English Language Arts
Grade 9
15 min
Capitalizing titles
Capitalizing titles
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Correctly identify which words to capitalize in a title according to standard English conventions.
Differentiate between 'major' and 'minor' words for capitalization purposes.
Apply capitalization rules to various types of titles, including books, articles, and their own essays.
Correctly capitalize the first and last words of any title, regardless of their part of speech.
Properly format titles with subtitles and hyphenated compounds.
Edit and proofread written work for title capitalization errors with at least 90% accuracy.
Ever noticed how in 'The Lord of the Rings', the word 'of' isn't capitalized? 🤔 Let's uncover the secret rules that make your writing look polished and professional.
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Title CaseThe standard method of capitalizing titles where the first, last, and all 'major' words are capitalized. This is the primary style used for books, articles, movies, and essays.To Kill a Mockingbird
Major WordsWords that carry the main meaning in a title. This category includes all nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.In the title 'The Great Gatsby', the major words are 'Great' (adjective) and 'Gatsby' (noun).
Minor WordsShort, functional words that are generally not capitalized unless they are the first or last word of a title. This category includes articles, short prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions.In 'Of Mice and Men', the minor words are 'of' (preposition) and 'and'...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The First and Last Word Rule
Always capitalize the first and last word of a title and subtitle, no matter what part of speech it is.
This is the most fundamental rule and has no exceptions. Even if the last word is a short preposition like 'of' or 'to', it must be capitalized.
The Major vs. Minor Word Rule
Capitalize all major words (nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs). Do not capitalize minor words (articles, short prepositions, coordinating conjunctions) that appear in the middle of a title.
This rule governs the 'body' of the title. The key is to correctly identify a word's part of speech to decide if it gets capitalized.
The Hyphenated Compound Rule
In a hyphenated compound word, always capitalize the first element. Capit...
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Challenging
A student needs to capitalize their essay title: 'why i write for whom i do'. Which of the following represents the most thorough and accurate application of the tutorial's rules?
A.Why I Write For Whom I Do
B.Why I Write for Whom I Do
C.Why I write for whom I do
D.Why I Write for whom I Do
Challenging
Given the 'Hyphenated Compound Rule', which title is correctly capitalized based on the specific instruction that the second element is capitalized 'unless it is a minor word'?
A.The Run-of-the-Mill Problem
B.State-Of-The-Art Technology
C.Back-to-Basics Approach
D.The Long-awaited Sequel
Challenging
Evaluate the following title, which contains multiple potential pitfalls: 'To Be, or Not to Be: That Is the Question'. Why is this title capitalized correctly?
A.All verbs are capitalized, and the first word of the subtitle is capitalized.
B.The first and last words of the main title are capitalized, and all major words in the subtitle are capitalized.
C.All verbs ('Be', 'Is') are correctly capitalized as major words; the coordinating conjunction ('or') and preposition ('to') are correctly lowercased; and the first word of the subtitle ('That') is correctly capitalized.
D.Short words like 'To', 'or', 'Not' are treated differently depending on their position before or after the comma.
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