Quick Answer
Why "That" Is Always Capitalized
"That" is a versatile word in English. It can introduce a subordinate clause as a conjunction ("the book that he read"), function as a relative pronoun in the same way, or act as a demonstrative adjective or pronoun ("that one over there"). Despite these different roles, title case capitalizes "that" in all of them.
The reason is twofold. First, "that" has four letters, meeting the length threshold in AP, APA, and MLA. Second, when "that" acts as a subordinating conjunction (the most common role in titles), subordinating conjunctions are always capitalized in title case, unlike coordinating conjunctions such as "but," "or," and "and." A subordinating conjunction introduces a dependent clause that adds essential information to the sentence. These are considered more grammatically significant than coordinating conjunctions, so they get capitalized.
The distinction between subordinating and coordinating conjunctions is crucial here. If you remember that "that" is a subordinating conjunction (not a coordinating one), you'll never wonder whether to capitalize it. Even in Chicago style, which has different rules for prepositions, subordinating conjunctions like "that" are always capitalized.
By Style Guide
| Style Guide | “that” in middle of title? | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| AP | Capitalize | Subordinating conjunctions capitalized; 4+ letter rule also applies |
| APA | Capitalize | Capitalize words of four or more letters; subordinating conjunctions capitalized |
| Chicago | Capitalize | Subordinating conjunctions are always capitalized |
| MLA | Capitalize | Capitalize words of four or more letters; subordinating conjunctions capitalized |
Subordinating conjunctions like "that," "because," "although," "if," and "when" introduce dependent clauses and are grammatically more complex. They carry more semantic weight than coordinating conjunctions like "and," "but," "or," and "so." Compare "The Day That Changed Everything" (subordinating conjunction – capitalized) with "Coffee and Cream" (coordinating conjunction – lowercase). In both titles, the conjunctions join elements, but "that" introduces a subordinate clause while "and" merely lists items. That's why "that" is capitalized and "and" is not.
Examples
✓ Do
- The Book That Inspired Me
- Lessons That Last a Lifetime
- The Moment That Everything Changed
- Knowing That You Care
✗ Do not
The book that inspired me
No title case applied at all
The Book that Inspired Me
Conjunction lowercased — incorrect in all major style guides
Edge Cases
A few situations where the standard rules shift:
- "That" as the first word. All style guides require capitalizing the first word of a title. "That's What I'm Talking About" — ✓ (all styles).
- "That" as the last word. Style guides capitalize the last word of a title. If "that" ends your title, capitalize it.
- "That" after a colon or dash. The word after a colon is treated as the start of a new title segment. "The Secret Revealed: That One Thing You Missed" — ✓ (all styles).
- "That" as a demonstrative vs conjunction. In both uses, "that" is capitalized. "That one" (demonstrative adjective) and "the one that fell" (conjunction) both keep "that" capitalized in title case.
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.
