Grammar Time: Title Case vs. Sentence Case

This week for Grammar Time, we’re going to do something a little different. Do you know the rules of title case? We’ve got a quick Stop! Grammar Time quiz to test your knowledge. Take a look at these five examples and fix them where necessary to ensure they’re in title case:

1. How brain fog can affect your writing and how to overcome it
2. use your hogwarts house to inspire your writing
3. Step out of your Comfort Zone: Networking Tips For Introverts
4. Pull your Writer Soul out Of Self-doubting Darkness with a Few Words From Poe
5. Four ways to ease the transition From part-time to full-time freelancing

Scroll to the bottom to see the answers! How’d you do? Do you know title case as well as you thought you did? Here are the general rules of title case if you need a little reminder.

Title Case Checklist

If you choose to use title case for your titles or headings, you must capitalize these things:

• The first word of a title
• The last word of a title
• Verbs
• Nouns
• Pronouns
• Adjectives
• Adverbs
• Certain conjunctions
• Any words longer than three letters

So what does that leave behind? You do not capitalize these things:

• Articles (the, a, an)
• Prepositions (on, to, up)
• Conjunctions with fewer than four letters (and, nor, but)

When in doubt, check out online tools like Convert to Title Case and Capitalize My Title. You can check your work based on which style guide you’re following for your project. AP, Chicago, and MLA have their own specific, updated rules on what gets to be capitalized based on how long the words are.

When to Use Title Case vs. Sentence Case

So does it matter which case you use? It depends on the specific style guide you’re expected to follow. Or, if you’re writing or editing content for other types of English speakers (e.g. Canadian English, British English, Australian English), there might be a preference for title or sentence case.

If the style is up to you, you ought to follow the top grammar rule: keep it consistent. If one heading is in sentence case and another is in title case, pick your favorite and ensure they all follow the same rules.

Note that if you use sentence case for your headings, consider numbering them, stylize them (i.e. bold, italicize, or underline), and ensure they are full phrases or ideas. That way, the headings stand out as headings and don’t look like one-sentence paragraphs.

Hopefully, this Grammar Time serves as a great reminder. Until next time!

Answer Key:

1. How Brain Fog Can Affect Your Writing and How to Overcome It
2. Use Your Hogwarts House to Inspire Your Writing
3. Step Out of Your Comfort Zone: Networking Tips for Introverts
4. Pull Your Writer Soul out of Self-Doubting Darkness With a Few Words From Poe
5. Four Ways to Ease the Transition From Part-Time to Full-Time Freelancing