What are Title Case vs Sentence Case?
Title case capitalises the first word and all major words in a heading or title: nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Minor words — short prepositions, articles, and coordinating conjunctions — are left lowercase unless they open the title. 'The Rise of Renewable Energy in the Twenty-First Century' is an example of title case.
Sentence case capitalises only the first word of the heading and any proper nouns, just as you would in a regular sentence. 'The rise of renewable energy in the twenty-first century' shows the same heading in sentence case. The difference is purely one of convention — both forms are grammatically correct.
Style guides disagree on which convention to use and on the exact boundary between 'major' and 'minor' words. APA (academic psychology, social science) uses title case for paper titles and headings. Chicago Manual of Style uses title case for most headings. Many digital publications, including Google and Wikipedia, use sentence case. The key is consistency: choose one and apply it throughout the whole document.
Which Words Capitalise in Each Case
In title case, classify each word as major or minor. Major words always capitalise; minor words capitalise only when they are the first word of the title.
Title case = first + all major words / Sentence case = first word + proper nouns onlyTitle Case — Major vs Minor Words
| Word type | Capitalise in title case? | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Nouns | Yes | Energy, Science, Report, Strategy |
| Verbs (including short ones) | Yes | Is, Are, Be, Run, Go, Have |
| Adjectives and adverbs | Yes | Renewable, Early, Well, Rapidly |
| Pronouns | Yes | He, She, It, They, We |
| Short prepositions (under 5 letters) | No (unless first) | in, on, at, by, for, of, up, to |
| Longer prepositions (5+ letters) | Yes | About, After, Among, Between, Through, Without |
| Articles | No (unless first) | a, an, the |
| Coordinating conjunctions | No (unless first) | and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so |
| First word of the title | Always | regardless of word type |
| Last word of the title | Yes (most style guides) | even if it would normally be minor |
Sentence Case — What Capitalises
| Situation | Capitalise? | Example |
|---|---|---|
| First word of the heading/title | Yes | The rise of renewable energy |
| Proper nouns | Yes | The role of Google in modern search behaviour |
| Proper adjectives | Yes | A study of Victorian architecture in London |
| All other words | No | no matter how important they seem to the meaning |
When Each Convention Is Used
| Context | Convention | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Academic paper titles (APA) | Title case | APA 7th edition: all major words capitalised |
| Journal headings within an APA paper | Title case | level 1 and 2 headings in APA |
| Chicago book titles and headings | Title case | Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition |
| Wikipedia article titles | Sentence case | only first word and proper nouns |
| Google-style product documentation | Sentence case | consistent with conversational UI text |
| Newspaper and magazine headlines | Often title case (US) / sentence case (UK) | varies by publication |
| Email subject lines | Often title case (formal) / sentence case (informal) | match the register of the email |
Applying the Two Cases Correctly
Applying title case consistently
In title case, every noun, verb, adjective, and adverb capitalises. The tricky words are short prepositions, articles, and coordinating conjunctions — they stay lowercase unless they are the first word. The verb 'is' and 'are' also capitalise, even though they are short.
- Title case: The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health
- Title case: How to Write a Report That Gets Read
- Title case: Climate Change and Its Effects on Coastal Communities
- Title case: A Study of Economic Policy Between 2010 and 2020
Applying sentence case consistently
Sentence case capitalises only the first word and any proper nouns. It reads more like natural prose and is increasingly preferred in digital interfaces, documentation, and informal professional writing.
- Sentence case: The impact of social media on mental health
- Sentence case: How to write a report that gets read
- Sentence case: Climate change and its effects on coastal communities
- Sentence case with proper noun: A study of European Union policy between 2010 and 2020
Consistency across a document
The choice between title case and sentence case matters less than consistency. Switching between conventions within one document — some headings in title case, some in sentence case — signals lack of editorial control and confuses the reader about the structure.
- Inconsistent: Chapter 1: The Rise of E-Commerce / Chapter 2: Consumer behaviour in digital markets
- Consistent (title case): Chapter 1: The Rise of E-Commerce / Chapter 2: Consumer Behaviour in Digital Markets
- Consistent (sentence case): Chapter 1: The rise of e-commerce / Chapter 2: Consumer behaviour in digital markets
Title vs Sentence Case Warning Signals
Title Case vs Sentence Case — Same Heading
These examples show the same heading content in both conventions. The content is identical — only capitalisation differs.
Title case
The Role of Technology in Modern Education
Role, Technology, Modern, Education = nouns/adjective → capital. of, in = short prepositions → lowercase.
Sentence case
The role of technology in modern education
Only 'The' (first word) is capitalised. All other words are lowercase because none are proper nouns.
Title case — short verb capitalises
Why Grammar Is Important for Business Writing
'Is' capitalises in title case because it is a verb, not a preposition or article.
Sentence case — same sentence
Why grammar is important for business writing
Only the first word capitalises. 'Grammar', 'Business', 'Writing' are common nouns — no capital in sentence case.
Common Mistakes
Lowercasing short verbs in title case
✗ How to be a Better Writer: Skills That are Essential
How to Be a Better Writer: Skills That Are Essential
In title case, all verbs capitalise regardless of length. 'Be' and 'Are' are verbs — they take capitals in title case.
Capitalising content words in sentence case
✗ The Impact of Climate Change on Global Food Security
The impact of climate change on global food security
In sentence case, only the first word and proper nouns capitalise. 'Impact', 'Climate Change', 'Food Security' are not proper nouns — no capitals in sentence case.
Inconsistent heading styles in one document
✗ Section 1: The Analysis of Market Trends / Section 2: Consumer behaviour in 2024 / Section 3: Key Findings and Recommendations
Section 1: The Analysis of Market Trends / Section 2: Consumer Behaviour in 2024 / Section 3: Key Findings and Recommendations (title case throughout)
Mixing title case and sentence case within one document signals lack of editorial consistency. Choose one convention and apply it to all headings at the same level.
Capitalising every word in a heading
✗ The Impact Of Climate Change On Global Food Security
The Impact of Climate Change on Global Food Security (title case) / The impact of climate change on global food security (sentence case)
All-word capitalisation is not a standard English convention. Short prepositions ('of', 'on') and articles ('the', 'a') do not capitalise in title case.
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