Punctuation Questions Long
When it comes to capitalization in titles, there are a few rules to keep in mind. These rules apply to various types of titles, including book titles, article titles, movie titles, song titles, and more. Here are the guidelines for using capitalization in titles:
1. Capitalize the first and last word: Regardless of the length or part of speech, always capitalize the first and last word of a title. For example, in the title "The Great Gatsby," both "The" and "Gatsby" are capitalized.
2. Capitalize all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs: These parts of speech should be capitalized in titles. For instance, in the title "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Kill" and "Mockingbird" are both capitalized as they are a verb and a noun respectively.
3. Capitalize conjunctions, prepositions, and articles if they are four or more letters long: Short words like "and," "or," "but," "in," "on," and "the" are typically not capitalized unless they are four or more letters long. For example, in the title "Gone with the Wind," "with" is capitalized because it has four letters.
4. Capitalize the first and last word of a subtitle: If a title has a subtitle, capitalize the first and last word of both the main title and the subtitle. For instance, in the title "The Catcher in the Rye: A Novel," "The," "Catcher," "Rye," and "Novel" are all capitalized.
5. Capitalize important words: Capitalize any important words in a title, such as proper nouns (names of people, places, organizations), significant historical events, or specific terms related to the topic. For example, in the title "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," "Harry Potter," "Chamber," and "Secrets" are all capitalized.
6. Do not capitalize articles, conjunctions, and prepositions if they are three or fewer letters long: Short words like "a," "an," "the," "and," "but," "or," "in," "on," and "of" are typically not capitalized unless they are the first or last word of the title.
7. Capitalize the first word after a colon if it starts a complete sentence: If a title includes a colon and the words following it form a complete sentence, then capitalize the first word after the colon. For example, in the title "The Art of War: Sun Tzu's Strategies," "Sun" is capitalized as it starts a complete sentence.
Remember that these rules are not set in stone and may vary depending on the style guide or specific publication guidelines. It is always a good idea to consult the appropriate style guide or follow the specific instructions given to you when it comes to capitalization in titles.