Result
Yes. "That" is capitalized in AP, APA, Chicago, MLA, and AMA title case, whatever its job: pronoun ("All That Remains"), relative pronoun ("The Song That Never Ends"), determiner ("That Old Feeling"), or conjunction ("Proof That It Works"). The one exception is Bluebook, which lowercases conjunctions of four letters or fewer, so "that" stays lowercase there when it joins two clauses.
"That" by Style Guide
| Style guide | "That" mid-title | Why |
|---|---|---|
| AP | Capitalize | Conjunctions of four or more letters are capitalized, and pronouns always are |
| APA | Capitalize | Words of four or more letters are capitalized |
| Chicago | Capitalize | Pronouns and subordinating conjunctions are capitalized |
| MLA | Capitalize | Pronouns and subordinating conjunctions are capitalized |
| AMA | Capitalize | Pronouns and subordinating conjunctions are capitalized |
| Bluebook | Capitalize | Capitalized as a pronoun; as a conjunction ("Proof that It Works") Bluebook keeps it lowercase |
Examples in Chicago Style
- The Habits That Make Writers Faster
- All That Remains
- Why That Matters for SEO
- Proof That Slow Content Works
Why "That" Gets Lowercased by Mistake
"That" often sits where a small connecting word would go, so it looks like "the" or "and." But it is either a pronoun standing in for a noun or a subordinating conjunction that starts a clause. Both count as major words outside Bluebook. Compare "which" and "who", which are capitalized for the same reason.
Related Words
"This", "these", and "those" are capitalized in every guide. For the words that do stay lowercase, see the full list of words that stay lowercase.
Real Titles With "That"
- All That Remains (band)
- The Song That Never Ends (song)
"That" 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 "that" is lowercase unless it starts the title: "The habits that make writers faster." Pick one of the two styles for a whole set of headings rather than mixing them.
Quick Answers
Should "that" be capitalized in a title?
Yes, in AP, APA, Chicago, MLA, and AMA. Bluebook lowercases it only when it works as a conjunction.
Is "that" capitalized in APA?
Yes. "That" has four letters, and APA capitalizes words of four letters or more.
Is "that" capitalized in Chicago style?
Yes, as a pronoun and as a subordinating conjunction.