Term
| abbreviations and acronyms |
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Definition
abbrev. = identifies the abbreviated form of a term in the AP style book.
Avoid alphabet soup. Only use abbreviations and acronyms that the reader would instantly recognize.
An acronym is a word formed from the first letter or letters of a series of words: LASER (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation).
GENERAL PRINCIPLES:
Abbreviate titles when used before a full name (Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Mr., Mrs., Rep., the Rev., Sen., etc)
Abbreviate junior or senior after an individual's name. Abbreviate company, corporation, incorporated, and limited when used after the name of a corporate entity.
Use abbreviations a.D., B.C., a.m., p.m., No., and abbreviate certain months when used with the day of the month (Right: In 450 B.C.; at 9:30 a.m.; in room No. 6; on Sept. 16. Wrong: Early this a.m. he asked for the No. of your room).
Abbreviate avenue, boulevard and street in numbered addresses (He lives on Pennsylvania Avenue; He lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.).
The names of certain states and the United States are abbreviated with periods in some circumstances.
Some organizations and government agencies are widely recognized by their initials: CIA, FBI, GOP (If the entry for such an organization notes that an abbreviation is acceptable in all references or on second reference, that does not mean that its use should be automatic Let the context determine whether you should use Federal Bureau of Investigation or FBI.).
Do not follow an organization's full name with an abbreviation or acronym in parentheses or set off by dashes. If an abbreviation or acronym would not be clear on second references without this arrangement, do not use it.
Many abbreviations are desirable in tabulations and certain types of technical writing.
Use capital letters and periods according to the listings in this book. For words not in this book, use the first listed abbreviation in Webster's New World College Dictionary. Generally, omit periods in acronyms unless the result would spell an unrelated word. But use periods in two-letter abbreviations: U.S., U.N. (AP, GI and EU are exceptions.) Use all caps, but no periods , in longer abbreviations and acronyms when the individual letters are pronounced: ABC, CIA, FBI. Use only an initial cap and then lowercase for acronyms of more than six letters, unless listed otherwise in this stylebook or the afore mentioned dictionary. |
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Term
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Definition
if mention of degrees is necessary to establish someone's credentials, the preferred form is to avoid an abbreviation and use instead a phrase such as: John Jones, who has a doctorate in psychology.
Use an apostrophe in bachelor's degree, a master's, etc., but there is no possessive in Bachelor of Arts or Master of Science.
Also: an associate degree
Use such abbreviations as B.A., M.A., LL.D., and Ph.D. only when the need to identify many individuals by degree on first reference would make the preferred method cumbersome. Use these abbreviations only after a full name - never after just a last name.
When used after a name, an academic abbreviation is set of by commas: John Snow, Ph.D., spoke.
Do not precede a name with a courtesy title for an academic degree and follow it with the abbreviation for the degree in the same reference: WRONG: Dr. Pam Jones, Ph.D RIGHT: Dr. Pam Jones, a chemist. |
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Term
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Definition
Accept means to receive.
Except means to exclude. |
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Term
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Definition
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Definition
Use the abbreviations Ave., Blvd., St., only when the numbered address is present. Spell them out and capitalize when part of a formal street name without number. Lowercase and spell out when used alone or with more than one street name (Massachusetts and Pennsylvania avenues).
All similar words (alley, drive, road, terrace, etc.) always are spelled out. Capitalize them when part of a formal name without a number; lowercase when used alone or with two or more names
Always use figures for an address number (9 Morningside Circle).
Spell out and capitalize First through Ninth when used as street names; use figures with two letters for 10th and above.
Abbreviate compass points to indicate directional ends of a street or quadrants of a city in a numbered address (222 E. 42nd St.). DO NOT abbreviate when the number is not present (East 42nd Street).
Use periods in the abbreviation P.O. for P.O. Box numbers. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Affect, as a verb, means to influence: The game will affect the standings.
Affect, as a noun, is best avoided. It occasionally is used in psychology to describe an emotion, but there is no need for it in everyday language.
Effect, as a verb, means to cause: He will effect many changes in the company.
Effect, as a noun, means result: The effect was overwhelming. He miscalculated the effect of his actions. It was a law of little effect. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Always use figures for people and animals (but not for inanimates): The girl is 15 years old; the law is eight years old. When the context does not require years or years old, the figure is presumed to be years.
Use hyphens for ages expresses as adjectives before a noun or substitutes for a noun.
EX: A 5-year-old boy, but the boy is 5 years old. The boy, 7, has a sister, 10. |
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Term
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Definition
Aid is assistance.
An aide is a person who serves as an assistant. |
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Term
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Definition
The word must be used with great care.
Some guidlines:
- Avoid any suggestion that the writer is making an allegation.
- Specify the source of an allegation. In a criminal case, it should be an arrest record, an indictment or the statement of a public official connected with the case.
- Use "alleged bribe" or similar phrase when necessary to make it clear that an unproved action is not being treated as fact. Be sure that the source of the charge is specified elsewhere in the story.
- Avoid redundant uses of alleged. It is proper to say: The district attorney allged taht she took a bribe. Or: The district attorney accused her of taking a bribe. But NOT: The district attorney accused her of allegedly taking a bribe.
- Do not use alleged to describe an even that is known to have occurred, when the dispute is over who participated in it. Do NOT say: "He attended the alleged meeting" when what you mean is: "He allegedly attended the meeting."
- Do not us alleged as a routine qualifier. Instead us a word such as apparent, ostensible or reputed. |
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Term
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Definition
| (adv.) Never alright. Hyphenate only if used colloquially as a compound modifier: He is an all-right guy. |
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Term
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Definition
To alter is to change.
An altar is a tablelike platform used in a religious service. |
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Term
| alumnus, alumni, alumna, alumnae |
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Definition
Use alumnus (alumni in the plural) when referring to a man who has attended a school.
Use almna (alumnae in plural) when referring to a woman who has attended school.
Use alumni when referring to a group of men and women. |
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Term
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Definition
| Lowercase, with periods. Avoid the redundant "10 a.m. this morning." |
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Term
| amendments to the Constitution |
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Definition
Use First Amendment, 10th Amendment, etc.
Colloquial references to the Fifth Amendment's protection against self-incrimination are best avoided, but where appropriate: He took the Fifth seven times. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
The maxim that between introduces two items and among introduces more than two covers most questions about how to use these two words: The funds were divided among Ford, Carter and McCarthy.
However, between is the correct word when expressing the relationships of three or more items considered one pair at a time: Negotiations on a debate format are under way between the network and the Ford, Carter and McCarthy committees.
As with all prepositions, any pronouns that follow these words must be in the objective case: among us, between him and her, between you and me. |
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Term
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Definition
| To avoid any suggestion that someone is being judged before a trial, do not use a phrase such as "arrested for killing." Instead , use "arrested on a charge of killing." |
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Term
| average, mean, median, norm |
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Definition
Average refers to the result obtained by dividing a sum by the number of quantities added together.
Mean, in its sense used in arithmetic and statistics, is an average and is determined by adding the series of numbers and dividing the sum by the number of cases.
Median is the middle number of points in a series arranged in order of size.
Norm implies a standard of average performance for a given group. |
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Term
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Definition
| Bad should not be used as an adverb. It does not lose its status as an adjective, however, in a sentence such as "I feel bad." Such a statement is the idiomatic equivalent of "I am in bad health." An alternative, "I feel badly", could be interpreted as meaning that your sense of touch was bad. |
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Term
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Definition
Beside means at the side of.
Besides means in addition to. |
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Term
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Definition
bus, buses: Transportation vehicles. The verb forms: bus, bused, busing.
buss, busses: Kisses. The verb forms: buss, bussed, bussing. |
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Term
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Definition
Capitalize references to a specific body of advisers heading executive departments for a president, king, governor, etc.
The capital letter distinguishes the word from the common noun meaning cupboard, which is lowercase. |
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Term
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Definition
capital: The city where a seat of government is located. Do not capitalize.
When used in a financial sense, capital describes money, equipment or property used in a business by a person or corporation.
Capitol: Capitalize U.S. Capitol and the Capitol when referring to the building in Washington.
Follow the same practice when referring to state capitols. |
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Term
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Definition
In general, avoid unnecessary capitals. Use a capital letter only if you can justify it by one of the principles listed here.
Many words and phrases, including special cases, are listed separately in this book. Entries that are capitalized without further comment should be capitalized in all uses.
If there is no relevant listing in this book for a particular word or phrase, consult Webster's New World College Dictionary. Use lowercase if the dictionary lists it as an acceptable form for the sense in which the word is being used.
As used in this book, capitalize means to use uppercase for the first letter of a word. If additional capital letters are needed, they are called for by an example or a phrase such as use all caps.
SOME BASIC PRINCIPLES:
Capitalize nouns that constitute the unique identification for a specific person, place or thing. Some words are always proper nouns, some common nouns receive proper noun status when they are used as the name of a particular entity.
Capitalize common nouns such as party, river, street and west when they are an integral part of the full name for a person, place or thing. Lowercase these common nouns when they stand alone in the subsequent references. Lowercase the common noun elements of names in all plural uses (the Democratic and Republican parties).
Some places and events lack officially designated proper names but have popular names that are the effective equivalent: the Combat Zone ( a section of downtown Boston). The principle applies also to shortened versions of the proper names of one-of-a-kind events: the Series (for the World Series). This practice should not, however, be interpreted as a license to ignore the general practice of lowercasing the common noun elements of a name when they stand alone.
Capitalize words that are derived from a proper noun and still depend on it for their meaning: American, Christian, Marxism. Lowercase words that are derived from a proper noun but no longer depend on it for their meaning: french fries, quixotic.
Capitalize the first word in a statement that stands as a sentence. In poetry, capital letters are used for the first words of some phrases that would not be capitalized in prose.
Capitalize the principal words in the names of books, movies, plays, poems, operas, songs, radio, and television programs, works of art, etc.
Capitalize formal titles when used immediately before a name. Lowercase formal titles when used alone or in constructions that set them off from a name by commas. Use lower case at all times for terms that are job descriptions rather than formal titles.
Capital letters apply in some abbreviation cases. |
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Term
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Definition
Lowercase, spelling out numbers lass than 10: the first century, the 20th century.
For proper names, follow the organization's practice: 20th Century Fox, Twentieth Century Fund. |
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Term
| citizen, resident, subject, national, native |
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Definition
A citizen is a person who has acquired the full civil rights of a nation either by birth or naturalization. Cities and states in the United States do not confer citizenship. To avoid confusion, use resident, not citizen, in referring to inhabitants of states and cities.
Citizen is also acceptable for those in the United Kingdom, or other monarchies where the term subject is often used.
National is applied to a person residing away from the nation of which he or she is a citizen, or to a person under the protection of a specified nation,
Native is the term denoting that an individual was born in a given location. |
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Term
| City Hall, City Council, Legislature |
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Definition
CITY HALL: Capitalize with the name of a city, or without the name of a city if the reference is specific. Lowercase plural uses.
Lowercase generic uses, including: You can't fight city hall.
CITY COUNCIL: Capitalize when part of a proper name: the Boston City Council.
Retain capitalization if the reference is to a specific council but the context does not require the city name: BOSTON (AP) - The City Council...
Lowercase in other uses: the council, the Boston and New York city councils, a city council.
Use the proper name if the body is not known as a city council: The Miami City Commission.
Use city council in a generic sense for plural references.
LEGISLATURE: Capitalize when preceded by the name of a state.
Retain capitalization when the state name is dropped but the reference is specifically to that state's legislature.
Capitalize legislature in subsequent specific references and in such constructions as: the 100th Legislature, the state Legislature.
Although the word legislature is not part of the formal, proper name for the lawmaking bodies in many states, it commonly is used that way and should be treated as such in any story that does not use the formal name.
If a given context or local practice calls for the use of a formal name such as Missouri General Assembly, retain the capital letters if the name of the state can be dropped, but lowercase the word assembly if it stands alone. Lowercase legislature if a story uses it in a subsequent reference to a body identified as a general assembly.
Lowercase legislature when used generically.
Use legislature in lowercase for all plural references.
In 49 states the bodies are a senate and a house or assembly. the Nebraska Legislature is a unicameral body. |
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Term
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Definition
| Two objects must be in motion before they can collide. An automobile cannot collide with a utility pole, for example. |
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Term
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Definition
The most frequent use of a colon is at the end of a sentence to introduce lists, tabulations, texts, etc.
Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence.
EMPHASIS: The colon often can be effective in giving emphasis.
LISTINGS: Use the colon in such listings as time elapsed, time of day, biblical and legal citations.
DIALOGUE: Use a colon for dialogue. Like a script.
Q AND A: the colon is used for question-and-answer interviews.
INTRODUCING QUOTATIONS: Use a comma to introduce a direct quotation of one sentence taht remains within a paragraph. Use a colon to introduce long quotations within a paragraph and to end all paragraphs taht introduce a paragraph of quoted material.
PLACEMENT WITH QUOTATIONS MARKS: Colons go outside quotation marks unless they are part of the quotation itself.
MISC: Do not combine a dash and a colon. |
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Term
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Definition
| Use commas to separate elements in a series, bt do not put a comma before the conjunction in a simple series: The flag is red, white and blue. He would nominate Tom, Dick or Harry. |
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Term
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Definition
Complement is a noun and a verb denoting completeness or the process of supplementing something: The ship has a complement of 200 sailors and 20 officers.
Compliment is a noun or a verb that denotes praise or the expression of courtesy: The captain complimented the sailors. She was flattered by the compliments on her outfit. |
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Term
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Definition
Compose means to create or put together. It commonly is used in both the active and passive voices: She composed a song. The United States is composed of 50 states.
Comprise means to contain, to include all or embrace. It is best used only in the active voice, followed by a direct object: The United States comprises 50 states. The jury comprises five men and seven women. |
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Term
| composition titles (magazine, newspaper, etc.) |
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Definition
Apply the guidelines listed here to book titles, computer game titles, movie titles, opera titles, play titles, poem titles, album and song titles, radio and television programs titles, and the titles of lectures, speeches and works of art.
The guidlines, followed by a block of examples:
-Capitalize the principal words, including prepostions and conjunctions of four or more letters.
-Capitalize an article or words of fewer than four letters if it is the first or last word in a title.
-Put quotation marks around the names of all such works except the Bible and books tat are primarily catalogs of reference material. In addition to catalogs, this category includes almanacs, directories, dictionaries, encyclopedias, gazetteers, handbooks, and similar publications. Do not use quotation marks around such software titles as WordPerfect or Windows.
-Translate a foreign title into English unless a work is known to the American public by its foreign name. |
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Term
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Definition
Refer to both men and women by first and last name. Use the courtesy titles of Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms.only in direct quotations or in other special situations:
-When it is necessary to distingquish between two people who use the same last name, as in married couples or borthers and sisters, use the first and last name.
-When a woman specifically requests it; for example, where a woman prefers to be known as Mrs. Susan Smith or Ms. Susan Smith.
In cases where a person's gender is not clear from the first name or from the story's context, indicate the gender by using he or she in subsequent reference. |
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Term
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Definition
crisis = singular
crises = plural |
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Term
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Definition
criterion = singular
criteria = plural |
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Term
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Definition
Not SAVINGS. No hyphen.
When linking the term wit the name of a time zone, use only the word daylight: Eastern Daylight Time.
Lowercase daylight saving time in all uses and daylight time whenever it stands alone.
A federal law specifies that, starting in 2007, daylight time applies from 2 a.m. on the second Sunday of March until 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November in areas that do not specifically exempt themselves. |
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Term
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Definition
| Use Arabic figures to indicate decades of history. Use an apostrophe to indicate numerals that are left out; show the plural by adding the letter s: the 1890s, the '90s. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Both mean to do away with something completely. Something cannot be partially demolished or destroyed. It is redundant to say totally demolished or totally destroyed. |
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Term
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Definition
In general, lowercase north, south, northeaster, northwestern, etc., when they indicate compass direction; capitalize these words when they designate regions.
COMPASS DIRECTIONS: He drove west. The cold front is moving east.
REGIONS: A storm system that developed in the Midwest is spreading eastward. It will bring showers to the East Coast by morning and to the entire Northeast by late in the day.
WITH NAMES OF NATIONS: Lowercase unless they are part of a proper name or are used to designate a politically divided nation: norther France, eastern Canada. But: Northern Ireland, South Korea.
WITH STATES AND CITIES: The preferred form is to lowercase compass points only when they describe a section of a state or city: western Texas (not West Texas). BUT CAPITALIZE COMPASS POINTS:
-When part of a proper name.
-When used in denoting widely known sections. If in doubt, use lowercase.
IN FORMING PROPER NAMES: When combining with another common noun to form the name for a region or location. |
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Term
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Definition
| If a person suffocates in water or other fluid, the roper statement is that the individual drowned. To ay that someone was drowned implies that another person caused the death by holding the victim's head under water. |
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Term
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Definition
Two people look at each other.
More than two look at one another.
Either phrase may be used when the number is indefinite: We help each other. We help one another. |
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Term
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Definition
each: takes a singular verb.
either: Use it to mean one or the other, not both. |
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Term
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Definition
| Generally lowercase; capitalize when used as the proper name of the planet. |
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Term
| either, either...or, neither...nor |
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Definition
either: use it to mean one or the other, not both.
either...or, neither...nor: The nouns that follow these words do not constitute a compound subject; they are alternate subjects and require a verb hat agrees with the nearer subject: Neither they nor he is going. Neither he nor they are going. |
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Term
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Definition
| Short form of electronic mail. Many e-mail or Internet addresses use symbols such as the at symbol (@), or the tilde (~) that cannot be transmitted correctly in some member computing systems. When needed, spell them out and provide an explanatory editor's note. |
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Term
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Definition
Use ensure to mean guarantee: Steps were taken to ensure accuracy.
Use insure for reference to insurance: The policy insures his life. |
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Term
| essential clauses, nonessential clauses |
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Definition
These terms are used in this book instead of restrictive clause and nonrestrictive clause to conveythe distinction between the two in a more easily rememberd manner.
Both types of clauses provide additional information about a word or phrase in the sentence.
The difference between them is that the essential clause cannot be eliminated without changing the meaning of the sentence - it so restricts the meaning of the word or phrase that its absence would lead to a substantially different interpretation of what the author meant.
The nonessential clause, however, can be eliminated without altering the basic meaning of the sentence - it does not restrict the meaning so significantly that its absence would radically alter the author's thought.
PUNCTUATION: An essential clause must not be set off from the rest of a sentence by commas. A nonessential clause must be set off by commas. the presence or absence of commas provides the reader with critical information about the writer's intended meaning.
USE WHO, WHOM, THAT, WHICH.
That: is te preferred pronoun to introduce essential clauses that refer to an inanimate object or an animal without a name.
Which is the only acceptable pronoun to introduce a nonessential clause that refers to an inanimate object or an animal without a name.
The pronoun which occasionally may be substituted for that in the introduction of an essential clause that refers to an inanimate object or an animal without a name. In general, this use of which should appear only when that is used as a conjunction to introduce another clause in the same sentence. |
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Term
| essential phrases, nonessential phrases |
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Definition
These terms are used in this book instead of restrictive phrase and nonrestrictive phrase to convey the distinction between the two in a more easily remembered manner.
The underlying concept is the one that also applies to clauses:
An essential phrase is a word or group of words critical to the reader's nderstanding of what the author had in mind.
A nonessential phrase provides more information about something. Although the information may be helpful to the reader's comprehension, the reader would not be misled if the information were not there.
PUNCTUATION: Do not set an essential phrase off from the rest of the sentence by commas. Set off nonessential phrases by commas.
DESCRIPTIVE WORDS: Do not confuse punctuation rules for nonessential clauses wit the correct punctuation when a nonessential word is used as a descriptive adjective. The distinguishing clue often is the lack of an article or pronoun. |
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Term
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Definition
Farther refers to physical distance: He walked farther into the woods.
Further refers to an extension of time or degree: She will look further into the mystery. |
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Term
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Definition
| Use the Rev. in first reference before the names of Episcopal, Orthodox and Roman Catholic priests. Use Father before a name only in direct quotations. |
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Term
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Definition
Faze means to embarrass or disturb.
Phase denotes an aspect or stage. |
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Term
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Definition
Use a capital letter for the architectural style and for corporate or governmental bodies that use the word as part of their formal names: the Federal Trade Commission.
Lowercase when used as an adjective to distinguish something from state, county, city, town or private entities: federal assistance. |
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Term
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Definition
| A felony is a serious crime. A misdemeanor is a minor offense against the law. |
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Term
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Definition
| In general, use fewer for individual items, less for bulk or quantity. |
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Term
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Definition
fiance = man
fiancee = woman |
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Term
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Definition
Figuratively means in an analogous sense, but not in the exact sense.
Literally means in an exact sense; do not use it figuratively. |
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Term
| firefighter, police officer (gender-neutral titles) |
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Definition
firefighter: the preferred term to describe aperson who fights fire is firefighter.
One meaning of a fireman is a person who tends fires in a furnace. Fireman is also an acceptable synonym for firefighter. |
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Term
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Definition
| Not a formal title. Do not capitalize, even when used before the name of a chief of state's wife. |
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Term
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Definition
To flail is to swing the arms widely.
To flay is, literally, to strip off the skin by whipping. Figuratively, to flay means to tongue-lash a person. |
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Term
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Definition
Flair is conspicuous talent.
Flare is a verb meaning to blaze with sudden, bright light or to burst out in anger. It is also a noun meaning a flame. |
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Term
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Definition
To flaunt is to make an ostentatious or defiant display: she flaunted her intelligence.
To flout is to show contempt for: He flouts the law. |
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Term
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Definition
| Flier is the preferred term for an aviator or a handbill. Flyer is the proper name of some trains and buses: The Western Flyer. |
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Term
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Definition
A flounder is a fish; to flounder is to move clumsily or jerkily, to flop about.
To founder is to bog down, become disabled or sink. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Also Independence Day. The federal legal holiday is observed on Friday if July 4 falls on a Saturday, on Monday if it falls on a Sunday. |
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Term
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Definition
On ships and at naval sations ashore, flags are flown at half-mast.
Elsewhere ashore, flags are flown at half-staff. |
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Term
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Definition
One hangs a picture, a criminal, or oneself.
For past tense or the passive, use hanged when referring to executions or suicides, hung for other actions. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Do not presume maleness in constructing a sentence, but use the pronoun his when an indefinite antecedent may be male or female: A reporter attempts to protect his sources. (Not his or her sources, but not that the use of the word reporter rather than newsman.)
Frequently, however, the best choice is a slight revision of the sentence: Reporters attempt to protect their sources. |
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Term
| homicide, murder, manslaughter |
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Definition
Homicide is a legal term for slaying or killing.
Murder is malicious, premeditated homicide. Some states define certain homicides as murder if the killing occurs in the course of armed robbery, rape, etc.
Manslaughter is homicide without malice or premeditation.
A person should not be described as a murderer until convicted of the charge.
Unless authorities sa premeditation was obvious, do not say that a victim was murdered until someone has been convicted in court. Instead say that a victim was killed or slain. |
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Term
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Definition
| It means in a hopeful manner. Do not use it to mean it is hoped, let us or we hope. |
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Term
| husband, widower; wife, widow |
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Definition
husband with dead wife = widower
wife with dead husband = widow |
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Term
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Definition
One who comes into a country immigrates.
One who leaves a country emigrates from it.
The same principal holds for emigrant and immigrant. |
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Term
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Definition
Writers or speakers imply in the words they use.
A listener or reader infers something from the words. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Despite means the same thing and is shorter. |
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Term
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Definition
A decentralized, worldwide ntework of computers that can communicate with each other. In later references, the Net is acceptable.
Be acutely aware of the potential dangers of using information from Internet and e-mail sources. Be sure of the authenticity and correctness before using the information. All such electronic information -- from computer disk data to e-mail to material posted on the Internet -- falls into the "tangible form" category that is subject to copyright protection as well as libel guidelines.
Use care, too, in copying online jargon and abbreviated forms, unless they are generally understood.
Internet addresses include e-mail addresses and Web site designations. Follow the spelling and capitalization of the Web site owner. If an Internet address falls at the end of a sentence, use a period. (If an address breaks between lines, split it directly after a slash or a dot that is part of the address, without an inserted hyphen.) Use http:// protocol at the start of a Web address, as well as other starts, such as ftp://.
When a story mentions a specific Web site or Web service, include the Internet address, the URL, within the text. This is essential information for the reader. Add Internet addresses to the end of a story when they provide additional information, but aren't specifically referred to in a story. |
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Term
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Definition
| Type face cannot be sent through AP computers. (It is used in this book only to indicate style examples and in using a word as a word) |
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Term
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Definition
It's is a contraction for it is or it has: It's up to you. It's been a long time.
Its is the possessive form of the neuter pronoun: The company lost its assets. |
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Term
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Definition
Avoid the use of last as a synonym for latest if it might imply finality.
The word last is not necessary to convey the notion of most recent when the name of a month or day is used:
Preferred: It happened Wednesday. It happened April. Correct, but redundant: It happened last Wednesday.
But: It happened last week, It happened last month. |
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Term
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Definition
The action word is lay. It takes a direct object. Laid is the form for its past tense and past participle. Its present participle is laying.
Lie indicates a state of reclining along a horizontal plane. It does not take a direct object. Its past tense is lay, its past participle is lain. It's present participle is lying.
When lie means to make an untrue statement, the verb forms are lie, lied, lying. |
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Term
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Definition
FIRST REFERENCE FORM: Use Rep., Reps., Sen. and Sens. as formal titles before one or more names. Spell out and lowercase representative and senator in other uses.
Spell out other legislative titles in all uses. Capitalize formal titles such as assemblyman, city councilor, delegate, etc., when they are used before a name. Lowercase in other uses.
Add U.S. or state before a title only if necessary to avoid confusion.
FIRST REFERENCE PRACTICE: The use of a title such as Rep. or Sen. in first reference is normal in most stories. It is not mandatory, however, provided an individual's title is given later in the story.
Deletion of the title on first reference is frequently appropriate, for example, when an individual has become well known: Barry Goldwater endorsed President Ford today.
SECOND REFERENCE: Do not use legislative titles before a name on second reference unless they are part of a direct quotation.
CONGRESSMAN, CONGRESSWOMAN: Rep. and U.S. Rep. are the preferred first-reference forms when a formal title is used before the name of a U.S. House member. The words congressman or congresswoman, in lowercase, may be used in subsequent references that do not use an individual's name, just as senator is used in references to members of the Senate. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Use like as a preposition to compare nouns and pronouns. It requires and object.
The conjunction as is the correct word to introduce clauses. |
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Term
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Definition
| (n.) But use as two words in verb form: I log in to my computer. |
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Term
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Definition
| Capitalize the initial letters of the name but do not place it in quotes. Lowercase magazine unless it is part of the publication's formal title. Check the masthead if in doubt. |
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Term
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Definition
Majority means more than half of an amount.
Plurality means more than the next highest number.
COMPUTING MAJORITY: To describe who large a majority is, take the figure that is more than half and subtract everything else from it: If 100,000 votes were cast in an election and one candidate received 60,000 and the other received 40,000, the winner would have a majority of 20,000.
COMPUTING PLURALITY: To describe how large a plurality is, take the highest number and subtract from it the next highest number: If, in the election example above, the second=place finisher had 25,000 votes, the winner's plurality would be 35,000.
Suppose however, that no candidate in this example had a majority. If the first-place finisher had 40,000 and the second-place finisher had 30,000, the leader's plurality would be 10,000.
USAGE: When majority and plurality are used alone, they take singular verbs and pronouns: The majority has made its decision.
If a plural word follows an of construction, the decision on whether to sue a singular or plural verb depends on the sense o the sentence: A majority of two votes is not adequate to control the committee. The majority of the houses on the block were destroyed. |
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Term
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Definition
Marshal is the spelling for both the verb and the noun: Marilyn will marshal her forces. Erwin Rommel was a field marshal.
Marshall is used in proper names: George C. Marshall, the Marshall Islands. |
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Term
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Definition
In the sense of mass communication, such as magazines, newspapers, the news services, radio and television, the word is plural: The news media are resisting attempts to limit their freedom.
Medium is singular. |
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Term
| miles per hour, miles per gallon |
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Definition
The abbreviation mph (no periods) is acceptable in all references.
The abbreviation mpg is acceptable on second reference. |
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Term
| military units (Army, Air Force, Navy, etc.) |
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Definition
Use Arabic figures and capitalize the key words when linked with the figures: 1st Infantry Division (or the 1st Division)
But: the division, the battalion, the artillery, the fleet. |
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Term
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Definition
Use figures with million or billian in all except casual uses: I'd like to make a billion dollars But The nation has 1 million citizens.
Do not go beyond two decimal places. 1.51 million people. Decimals are preferred where practical: 1.5 million, not 1 1/2 million.
Do not mix millions and billions in the same figure: 2.6 billion, not 2 billion 600 million.
Do not drop the word million or billion in the first figure of a range: He is worth $2 million up to $4 million.
Note that a hyphen is not used to join the figures and the word million or billion, even in this type of phrase: The president submitted a $300 billion budget. |
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Term
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Definition
Capitalize the names of months in all uses. When a month is used with a specific date, abbreviate only Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec. Spell out when using alone or with a year alone.
When a phrase lists only a month and a year, do not separate the year with commas. When a phrase refers to a month, day and a year, set of the year with commas. |
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Term
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Definition
The preferred term to describe adherents of Islam.
A Black Muslim is a member of a predominantly black Islamic sect in the United States. However, the term is considered derogatory by members of the sect ,who call themselves Muslims. |
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Term
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Definition
In general, use last names only on second reference.
When it is necessary to distinguish between two people who use the same last name, as in married couples or borthers and sisters, use the first and last name.
In stories involving youngsters, generally refer to them by first name on second reference if they are 15 or younger, by surname at 18 and older.
However, use news judgement and refer to children under 15 by their last name if the story is a serious one involving, for example, a major crime. With 16- or 17-year-olds, use the surname unless it's a lighthearted story. |
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Term
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Definition
Capitalize the proper names of nationalities, peoples, races, tribes, etc.: Arab, Arabic, African-American.
Lowercase black (noun or adjective), white, red, mulatto, etc.
See race for guidelines on when racial identification is pertinent in a story.
Use derogatory terms only in direct quotes when essential to the story and flag the contents in an editor's note. |
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Term
| National Organization for Women |
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Definition
Not OF. NOW is acceptable on second refernece.
HQ in Washington. |
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Term
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Definition
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. NAACP is acceptable on first reference to avoid a cumbersome lead, but provide the full name in the body of the story.
HQ in Baltimore. |
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Term
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Definition
Use naval in copy pertaining to a navy.
A navel is a bellybutton.
A navel orange is a seedless orange, so named because it has a small depression, like a navel. |
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Term
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Definition
A nickname should be used in place of a person's given name in news stories only when it is the way the individual prefers to be known: Jimmy Carter.
When a nickname is inserted into the identification of an individual, use quotation marks: Sen. Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson. |
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Term
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Definition
Use as the abbreviation for number in conjunction with a figure to indicate position or rank: No. 1 man.
Do not use in street addresses, with this exception: No. 10 Downing St., the residence of Britain's prime minister.
Do not use in the names of schools: Public School 19. |
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Term
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Definition
The five established under terms of the will of Alfred Nobel are: Nobel Peace Prize, Nobel Prize in chemistry, Nobel Prize in literature, Nobel Prize in physics, Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. (Note the capitalization styles)
The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences (officially it is the cumbersome Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel) is not a Nobel Prize in the same sense. The Central Bank of Sweden established it in 1968 as a memorial to Alfred Nobel. References to this prize should include the word Memorial to help make this distinction. Explain the status of the prize in the story when appropriate.
Nobel Prize award ceremonies are held on Dec. 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death in 1896. The award ceremony for peace is in Oslo and the other ceremonies are in Stockholm.
Capitalize prize in references that do not mention the category: "He is a Nobel Prize winner. She is a Nobel Prize-winning scientist."
Lowercase prize when not linked with the word Nobel: "The peace prize was awarded Monday." |
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Term
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Definition
A numeral is a figure, letter, word or group of words expressing a number.
Roman numerals use the letters I, V, X, L, C, D and M. Use Roman numerals for wars and to show personal sequence for animals and people: "World War II, Native Dancer II, King George VI, Pope John XXIII."
Arabic numerals us the figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0. Use Arabic forms unless Roman numerals are specifically required. See ARABIC NUMERALS.
The figures 1, 2, 10, 101, etc. and the corresponding words are called cardinal numbers. The term ordinal number applies to 1st, 2nd, 10th, 101st, first second, tenth, one hundred first, etc.
Follow these guidelines in using numerals:
SENTENCE START: Spell out a numeral at the beginning of a sentence. If necessary, recast the sentence. There is one exception -- a numeral that identifies a calendar year. Wrong: 993 freshman entered college last year. Right: Last year 993 freshman entered college. Right: 1976 was a very good year.
CASUAL USES: Spell out casual expressions: "A thousand times no! Thanks a million. He walked a quarter of a mile."
PROPER NAMES: Use words or numerals according to an organization's practice: "3M, Twentieth Century Fund, Big Ten."
FRACTIONS: See fractions entry.
DECIMALS: See decimal units entry.
FIGURES OR WORDS?
For ordinals: Spell out first through ninth when they indicate sequence in time or location: "first base." Starting with 10th use figures.
--Use 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. when the sequence has been assigned forming names. The principal examples are geographic, military and political designations such as "1st Ward, 7th Fleet, 1st Sgt."
--For cardinal numbers, consult separate entries.
SOME PUNCTUATION AND USAGE EXAMPLES: --Act 1, Scene 2 --a 5-year-old girl --DC-10 but 747B -- a 5-4 court decision
OTHER USES: For uses not covered by these listings: Spell out whole numbers below 10, use figures for 10 and above.
IN A SERIES: Apply the appropriate guidelines. |
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Term
| occur, occurred, occurring, occurrence |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| The of is unnecessary: He fell off the bed. Not: He fell off of the bed. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Do not use on before a dat or day of the week when its absence would not lead to confusion, except at the beginning of a sentence.
Use on to avoid an awkward juxtaposition of a date and a proper name.
Use on also to avoid any suggestion that a date is the object of a transitive verb. |
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Term
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Definition
| Capitalize when referring to the Far East nations of Asia and nearby islands. Asian is the preferred term for an inhabitant of these regions. |
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Term
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Definition
It generally refers to spatial relationships: "The plane flew over the city."
More than is preferred with numerals. |
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Term
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Definition
Let relevance be the guide in determining whether to include a political figure's party affiliation in a story.
arty affiliation is pointless in some stories, such as an account of a governor accepting a button from a poster child.
It will occur naturally in many political stories.
For stories between these extremes, include party affiliation if readers need it for understanding or are likely to be curious about what it is.
GENERAL FORMS: When party designation is given, use any of these approaches as logical in constructing a story:
--Democratic Sen. Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota...
--Sen. Hubert Humphrey, D-Minn., ...
--Sen. Hubert Humphrey also spoke. the Minnesota Democrat said ...
--Rep. Morris Udall of arizona is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination -> NOT: Rep. Morris Udall, D-Ariz., is seeking ...
In stories about party meetings, such as a report on the Republican National Convention, no specific reference to party affiliation is necessary unless an individual is not a member of the party in question.
SHORT-FORM PUNCTUATION: Set short forms such as D-Minn. off from a name by commas, as illustrated above.
Use the abbreviations listed in the entries for each state. (No abbreviations for Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah.)
Use R- for Republicans, D- for Democrats, and three-letter combinations for other affiliations.
FORM FOR U.S. HOUSE MEMBERS: The normal practice for U.S. House members is to identify them by party and state. In contexts where state affiliation is clear and home city is relevant, such as a state election roundup, identify representatives by party and city. If this option is used, be consistent throughout the story.
FORM FOR STATE LEGISLATORS: Short-form listings showing party and home city are appropriate in state wire stories. for trunk wire stories, the normal practice is to say that the individual is a Republican or Democrat. Use a short-form listing only if the legislator's home city is relevant.
See LEGISLATIVE TITLES. |
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Term
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Definition
Use person when speaking of an individual.
the word people is referred to persons in all plural uses.
Persons should be used only when it is in a direct quote or part of a title as in Bureau of Missing Persons.
People is also a collective noun that takes a plural verb when used to a refer to a single race or nation: The American people are united. In this case, the plural is peoples: The peoples of Africa speak many languages. |
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Term
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Definition
One word. It takes a singular verb when standing alone or when a singular word follows an of construction: The teacher said 60 percent was a failing grade.
It takes a plural verb when a plural word follows an of construction: He said 50 percent of the members were there.
Use figures: 1 percent, 2.5 percent (use decimals, not fractions), 10 percent.
For amounts less than 1 percent, precede the decimal with a zero: The cost of living rose 0.6 percent. |
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Term
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Definition
| Do not use the colloquial past tense form, pled. |
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Term
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Definition
Follow these guidelines in forming an using plural words:
MOST WORDS: Add s.
WORDS ENDING IN CH, S, SH, SS, X AND Z: Add es.
WORDS ENDING IN IS: Change is to es.
WORDS ENDING IN Y: If y is preceded by a consonant, or qu, change y to i and add es. Otherwise, add s.
WORDS ENDING IN O: If o is preceded by a consonant, most plurals require es. But there are exceptions: pianos. See individual entries in the book for many of the exceptions.
WORDS ENDING IN F: In general, change f to ve and add es. (Roofs is an exception)
LEATIN ENDINGS: Latin-root words ending in us change us to i.
Most ending in a change to ae.
Most ending in um add s. Among those that still use the Latin ending: addenda, curricula, media.
Use the plural that Webster's New World lists as most common for a particular sense of word.
FORM CHANGE: man, men, woman, women. Caution: when s is used with any of these words it indicates possession and must be preceded by an apostrophe.
WORDS THE SAME IN SINGULAR PLURAL: corps, chassis, deer. The sense in a particular sentence is conveyed by the use of a singular or plural verb.
WORDS IN PLURAL FORM SINGULAR IN MEANING: Some take singular verbs. Others take plural verbs.
COMPOUND WORDS: Those written solid add s at the end. For those that involve separate words or words linked by a hyphen, make the most significant word plural.
WORDS AS WORDS: Do not us 's. "His speech had too many 'ifs,' 'ands' and 'buts.'"(Exception to Webster's New World)
PROPER NAMES: Most ending in es or s or z add es. Most ending in y, ad s even if preceded by a consonant. Exceptions include Alleghenies and Rockies.
for others, add s.
FIGURES: Add s. (No apostrophes, and exception to Webster's New World guideline under "apostrophe")
SINGLE LETTERS: Use 's.
MULTIPLE LETTERS: Add s.
PROBLEMS, DOUBTS: Separate entries in this book give plurals for troublesome words and guidance on whether certain words should be used with singular or plural verbs.
For questions not covered by this book, use the plural that Webster's New World lists as most common for a particular sense of a word. Not also the guidelines that the dictionary provides under its "plural" entry. |
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Term
| political parties and philosophies |
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Definition
Capitalize both the name of the party and the word party if it is customarily used as part of the organization's proper name.
Capitalize Communist, Conservative, Democrat, Liberal, Republican, Socialist, etc., when they refer to a specific party or its members. Lowercase these words when they refer to political philosophy.
Lowercase the name of a philosophy in noun and adjective forms unless it is the derivative of a proper name.
See convention and party affiliation, |
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Term
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Definition
The verb pore means to gaze intently or steadily.
The verb pour means to flow in a continuous stream. |
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Term
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Definition
Follow these guidelines:
PLURAL NOUNS NOT ENDING IN S: Add 's.
PLURAL NOUNS ENDING IN S: Add only an apostrophe,
NOUNS PLURAL IN FORM, SINGULAR MIN MEANING: Add only an apostrophe. Apply same principal when a plural word occurs in the formal name of a singular entity,
NOUNS THE SAME IN SINGULAR AND PLURAL: Treat them the same as plurals, even if the meaning is singular.
SINGULAR NOUNS NOT ENDING IN S: Add 's. Some style guides say that singular nouns ending in s sounds such as ce, x, and z may take either the apostrophe alone or 's. It's easier to just do 's for everything not ending in s.
SINGULAR COMMON NOUNS ENDING IN S: Add 's unless the next word begins with s.
SINGULAR PROPER NAMES ENDING IN S: Use only an apostrophe.
SPECIAL EXPRESSIONS: The following exceptions to the general rule for words not ending in s apply to words that end in an s sound and are followed by a word that begins with s.
PRONOUNS: Personal interrogative and relative pronouns have separate forms for the possessive. None involve an apostrophe. Caution: If you are using an apostrophe with a pronoun, always double-check to be sure that the meaning calls for a conraction.
Follow the rules listed above in forming the possessives of other pronouns.
COMPOUND WORDS: Applying the rules above, add an apostrophe or 's to the word closest to the object possessed.
JOINT POSSESSION, INDIVIDUAL POSSESSION: Use a possessive form after only the last word if ownership is joint. Use a possessive form after both words if the objects are individually owned.
DESCRIPTIVE PHRASES: Do not add an apostrophe to a word ending in s when it is used primarily in a descriptive sense. Memory Aid: The apostrophe usually is not used if for or by rather than of would be appropriate in the longer form. An 's is required, however, when a term involves a plural word that does not end in s.
DESCRIPTIVE NAMES: Some governmental corporate and institutional organizations with a descriptive word in their names use an apostrophe; some do not. Follow the user's practice.
QUASI POSSESSIVES: Follow the rules above in composing the possessive form of words that occur in such phrases as "a day's pay, two weeks' vacation."
Frequently, however, a hyphenated form is clearer: a two-week vacation.
DOUBLE POSSESSIVE: Two conditions must apply for a double possessive -- a phrase such as "a friend of John's" -- to occur: 1. The word after of must refer to an animate object, and 2. The word before of must involve only a portion of the animate object's possessions. Otherwise, do not use the possessive form of the word after of.
Memory Aid: This construction occurs most often, and quite naturally, with the possessive forms of personal pronouns: "He is a friend of mine."
INANIMATE OBJECTS: There is no blanket rule against creating a possessive form for an inanimate object, particularly if the object is treated in a personified sense.
In general, however, avoid excessive personalization of inanimate objects, and give preference to an of construction when it fits the makeup of the sentence. |
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Term
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Definition
premiere=a first performance
premier=like premier minister/prime minister |
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Term
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Definition
Capitalize president only as a formal title before one or more names.
Lowercase in all other uses.
FIRST NAMES: In most cases, the first name of a current or former U.S. president is not necessary on first reference, Use first names when necessary to avoid confusion. First names also may be used for literary effect, or in feature or personality contexts.
For presidents of other nations and of organizations and institutions, capitalize president as a formal title before a full name. On second reference, use only the last name. |
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Term
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Definition
Principal is a noun and adjective meaning someone or something first in rank, authority, importance or degree.
Principle is a noun that means a fundamental truth, law, doctrine or motivating force. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
The noun rack applies to various types of framework; the verb rack mans to arrange on a rack, to torture, trouble or torment.
The noun wrack means ruin or destruction, and generally is confined to the phrase "wrack and ruin."
The verb wrack has substantially the same meaning as the verb rack, the latter being preferred. |
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Term
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Definition
To ravage is to wreak great destruction or devastation.
To ravish is to abduct, rape or carry away with emotion.
Although both words connote an element of violence, they are not interchangeable. Buildings and towns cannot be ravished. |
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Term
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Definition
Rebut means to argue to the contrary.
refute connotes success in argument and almost always implies an editorial judgment, Instead, use deny, dispute, rebut or respond to. |
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Term
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Definition
Capitalize their proper names.
Do not use quotation marks around the names of books that are primarily catalogs of reference material. In addition to catalogs, this category includes almanacs, directories, dictionaries, encyclopedias gazetteers, handbooks and similar publications. |
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Term
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Definition
The basic guidelines:
DEITIES: Capitalize the proper names of monotheistic deities.
Lowercase pronouns referring to the deity.
Lowercase gods in referring to the deities of polytheistic religions.
Capitalize the proper names of pagan and mythological gods and goddesses.
Lowercase such as god-awful, goddamn, etc.
LIFE OF CHRIST: Capitalize the names of major events in the life of Jesus Christ in references that do not use his name: "The Last Supper."
But lowercase when the words are used with his name.
Apply the principle also to events in the life of his mother,
RITES: Capitalize proper names for rites that commemorate the Last Supper or signify a belief in Christ's presence.
Lowercase the names of other sacraments. See SACRAMENTS entry.
Capitalize Benediction and the Mass. But: a high Mass, a low Mass.
HOLY DAYS: Capitalize the names of holy days. SEE HOLIDAYS AND HOLY DAYS entry and separate entries for major Christian and Jewish feasts.
OTHER WORDS: Lowercase heaven, hell, devil, angel, cherub, an apostle, a priest, etc
Capitalize Hades and Satan. |
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Term
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Definition
| But Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |
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Term
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Definition
| Lowercase spring, summer, fall, winter and derivatives such as springtime unless part of a formal name. |
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Term
| semiannual, biannual, biennial |
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Definition
Semiannual - twice a year, a synonym for biannual.
Do not confuse with biennial, which means every two years. |
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Term
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Definition
| In general, use the semicolon to indicate a greater separation of thought and information than a comma can convey but less than the separation that a period implies. |
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Term
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Definition
Capitalize the first word of every sentence, including quoted statements and direct questions.
Use a single space between sentences. |
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Term
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Definition
Since is acceptable in a casual sense when the first event in a sequence led logically to the second but was not its direct cause.
Use because to denote a specific cause-effect relationship. |
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Term
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Definition
| Preferred as past tense of sneak. Do not use the colloquial snuck. |
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Term
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Definition
| Use figures. Avoid extensively hyphenated constructions such as "5-mile-per-hour winds." |
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Term
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Definition
Stanch is a verb: "He stanched the flow of blood."
Staunch is an adjective: "She is a staunch supporter of equality." |
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Term
| state abbreviations, Washington, D.C. |
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Definition
Ala. = AL
Ariz. = AZ
Ark. = AR
Calif. = CA
Colo. = CO
Del. = DE
Fla. = FL
Ga. = GA
Ill. = IL
Kan. = KS
Ky. = KY
La. = LA
Md. = MD
Mass. = MA
Mich. = MI
Minn. = MN
Miss. = MS
Mo. = MO
Mont. = MT
Neb. = NE
Nev. = NV
N.H. = NH
N.J. = NJ
N.M. = NM
N.Y. = NY
N.C. = NC
N.D. = ND
Okla. = OK
Ore. = OR
Pa. = PA
R.I. = RI
S.C. = SC
S.D. = SD
Tenn. = TN
Vt. = VT
Va. = VA
Wash. = WA
W. Va. = WV
Wis. = WI
Wyo. = WY
Not listed are Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas Utah and District of Columbia. In datelines (everything, really) these aren't abbreviated. Only use the ZIP abbreviations when in context with a full address. |
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Term
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Definition
To stand still is to be stationary.
Writing paper is stationery. |
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Term
| subpoena, subpoenaed, subpoenaing |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| No hyphen is a change in AP style. Do not use teen-aged. |
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Term
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Definition
Use figures for all except zero. Use a word, not a minuse sign, to indicate temperatures below zero.
See FAHRENHEIT; CELSIUS; and WEATHER TERMS. |
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Term
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Definition
Use that and which in referring to inanimate objects and to animals without a name. Use that for essential clauses, important to the meaning of the sentence, and without commas.
Use which for nonessential clauses, where the pronoun is less necessary and use commas.
TIP: If you can drop the clause and not lose the meaning of the sentence, use which; otherwise, use that. A which clause is surrounded by commas; no commas are used with that clauses. |
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Term
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Definition
Their is a possessive pronoun.
There is an adverb indicating direction.
There also is used with the force of a pronoun for impersonal constructions in which the real subject follows the verb.
They're is a contraction for they are. |
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Term
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Definition
Use the days of the week, not today or tonight in print copy.
Use the month and a figure where appropriate.
Avoid such redundancies as last Tuesday or next Tuesday. the past, present, or future tense used for the verb usually provides adequate indication of which Tuesday is meant.
Avoid awkward placements of the time element, particularly those that suggest the day of the week is the object of a transitive verb. Potential remedies include the use of the word on, rephrasing the sentence, or placing the time element in a different sentence. |
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Term
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Definition
Use figures except for noon and midnight. Use a colon to separate hours from minutes.
Avoid such redundancies as 10 a.m. this morning. Use 10 a.m. or 10 a.m. Monday etc., as required by the norms in the time element.
The construction 4 o'clock is acceptable, but time listings with a.m. or p.m. are preferable. |
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Term
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Definition
In general, confine capitalization to formal titles used directly before an individual's name.
The basic guidelines:
LOWERCASE: Lowercase and spell out titles when they are not used with an individual's name.
Lowercase and spell out titles in constructions that set them off from a name by commas.
COURTESY TITLES: See entry.
PAST AND FUTURE TITLES: A formal title that an individual formerly held, is about to hold or foermerly held, is about to hold or holds temporarily is capitalized if used before the person's name. But do not capitalize the qualifying word.
LONG TITLES: Separate a long title from a name by a construction that requires a comma.
UNIQUE TITLES: If a title applies only to one person in an organization, insert the word the in a construction that uses commas.
ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE: Many commonly used titles and occupational discriptions are listed separately, together with guidelines on whether and/or when they are a capitalized. |
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Term
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Definition
|
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Term
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Definition
A troop, in its singular form, is a group of people, often military, or animals. Troops, in the plural, means several such groups. But when the plural appears with a large number, it is understood to mean individuals.
Use troupe only for ensembles of actors, dancers, singers, etc. |
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Two words in virtually all uses.
One word only when used as an adjective before a noun in a nautical sense. |
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| Abbrev: U.N. (No space). The periods in U.N., for consistency with U.S., are an exception to the first listing in Webster's New World College Dictionary. |
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| Use periods in the abbreviation, U.S. |
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| Web, Web site, Web page, webcast, webmaster |
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Short form of World Wide Web, it is a service, or set of standards, that enables the publishing of multimedia documents on the Internet. The Web is not the same as the Internet, but s a subset; other applications, such as e-mail, exist on the Internet.
It is generally credited as teh concept of researcher Tim Berners-Lee who developed the first practical system in 1989.
Also, Web site, and Web page.
But webcam, webcast, webmaster. |
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Who is the pronoun used for references to human beings and to animals with a name. It is grammatically the subject of a sentence, clause or phrase.
Whom is used when someone is the object of a verb or preposition. |
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Who's is a contraction for who is, not a possessive.
Whose is the possessive. |
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| Women should receive the same treatment as men in all areas of coverage. Physical descriptions, sexist references, demeaning stereotypes and condescending phrases should not be used. |
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Use all-caps ZIP for Zoning Improvement Plan but always lowercase the word code,
Run the five digits together without a comma, and do not put a comma between the state name and the ZIP code. |
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