Is “A” Capitalized in a Title?

Is “A” capitalized in a title? Well, “A” is typically written in lowercase in titles, except when used as a first or last word or if it comes after a colon or em dash. Learn more about “A” capitalization guidelines in titles and their exceptions as per different style guides below.

Related:

• Is “About” Capitalized in a Title?
• Is “And” Capitalized in a Title?
• Is “That” Capitalized in a Title?

Title Capitalization Rules per Style Guide 

 “A” is an indefinite article. Style guides consider “A” a minor word subject to specific capitalization rules within titles. Understanding its role helps writers adhere to specific formatting conventions outlined in these style guides.

Chicago Manual of Style

When following Chicago Style, make sure the word “A” is always in lowercase. However, there are certain situations where you must write “”A in full caps. For instance, if it’s used as the first or last word of a title.

For example, “A Tale of Two Cities” has “A” capitalized because it’s used to start the title. 

Tip:  In addition to lowercasing “A” and other articles (“the” and “an”) in titles, Chicago requires you to lowercase prepositions regardless of length. 

American Medical Association (AMA)

In the AMA Manual of Style, remember to lowercase “A” and other articles if they appear in the middle of your title. You can ignore this rule if “A” is the first word of your title. Similarly, capitalize “A” in subtitles if it follows a colon. For example, “The Rise of Technology: A Look into Modern Innovations.” 

Associated Press Style (AP Style)

Title capitalization in AP style requires you to lowercase “A.” However, this rule does not apply when you use it at the start or the end of the title. 

Further exceptions to this rule are as follows (where “A” is capitalized):

• If it appears after an em dash
• If it follows a colon

Modern Language Association (MLA)

According to the MLA Handbook, you don’t usually capitalize “A” in titles. You only capitalize it if it’s at the start or end of a title or subtitle, after a colon, or following an em dash.

For example, in “She Bought a New Dress for the Party,” “A” isn’t capitalized because it’s not at the beginning or end. 

But, in “The Rise of Technology: A Look into Modern Innovations,” “A” is capitalized since it comes after a colon.

American Psychological Association (APA)

In APA style, “A” is generally written in lowercase in titles if it is in the middle of your title. If “A” starts a title or subtitle, then you should capitalize it.

Tip: Prepositions that are three letters or fewer are also in lowercase in APA. 

The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage 

In NY Style, “A” is also generally in lowercase, but some exceptions exist.

You should capitalize “A” if it’s the first word or if it comes after a colon or em dash. This rule also applies to other small words.

Bluebook

Let’s break down how to handle the capitalization of “A” in Bluebook citation titles. Normally, it’s not capitalized unless it’s the very first word. So, if your title starts with “A,” go ahead and capitalize it.

For the rest of your title, you’ll only have to capitalize the first word and anything following a colon. The important words, including nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, all get a capital letter.

Wikipedia Manual of Style 

The handling of “A” in Wikipedia titles is similar to the other major style guides. It’s usually not capitalized unless it’s the first word or appears after a colon or em dash. 

Now, for the rest of your title, you will capitalize the first and last words, all the adjectives, pronouns, adverbs, nouns, verbs, and subordinating conjunctions. 

However, words like articles, coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions (less than five letters) are typically lowercase unless they’re starting or ending your title.

For example, a title like “A Study of Rural Economics,” “A,” is capitalized because it is at the beginning of a sentence.

When Should You Capitalize A

Capitalizing the word “A” in titles follows specific rules depending on its position and context within the title. The rules ensure proper title capitalization in various contexts. Generally, you should capitalize the word “A “if it is the: 

• First word of the title or subtitle: If “A” is hanging out at the very beginning of your title (or subtitle), always give it a capital letter.
• It appears after a colon or em dash: If “A” appears after a colon or em dash in your title, you’ll want to capitalize it. 

When Shouldn’t You Capitalize A

Do not capitalize A when it is in the middle of your title. That means if “A” is chillin’ somewhere within your title, but it’s not the first word (of the title or subtitle), you can keep it lowercase. 

Final Thoughts 

Is a capitalized in a title? You should capitalize the word “A” only when it is the first word of the title, after a colon (or em dash), or if it’s the first word of a subtitle. It remains lowercase when it appears in the middle of a title. For quick title capitalization, use this capitalization tool.