of headings rather than mixing them.
Quick Answers
Should "can" be capitalized in a title?
Yes. "Can" is a verb (or a noun), so it is capitalized in every style guide.
Is "can" capitalized in APA style?
Yes. APA capitalizes verbs regardless of length.
Is "can't" capitalized in a title?
Yes. Negative contractions of verbs are capitalized: "Can't Buy Me Love."