Quick Answer
Why "And" Stays Lowercase
"And" is a coordinating conjunction – one of seven words in the English language that join independent clauses or equal grammatical elements. The seven coordinating conjunctions are remembered by the acronym FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.
All seven follow the same rule in title case: they stay lowercase in the middle of a title. This is one of the most universal rules in English capitalization – you won't find disagreement among AP, APA, Chicago, or MLA on this. Every major style guide treats all coordinating conjunctions identically. The reason is linguistic: conjunctions are function words. They connect ideas but don't carry independent meaning the way nouns, verbs, or adjectives do.
The fact that all four guides agree on this rule makes it one of the easiest capitalization decisions you'll make. If you see a conjunction in the middle of a title, lowercase it. No exceptions, no style-specific variations. This uniformity makes FANBOYS easy to teach and remember: learn the rule once, apply it everywhere.
The position rule still applies: if "and" is the first word of your title, capitalize it. If it's the last word, capitalize it. But sandwiched between other words? Stay lowercase across all styles.
By Style Guide
| Style Guide | “and” in middle of title? | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| AP | Lowercase | Coordinating conjunctions stay lowercase unless first or last |
| APA | Lowercase | Coordinating conjunctions are lowercase except first/last position |
| Chicago | Lowercase | Conjunctions are minor words; lowercase unless first or last |
| MLA | Lowercase | Coordinating conjunctions stay lowercase in middle positions |
"And" isn't the only coordinating conjunction – it's one of seven, and they all behave identically in title case. If you learn the rule for "and," you automatically know the rule for "for," "nor," "but," "or," "yet," and "so." Because these seven words all function in the same grammatical way, title case rules treat them uniformly. You won't find a style guide that capitalizes "but" while lowercasing "and." The rule is monolithic: all seven are lowercase in the middle of a title, across all major style guides. Learn one, learn them all.
Examples
✓ Do
- Cats and Dogs Make Great Pets
- Thunder, Lightning, and Storms
- How to Train Your Dog and Keep It Healthy
- And Now for Something Completely Different
✗ Do not
Cats And Dogs Make Great Pets
Random capitalization of conjunction — never correct
cats and dogs make great pets
No title case applied at all
Cats AND Dogs Make Great Pets
All-caps conjunction — never correct in any style guide
Edge Cases
A few situations where the standard rules shift:
- "And" as the first word. Every style guide requires capitalizing the first word of a title. If "and" is your first word – unusual but possible in creative titles – capitalize it. "And Then There Were None" — ✓.
- "And" as the last word. All four guides require capitalizing the last word. If your title ends in "and" (rare), capitalize it.
- The "&" symbol vs. the word "and." When you use the ampersand symbol (&) instead of spelling out "and," you're using a stylistic choice rather than a word. For consistency and clarity, spell out "and" and lowercase it in the middle of your title.
- "And" after a colon or dash. If "and" appears right after a colon or dash – separating a main title from a subtitle – it's treated as the first word of a new segment. Capitalize it. "Cooking Basics: And Why It Matters" — capitalize "and."
Frequently Asked Questions
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About Oleh Kovalenko
Oleh Kovalenko develops practical capitalization guidance for editorial and SEO workflows, with a focus on consistent rule application.
