​When writing limericks, don’t forget that titles deserve just as much attention as the verses themselves. Whether you’re jotting down something silly for fun or publishing your work, knowing how to format your limerick’s title keeps your writing looking polished and professional.

Normal Capitalization Rules Apply to Limerick Titles

• Standard Title Case is the Norm
  Most limerick titles follow the same capitalization rules as titles of any other poem or literary work. Major words get capitalized, while small connecting words (like and, of, the) stay lowercase—unless they’re the first or last word in the title.

Examples:

• The Man from Peru
• A Limerick About My Cat

All Caps or Sentence Case?
You can certainly choose a different style, like ALL CAPS or sentence case, for artistic or comedic effect. That’s purely stylistic—there’s no special rule unique to limericks demanding one capitalization style over another.

Pro Recommendation: If you’re giving your limerick a title, treat it like you would any poem or short work: stick with standard title case unless you’re intentionally going for a different look.

Pro Tip: For a quick way to check how to capitalize your title, visit Capitalizemytitle.com, click on the “Chicago” tab, and type in your title. It takes the guesswork out of knowing what to capitalize for different style guides.

​I use the Chicago Manual of Style for most of my writing.

Writing limericks is all about rhythm, rhyme, and a touch of humor—but don’t forget punctuation plays an important role, too. While limericks don’t follow any special punctuation rules unique to the form, knowing how (and when) to use commas, periods, and other marks can make your verses clearer, funnier, and easier to read. 

Standard Grammar Applies

• Commas, periods, question marks, exclamation points, and other punctuation marks help the reader navigate the meaning and rhythm.
  
• Capitalization usually follows normal sentence rules. However, many poetschoose to capitalize the first letter of each line, whether it begins a new sentence or not — that’s purely stylistic.
  
  

Flexibility for Rhythm and Rhyme

• Poets sometimes bend punctuation to preserve flow, comedic timing, or rhyme. For example, they might skip commas or use enjambment (running one line into the next without punctuation).
  
  

End Punctuation Matters

• Many limericks end with a period, exclamation mark, or question mark, depending on the punchline. Since the final line often delivers the twist or humor, punctuation helps emphasize the effect. 
  
  

Optional Internal Punctuation

• Commas, dashes, parentheses, or ellipses can be added for comedic effect or to create pauses that match the limerick’s bouncy rhythm.

 
Example Showing Typical Limerick Punctuation:
​
There once was a man from Peru,
Who dreamt he was eating his shoe.
He awoke with a fright--
In the midst of the night--
To discover his dream had come true!