When you're putting together a title, every word counts. You might wonder about small words like 'during' and whether they deserve a capital letter. The answer might not be as straightforward as you think because it all depends on the writing style you're using. Some styles have specific rules that change how you might see a title. Look at the details to discover how to make your titles shine and ensure every word is in its perfect place, whether it's capitalized or not.
Quick Answer
The rule for "during" depends on the style guide. In Chicago and MLA, keep "during" lowercase in titles unless it is the first or last word, because both guides lowercase prepositions of any length. In APA and AP, capitalize "during" 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.
Wondering about capitalizing the word 'during' in titles? When styling titles, capitalization rules can be tricky. But fear not, the answer is simple!
Capitalization in Titles
Major style guides agree that prepositions with fewer than five letters should not be capitalized in a title, unless they start or end the title. Since 'during' is a preposition with six characters, you capitalize it in titles. This rule stands whether you're following Chicago, MLA, APA, or AP styles.
Examples in Different Styles
Let's take the title "Walking During The Sunrise". According to Chicago and MLA, it would be "Walking During the Sunrise". APA would style it as "Walking during the Sunrise", because APA recommends capitalizing words with four or more letters. The AP style would be "Walking During the Sunrise" since AP capitalizes prepositions of four or more letters.
Remember, consistency is key. Stick with your chosen style guide throughout your work.
Know this, when you're choosing whether to capitalize 'during' in a title, think about the style guide you're following. In APA, MLA, and Chicago styles, you don't capitalize small words like 'during' unless it's the first word in the title. However, AP style says you should capitalize all words with four or more letters. So, with its six characters, 'during' would be capitalized in AP. Remember these simple rules, and you'll nail title capitalization every time. Thank you for reading and keep on polishing those titles!
For a deeper breakdown of how each guide handles capitalization, see the title case styles guide.
