MLA Title Capitalization
MLA 9th edition capitalises all principal words. Articles, prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions are lowercase in the middle of a title.
Word-by-word explanation
MLA capitalization rules
- Capitalise all principal words
- Lowercase: articles (a, an, the)
- Lowercase: prepositions (all lengths)
- Lowercase: coordinating conjunctions
- First and last word always capitalised
- Capitalise both parts of hyphenated compounds
Read the full MLA title capitalization rules with examples.
When to Use MLA Title Capitalization
MLA title case is the standard for Literature, Language Studies, High School, Undergraduate writing. MLA 9th edition capitalises all principal words. Articles, prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions are lowercase in the middle of a title. When your work will be reviewed, published, or cited within these fields, using the correct capitalization style shows attention to detail and compliance with professional standards.
MLA Title Case vs Other Styles
Title capitalization is not universal. The same title formatted in MLA style will look different from APA, Chicago, MLA, or AP — and each difference is intentional. Use the style comparison tool to enter your title and see all nine styles side by side. If you need to convert a large list of titles, the batch capitalizer handles CSV and TXT imports for bulk workflows.
Deep-dive: how to capitalize titles in MLA format.
How the MLA Capitalizer Works
Paste your title into the tool above. Select MLA as the active style and the result appears immediately. Click "Explain" to see the rule applied to each word. Use the copy button or press ⌘↵ to copy the output. Everything runs in the browser — no account, no signup, no data sent to a server.
About MLA Title Case
MLA title case is defined by the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (2021), published by the Modern Language Association. It is the standard for literature, linguistics, cultural studies, language arts, and most English courses at the high school and undergraduate level. Like APA, MLA lowercases all prepositions regardless of length — a preposition is a preposition regardless of how long it is. MLA also lowercases articles and coordinating conjunctions. The style is widely used in US high schools and colleges for papers in English and the humanities, and its title case rules are applied to both the paper title and to titles cited in the Works Cited list.
MLA Title Case Examples
These examples are generated in real time by the same engine that powers the tool above — every result is guaranteed to match the tool's output.
| Original (lowercase) | MLA Style |
|---|---|
| the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog | The Quick Brown Fox Jumps over the Lazy Dog |
| a guide to writing about the world | A Guide to Writing about the World |
| why sleep is important for students | Why Sleep Is Important for Students |
| learning through failure and success | Learning through Failure and Success |
| notes on the art of writing without fear | Notes on the Art of Writing without Fear |
| how to capitalize titles in academic writing | How to Capitalize Titles in Academic Writing |
| the effects of social media on mental health | The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health |
| introduction to machine learning with python | Introduction to Machine Learning with Python |
Common MLA Edge Cases
- All prepositions stay lowercase regardless of length — "about," "between," "through," and "without" are all lowercase in MLA.
- "To" in infinitives stays lowercase: "How to Write," not "How To Write."
- Verbs "is," "are," "be" are always capitalized — they are verbs, not prepositions.
- First word after a colon or em dash in a title is always capitalized.
- MLA uses title case for both the paper title AND for titles in the Works Cited list (unlike APA, which uses sentence case in references).
MLA vs APA
MLA and APA produce nearly identical title case for headings and paper titles — both lowercase all prepositions regardless of length and capitalize the same categories of major words. The practical difference shows up in reference formatting: MLA uses title case throughout the Works Cited list, while APA uses sentence case for article and book titles in the References section. If you are unsure which to use, a title capitalized in MLA will almost always be correct in APA and vice versa.
MLA capitalization FAQ
Common questions about using TitleCasePro for MLA title case.
The MLA title capitalizer converts any title into correct MLA Handbook (9th Edition) capitalization automatically. Select MLA, paste your title, and see the result with an optional word-by-word explanation.
MLA capitalizes all principal words — nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions. Articles (a, an, the), all prepositions regardless of length, and coordinating conjunctions are lowercase unless they are the first or last word.
Yes. TitleCasePro follows MLA Handbook, 9th Edition (2021). All prepositions are lowercased regardless of length — including long ones like "between," "through," and "without" — which distinguishes MLA from Chicago.
MLA capitalizes nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions. It lowercases articles, all prepositions (short and long), and coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS) in the middle of a title.
Yes. Click "Explain" to see a word-by-word table with the rule for each word — for example, "between — preposition, lowercase per MLA 9th Edition."
Yes. Click the Copy button or press ⌘↵ to copy the MLA-formatted title to your clipboard.
Yes. The Compare Styles tool shows MLA alongside APA, Chicago, AP, and 5 other styles in one view.
Yes. MLA title case applies to journal and magazine article titles cited in MLA format. The tool applies the 9th Edition rules accurately.
Yes. MLA is the standard for English literature, humanities, and most undergraduate writing courses. The tool formats your essay title correctly.
Yes. Book titles in MLA format follow the same title case rules. Paste the title and copy the correctly formatted result.
Yes. The tool handles headings, chapter titles, and section labels in MLA-formatted documents.
Yes. Completely free — no account, no signup, no usage limit.
Yes. Runs entirely in your browser — no server, no storage, works on desktop and mobile.