The question “is to capitalized in a title” can confuse writers, editors, and grammarians, as “to” can be a preposition, an adverb, or part of an infinitive. So, is “to” capitalized? In general, you should capitalize “to” when it’s the first word in a title or subtitle. You should also capitalize it when it’s the last word of a title. However, there are exceptions that you should be aware of.
Related:
- What Words Are Not Capitalized in a Title?
- Is “For” Capitalized in a Title?
- Is “The” Capitalized in a Title?
Title Capitalization Rules Per Style Guide
Each major style guide has sets of rules that dictate when and how “to” should be capitalized in titles. These rules are not arbitrary but rooted in the role that “to” plays in a title. Here, we’ll break down how each style guide—Chicago, AMA, AP, MLA, the New York Times, APA, Wikipedia, and Bluebook—uniquely approaches the capitalization of “to” in titles.
Chicago Manual of Style
In the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), “to” is treated as a preposition and is not capitalized in a title unless it’s the first or last word. Why? CMOS dictates that prepositions of four letters or more can be capitalized, but “to,” with only two letters, must remain lowercase. This rule applies even though “to” can also function as part of an infinitive, as seen in the title “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” Here, “to” is integral to the infinitive verb phrase “to succeed,” demonstrating the role of “to” beyond a preposition.
The Chicago Style Manual also defines how to capitalize other parts of speech in titles. Generally, nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, and any word that is the first or the last in the title should be capitalized. However, articles (the, a, an), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet), and prepositions are not capitalized unless they begin a title or subtitle.
American Medical Association (AMA)
Like Chicago, AMA advises against the capitalization of “minor” words like articles, coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions unless they are the first or last word in a title.
Parts of speech like nouns, pronouns, verbs (including is and other forms of “to be”), adverbs, and adjectives are always capitalized.
Associated Press Style (AP Style)
The Associated Press Stylebook insists you capitalize major words—nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives all get the uppercase nod. Yet, in the case of “to,” they take a straightforward approach: “to” usually stays lowercase in titles. Why? Because “to” is typically a preposition. However, there are a couple of exceptions. If “to” is the first or last word in a title, or if it’s part of an infinitive (think “To Be or Not to Be” or “To Catch a Thief”), then it gets the capital letter treatment.
Modern Language Association (MLA)
According to MLA Style, you should not capitalize “to” in a title unless it’s part of an infinitive verb phrase or the first or last word. Specifically, “to” remains lowercase when a preposition or part of a prepositional phrase like “A Journey to the Centre of the Earth.” However, it receives capitalization when “to” begins a title or is part of a verb phrase (such as in an infinitive).
The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage
If you’re a journalist or journalism student crafting a headline, you might wonder, “Is it capitalized in a title?” According to The New York Times, you should keep “to” in lowercase; the style guide generally only capitalizes words of four or more letters.
However, if the preposition (regardless of length) turns into an adverb and modifies the preceding word, you should capitalize the preposition. Another rule to consider is if the preposition is attached to the preceding verb, you will need to capitalize it.
Conversely, certain parts of speech are generally in lowercase unless they appear at the beginning or end of the title. These include articles (a, an, the) and coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor, so, yet).
American Psychological Association (APA Style)
To maintain a consistently legible format in scholarly and professional writing, the APA does not capitalize “to” as it is a preposition.
Wikipedia Manual of Style
Wikipedia capitalizes the first letter of the first word in a title and always capitalizes nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs, subordinating conjunctions, and prepositions with five or more letters. Additionally, the first word in a compound preposition and particles of phrasal verbs—typically prepositions—like up, off, or in are always capitalized.
Bluebook
As the official style guide for legal documentation, court documents, and law journals, Bluebook leaves no room for ambiguity regarding how words are interpreted. Bluebook expressly excludes coordinating conjunctions, articles like “the,” “a,” and “an,” and short prepositions like “to” from being capitalized unless they appear as the first word of the title or subtitle. However, “to” is capitalized when used as part of an infinitive verb, for example, “Roxanne Decided To Sue for Negligence. Proper nouns and words that carry significant weight in legal contexts, such as “Court,” “Act,” and “Constitution,” are always capitalized to indicate their importance.
When Should You Capitalize “To?”
The word “to” is typically not capitalized in titles, following the guideline to avoid capitalizing prepositions of four or fewer letters. However, there are exceptions to this rule that warrant capitalizing “to,” like when it’s part of an infinitive verb, like “to remember.” Understanding these nuances ensures titles are grammatically correct and visually appealing.
First Word of the Title
We now know all style guides have the same answer to the question of “is to capitalized?” when it’s the first word in a title. Additionally, most style guides agree on how to treat capitalization following a semicolon since it acts much like a period. Capitalize the first word after a semicolon if it starts a new independent clause, is part of a title that typically uses title case, or if it’s a proper noun.
Last Word of the Title
“To” should also be capitalized if it’s the last word in a title, particularly if you’re following AP, Chicago, MLA, Wikipedia, or New York Times style guidelines.
Just look at this title, “The Path We Travel To,” for instance. Everyone can agree that “The Path We Travel to” would make the title appear imbalanced and incomplete.
Part of an Infinitive
If “to” is part of an infinitive (e.g., To Eat, To Pray, To Love), it is usually capitalized, especially in AP style. This highlights the action and significance of the verb phrase within the context of the title. The Chicago Manual of Style views this differently and keeps “to” lowercase, given the word’s prepositional status. Examples of Chicago’s take include: “How to Cook a Perfect Meal” and “Learn to Play the Saxophone.”
Used As An Adverb
Most style guides, including Chicago, MLA, and APA, keep “to” lowercase when used as an adverb in a title. This consensus adheres to the rule that common adverbs, which are typically short and not major words, do not receive capitalization in titles.
For example, in a title like “The Quick Guide to How to Get There,” the second “to” functions as an adverb and should not be capitalized according to most style guides.
AP Style takes a different view, emphasizing consistency and readability. Common words like adverbs and prepositions are kept lowercase per the AP unless they appear at the beginning or end of a title.
When Shouldn’t You Capitalize To?
In most cases, “to” remains lowercase within titles, especially when it’s a preposition, conjunction, or an infinitive verb. As mentioned, the exceptions are specific and guided by style preferences.
Final Thoughts
So, is “to” capitalized in a title? The broad answer is that it all depends on the style guide you are following. Style guides like the AP, Chicago, AMA, APA, and MLA often suggest keeping “to” in lowercase.
The twist is that other guides might allow capitalizing “to.” So, we highly recommend thoroughly checking each style’s title capitalization rules. Alternatively, you can use the handy title capitalization tool to simplify your process and ensure every title follows the correct rules.
