Short answer: in title case, you capitalize the important words in a title, such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives, and leave most small words lowercase. In sentence case, you capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns, exactly as you would in a normal sentence.
Compare these two versions of the same headline:
- Title case: How to Write a Clear Email Subject Line for Busy People
- Sentence case: How to write a clear email subject line for busy people
Both are correct. Which one you should use depends on where the text appears and which style guide you follow, and that’s where most of the confusion comes from.
What is title case?
Title case capitalizes the words that carry the meaning of a title and lowercases the small connecting words. Most style guides agree on these basics:
- Capitalize the first and last word.
- Capitalize nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
- Lowercase articles (a, an, the).
- Lowercase short conjunctions (and, but, or).
- Capitalize the first word after a colon.
Where guides disagree is on prepositions (words like with, from, between) and on how long a word must be before it gets a capital. We’ll cover that below.
What is sentence case?
Sentence case is the simplest style. Write the title as a normal sentence: capitalize the first word, then capitalize only what you would capitalize anywhere else, such as names of people, places, brands, and the pronoun I.
Example: How to move your blog from WordPress to Ghost
WordPress and Ghost keep their capitals because they’re names. Everything else is lowercase.
Side-by-side examples
| Original text | Title case | Sentence case |
|---|---|---|
| how to write a clear email subject line for busy people | How to Write a Clear Email Subject Line for Busy People | How to write a clear email subject line for busy people |
| why python is a popular first language | Why Python Is a Popular First Language | Why Python is a popular first language |
| a beginner’s guide to budgeting in your twenties | A Beginner’s Guide to Budgeting in Your Twenties | A beginner’s guide to budgeting in your twenties |
Notice that in title case, is gets a capital because it’s a verb, even though it’s short. Small words like to, a, in, and for usually stay lowercase unless they open the title.
Why style guides disagree
There is no single universal rulebook for title case. The main style guides each have their own approach, and the biggest difference is how they treat prepositions:
| Style guide | General approach to prepositions |
|---|---|
| APA | Capitalize words of four letters or more, including prepositions |
| AP Stylebook | Same four-letter rule for composition titles |
| Chicago Manual of Style | Generally lowercase prepositions, whatever their length |
| MLA | Lowercase prepositions of any length |
That produces real differences in the same title:
- APA / AP: Tips for Working With Remote Teams
- Chicago / MLA: Tips for Working with Remote Teams
Neither is a mistake. They’re two valid conventions. Guides also differ on small details, such as whether the last word is always capitalized. Chicago and AP do so, while APA and MLA apply it only if the word would qualify under other rules. Some publications and tools also use their own cutoffs, so if you’re writing for a journal, a client, or an employer, check their style guide, and when in doubt, follow what they publish.
When to use each
There’s no single correct answer, but there are patterns:
- Academic work. APA uses title case for paper titles and main headings, but sentence case for titles in the reference list. MLA and Chicago use title case for titles.
- Journalism. The AP Stylebook uses its title case rules for titles of books, songs, movies, and similar works, but prescribes sentence case for news headlines.
- Websites and blogs. Both are common. Many modern sites prefer sentence case because it reads more conversationally and is easier to apply consistently.
- Books, formal reports, and presentations. Title case is traditional.
- Interface text (buttons, menus, labels). Many designers favor sentence case, but this varies by company and design system.
I don’t have verified evidence that capitalization style alone affects search rankings, so choose for readability and consistency, not for SEO.
Common mistakes
Capitalizing every word. Writing “How To Write A Clear Email Subject Line” is sometimes called start case or initial caps. It’s not true title case under any major style guide, because small articles, conjunctions, and short prepositions stay lowercase.
Forgetting proper nouns in sentence case. “Why python is popular” is wrong if you mean the programming language. Names, brands, and acronyms keep their capitals.
Mixing styles on the same page. The biggest everyday error isn’t choosing the “wrong” style. It’s using title case for some headings and sentence case for others. Pick one and stick with it.
Capitalizing brand names the way a tool does. Brands with unusual styling (iPhone, eBay) may not survive automatic conversion. Always check them.
Trusting automation blindly. Any converter applies a fixed set of rules. It can’t know that “Apple” in your headline is a fruit and not a company, or which style guide your editor prefers.
A quick way to get it right
- Choose your style guide, or your site’s house rule, before you start.
- Decide on title case or sentence case for each type of text, such as headlines, subheadings, and buttons.
- Apply the rules, or let a tool do the first pass.
- Proofread names, brands, and acronyms.
- Be consistent across the page and the site.
If you’d rather not capitalize by hand, the [Case Converter Online](https://[Case Converter URL]) can turn text into uppercase, lowercase, or title case. It’s handy for cleaning up a pasted headline, and it’s a good first pass, but check the result against your style guide, especially for prepositions and brand names.
Frequently asked questions
Is title case or sentence case better for blog titles?
Neither is better. Title case looks more formal and traditional. Sentence case looks more conversational and is easier to apply consistently. Choose one for your site and use it everywhere.
Is “with” capitalized in title case?
It depends on the style guide. APA and AP capitalize it because it has four letters, while Chicago and MLA lowercase it as a preposition, unless it’s the first or last word.
Should I capitalize the word after a colon?
Yes, in standard title case the first word after a colon is capitalized.
Is all caps the same as title case?
No. All caps (uppercase) capitalizes every letter. It’s useful for acronyms and occasional emphasis but is harder to read in long text.
Which one is better for headings within an article?
APA uses title case for some heading levels and sentence case for others. Outside academic writing, you can choose freely, as long as every heading of the same level follows the same style.
Conclusion
Title case capitalizes the key words in a title. Sentence case capitalizes only the first word and proper nouns. Neither is wrong. What matters is following the right style guide for your situation and applying one style consistently.