Result
Yes. "Is" is a verb, and every style guide capitalizes verbs in a title, no matter how short they are: "What Is Title Case," "Life Is Beautiful." Its two letters make it look like "in" or "of," but the lowercase lists only include articles, short prepositions, and some conjunctions. Verbs are never on them.
"Is" by Style Guide
| Style guide | "Is" 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 in AP, APA, and AMA, and the four-letter cutoff in Bluebook, apply only to prepositions and conjunctions. That is why "Is" is capitalized while "in" is not.
Examples in Chicago Style
- What Is Title Case
- Why Content Is Still King
- Love Is a Battlefield
- This Is It
"Is" in Headlines vs. Titles
Many news publishers, including the Associated Press, write headlines in sentence case: only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized, so "is" is lowercase there ("Why the market is down"). AP uses title case for composition titles such as books, movies, and songs. If your site uses title case for headlines, capitalize "Is."
Other Forms of "To Be"
Every form of the verb is capitalized for the same reason: "are", "was", "were", "be", "am", and "being". Contractions follow the word they start with: "It's," "What's," and "Isn't" are all capitalized.
Real Titles With "Is"
- Life Is Beautiful (1997 film)
- Love Is a Battlefield (Pat Benatar)
- Paris Is Burning (1990 documentary)
Each one capitalizes "Is" mid-title, which is the standard treatment in title case.
"Is" 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 "is" is lowercase unless it starts the title: "What is title case." Pick one of the two styles for a whole set of headings rather than mixing them.
Quick Answers
Should "is" be capitalized in a title?
Yes. "Is" is a verb, and every major guide capitalizes verbs in title case.
Is "is" capitalized in APA style?
Yes. APA capitalizes all major words, including verbs, regardless of length.
Is "is" capitalized in AP style?
Yes, in title case. AP lowercases only articles and short prepositions and conjunctions. AP news headlines use sentence case, where only the first word is capitalized.
Why is "is" capitalized when "in" is not?
"In" is a preposition, and short prepositions stay lowercase. "Is" is a verb, and verbs are always capitalized.