Quick Answer
Yes. In Chicago, MLA, APA, and AP styles, capitalize "Was" in a title. As a verb, "Was" is treated as a principal word and gets capitalized in title case regardless of where it sits in the title.
You can also paste any title into the free title case converter at the top of the page to apply these rules automatically.
When crafting titles in English, the capitalization of 'was' might appear tricky. However, the rules for title capitalization are quite straightforward: because 'was' is a verb, it is capitalized in a title in Chicago, MLA, APA, and AP style, no matter how short it is. The lowercase treatment in title case is reserved for short articles, conjunctions, and prepositions, and verbs never fall into that group.
Understanding Title Capitalization Rules
In your journey to mastering title capitalization, it's essential to remember a few simple principles. For Chicago, MLA, and AP style, verbs, no matter how short, should always be capitalized. APA style capitalizes all words of four letters or more, and it also capitalizes major words like verbs and pronouns even when they are shorter, so 'was' gets a capital letter there as well.
Examples in Different Styles
Here is how 'was' would appear in titles following different style guides:
- Chicago/MLA: 'She Was Afraid to Ask'
- APA: 'She Was Afraid to Ask'
- AP: 'She Was Afraid to Ask'
Notice that 'was' is capitalized in every style shown. Even though APA uses length rules for minor words, 'was' is a verb, and verbs are major words that APA always capitalizes.
Keep It Consistent
The most important thing when capitalizing titles is consistency. Pick a style guide and stick with its rules for all your writing. This ensures your titles are always professional and correct. And remember, if you forget a rule, you can always check back with your chosen style manual for guidance.
whether you capitalize the word 'was' in a title depends on the style guide you're following. In styles like Chicago and MLA, you do capitalize it because it's a verb and they capitalize all verbs, regardless of their length. APA and AP follow the same principle: 'was' is a verb, so it gets a capital letter even at three letters, and the lowercase rule in these guides only covers short articles, conjunctions, and prepositions. Remember, consistency is key in applying these rules, so pick the style guide that's right for your purpose and stick with it. Thank you for reading, and best of luck refining your titles!
For a deeper breakdown of how each guide handles capitalization, see the title case styles guide.
