Ever find yourself scratching your head when it comes to spelling out headlines? You’re not alone. One of the trickiest parts can be figuring out which words get a capital letter. Take the word ‘is’, for example. It may be small, but it can cause big confusion when you’re trying to perfect that title. Different style guides have distinct rules for title capitalization, and whether ‘is’ reaches for that capital status depends on several factors. Dive into the nitty-gritty of why sometimes this unassuming verb stands tall, and other times, it stays lowercase. Get your titles looking top-notch with these easy-to-follow guidelines.
In title case, shorter words like ‘is’ usually stay lowercase unless they’re the first or last word of the title. However, some styles, like APA, capitalize every word in a title. So, yes, ‘is’ can be capitalized in a title, depending on the style guide you are following.
When you title a book, article, or essay, you might wonder about small words like “is.” Should you capitalize them? It depends on the style guide you’re following.
Follow the Style Guide Rules
In APA, MLA, and Chicago styles, “is” gets a capital because it’s a verb. These styles say to capitalize nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. So, if you have a title like “It Is What It Is,” each “Is” starts with a big letter.
However, the AP style is different. It says only capitalize words with four or more letters. Since “is” is just two letters, you’d keep it small in a title. Like, “Life is Beautiful” would be “Life Is Beautiful.”
Examples in Different Styles
Let’s use the title “Love is Powerful” to see the difference:
- In APA, MLA, and Chicago styles: “Love Is Powerful” (capitalize “Is”).
- In AP style: “Love is Powerful” (keep “is” lowercase).
Remember, consistency is key in any style. Pick a style guide and stick to its rules for your whole title.
Conclusion
When you create titles using the Chicago, MLA, APA, or AP styles, remember that small verbs, including ‘is’, follow specific rules. In APA, MLA, and Chicago styles, capitalize ‘is’ because it’s a verb and these guidelines call for capitalizing verbs regardless of length. However, the AP style has a different approach, only capitalizing words with three or more characters, which means ‘is’ should not be capitalized. Always check the style guide you are using to ensure your titles shine with proper capitalization. Thanks for reading and don’t forget, the right capitalization can make all the difference in your writing!
Want to learn about more specific capitalization rules for words?
