Quick Answer
Why "Is" Is Always Capitalized
"Is" is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb "to be." Verbs are one of the word categories that title case rules treat differently from other parts of speech. The length rule – capitalize words of four letters or more – does not apply to verbs.
AP, APA, MLA, and Chicago all have the same core rule: capitalize all verbs in titles. The word length is irrelevant. This is why even two-letter verbs like "is" get capitalized, while three-letter prepositions like "for" and "yet" stay lowercase. Part of speech trumps length every time.
Many people assume "is" should be lowercase because it's so short. This is the most common mistake with short verbs. The rule is counterintuitive, but it's consistent across all major style guides: if it's a verb, capitalize it.
By Style Guide
| Style Guide | “is” in middle of title? | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| AP | Capitalize | All verbs are capitalized |
| APA | Capitalize | All verbs are capitalized |
| Chicago | Capitalize | All verbs are capitalized |
| MLA | Capitalize | All verbs are capitalized |
Title case exists to make titles readable and visually distinct. Verbs carry the action and meaning of a sentence. Lowercasing a verb – especially a short one like "is" – makes a title harder to scan and less visually balanced. Compare "What Is Love?" (verb capitalized – balanced, clear) with "What is Love?" (verb lowercased – awkward, looks like sentence case). Even though "is" is only two letters, capitalizing it signals to readers that this is a title, not a regular sentence. The same logic applies to all verbs, regardless of their length.
Examples
✓ Do
- What Is Love?
- Why Is This Happening?
- This Is the Way
- Being Is Becoming
✗ Do not
What is Love?
Lowercase verb — looks like sentence case, not title case
What IS Love?
All-caps verb — never correct in any style guide
Edge Cases
A few situations where the standard rules shift:
- "Is" as the first word. Every style guide requires capitalizing the first word, so "is" is capitalized regardless of which style you follow. "Is There Hope?" — ✓ (all styles).
- "Is" as the last word. Style guides capitalize the last word of a title. If your title ends with "is," capitalize it. "What She Is" — ✓ (all styles).
- "Is" after a colon or dash. The word after a colon or dash is treated as the start of a new title segment. Capitalize "is" if it follows a colon. "The Question: Is Love Real?" — ✓ (all styles).
- "Is" in a question within a title. Even in a question, "is" remains capitalized as a verb. "Does He Know What He Is?" — ✓.
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.
