Capitalization guide
How title case works
Title case makes important words stand out while leaving selected short words lowercase. The exact treatment depends on the editorial style you choose.
The basic pattern
Capitalize the first word, the last word when the selected profile requires it, and major words such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Articles, coordinating conjunctions, and some prepositions often remain lowercase inside a title.
walking off the edgeAfterWalking off the EdgeFirst words and subtitles
The first word is capitalized even when it would normally be a minor word. The converter also treats the first word after a colon, em dash, or line break as a new title boundary.
- In the Heat of the Night
- Writing Well: A Guide to Style
- From Here—To There
Acronyms, names, and custom terms
Recognized acronyms such as API, BBQ, HTML, NASA, and SQL retain uppercase spelling. The built-in proper-term dictionary restores names such as GitHub, iPhone, macOS, and OpenAI. For a brand or name that is not built in, enter its authoritative spelling under Custom names and brand terms.
Apostrophes and hyphenated compounds
Apostrophes remain part of a word, producing forms such as Mama's, Don't, and O'Brien. In hyphenated compounds, the leading component and major internal components are capitalized while internal articles and prepositions can remain lowercase: In-Depth and State-of-the-Art.
Apply title case by context
Why context still matters
English words can change grammatical role by context, and publisher rules differ on compounds and edge cases. The converter applies deterministic, reviewable rules rather than full grammatical analysis. Use its explanations and highlighted changes, then manually review high-stakes publication titles.