Should a heading be “How to Write a Great CV” or “How to write a great CV”? Both are correct, depending on the style you follow. Choosing one and using it consistently makes documents look professional. This guide explains title case vs sentence case with simple rules and examples. Convert any text instantly with our free Case Converter.
Sentence case
Capitalise only the first word and proper nouns, as in a normal sentence.
Example: “How to calculate your GPA in Pakistan”
Title case
Capitalise the main words. Short articles, conjunctions and prepositions usually stay lowercase unless they are the first or last word.
Example: “How to Calculate Your GPA in Pakistan”
Words usually lowercase in title case
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Articles | a, an, the |
| Short conjunctions | and, but, or, nor |
| Short prepositions | in, on, at, to, of, for, by |
Style guides differ: some capitalise prepositions of four or five letters or more (such as “With” or “About”).
Which to use?
| Context | Common choice |
|---|---|
| News sites and many blogs | Sentence case |
| Book and film titles | Title case |
| CV section headings | Either, but be consistent |
| Email subject lines | Sentence case feels friendlier |
| Academic papers | Follow the required style (APA, MLA, etc.) |
APA and MLA
APA style uses title case for paper titles and headings, and sentence case for titles of works in the reference list. MLA uses title case for titles. Generate references with our Citation Generator.
Other cases
- UPPERCASE: for short labels; avoid long text in capitals, which reads like shouting.
- lowercase: for usernames, tags and some design styles.
- camelCase and snake_case: for programming.
Read text case styles for programmers.
Check your text
After converting, count words or characters with the Word Counter to fit limits for titles and meta descriptions.
Proper nouns stay capitalised
In both styles, names of people, places, brands and institutions keep their capitals: “Studying at the University of the Punjab” in sentence case still capitalises the university’s name.
Frequently asked questions
What is sentence case?
Only the first word and proper nouns are capitalised.
Which words stay lowercase in title case?
Usually short articles, conjunctions and prepositions.
Which is better for blog headings?
Either works; many modern sites use sentence case. Be consistent.