May 22, 2008: Issue 240
Two-letter words sometimes get short shrift in upstyle headlines. Remember that length isn’t the only criteria for capitalization.
Always capitalize verbs and pronouns, such as is and it:
Going Green Is Easier than Ever
Get It Done Today
In general, lowercase prepositions and conjunctions of four letters or fewer, such as in and if:
Bold Color in 3 Easy Steps
Killer Abs—Even if You Hate Sit-Ups!
Find a complete list of capitalization rules for heds.
Winners: Last week we asked for examples of spell-check overstepping its authority. Bridget Sandquist has seen her name come up Birdcage Slenderest. Melissa Inman discovered that our online performance appraisal system doesn’t like Mark Mooberry’s last name. “The suggestions were Dogberry, Cowberry, and Orangeberry,” Melissa says. “Not sure why those are better.” And when the video team sent out an Entourage invitation, Heather Hardt found that spell-check changed “buymanship” to “gunmanship.” All three of you win prizes. Stop by the CE department to claim them.
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