When crafting a headline or title, the treatment of verbs often creates confusion. Are verbs capitalized in titles, or should they remain in lowercase? The answer lies in the established style guides that govern professional writing, primarily the Associated Press (AP) Style and The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago). Generally, verbs are considered major words, which means they should be capitalized in titles regardless of their length, with the exception of very short conjunctions and articles.
The Rules of Capitalization
Understanding the standard rules provides the foundation for handling verbs correctly. Most style guides agree that the first and last words of a title are always capitalized, regardless of their part of speech. This means even a short verb at the beginning or end of a headline will be formatted with a capital letter. The core principle is to capitalize all significant words, which typically includes nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
Major vs. Minor Words
The distinction between major and minor words is the key to navigating title capitalization. Major words, which always get capitalized, include verbs of all lengths, such as "is," "running," or "developing." Conversely, minor words, which are usually lowercase, include articles (a, an, the), short prepositions (in, on, at), and coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or). This clear separation ensures consistency across different types of titles.
Applying the Guidelines to Verbs
Specific scenarios help illustrate the application of these rules. In a title like "How Leaders Are Navigating Change," the verb "Are" is capitalized because it is a main verb, functioning as a significant part of the statement. Similarly, in the phrase "Strategies for Growing Your Business," the verb "Growing" is capitalized as it denotes a key action central to the topic, despite being a single syllable.
First word: "Launching" new initiatives is exciting.
Main action: The team is "Analyzing" market trends.
Last word: We will succeed "Now".
While the rules are generally straightforward, specific style guides offer nuances. The AP Style, commonly used in journalism, dictates that verbs should be capitalized. The Chicago style aligns with this principle. The primary exception involves the word "to" when it is used as part of an infinitive verb, such as "to Run" or "to Speak." In this context, "to" is typically lowercase, while the verb that follows is capitalized.
Consistency is Key
Regardless of the specific style guide an organization follows, the most critical factor is consistency. If a writer decides to capitalize all verbs in one document, the same rule should apply throughout the entire piece. This uniformity enhances the professionalism and readability of the content, ensuring the audience focuses on the message rather than the formatting inconsistencies.
