MLA Title Case Rules: Complete Capitalization Guide
Updated March 2026 · 9 min read
If you're writing a literature essay, humanities paper, or anything that follows the Modern Language Association's guidelines, you need to know MLA title case. The MLA Handbook (9th edition) has its own set of capitalization rules - and they're different enough from AP and APA that mixing them up can cost you points on a paper or make your works cited page look inconsistent.
This guide covers every MLA title case rule with practical examples. And if you'd rather not think about capitalization at all, our free headline capitalizer handles MLA style automatically.
In This Guide
What Is MLA Title Case?
MLA title case is the capitalization format defined by the Modern Language Association for use in literary analysis, humanities research, and academic writing across English, foreign languages, cultural studies, and related disciplines. The MLA Handbook is the standard formatting guide for most high school and undergraduate English courses in the United States.
The 9th edition of the MLA Handbook (published in 2021) maintained the same title case approach as earlier editions, though it reorganized how citations and formatting guidelines are presented. If you learned MLA in high school, the title case rules haven't changed - but it's worth reviewing the details since many students learn a simplified version that misses important edge cases.
MLA's approach to title case is close to Chicago style in several ways, which makes sense given that both originate from book publishing and literary traditions. But there are differences, particularly around how each handles subtitles and certain word types.
Where MLA Title Case Applies
Unlike APA style, which switches between title case and sentence case depending on context, MLA uses title case consistently across your paper. Here's where it applies:
- Your paper's title - centered on the first page
- Section headings - if your paper uses them
- Works cited entries - titles of sources in your bibliography
- In-text references - when mentioning a work's title in your prose
- Titles within titles - a novel's name within an essay title
The consistency is actually one of MLA's strengths. You don't need to remember different capitalization rules for different parts of your paper. Title case everywhere.
The Core MLA Title Case Rules
According to the MLA Handbook (9th edition, section 2.90), here are the rules for capitalizing titles:
- Capitalize the first word of the title and subtitle.
- Capitalize the last word of the title and subtitle.
- Capitalize all "major" words - nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions.
- Lowercase articles (a, an, the) unless they begin the title or subtitle.
- Lowercase prepositions (of, to, in, for, with, on, at, from, by, about, etc.) unless they begin the title or subtitle.
- Lowercase coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so) unless they begin the title or subtitle.
- Lowercase "to" in infinitives (to Run, to Be) unless it begins the title.
The critical difference from AP style is right there in rule 5: MLA lowercases all prepositions regardless of length. There's no four-letter cutoff. "Between," "through," "without," and "against" all stay lowercase in MLA - even though AP and APA would capitalize them.
Words You Always Capitalize in MLA Title Case
These word types are always capitalized regardless of where they appear in the title (though see the first/last word rule):
- Nouns - Poetry, Novel, Character, Theme, Author, Language
- Verbs (including short ones) - Is, Are, Was, Has, Do, Go, Be, Write, Read
- Adjectives - Modern, Literary, American, New, Victorian, Gothic
- Adverbs - Not, Never, Always, Still, Only, Very, Well
- Pronouns - I, He, She, It, We, They, Who, Their, Its
- Subordinating conjunctions - Because, Although, While, After, Since, That, If, When
- First and last words - always capitalized, no matter what part of speech
One thing that catches people off guard: "not" is always capitalized because it's an adverb. Same with "never," "also," and "only." Short does not mean lowercase in MLA - part of speech determines capitalization, not word length.
Words You Keep Lowercase
These stay lowercase in MLA title case when they appear in the middle of a title (not as the first or last word):
- Articles - a, an, the
- Coordinating conjunctions - and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so
- ALL prepositions - at, by, in, of, on, to, up, for, with, from, into, over, upon, about, after, along, among, before, behind, below, between, beyond, down, during, except, inside, near, off, onto, past, through, toward, under, until, without, within, against, throughout, across, around, beside, despite, outside
- "to" in infinitives - to run, to write, to be
This is the biggest practical difference between MLA and AP/APA. In AP style, "between" is capitalized (7 letters, well above the 4-letter threshold). In MLA, "between" stays lowercase because it's a preposition, period. Word length is irrelevant. If you're switching between an English paper (MLA) and a psychology paper (APA), this is where the titles will look different.
Tricky Cases and Exceptions
The core rules cover most situations, but literary and humanities writing often runs into edge cases. Here are the ones that come up most frequently:
The First and Last Word Rule
This is the rule that sets MLA apart from some other styles. In MLA, the first and last word of a title or subtitle are always capitalized - even if they're articles, prepositions, or conjunctions. So "A Farewell to Arms" capitalizes "A" (first word) and "Arms" (noun). And a subtitle like "War: of Mice and Men" doesn't exist in MLA - it would be "War: Of Mice and Men" because "of" starts the subtitle.
After a Colon (Subtitles)
MLA treats the first word after a colon as the start of a subtitle, so it's always capitalized. "Hamlet: a Study in Revenge" should be "Hamlet: A Study in Revenge." This aligns with Chicago style and APA style, but differs from AP, which only capitalizes after a colon when a full sentence follows.
Hyphenated Compounds
MLA capitalizes each element of a hyphenated compound in a title unless the element is an article, a preposition, or a coordinating conjunction. So you write "Nineteenth-Century Literature" and "Self-Referential Narrative" but "Merry-go-round" keeps the articles lowercase. For prefixed terms like "Anti-Intellectual," capitalize both elements since neither is an article or preposition.
Words Used as Different Parts of Speech
The word "up" is a preposition in "walking up the stairs" (lowercase in a title) but an adverb in "Looking Up" (capitalize). "Like" is a preposition in "people like us" (lowercase) but a verb in "I Like It" (capitalize). When you're unsure, consider how the word functions in that specific title. Context determines capitalization, not the word itself.
Foreign Language Titles
MLA has a special rule here that other styles don't address as directly. When citing a title in French, Spanish, Italian, or another Romance language, follow the capitalization conventions of that language - not English title case rules. French, for example, typically capitalizes only the first word and proper nouns. So it's Les fleurs du mal, not Les Fleurs du Mal. German follows its own rules with all nouns capitalized. English title case applies only to English-language titles.
Titles within Titles
Humanities papers often reference works within their own titles - an essay about Hamlet, for example. MLA says to keep the original formatting of the embedded title. If the inner title would normally be italicized, remove the italics when it appears within an already-italicized title. This doesn't change capitalization, but it's a related formatting issue that trips up a lot of students.
MLA Title Case Examples
Here are examples showing how MLA title case works with real humanities titles:
Original
the role of symbolism in the great gatsby throughout the narrative
MLA Title Case
The Role of Symbolism in the Great Gatsby throughout the Narrative
"of," "in," and "throughout" are all prepositions - lowercase regardless of length. "the" before "Great Gatsby" stays lowercase (article in the middle). "the" before "Narrative" stays lowercase too.
Original
gender and power in nineteenth-century british literature: a feminist reading
MLA Title Case
Gender and Power in Nineteenth-Century British Literature: A Feminist Reading
"and" is a coordinating conjunction (lowercase). "in" is a preposition (lowercase). Both parts of "Nineteenth-Century" are capitalized. "A" after the colon is capitalized because it starts the subtitle.
Original
why we should not teach shakespeare without context
MLA Title Case
Why We Should Not Teach Shakespeare without Context
"Not" is an adverb - always capitalized. "without" is a preposition - lowercase in MLA even though AP and APA would capitalize it (7 letters). "We" is a pronoun (capitalized).
Original
the art of translation between languages and cultures
MLA Title Case
The Art of Translation between Languages and Cultures
"of" and "between" are both prepositions - both lowercase in MLA. "and" is a coordinating conjunction (lowercase). This is a title that would look different in AP style, which would capitalize "Between."
Original
reading is not a passive act: how readers create meaning from text
MLA Title Case
Reading Is Not a Passive Act: How Readers Create Meaning from Text
"Is" (verb) and "Not" (adverb) are capitalized. "a" is an article (lowercase). "from" is a preposition (lowercase). "How" starts the subtitle after the colon (capitalized).
MLA vs. Other Capitalization Styles
MLA is one of four major title case styles, and the differences matter when you're switching between disciplines. Here's how they compare on the points that cause the most confusion:
| Feature | MLA | AP | APA | Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preposition rule | All lowercase | 4+ letters capitalized | 4+ letters capitalized | All lowercase |
| After a colon | Always capitalize | Only if full sentence | Always capitalize | Always capitalize |
| "Between" capitalized? | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Last word rule | Always capitalize | No special rule | No special rule | Always capitalize |
| Foreign titles | Follow source language | English rules | English rules | Follow source language |
| Primary use | Humanities | Journalism | Social sciences | Publishing |
MLA and Chicago are the most similar pair - both lowercase all prepositions and both capitalize the last word. The main practical difference between them is that MLA has its specific rules about foreign language titles and is designed primarily for student papers, while Chicago targets professional book publishing.
The biggest gap is between MLA and AP/APA. If a title contains a long preposition like "throughout," "between," or "without," it will look different in MLA (lowercase) versus AP or APA (capitalized). Our headline capitalization tool handles all four styles so you can see the differences instantly.
Common MLA Title Case Mistakes
These are the errors that show up most often in student papers and works cited pages:
Capitalizing long prepositions
This is the number one mistake, especially if you've also learned AP or APA style. Writing "The Conflict Between Nature and Society" is wrong in MLA. "Between" is a preposition and stays lowercase: "The Conflict between Nature and Society." No length-based exceptions.
Lowercasing the last word
MLA always capitalizes the last word, even if it would normally be lowercase. "The Character She Turned Into" - not "The Character She Turned into." "Into" is a preposition, but as the last word it gets capitalized.
Lowercasing short verbs
"Is," "be," "am," "do," "go," and "are" are all verbs. They're always capitalized in MLA regardless of how short they are. "What It Is to Be Human" - both "Is" and "Be" get capitals. Part of speech matters, not word length.
Applying English rules to foreign titles
When citing a French novel or a Spanish poem, use that language's capitalization conventions - not English title case. Cien anos de soledad doesn't become Cien Anos de Soledad. This is a rule unique to MLA that other styles don't emphasize as strongly.
Lowercasing after a colon in subtitles
MLA always capitalizes the first word of a subtitle. "Modernism: an Introduction to the Movement" should be "Modernism: An Introduction to the Movement." The colon signals a fresh start, and "An" gets its capital.
Format Your MLA Titles Instantly
Stop second-guessing which prepositions to lowercase. Paste your title into our free tool and get MLA-compliant formatting in one click.
Capitalize My TitleQuick Reference
Bookmark this for your next essay:
- Always capitalize: First word, last word, nouns, verbs (including "is," "be," "do"), adjectives, adverbs (including "not"), pronouns, subordinating conjunctions, and the first word after a colon.
- Always lowercase: Articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so), all prepositions regardless of length (of, to, in, with, between, throughout, without), and "to" in infinitives - unless they're the first or last word.
- Hyphenated words: Capitalize each element unless it's an article, preposition, or coordinating conjunction (Nineteenth-Century, Self-Referential, but Merry-go-round).
- Foreign titles: Follow the capitalization conventions of the source language, not English title case.
- Subtitles: Always capitalize the first word after a colon.
MLA title case is straightforward once you internalize two things: all prepositions are lowercase (no length exceptions), and the first and last words are always capitalized. If you're coming from AP or APA, the adjustment is mainly about letting go of the four-letter rule. And for everything else, our headline capitalizer handles MLA formatting automatically - just pick MLA from the dropdown and paste your title.