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Capital and Lowercase Letters in Titles (Title Case)
The Quick Answer
Titles can be written in title case. This means only using capital letters for only the first word, the last word, and the "principal" words. For example:- The Last of the Mohicans
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
Using Capital Letters and Lowercase Letters in Titles (Title Case)
When writing a name or a title, it is a common convention to capitalize only the first word, the last word, and the so-called "principal" words. This is called title case.The "principal" words in a title are all the words that are not:
- Articles ("a," "an," "the")
- Conjunctions (e.g., "and," "but," "or")
- Prepositions (e.g., "on," "in," "with")


Examples of Title Case
Here are some examples of titles in title case:- Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Brighton on Sea
- The Last of the Mohicans
- Have you seen "About a Boy"?
- What Is It All About?
Clear Guidelines to Make Your Life Easier
Understanding title case removes the need to think about formatting titles. Some words are short and look awkward when you give them a capital letter. However, if you stick the rules, you will have clear guidance on whether to use a capital or not.- I read "How to be Black" in a day.
- I read "How to Be Black" in a day.
Read about using capital letters (including title case) in advertising.
Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?