One of the most persistent questions in English grammar involves the treatment of short words in headlines. Specifically, writers often pause when they reach the verb is, wondering if its two-letter length exempts it from capitalization. Here's the thing — the short answer is yes, "is" is capitalized in a title according to virtually all major style guides. Even so, the reasoning behind this rule—and the confusion surrounding it—deserves a deeper look to ensure your headlines always look professional and polished Worth knowing..
Understanding the Core Rule: Parts of Speech Over Word Length
The primary reason is gets capitalized comes down to a fundamental distinction in title case rules: **part of speech matters more than word length.And ** Many writers mistakenly believe that any word under a certain length (usually three or four letters) should be lowercased. This is a myth likely born from the rules for sentence case or from misremembering the lists of "minor words" that are lowercased That alone is useful..
Easier said than done, but still worth knowing.
In title case (also known as headline style), the standard convention is to capitalize:
- The first and last word of the title (always).
- Here's the thing — all major words: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions. 2. All words of four letters or more (in some specific styles like AP, though this is a secondary rule).
Conversely, you lowercase minor words (typically three letters or fewer):
- Articles: a, an, the
- Coordinating Conjunctions: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet
- Prepositions: in, on, at, to, from, by, of (style guides differ on length cutoffs for prepositions).
Where does is fit? Is is a verb. Specifically, it is a form of the verb to be (a linking verb). Because verbs are classified as major words (principal words), they must always be capitalized in title case, regardless of their length. Lowercasing is would be grammatically equivalent to lowercasing run, eat, think, or exist simply because they are short—which no style guide recommends It's one of those things that adds up..
Major Style Guides and Their Stance on "Is"
While the core rule remains consistent, it is helpful to verify how the specific style guide you follow handles this verb. Here is the breakdown for the most common authorities:
1. The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS)
Chicago is the standard for book publishing and many academic fields. Rule 8.159 explicitly states: Capitalize all verbs, including linking verbs such as is, are, was, were, be, been, being. Chicago makes no exception for length regarding verbs Easy to understand, harder to ignore..
2. The Associated Press Stylebook (AP Style)
AP Style is the standard for journalism and news writing. AP dictates capitalizing all "principal words," defined as nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and subordinating conjunctions. AP specifically notes that verbs like is, are, was, and be are capitalized. (Note: AP lowercases prepositions of three letters or fewer, but is is never a preposition).
3. MLA Handbook (Modern Language Association)
MLA style, common in humanities, follows the same logic: capitalize all principal words. Verbs are principal words. That's why, is is capitalized.
4. APA Style (American Psychological Association)
APA uses title case for paper titles, headings, and journal names. The rule is explicit: capitalize verbs (including linking verbs), nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns. Is is capitalized Took long enough..
5. The New York Times Manual of Style
Even newspapers with unique "house styles" follow this convention. The Times capitalizes is in headlines (e.g., "The Sky Is Blue").
Summary: There is no major English style guide that recommends lowercasing is in a title. If you see it lowercased, it is almost certainly an error or a deliberate stylistic choice for a specific brand logo (often called "start case" or "sentence case" masquerading as title case) The details matter here..
Common Confusion: Why Writers Get This Wrong
If the rule is universal, why is this such a frequent search query? The confusion usually stems from three sources:
The "Short Word" Heuristic
Many people learn a simplified rule in school: "Capitalize everything except short words like 'and', 'the', 'of', and 'to'." Because is is short (two letters), the brain automatically groups it with in, on, at, and to. The missing piece of that lesson is the grammatical category: those lowercased words are prepositions, articles, or conjunctions. Is is a verb Simple, but easy to overlook. Less friction, more output..
Confusion with "Sentence Case"
In sentence case (used for standard sentences and some specific heading styles like APA Level 3+ headings), only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized But it adds up..
- Title Case: The Cat Is Sleeping.
- Sentence Case: The cat is sleeping. Writers switching between blog post titles (Title Case) and subheadings or reference list entries (Sentence Case) often mix the rules.
The "To Be" Verb Family
Is belongs to the family of to be verbs: am, is, are, was, were, be, been, being. Some of these (am, be) are two letters; others (are, was, were) are three or four. A writer might see Are capitalized (because it’s three letters and a verb) but hesitate on Is (two letters). Consistency demands that if you capitalize Are and Was, you must capitalize Is.
Practical Examples: Applying the Rule
Seeing the rule in context helps solidify the habit. Note how is behaves in different positions within the title.
Standard Title Case:
- Where Is the Library?
- This Is the Way
- Who Is Responsible for the Design?
- The Goal Is Clarity
Hyphenated Compounds (Chicago/AP/MLA differences apply here, but is remains capped):
- Self-Isolation (Rare construction, but verb element stays capped)
- He Is a Know-It-All (Pronoun It capped; Verb Is capped)
Titles Starting or Ending with "Is":
- Is This the Real Life? (First word always capped).
- The Question Is (Last word always capped).
Contrast with Lowercased Short Words:
- The Cat Is In the Hat (Is = Verb → Capped; In = Preposition → Lowercased).
- What Is And What Is Not (Is = Verb → Capped; And = Conjunction → Lowercased).
- This Is A Test (Is = Verb → Capped; A = Article → Lowercased).
The "As" Trap: A Critical Distinction
A major source of errors involves the word as. In real terms, * As a Preposition: Dealing as a Professional (Lowercase in most styles). Unlike is, as functions as a preposition, a conjunction, or an adverb depending on context.
- As a Conjunction: Do as I Say (Lowercase as coordinating/subordinating conjunction).
