Title Case Prepositions: APA, AP, Chicago Rules (2026)

It depends on the style guide and on the preposition's length. Chicago and MLA lowercase every preposition in the middle of a title, however long. AP, APA, and AMA capitalize prepositions of four or more letters ("With," "From," "About"). The Bluebook capitalizes them at five or more letters. Every guide capitalizes a preposition that starts the title or subtitle, or that works as an adverb, as in "Log In."

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The Rule in Each Style Guide

Style guide	Prepositions mid-title
AP	Lowercase three letters or fewer; capitalize four or more
APA	Lowercase three letters or fewer; capitalize four or more
Chicago	Lowercase at any length
MLA	Lowercase at any length
AMA	Lowercase three letters or fewer; capitalize four or more
Bluebook	Lowercase four letters or fewer; capitalize five or more

Common Prepositions by Style Guide

How each guide treats these prepositions in the middle of a title. "Cap" means capitalized. Linked words have their own page with examples.

Preposition	Letters	AP	APA	Chicago	MLA	AMA	Bluebook
at	2	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower
by	2	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower
in	2	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower
of	2	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower
off	3	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower
on	2	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower
out	3	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower
per	3	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower
to	2	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower
up	2	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower
via	3	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower	lower
down	4	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	lower
from	4	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	lower
into	4	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	lower
like	4	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	lower
near	4	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	lower
onto	4	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	lower
over	4	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	lower
past	4	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	lower
upon	4	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	lower
with	4	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	lower
about	5	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
above	5	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
across	6	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
after	5	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
along	5	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
among	5	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
around	6	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
before	6	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
behind	6	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
below	5	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
beneath	7	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
beside	6	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
between	7	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
beyond	6	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
despite	7	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
during	6	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
except	6	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
inside	6	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
outside	7	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
since	5	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
through	7	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
throughout	10	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
toward	6	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
under	5	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
until	5	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
within	6	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap
without	7	Cap	Cap	lower	lower	Cap	Cap

The Same Title in Four Styles

Typed	AP	APA	Chicago	MLA
working with a team	Working With a Team	Working With a Team	Working with a Team	Working with a Team
a walk through the woods	A Walk Through the Woods	A Walk Through the Woods	A Walk through the Woods	A Walk through the Woods
life after college	Life After College	Life After College	Life after College	Life after College
notes from a small island	Notes From a Small Island	Notes From a Small Island	Notes from a Small Island	Notes from a Small Island

When Every Guide Capitalizes a Preposition

As the first word of the title: "In Cold Blood."
As the first word of a subtitle, after a colon: "Remote Work: From Office to Anywhere."
As part of a phrasal verb, where it works as an adverb: "How to Log In," "Set Up Your Account," "Don't Give Up."
As an adjective: "The On Button," "The Off Season."

The last word is the exception that splits the guides. AP, Chicago, MLA, and AMA capitalize the last word of a title, so "What Dreams Are Made Of" ends with a capital. APA and the Bluebook have no last-word rule, so a short preposition stays lowercase there.

Words That Look Like Prepositions

"like" is a preposition in "Write Like a Pro" but a verb in "As You Like It." Verbs are always capitalized.
"before", "after", "since", and "until" become subordinating conjunctions when a clause follows ("Before You Hit Publish"). Chicago and MLA capitalize them then.
"to" in an infinitive ("How to Write") is lowercase in every guide.
"as" can be a preposition, a conjunction, or an adverb. Chicago lowercases it in every use.

Common Mistakes

Mixing systems on one site, such as 'Working With a Team' in one heading and 'Working with a Team' in the next.
Lowercasing "With" or "From" in AP or APA. Both guides capitalize four-letter prepositions.
Capitalizing "Between" or "Through" in Chicago or MLA. Length does not matter there.
Lowercasing the particle in a phrasal verb, as in "Log in." The particle is an adverb, so it is capitalized.

Quick Answers

Are prepositions capitalized in a title?

Short ones are not, in any major guide. Long ones are capitalized in AP, APA, AMA, and Bluebook, and lowercased in Chicago and MLA.

Is "with" capitalized in a title?

In AP, APA, and AMA, yes, because it has four letters. In Chicago, MLA, and Bluebook, no.

What is the four-letter rule for prepositions?

AP, APA, and AMA capitalize prepositions of four or more letters and lowercase shorter ones. The Bluebook draws the line one letter later, lowercasing prepositions of four or fewer letters.

Do you capitalize a preposition at the end of a title?

In AP, Chicago, MLA, and AMA, yes. APA and the Bluebook keep it lowercase unless it is a major word.

For articles and conjunctions too, see the full list of words that stay lowercase and title case styles compared.