MLA Capitalization Tool
Capitalize titles using MLA style. MLA capitalizes the first word, the last word, and every principal (content) word. Articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor, so, yet), and all prepositions stay lowercase regardless of length, except when they are the first or last word. Useful for paper titles, book chapter headings, and Works Cited entries.
How to use the MLA capitalization tool
1. Paste your title
Drop a paper title, book chapter heading, journal article title, or Works Cited entry into the input. The capitalization output updates on every keystroke.
2. Mode is MLA by default
MLA capitalizes the first word, the last word, and every principal (content) word. Articles, all prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions stay lowercase regardless of length, except when they are first or last word. Switch to APA, Chicago, or sentence case if your style guide differs.
3. Copy out
The Copy button puts the capitalized title on your clipboard. Paste it into your Works Cited, into the body of your essay where you cite the work, or into the title field of your paper.
When you need MLA-style title case
Works Cited entries
MLA 9th edition uses title case for the titles of books, journals, and articles in the Works Cited list. "The Quick Brown Fox Jumps over the Lazy Dog" - note the lowercase "over" (preposition) and the capital "the" (first word). The tool handles the exact rule including the principal-word check. See also: essay word counter.
Paper titles and chapter headings
The title of your own MLA paper uses MLA title case. Section headings (if your paper has them) also use title case. The first and last words capitalize automatically; the tool fills in the principal-word rule.
In-text references
When you cite a work inside the body of your essay ("In To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee writes..."), the title takes MLA title case. The tool handles short titles ("to kill a mockingbird" → "To Kill a Mockingbird") in one step.
Comparing across style guides
If your professor or journal uses APA or Chicago, the rules differ slightly. The tool offers APA (capitalize any word 4+ chars) and Chicago (lowercase articles and all prepositions) as alternative modes. Paste once; switch modes; compare.
Bibliography normalization
If you are collecting citations from multiple sources (Google Scholar exports as APA, JSTOR as MLA, Wikipedia as a mix), normalizing all titles to your target style is a quick MLA-mode pass through the tool.
MLA capitalization rules in one paragraph
MLA capitalizes:
- The first word of the title.
- The last word of the title.
- All principal words: nouns, verbs (including forms of "to be"), adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and subordinating conjunctions (after, although, as, because, when, while, etc.).
MLA does NOT capitalize:
- Articles: a, an, the (unless first or last word).
- Prepositions regardless of length: at, by, in, of, on, to, up, over, with, from, into, onto, between, through (unless first or last word).
- Coordinating conjunctions: and, but, or, for, nor, so, yet (unless first or last word).
- The "to" in infinitives: "How to Write a Good Essay" actually has "to" lowercased per MLA, because it is a preposition functionally.
Note: MLA differs from APA on the "4-char rule." APA capitalizes any word of 4 chars or more (so "Over", "With", "From" capitalize in APA but stay lowercase in MLA). If you cite something in APA somewhere else in the same paper, you may need both modes - the tool supports both.
Common MLA capitalization mistakes
| Mistake | Wrong | Right (MLA) |
|---|---|---|
| Capitalizing all prepositions | "The Sun Also Rises Over The River" | "The Sun Also Rises over the River" |
| Lowercasing the last word | "Notes from Underground" (when "Underground" should be the last cap) | "Notes from Underground" (cap; it IS the last word here) |
| Capitalizing "to" in infinitives | "How To Write Well" | "How to Write Well" |
| Mixing APA and MLA rules | "Over the River and through the Woods" (Over capped per APA) | "Over the River and through the Woods" (Over is first word; "through" stays lowercase) |
| Title case in the body | "In To Kill A Mockingbird..." | "In To Kill a Mockingbird..." (article "a" stays lowercase) |
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Frequently asked questions
What is MLA title case?
MLA title case capitalizes the first word, the last word, and every principal (content) word. Articles, all prepositions regardless of length, and coordinating conjunctions stay lowercase unless they are first or last word.
How is MLA different from APA?
APA capitalizes any word 4 chars or more, regardless of part of speech (so 'Over' and 'With' capitalize in APA). MLA stays strict on part of speech - all prepositions stay lowercase, regardless of length, except first/last word.
Should I capitalize 'to' in infinitives?
No. MLA treats 'to' as a preposition functionally and lowercases it. 'How to Write Well' is correct; 'How To Write Well' is wrong per MLA.
Should I capitalize after a colon in MLA titles?
Yes. MLA capitalizes the first word after a colon in titles. The tool capitalizes the first word of the input but does not currently capitalize after a colon mid-title; copy the output and adjust by hand if your title has a colon.
Does MLA use sentence case for anything?
No. MLA uses title case throughout - Works Cited, in-text title references, and paper title. APA uses title case in-text but sentence case in the reference list. Common point of confusion.
Are there exceptions for subtitle capitalization?
MLA 9 specifies that the first word of a subtitle (after a colon) is always capitalized, even if it would normally be lowercase. The tool handles the first word of input; for subtitles, capitalize the first word manually after the colon.
What about hyphenated words?
MLA capitalizes both parts of a hyphenated word if both are principal words (Self-Reliance), but only the first part if the second part is a function word (Twenty-one). The tool capitalizes both parts of hyphenated words by default.
Will my text be sent to a server?
No. The capitalization runs entirely in your browser. Title drafts, reference lists, and any private notes stay in this tab. See also: email subject capitalization.
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