Very few people (writers) know what words to write or can write them in capital letters in the title or section headings. Usually, people simply write a full article in capital letters or in capital letters three or more letters.
But as a professional writer or lecturer, your knowledge and application of capital letters are the context. Many styles have their own capital letter rules, and I recommend that you know at least one style.
List Of Words Not Capitalized In Titles
Although we have different capitalization styles, there are usually capitalized words and some are not written with capital letters in the headings.
The words in this bracket include:
- Articles (a, an, the)
- Short words (fewer than 4 letters)
- Prepositions (at, by, to, etc.)
- Coordinating Conjunctions (and, but, for)
Rule 1:
Never place capital letters with four or fewer letters. However, keep in mind the above rule: words with five or more letters, whether the word is a conjunction or a pronoun, must be capitalized.
Examples of prepositions not to be capitalized (four or fewer letters):
| at | off |
| by | on |
| down | onto |
| for | over |
| from | Past |
| in | To |
| into | Upon |
| near | With |
| of |
Examples of conjunctions not to be capitalized (four or fewer letters):
| and | so |
| as | than |
| but | that |
| for | till |
| if | when |
| nor | yet |
| once | |
| or |
Rule 2: Never capitalize the particle “to”, even when used as an infinitive (meaning with a verb).
For example:
| to see | to fight |
| to read | to bull |
| to write | to play |
| to walk | to hide |
| to wake | to skate |
| to spin | to run |
| to ride | to lose |
| to nod | to win |
| to scold |
Rule 3: Never capitalize articles:
| a | an |
| the |
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