Okay, let's talk title capitalization. Specifically, that pesky little word "to". You're staring at your headline, fingers hovering over the keyboard, and the doubt creeps in: *Is "to" capitalized in a title?* Should it be "How To Bake Bread" or "How to Bake Bread"? It seems trivial, but getting it wrong screams amateur hour. Trust me, I've been there – my early blog posts are littered with inconsistent capitalization mistakes that still make me cringe. Let's fix that for you, once and for all.
Why does this tiny word cause so much confusion? Because title capitalization rules aren't universal. They depend heavily on which style guide you're following (Chicago, APA, AP, MLA – they all have opinions) and the grammatical role that "to" is playing in your specific title. It's messy. This isn't about memorizing one perfect rule; it's about understanding the logic behind the choices.
It's All About Style Guides and That Pesky Part of Speech
Seriously, the biggest factor isn't some grand cosmic rule – it's literally which stylebook your teacher, editor, publisher, or boss prefers. It's annoying, I know. But stick with me.
The Heavyweights: Chicago, APA, AP, and MLA
These guys run the show. Here's the lowdown on is to capitalized in a title according to each:
| Style Guide | Capitalize "To"? | The Logic & When It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) (Common for books, publishing, academia) | Sometimes | "To" is a preposition. CMS says capitalize prepositions ONLY if they are 4+ letters long. "To" has 2 letters, so it's usually lowercase. BUT... if "to" is part of an infinitive verb (like "to run", "to eat"), it's functioning differently and is *still* lowercase. |
| APA Style (Psychology, social sciences) | Sometimes | APA follows a similar rule: Capitalize words with 4+ letters. Since "to" is only 2 letters, it stays lowercase, whether it's a preposition or part of an infinitive. APA 7th edition is pretty strict on this. |
| Associated Press (AP) Style (Journalism, news, online content) | No | AP is clear: Capitalize the first and last word, and all principal words. "Principal words" exclude articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or), and prepositions of ANY length (to, for, by, with, at, etc.). So "to" is always lowercase in AP style titles. No exceptions. |
| MLA Style (Humanities, literature) | No | MLA capitalizes the first word, last word, and all principal words. Like AP, it considers "to" a preposition and keeps it lowercase, regardless of whether it's part of an infinitive. Short prepositions stay small. |
See the pattern? For most major styles, the answer to is to capitalized in a title is usually NO. The main exception is CMS... but even then, only rarely (if "to" somehow magically became 4 letters long, which it won't). AP and MLA are the strictest on keeping it lowercase.
I personally find AP's rule the easiest to remember – just ditch caps on all short prepositions and conjunctions, no mental gymnastics. Chicago's "4-letter rule" feels a bit arbitrary sometimes. Why is "with" (4 letters) capped but "to" (2 letters) not? Who decided that? Doesn't make much intuitive sense, but hey, that's the rule.
But Wait! Grammar Throws a Wrench In: When "To" Isn't Just a Preposition
Here's where people get tripped up. "To" isn't *always* a preposition. Its most confusing alter ego?
The Infinitive Verb Form: "To Be" or Not "To Be" Capitalized?
This is the big one. Titles often include infinitives: "How to Train Your Dragon," "A Guide to Understand Quantum Physics," "10 Ways to Boost Your Productivity."
That "to" in "to train", "to understand", "to boost"? That's part of the infinitive verb phrase. It's not acting as a preposition showing direction or location (like "going to the store").
So, does this change things? Does capitalizing "to" in a title become mandatory when it's part of an infinitive?
*Short answer: Nope.*
Look back at the style guides:
- Chicago: Still lowercase. "To" is less than 4 letters.
- APA: Still lowercase. Less than 4 letters.
- AP: Still a preposition (or classified with them). Lowercase.
- MLA: Still a preposition/short word. Lowercase.
None of the major styles make a special capitalization rule for "to" *just* because it's part of an infinitive verb. It's treated the same as the preposition "to". Lowercase reigns supreme. Anyone telling you to capitalize it in infinitives is likely following custom house styles or just misunderstanding the rules. I see this mistake constantly on websites and even some book covers. Drives me nuts.
Correct Examples (Infinitive Verb):
- "How to Master Chess in 30 Days" (Chicago, APA, AP, MLA)
- "The Ultimate Guide to Build Confidence" (Chicago, APA, AP, MLA)
- "Learning to Code: A Beginner's Journey" (Chicago, APA, AP, MLA)
Incorrect (But Common Mistake):
- "How To Master Chess in 30 Days"
- "The Ultimate Guide To Build Confidence"
- "Learning To Code: A Beginner's Journey"
Let's Settle Some Real-World Title Battles
Enough theory. Let's look at common title patterns and settle the score on is to capitalized in a title.
The Classic "How To..." Title
This is probably the most searched scenario. "How to Write a Novel," "How to Change a Tire," "How to Cook Spaghetti."
*Verdict:* Lowercase "to". Always. Across all major styles. "How to Write a Novel" is universally correct. "How To Write a Novel" is incorrect according to Chicago, APA, AP, and MLA. Full stop. If your blogging platform auto-capitalizes it, fight the urge! Go into the settings or manually change it back.
Why do so many people get this wrong? Probably because "How To" *looks* important at the start of the title, and capitalizing both words feels balanced. But grammar rules over aesthetics here!
Titles Starting with "To..." (The Infinitive Lead)
What about titles that boldly start with the infinitive? "To Kill a Mockingbird," "To All the Boys I've Loved Before," "To Build a Fire."
*Verdict:* Capitalize "To". BUT NOT because it's an infinitive or part of "to capitalized in a title" logic. It's capitalized because it's the *first word of the title*. All styles capitalize the first and last word of a title, regardless of what part of speech they are.
Correct:
- "To Kill a Mockingbird" (First word)
- "To the Lighthouse" (First word, preposition)
See? The rule about short words/prepositions applies *within* the title, not necessarily to the very first word.
Titles Where "To" is Clearly a Preposition
No infinitive confusion here. "A Trip to Italy," "The Road to Serfdom," "From Paris to Berlin."
*Verdict:* Lowercase "to". Unequivocally. It's a short preposition. Chicago (less than 4 letters), APA (less than 4 letters), AP (preposition), MLA (preposition) all demand lowercase. Capitalizing it here ("A Trip To Italy") is definitely wrong and a clear sign someone hasn't checked the style guide.
Beyond "To": Other Tiny Troublemakers
While we're deep in the capitalization weeds, let's clarify the fate of other common small words in titles. Knowing these helps avoid inconsistency, which looks sloppy.
| Word | Part of Speech | Capitalize? | Notes & Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| a, an, the | Article | Only if first/last word, OR in AP Style if part of a proper name (like "The Hague") | "The Cat in the Hat" (first word), "Gone with the Wind" (middle, lowercase), "What an Amazing World" (first word). |
| and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet | Coordinating Conjunction | Usually lowercase (AP, MLA, Chicago, APA) | "Pride and Prejudice", "War and Peace", "Short but Sweet". Always lowercase when inside title. |
| as, if, than, because | Subordinating Conjunction | Capitalize in Chicago/APA (over 3/4 letters), Lowercase in AP/MLA | Chicago: "Running As Fast As Possible", AP: "Running as Fast as Possible". Messy! Know your style. |
| with, for, at, by, in, on, etc. | Preposition (Short: <4 letters) | Lowercase (Chicago, APA, AP, MLA) | "Strength in Numbers", "Talk by the Fire", "Waiting for Godot". |
| with, from, into, over, upon, etc. | Preposition (Long: 4+ letters) | Capitalize (Chicago, APA), Lowercase (AP, MLA) | Chicago/APA: "Looking Into the Abyss", AP/MLA: "Looking into the Abyss". Another style clash point. |
Why Consistency is Your Secret Weapon (Especially for SEO)
Alright, let's shift gears. You're probably writing this for the web – blog posts, articles, product pages. While strict adherence to Chicago or APA is great, the most important thing for online readability and professionalism is consistency.
Pick an approach (I recommend AP style for online content – it's widespread and keeps things simple with lowercase short prepositions/conjunctions) and stick to it *across your entire website*. Why?
- Professionalism: Inconsistent capitalization looks amateurish. "How to Bake Bread" on one page and "How To Build A Table" on another screams carelessness.
- Reader Trust: Subtle inconsistencies can subconsciously make readers question your attention to detail.
- SEO (Subtly): While Google likely doesn't penalize capitalization directly, consistency contributes to overall content quality and user experience signals. If your title tag says "How To..." but your H1 says "How to...", that's a tiny friction point. Clean, consistent presentation is always better.
Honestly, I'd rather you consistently use a slightly unconventional style (like capitalizing all verbs including "to") than swing wildly between rules. At least it looks intentional.
Tools Can Help (But Don't Blindly Trust Them)
Feeling overwhelmed? There are tools, but use them cautiously.
- Title Capitalization Checkers (Online): Sites like TitleCase.com, CapitalizeMyTitle.com. Enter your title, select a style (AP, Chicago, etc.), and see the result.
Warning: These tools are mostly good, but I've seen them glitch, especially on edge cases involving infinitives or hyphenated words. Always double-check the output against your chosen style guide's core rules. Don't assume the tool is gospel.
- Grammarly / Hemingway Editor: These focus more on general grammar and readability than strict title case rules. They might flag questionable capitalization, but won't enforce Chicago vs. AP.
- Microsoft Word / Google Docs: Their built-in "Change Case" feature usually offers "Title Case" and "SENTENCE CASE". Avoid their automatic "Title Case" – it tends to capitalize too many words (like "to", "and", "for") inconsistently and incorrectly according to major style guides. It's better than nothing, but far from perfect.
The best tool? Bookmarking the official online resources for your chosen style guide (like the Chicago Manual of Style Online or AP Stylebook Online). Refer back when unsure. It becomes second nature.
Your Burning Questions Answered (Finally!)
Let's tackle the specific questions people type into Google about this topic. These are the real head-scratchers:
Q: Is "to" capitalized in a title according to APA?
A: No, typically not. APA Style (7th edition) capitalizes words with four letters or more. Since "to" has only two letters, it should be lowercase in a title, whether it's a preposition or part of an infinitive verb. For example: "A Guide to Effective Communication."
Q: Is "to" capitalized in a title when used as an infinitive?
A: No, not according to the major style guides (Chicago, APA, AP, MLA). Even though "to" is part of an infinitive verb phrase (like "to run"), it's still treated as a short word/preposition and kept lowercase. So it's always "How to Train Your Dragon," never "How To Train Your Dragon" if you're following standard rules.
Q: Is "to" capitalized in a title at the beginning?
A: Yes, but only because it's the first word. All styles capitalize the first and last word of a title regardless of part of speech. So "To Kill a Mockingbird" is correct. The capitalization is due to its position, not because it's "to".
Q: Is "to" capitalized in a title after a colon?
A: It depends. Most style guides (like Chicago and APA) recommend capitalizing the first word *after* a colon if it begins a complete sentence or is a proper noun. If it's just continuing a phrase, it often stays lowercase. However, "to" is almost always lowercase anyway. So:
- Capitalized first word: "Chapter 5: The Road Ahead" ("The" is capitalized).
- Lowercase first word (phrase): "Cooking Basics: how to boil an egg" ("how" starts a phrase, lowercase). BUT: "how to boil..." – the "to" remains lowercase regardless.
Q: Do you capitalize "to" in MLA titles?
A: No. MLA style capitalizes the first and last words of the title and all principal words. "To" is considered a preposition and is not a principal word, so it should be lowercase. Example: "A Journey to the Center of the Earth."
Q: Which words are not capitalized in a title?
A: It depends on the style, but generally lowercase:
- Articles (a, an, the) *unless* they are the first/last word.
- Short coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet).
- Short prepositions (typically less than 4-5 letters depending on style: to, by, at, in, on, of, off, up, out, as, for, etc.).
- The word "to" in infinitives.
- The second part of a hyphenated compound word if it's not a proper noun/number (e.g., "State-of-the-Art" vs. "Post-Apocalyptic").
The Golden Rule & Final Reality Check
So, after all this, what's the golden rule for is to capitalized in a title?
99% of the time: Lowercase "to".
It doesn't matter if it's a preposition or part of an infinitive. It doesn't matter if it's Chicago, APA, AP, or MLA. Lowercase is the safe, standard, and correct choice across the board.
The only time you capitalize "to" is:
- When it's the first word of the title ("To Infinity and Beyond").
- If you are following a very specific, niche, or custom house style that explicitly states otherwise (and you should know if you are!).
Seriously, stop overcomplicating it. If you're staring at your title and hesitating on "to", just make it lowercase. You'll be right far more often than you're wrong. Focus your energy on crafting amazing content, not second-guessing this tiny word. Consistency trumps perfect style adherence in most online contexts. Pick a rule (AP lowercase for short preps is my vote), apply it everywhere, and move on.
Now go write those headlines confidently!
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