Quick Answer
It depends on the guide. Chicago capitalizes "Yet", because CMOS 8.159 lowercases five coordinating conjunctions (and, but, for, or, nor) and "yet" is not one of them. MLA, APA, and AP keep "yet" lowercase mid-title. Every guide capitalizes "Yet" when it is the first word, the last word, or the word directly after a colon.
You can also paste any title into the free title case converter at the top of the page to apply these rules automatically.
For capitalizing titles, each writing style has its rules. For words like 'yet', which have only three characters, the guidelines vary depending on the style you're using.
Chicago Style
In Chicago style, all conjunctions are lowercase in titles. Since 'yet' can act as a conjunction, follow this rule and keep it lowercase. For example: "Gone with the Wind but Not Yet Forgotten."
MLA Style
MLA style has a simple approach: Capitalize the first, last, and all principal words in titles. Because 'yet' isn't typically a principal word, you would keep it lowercase. See this in action: "Hope Remains Yet Dreams Differ."
APA Style
APA style does things a bit differently. It calls for capitalizing the first word of the title and subtitle, and all words over four letters long. As such, 'yet' stays lowercase. An example title might read "Finding Peace in Chaos: Struggling Yet Surviving."
AP Style
With AP style, the focus is on short prepositions being lowercase in titles. Since 'yet' isn't a preposition, it's capitalized only if it's the first or last word in a title. Otherwise, it should be lowercase. Check out this title: "Lost Yet Hoping for a Chance."
Understanding these rules will ensure your titles are polished and professional across different forms of writing.
So, when you write your next catchy title, remember that 'yet' usually doesn't get a capital letter. Most style guides agree it's a small conjunction that stays lowercase. But, sometimes, rules change based on which guide you use, like Chicago or APA, so always double-check your style book when in doubt. Capitalization in titles helps readers see what's most important, but we keep it simple for smaller words. here's to titles that stand out for all the right reasons!
For a deeper breakdown of how each guide handles capitalization, see the title case styles guide.
