Is "To" Capitalized in a Title? | TitleCasePro
Is "to" capitalized in a title? In most styles no, it stays lowercase. AP is the exception. See the rules for every style guide with examples.
Quick answer: In most style guides (APA, Chicago, MLA, NY Times), the word “to” stays lowercase in a title — whether it is a preposition or part of an infinitive. The main exception is AP style, which capitalizes “To” in infinitives. “To” is always capitalized when it is the first or last word.
The word “to” is one of the most common sources of title-capitalization confusion, because it plays three different grammatical roles: a preposition (a gift to you), an infinitive marker (how to write), and occasionally an adverb. Each role can affect whether it is capitalized.
Why “To” Causes Confusion
“To” is only two letters long, so writers instinctively lowercase it. That instinct is usually correct — but AP style breaks the pattern by capitalizing “To” when it appears in an infinitive like “How To Build a Website.” This single exception is the reason the question comes up so often.
The rule that catches people: AP style is the only major style guide that capitalizes “To” in infinitives. Every other major style keeps it lowercase.
”To” Across the Major Style Guides
| Style guide | ”to” as preposition | ”to” in an infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| APA | lowercase | lowercase |
| Chicago | lowercase | lowercase |
| MLA | lowercase | lowercase |
| AP | lowercase | Capitalize |
| AMA | Capitalize (caps everything) | Capitalize |
| NY Times | lowercase | lowercase |
| Bluebook | lowercase | lowercase |
Examples
Most styles (APA, Chicago, MLA):
- How to Write a Great Resume
- A Guide to Modern Web Design
- Learning to Code in Python
AP style (infinitive “To” capitalized):
- How To Write a Great Resume
- Learning To Code in Python
“To” as the first word — always capitalized:
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- To the Lighthouse
“To” as the last word — always capitalized:
- The Place I Want to Go To
⚠️ Remember: Position overrides the part-of-speech rule. Even in APA or Chicago, if “to” is the first or last word of the title or subtitle, it must be capitalized.
The Infinitive Test
If you can’t tell whether “to” is a preposition or an infinitive, use this test:
- Infinitive: “to” is followed by a verb — to write, to build, to learn
- Preposition: “to” is followed by a noun or pronoun — to you, to the store, to success
In every style except AP, both cases stay lowercase, so the distinction only matters if you are writing AP-style headlines.
How to Get It Right Automatically
Rather than memorizing which style capitalizes “to,” paste your title into the title capitalizer and select your style guide. It applies the correct rule for “to” — and every other word — instantly, with a word-by-word explanation showing why each word was capitalized or lowercased.
To compare how “to” is treated across all nine styles at once, use the compare tool.
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