If you’ve ever puzzled over whether ‘some’ gets a big letter at the start in a title, you’re not alone. Between Chicago, MLA, APA, and AP styles, the rules can vary and even confuse. Discover the simple rules that will clear up your title troubles and elevate your writing game. Get ready to learn how each style guide swings when it comes to capitalizing words like ‘some’ in titles and why it matters more than you might think.
In title case, which is used in APA, MLA, Chicago, and AP styles, the word ‘some’ is generally capitalized. It’s considered a principal word, not a conjunction, article, or preposition of three letters or less. So, when writing titles, capitalize ‘Some’ as you would major words.
When you’re writing a title, you might wonder if small words like “some” should start with a capital letter. The answer depends on the style guide you’re using. Here is how you’ll decide based on common styles:
Chicago Style
In Chicago Manual of Style, ‘some’ is not capitalized in a title unless it is the first or last word. Chicago style favors lowercasing conjunctions, prepositions, and articles. However, if ‘some’ is part of a hyphenated compound, every part should be capitalized, like in “Some-Time Hero.”
MLA Style
According to the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, ‘some’ is also kept lowercase because it’s considered an article. In MLA, only capitalize the first, last, and principal words in a title. Example: “Some Thoughts on Writing.”
APA Style
The American Psychological Association (APA) style is similar to Chicago and MLA in this respect. ‘Some’ is not capitalized in a title except for the first word or after a colon. For example, “Investigations on Behavior: Some Preliminary Findings.”
AP Style
The Associated Press (AP) has a different approach. All words with four or more letters should be capitalized, which means ‘some’ should be capitalized because it has four characters. For instance, “Some Great Ideas for Your Garden.”
Remember, always check the specific guidelines of the style you are required to use to ensure you are following the correct capitalization rules for your document.
Conclusion
Keep in mind when you craft your titles, whether ‘some’ should be capitalized depends on the style guide you follow. In Chicago and MLA style, prepositions, such as ‘some,’ are kept in lowercase unless they’re the first or last word of the title. APA style suggests capitalizing all words of four letters or more, which means ‘some’ would get a capital ‘S.’ AP style goes with capitalizing prepositions of four or more letters, so ‘some’ fits right in with a capital letter there too. So, gauge the length of ‘some’ and check your style guide when you decide on that capital letter. Thanks for reading and best of luck with your title-making!
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