AP Style

junior, senior

Abbreviate as Jr. and Sr. and do not precede by a comma: Martin Luther King Jr. The notation II or 2nd may be used if it is the individual's preference. Note, however, that II and 2nd are not necessarily the equivalent of junior; they often are used by a grandson or nephew. Be clear in distinguishing between father and son on second reference if both names appear in a story. The elder Smith and the younger Smith is one option; Smith Sr. and Smith Jr. is also acceptable. The possessive form: Smith Jr.'s career.

Abbreviations in numbered addresses

Abbreviate avenue, boulevard and street in numbered addresses: He lives on Pennsylvania Avenue. He lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Abbreviations before a name

Abbreviate titles when used before a full name: Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Mr., Mrs., Rep., the Rev., Sen. and certain military designations listed in the military titles entry.

months

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 year, set off the year with commas. EXAMPLES: January 2016 was a cold month. Jan. 2 was the coldest day of the month. His birthday is May 8. Feb. 14, 2013, was the target date. She testified that it was Friday, Dec. 3, when the crash occurred. In tabular material, use these three-letter forms without a period: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec.

capitalization compositions

Capitalize the principal words in the names of books, movies, plays, poems, operas, songs, radio and television programs, works of art, etc.

house of representatives

Capitalize when referring to a specific governmental body: the U.S. House of Representatives, the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Capitalize shortened references that delete the words of Representatives: the U.S. House, the Massachusetts House. Retain capitalization if U.S. or the name of a state is dropped but the reference is to a specific body. BOSTON (AP) The House has adjourned for the year. Lowercase plural uses: the Massachusetts and Rhode Island houses. Apply the same principle to similar legislative bodies such as the Virginia House of Delegates.

capitalization derivatives

Capitalize words that are derived from a proper noun and still depend on it for their meaning: American, Christian, Christianity, English, French, Marxism, Shakespearean. Lowercase words that are derived from a proper noun but no longer depend on it for their meaning: french fries, herculean, malapropism, pasteurize, quixotic, venetian blind.

obscenities, profanities, vulgarities

Do not use them in stories unless they are part of direct quotations and there is a compelling reason for them. Try to find a way to give the reader a sense of what was said without using the specific word or phrase. For example, an anti-gay or sexist slur. If a profanity, obscenity or vulgarity must be used, flag the story at the top for editors, being specific about what the issue is: Eds: Note use of vulgarity "f---" [or "s---"] in story. However, online readers receiving direct feeds of the stories will not see that warning, so consider whether the word in question truly needs to be in the story at all. When possible, confine the offending language, in quotation marks, to a separate paragraph that can be deleted easily by editors. In reporting profanity that normally would use the words damn or god, lowercase god and use the following forms: damn, damn it, ******* it. If the obscenity involved is particularly offensive but the story requires making clear what the word was, replace the letters of the offensive word with hyphens, using only an initial letter: f---, s---. In some stories or scripts, it may be better to replace the offensive word with a generic descriptive in parentheses, e.g., (vulgarity) or (obscenity). When the subject matter of a story may be considered offensive or disturbing, but the story does not contain quoted profanity, obscenities or vulgarities, flag the story at the top:

numerals 4

GOLF CLUBS: 3-wood, 7-iron, 3-hybrid (note hyphen). HIGHWAY DESIGNATIONS: Interstate 5, U.S. Highway 1, state Route 1A. (Do not abbreviate Route. No hyphen between highway designation and number.) See highway designations. MATHEMATICAL USAGE: Multiply by 4, divide by 6. He added 2 and 2 but got 5. MILITARY RANKS, USED AS TITLES WITH NAMES, MILITARY TERMS AND WEAPONS: Petty Officer 2nd Class Alan Markow, Spc. Alice Moreno, 1st Sgt. David Triplett, M16 rifle, 9 mm (note space) pistol, 6th Fleet. In military ranks, spell out the figure when it is used after the name or without a name: Smith was a second lieutenant. The goal is to make first sergeant. See military units. MILLIONS, BILLIONS, TRILLIONS: Use a figure-word combination. 1 million people; $2 billion, NOT one million/two billion. (Also note no hyphen linking numerals and the word million, billion or trillion.) See millions, billions, trillions; dollars. MONETARY UNITS: 5 cents, $5 bill, 8 euros, 4 pounds. See cents. ODDS, PROPORTIONS AND RATIOS: 9-1 long shot; 3 parts cement to 1 part water; a 1-4 chance, but one chance in three. See betting odds; proportions; ratios. RANK: He was my No. 1 choice. (Note abbreviation for "Number"). Kentucky was ranked No. 3. The band had five Top 40 hits. SCHOOL GRADES: Use figures for grades 10 and above: 10th grade. Spell out for first through ninth grades: fourth grade, fifth-grader (note hyphen).

race

Identification by race or ethnicity is pertinent: In biographical and announcement stories that involve significant, groundbreaking or historic events, such as being elected U.S. president, being named to the U.S. Supreme Court or other notable occurrences. Barack Obama was the first black U.S. president. Sonia Sotomayor is the first Hispanic justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Jeremy Lin is the first American-born NBA player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent. For suspects sought by the police or missing person cases using police or other credible, detailed descriptions. Such descriptions apply for all races. The racial reference should be removed when the individual is apprehended or found. When reporting a demonstration or disturbance involving race or such issues as civil rights or slavery. In other situations with racial overtones, use news judgment. Do not use a derogatory term except in extremely rare circumstances when it is crucial to the story or the understanding of a news event. Flag the contents in an editor's note.

ellipsis

In general, treat an ellipsis as a three-letter word, constructed with three periods and two spaces, as shown here. Use an ellipsis to indicate the deletion of one or more words in condensing quotes, texts and documents. Be especially careful to avoid deletions that would distort the meaning. An ellipsis also may be used to indicate a thought that the speaker or writer does not complete. Substitute a dash for this purpose, however, if the context uses ellipses to indicate that words actually spoken or written have been deleted.

p.m. / a.m.

Lowercase, with periods. Avoid the redundant 10 p.m. tonight.

numerals 6 (when to spell out)

SPELL OUT: AT THE START OF A SENTENCE: In general, spell out numbers at the start of a sentence: Forty years was a long time to wait. Fifteen to 20 cars were involved in the accident. An exception is years: 1992 was a very good year. Another exception: Numeral(s) and letter(s) combinations: 401(k) plans are offered. 4K TVs are flying off the shelves. 3D movies are drawing more fans. See years. IN INDEFINITE AND CASUAL USES: Thanks a million. He walked a quarter of a mile. One at a time; a thousand clowns; one day we will know; an eleventh-hour decision; dollar store; a hundred dollars. IN FANCIFUL USAGE OR PROPER NAMES: Chicago Seven, Fab Four, Big Three automakers, Final Four, the Four Tops. IN FORMAL LANGUAGE, RHETORICAL QUOTATIONS AND FIGURES OF SPEECH: "Fourscore and seven years ago ..." Twelve Apostles, Ten Commandments, high-five, Day One. IN FRACTIONS LESS THAN ONE THAT ARE NOT USED AS MODIFIERS: reduced by one-third, he made three-fourths of his shots. ROMAN NUMERALS They may be used for wars and to establish personal sequence for people and animals: World War I, Native Dancer II, King George V. Also for certain legislative acts (Title IX). Otherwise, use sparingly. Pro football Super Bowls should be identified by the year, rather than the Roman numerals: 1969 Super Bowl, not Super Bowl III. ORDINALS Numbers used to indicate order (first, second, 10th, 25th, etc.) are called ordinal numbers. Spell out first through ninth: fourth grade, first base, the First Amendment, he was first in line. Use figures starting with 10th. CARDINAL NUMBERS Numbers used in counting or showing how many (2, 40, 627, etc.) are called cardinal numbers. OTHER USES: For uses not covered by these listings, spell out whole numbers below 10, and use figures for 10 and above: They had three sons and two daughters. They had a fleet of 10 station wagons and two buses. IN A SERIES: Apply the standard guidelines: They had 10 dogs, six cats and 97 hamsters. They had four four-room houses, 10 three-room houses and 12 10-room houses.

capitalization popular names

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 Main Line (a group of Philadelphia suburbs), the South Side (of Chicago), the Badlands (of South Dakota), the Street (the financial community in the Wall Street area of New York). The principle applies also to shortened versions of the proper names of one-of-a-kind events: the Series (for the World Series), the Derby (for the Kentucky Derby). 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.

miles per hour

The abbreviation mph is acceptable in all references. No hyphen when used with a figure: 60 mph.

d&r in forming proper names

When combining with another common noun to form the name for a region or location: the North Woods, the South Pole, the Far East, the Middle East, the West Coast (the entire region, not the coastline itself see coast), the Eastern Shore (see separate entry), the Western Hemisphere.

OK, OK'd, OK'ing, OKs

never use "okay"

felony/misdemeanor

A felony is a serious crime. A misdemeanor is a minor offense against the law. A fuller definition of what constitutes a felony or misdemeanor depends on the governmental jurisdiction involved. At the federal level, a misdemeanor is a crime that carries a potential penalty of no more than a year in jail. A felony is a crime that carries a potential penalty of more than a year in prison. Often, however, a statute gives a judge options such as imposing a fine or probation in addition to or instead of a jail or prison sentence. A felon is a person who has been convicted of a felony, regardless of whether the individual actually spends time in confinement or is given probation or a fine instead. Convicted felon is redundant.

lawyer

A generic term for all members of the bar. An attorney is someone legally appointed or empowered to act for another, usually, but not always, a lawyer. An attorney at law is a lawyer. A barrister is an English lawyer who is specially trained and appears exclusively as a trial lawyer in higher courts. He is retained by a solicitor, not directly by the client. There is no equivalent term in the United States. Counselor, when used in a legal sense, means a person who conducts a case in court, usually, but not always, a lawyer. A counselor at law is a lawyer. Counsel frequently is used collectively for a group of counselors. A solicitor in England is a lawyer who performs legal services for the public. A solicitor appears in lower courts but does not have the right to appear in higher courts, which are reserved to barristers. A solicitor in the United States is a lawyer employed by a governmental body. Solicitor is generally a job description, but in some agencies it is a formal title. Solicitor general is the formal title for a chief law officer (where there is no attorney general) or for the chief assistant to the law officer (when there is an attorney general). Capitalize when used before a name. Do not use lawyer as a formal title.

party affiliations

A political figure's party affiliation is often relevant, but not always. Include party affiliation if a politician's actions could reasonably be seen as having an effect on policy or debate, or if readers need it for understanding. But reference to party affiliation is not necessary when a story has no link to politics. If in doubt, err on the side of including party affiliation. - Party affiliation can be used on first reference when it is the most important element to connect with the subject: Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said ... - On second reference to add context between the party affiliation and the rest of the story: Rep. Frank Lucas of Oklahoma, the senior Republican on the House Agriculture Committee, said he supports the amendment. - Leave out when the story is clearly not political: The governor attended the NCAA Tournament basketball game, having graduated from Villanova in 1995. The senator attended her daughter's high school graduation. - But use when a political connection exists: The Democratic governor sat courtside next to the top donor to his campaign. The Republican senator spoke at her daughter's graduation two weeks after voting on the education bill. 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 R-S.C. off from a name by commas: Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., said ... Use the abbreviations listed in the entries for each state. (No abbreviations for Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah.) 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: U.S. Reps. Ander Crenshaw, R-Jacksonville, and Frederica Wilson, D-Miami. 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 stories. For national 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.

d&r 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. Showers and thunderstorms were forecast in the Texas Panhandle. High temperatures will prevail throughout the Western states. The North was victorious. The South will rise again. Settlers from the East went to the West in search of new lives. The customs of the East are different from those of the West. The Northeast depends on the Midwest for its food supply. She has a Southern accent. He is a Northerner. Asian nations are opening doors to Western businessmen. The candidate developed a Southern strategy. The storm developed in the South Pacific. European leaders met to talk about supplies of oil from Southeast Asia.

state names pt 2

ABBREVIATIONS REQUIRED: Use the state abbreviations listed at the end of this section: In conjunction with the name of a city, town, village or military base in most datelines. See datelines for examples and exceptions for large cities. In lists, agate, tabular material, nonpublishable editor's notes and credit lines. In short-form listings of party affiliation: D-Ala., R-Mont. See party affiliation entry for details. Following are the state abbreviations, which also appear in the entries for each state (postal code abbreviations in parentheses): Ala. (AL) Md. (MD) N.D. (ND) Ariz. (AZ) Mass. (MA) Okla. (OK) Ark. (AR) Mich. (MI) Ore. (OR) Calif. (CA) Minn. (MN) Pa. (PA) Colo. (CO) Miss. (MS) R.I. (RI) Conn. (CT) Mo. (MO) S.C. (SC) Del. (DE) Mont. (MT) S.D. (SD) Fla. (FL) Neb. (NE) Tenn. (TN) Ga. (GA) Nev. (NV) Vt. (VT) Ill. (IL) N.H. (NH) Va. (VA) Ind. (IN) N.J. (NJ) Wash. (WA) Kan. (KS) N.M. (NM) W.Va. (WV) Ky. (KY) N.Y. (NY) Wis. (WI) La. (LA) N.C. (NC) Wyo. (WY) These are the postal code abbreviations for the eight states that are not abbreviated in datelines or text: AK (Alaska), HI (Hawaii), ID (Idaho), IA (Iowa), ME (Maine), OH (Ohio), TX (Texas), UT (Utah). Also: District of Columbia (DC). Use the two-letter Postal Service abbreviations only with full addresses, including ZIP code. PUNCTUATION: Place one comma between the city and the state name, and another comma after the state name, unless ending a sentence or indicating a dateline: He was traveling from Nashville, Tennessee, to Austin, Texas, en route to his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She said Cook County, Illinois, was Mayor Daley's stronghold. HEADLINES: Avoid using state abbreviations in headlines whenever possible. MISCELLANEOUS: Use New York state when necessary to distinguish the state from New York City. Use state of Washington or Washington state within a story when it's necessary to differentiate the state name from the U.S. capital, Washington. It's written Washington, D.C., with the added abbreviation only if the city might be confused with the state.

numerals 2

AGES: a 6-year-old girl; an 8-year-old law; the 7-year-old house. Use hyphens for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or as substitutes for a noun. A 5-year-old boy, but the boy is 5 years old. The boy, 5, has a sister, 10. The race is for 3-year-olds. The woman is in her 30s. 30-something, but Thirty-something to start a sentence. See ages. PLANES, SHIPS AND SPACECRAFT DESIGNATIONS: B-2 bomber, Queen Elizabeth 2, QE2, Apollo 9, Viking 2 An exception: Air Force One, the president's plane. Use Roman numerals if they are part of the official designation: Titan I, Titan II. See aircraft names; boats, ships; spacecraft designations. CENTURIES: Use figures for numbers 10 or higher: 21st century. Spell out for numbers nine and lower: fifth century. (Note lowercase.) For proper names, follow the organization's usage. COURT DECISIONS: The Supreme Court ruled 5-4, a 5-4 decision. The word to is not needed, except in quotations: "The court ruled 5 to 4." - Court districts: 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. DATES, YEARS AND DECADES: Feb. 8, 2007, Class of '66, the 1950s. For the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, 9/11 is acceptable in all references. (Note comma to set off the year when the phrase refers to a month, date and year.)

Abbreviations after a name

Abbreviate junior or senior after an individual's name. Abbreviate company, corporation, incorporated and limited when used after the name of a corporate entity. See entries under these words and company names. In some cases, an academic degree may be abbreviated after an individual's name.

A.D.

Acceptable in all references for anno Domini: in the year of the Lord. Because the full phrase would read in the year of the Lord 96, the abbreviation A.D. goes before the figure for the year: A.D. 96. Do not write: The fourth century A.D. The fourth century is sufficient. If A.D. is not specified with a year, the year is presumed to be A.D.

B.C.

Acceptable in all references to a calendar year in the period before Christ. Because the full phrase would be in the year 43 before Christ, the abbreviation B.C. is placed after the figure for the year: 43 B.C.

dollars

Always lowercase. Use figures and the $ sign in all except casual references or amounts without a figure: The book cost $4. Dad, please give me a dollar. Dollars are flowing overseas. For specified amounts, the word takes a singular verb: He said $500,000 is what they want. For amounts of more than $1 million, use up to two decimal places. Do not link the numerals and the word by a hyphen: He is worth $4.35 million. He proposed a $300 billion budget. The form for amounts less than $1 million: $4, $25, $500, $1,000, $650,000.

Difference between abbreviation and acronym

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). An abbreviation is not an acronym.

last

Avoid the use of last as a synonym for latest if it might imply finality. The last time it rained, I forgot my umbrella, is acceptable. But: The last announcement was made at noon may leave the reader wondering whether the announcement was the final announcement, or whether others are to follow. 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 in April. Correct, but redundant: It happened last Wednesday. But: It happened last week. It happened last month.

datelines

Big cities (ex: boston, seattle) don't need the state to be mentioned, but smaller ones do (Kansas City, Mo.)

congress

Capitalize U.S. Congress and Congress when referring to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Although Congress sometimes is used as a substitute for the House, it properly is reserved for reference to both the Senate and House. Capitalize Congress also if referring to a foreign body that uses the term, or its equivalent in a foreign language, as part of its formal name: the Argentine Congress, the Congress. Lowercase when used as a synonym for convention or in second reference to an organization that uses the word as part of its formal name: the Congress of Racial Equality, the congress.

judges

Capitalize before a name when it is the formal title for an individual who presides in a court of law. Do not continue to use the title in second reference. Do not use court as part of the title unless confusion would result without it: No court in the title: U.S. District Judge John Bates, District Judge John Bates, federal Judge John Bates, Judge John Bates, U.S. Circuit Judge Priscilla Owen, appellate Judge Priscilla Owen. Court needed in the title: Juvenile Court Judge John Jones, Criminal Court Judge John Jones, Superior Court Judge Robert Harrison, state Supreme Court Judge William Cushing. When the formal title chief judge is relevant, put the court name after the judge's name: Chief Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.; Chief Judge Karen J. Williams of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Do not pile up long court names before the name of a judge. Make it Judge John Smith of Allegheny County Common Pleas Court. Not: Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge John Smith. Lowercase judge as an occupational designation in phrases such as contest judge Simon Cowell.

political parties and philosophies

Capitalize both the name of the party and the word party if it is customarily used as part of the organization's proper name: the Democratic Party, the Republican Party. Include the political affiliation of any elected officeholder. 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 (see examples below). Lowercase the name of a philosophy in noun and adjective forms unless it is the derivative of a proper name: communism, communist; fascism, fascist. But: Marxism, Marxist; Nazism, Nazi. EXAMPLES: John Adams was a Federalist, but a man who subscribed to his philosophy today would be described as a federalist. The liberal Republican senator and his Conservative Party colleague said they believe that democracy and communism are incompatible. The Communist Party member said he is basically a socialist who has reservations about Marxism. Generally, a description of specific political views is more informative than a generic label like liberal or conservative. Avoid progressive, which can imply improvement, as a political descriptor except in quotes or the names of organizations or political parties.

capitalization proper names

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: Democratic Party, Mississippi River, Fleet Street, West Virginia. Lowercase these common nouns when they stand alone in subsequent references: the party, the river, the street. Lowercase the common noun elements of names in plural uses: the Democratic and Republican parties, Main and State streets, lakes Erie and Ontario. Exception: plurals of formal titles with full names are capitalized: Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald R. Ford.

capitalization titles

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 lowercase at all times for terms that are job descriptions rather than formal titles.

capitalization proper nouns

Capitalize nouns that constitute the unique identification for a specific person, place, or thing: John, Mary, America, Boston, England. Some words, such as the examples just given, are always proper nouns. Some common nouns receive proper noun status when they are used as the name of a particular entity: General Electric, Gulf Oil.

president

Capitalize president only as a formal title before one or more names: President Donald Trump, former Presidents Gerald R. Ford and Jimmy Carter. Lowercase in all other uses: The president said Monday he will look into the matter. He is running for president. Lincoln was president during the Civil War. FULL NAMES: Use the first and family name on first reference to a current or former U.S. president or the president-elect: former President Barack Obama, President Donald Trump, President-elect Donald Trump. On subsequent references, use only the last name. For presidents of other nations and of organizations and institutions, capitalize president as a formal title before a full name: President Francois Hollande of France, President John Smith of Acme Corp. On second reference, use only the last name.

capitalization sentences

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.

court names

Capitalize the full proper names of courts at all levels. Retain capitalization if U.S. or a state name is dropped: the U.S. Supreme Court, the Supreme Court, the state Superior Court, the Superior Court, Superior Court. For courts identified by a numeral: 2nd District Court, 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

holidays

Capitalize them: New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Groundhog Day, Easter, Hanukkah, etc. The federal legal holidays are New Year's, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. See individual entries for the official dates and when they are observed if they fall on a weekend. The designation of a day as a federal legal holiday means that federal employees receive the day off or are paid overtime if they must work. Other requirements that may apply to holidays generally are left to the states. Many follow the federal lead in designating a holiday, but they are not required to do so.

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, the City Commission, the commission; the Louisville Board of Aldermen, the Board of Aldermen, the board. Use city council in a generic sense for plural references: the Boston, Louisville and Miami city councils.

numerals 3

DECIMALS, PERCENTAGES AND FRACTIONS WITH NUMBERS LARGER THAN 1: 7.2 magnitude quake, 3 1/2 laps, 3.7 percent interest, 4 percentage points. Decimalization should not exceed two places in most text material. Exceptions: blood alcohol content, expressed in three decimals: as in 0.056, and batting averages in baseball, as in .324. For amounts less than 1, precede the decimal with a zero: The cost of living rose 0.03 percent. Spell out fractions less than 1, using hyphens between the words: two-thirds, four-fifths. In quotations, use figures for fractions: "He was 2 1/2 laps behind with four to go." See decimal units; fractions; percent. DIMENSIONS, TO INDICATE DEPTH, HEIGHT, LENGTH AND WIDTH: He is 5 feet, 6 inches tall, the 5-foot-6 man ("inch" is understood), the 5-foot man, the basketball team signed a 7-footer. The car is 17 feet long, 6 feet wide and 5 feet high. The rug is 9 feet by 12 feet, the 9-by-12 rug. A 9-inch snowfall. Exception: two-by-four. Spell out the noun, which refers to any length of untrimmed lumber approximately 2 inches thick by 4 inches wide. See dimensions. DISTANCES: He walked 4 miles. He missed a 3-foot putt.

geographic names

DOMESTIC: Do not use the postal abbreviations for state names. For acceptable abbreviations, see entries in this book under each state's name. See state names for rules on when the abbreviations may be used. Abbreviate Saint as St. (But abbreviate Sault Sainte Marie as Sault Ste. Marie.) FOREIGN: The first source for the spelling of all foreign place names is Webster's New World College Dictionary as follows: Use the first-listed spelling if an entry gives more than one. If the dictionary provides different spellings in separate entries, use the spelling that is followed by a full description of the location. If the dictionary does not have an entry, use the first-listed spelling in the National Geographic Atlas of the World. NEW NAMES: Follow the styles adopted by the United Nations and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names for new cities, new independent nations and nations that change their names. CAPITALIZATION: Capitalize common nouns when they form an integral part of a proper name, but lowercase them when they stand alone: Pennsylvania Avenue, the avenue; the Philippine Islands, the islands; the Mississippi River, the river. Lowercase common nouns that are not a part of a specific name: the Pacific islands, the Swiss mountains, Zhejiang province.

Abbreviations avoiding awkward constructions

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 reference without this arrangement, do not use it. Names not commonly before the public should not be reduced to acronyms solely to save a few words.

prison pt 1

Do not use the two words interchangeably. DEFINITIONS: Prison is a generic term that may be applied to the maximum security institutions often known as penitentiaries and to the medium security facilities often called correctional institutions or reformatories. All such facilities usually confine people serving sentences for felonies. A jail is normally used to confine people serving sentences for misdemeanors, people awaiting trial or sentencing on either felony or misdemeanor charges, and people confined for civil matters such as failure to pay alimony and other types of contempt of court. See felony, misdemeanor. The guidelines for capitalization: PRISONS: Many states have given elaborate formal names to their prisons. They should be capitalized when used, but commonly accepted substitutes should also be capitalized as if they were proper names. For example, use either Massachusetts Correctional Institution-Walpole or Walpole State Prison for the maximum security institution in Massachusetts. Do not, however, construct a substitute when the formal name is commonly accepted: It is the Colorado State Penitentiary, for example, not Colorado State Prison. On second reference, any of the following may be used, all in lowercase: the state prison, the prison, the state penitentiary, the penitentiary. Use lowercase for all plural constructions: the Colorado and Kansas state penitentiaries.

drunk/drunken

Drunk is the spelling of the adjective used after a form of the verb to be: He was drunk. Drunken is the spelling of the adjective used before nouns: a drunken driver, drunken driving.

legislative titles pt 1

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, assemblywoman, 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: Former state attorney general Dan Sullivan, a Republican, defeated U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, a Democrat from Alaska, during the 2014 general election. In stories with international datelines, include U.S. before legislative titles. 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: Barack Obama declared Americans were ready to "cast aside cynicism" as he looked for a convincing win in the Democratic contest. The Illinois senator was leading in the polls.

governmental bodies pt 1

FULL NAME: Capitalize the full proper names of governmental agencies, departments and offices: The U.S. Department of State, the Georgia Department of Human Resources, the Boston City Council, the Chicago Fire Department. WITHOUT JURISDICTION: Retain capitalization in referring to a specific body if the dateline or context makes the name of the nation, state, county, city, etc. unnecessary: The Department of State (in a story from Washington), the Department of Human Resources or the state Department of Human Resources (in a story from Georgia), the City Council (in a story from Boston), the Fire Department or the city Fire Department (in a story from Chicago). Lowercase further condensations of the name: the department, the council, etc. FLIP-FLOPPED NAMES: Retain capital names for the name of a governmental body if its formal name is flopped to delete the word of: the State Department, the Human Resources Department. GENERIC EQUIVALENTS: If a generic term has become the equivalent of a proper name in popular use, treat it as a proper name: Walpole State Prison, for example, even though the proper name is the Massachusetts Correctional Institute-Walpole.

state names pt 1

Follow these guidelines: SPELL OUT: The names of the 50 U.S. states should be spelled out when used in the body of a story, whether standing alone or in conjunction with a city, town, village or military base. No state name is necessary if it is the same as the dateline. This also applies to newspapers cited in a story. For example, a story datelined Providence, R.I., would reference the Providence Journal, not the Providence (Rhode Island) Journal. See datelines. EIGHT NOT ABBREVIATED: The names of eight states are never abbreviated in datelines or text: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah. Memory aid: Spell out the names of the two states that are not part of the contiguous United States and of the continental states that are five letters or fewer. IN THE BODY OF STORIES: Except for cities that stand alone in datelines, use the state name in textual material when the city or town is not in the same state as the dateline, or where necessary to avoid confusion: Springfield, Massachusetts, or Springfield, Illinois. Provide a state identification for the city if the story has no dateline, or if the city is not in the same state as the dateline. However, cities that stand alone in datelines may be used alone in stories that have no dateline if no confusion would result.

anti-

Hyphenate all except the following words, which have specific meanings of their own: antibiotic antiparticle* antibody antipasto anticlimax antiperspirant anticoagulant antiphon antidepressant antiphony antidote antipollution antifreeze antipsychotic antigen antiseptic antihistamine antiserum antiknock antithesis antimatter antitoxin antimony antitrust antioxidant antitussive *And similar terms in physics such as antiproton. This approach has been adopted in the interests of readability and easily remembered consistency. It's anti-lock in Webster's New World College Dictionary. But note these Stylebook exceptions to Webster's spellings: anti-abortion anti-social anti-aircraft anti-war anti-labor

titles pt 2

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS: In stories with U.S. datelines, do not include U.S. before the titles of secretary of state or other government officials, except where necessary for clarity. In stories with international datelines, include U.S. before the titles. ROYAL TITLES: Capitalize king, queen, etc., when used directly before a name. See individual entries and nobility. TITLES OF NOBILITY: Capitalize a full title when it serves as the alternate name for an individual. See nobility. PAST AND FUTURE TITLES: A formal title that an individual formerly held, is about to hold or holds temporarily is capitalized if used before the person's name. But do not capitalize the qualifying word: former President George W. Bush, deposed King Constantine, Attorney General-designate Griffin B. Bell, acting Mayor Peter Barry. LONG TITLES: Separate a long title from a name by a construction that requires a comma: Charles Robinson, the undersecretary for economic affairs, spoke. Or: The undersecretary for economic affairs, Charles Robinson, spoke. UNIQUE TITLES: If a title applies only to one person in an organization, insert the word the in a construction that uses commas: John Jones, the deputy vice president, spoke. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE: Many commonly used titles and occupational descriptions are listed separately in this book, together with guidelines on whether and/or when they are capitalized. In these entries, the phrases before a name or immediately before a name are used to specify that capitalization applies only when a title is not set off from a name by commas.

fractions

Generally spell out amounts less than 1 in stories, using hyphens between the words: two-thirds, four-fifths, seven-sixteenths, etc. Use figures for precise amounts larger than 1, converting to decimals whenever practical. When using fractional characters, use a forward-slash mark (/): 1/8, 1/4, 5/16, 9/10, etc. For mixed numbers, use 1 1/2, 2 5/8, etc. with a full space between the whole number and the fraction. AP systems may automatically replace some fractions with single-character versions: 1/2 may be replaced by ½. These can be left in the form the system changes them to. (You may also choose to set the options on your system so that these replacements are not made.)

d&r compass directions

He drove west. The cold front is moving east.

homicide

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. Generally speaking, manslaughter is homicide without malice or premeditation. A homicide should not be described as murder unless a person has been convicted of that charge. Do not say that a victim was murdered until someone has been convicted in court. Instead, say that a victim was killed or slain. Do not write that X was charged with murdering Y. Use the formal charge murder and, if not already in the story, specify the nature of the killing shooting, stabbing, beating, poisoning, drowning, etc.: Jones was charged with murder in the shooting of his girlfriend. Examples: An officer pulled over 29-year-old John White, who was arrested and charged with murder, according to Andrew Johnson, the county sheriff's spokesman. The 66-year-old amateur photographer has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder in the slaying of four women. The killings occurred between 1977 and 1979. Prosecutors say Adams raped, tortured and robbed some of them before killing them. Cook County Sheriff James Jones says a shooting that left a man and a woman dead appears to be a murder-suicide.

police

In communities where this is the formal name, capitalize police department with or without the name of the community: the Los Angeles Police Department, the Police Department. If a police agency has some other formal name such as Division of Police, use that name if it is the way the department is known to the public. If the story uses police department as a generic term for such an agency, put police department in lowercase. If a police agency with an unusual formal name is known to the public as a police department, treat police department as the name, capitalizing it with or without the name of the community. Use the formal name only if there is a special reason in the story. If the proper name cannot be determined for some reason, such as the need to write about a police agency from a distance, treat police department as the proper name, capitalizing it with or without the name of the community. Lowercase police department in plural uses: the Los Angeles and San Francisco police departments. Lowercase the department whenever it stands alone

capitalization (general)

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.

titles pt 1

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: The president issued a statement. The pope gave his blessing. Lowercase and spell out titles in constructions that set them off from a name by commas: The vice president, Mike Pence, was elected in 2016. Pope Francis, the current pope, was born in Argentina. FORMAL TITLES: Capitalize formal titles when they are used immediately before one or more names: Pope Francis, President Donald Trump, Vice Presidents John Jones and William Smith. A formal title generally is one that denotes a scope of authority, professional activity or academic activity: Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Dr. Benjamin Spock, retired Gen. Colin Powell. Other titles serve primarily as occupational descriptions: astronaut John Glenn, movie star John Wayne, peanut farmer Jimmy Carter. A final determination on whether a title is formal or occupational depends on the practice of the governmental or private organization that confers it. If there is doubt about the status of a title and the practice of the organization cannot be determined, use a construction that sets the name or the title off with commas. ABBREVIATED TITLES: The following formal titles are capitalized and abbreviated as shown when used before a name both inside and outside quotations: Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Rep., Sen. and certain military ranks listed in military titles. All other formal titles are spelled out in all uses

courtesy titles

In general, do not use courtesy titles except in direct quotations. When it is necessary to distinguish between two people who use the same last name, as in married couples or brothers and sisters, use the first and last name.

directions and regions (general)

In general, lowercase north, south, northeast, northern, etc., when they indicate compass direction; capitalize these words when they designate regions.

numerals 1

In general, spell out one through nine: The Yankees finished second. He had nine months to go. Use figures for 10 or above and whenever preceding a unit of measure or referring to ages of people, animals, events or things. Also in all tabular matter, and in statistical and sequential forms. Use figures for: ACADEMIC COURSE NUMBERS: History 6, Philosophy 209. ADDRESSES: 210 Main St. Spell out numbered streets nine and under: 5 Sixth Ave.; 3012 50th St.; No. 10 Downing St. Use the abbreviations Ave., Blvd. and St. only with a numbered address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Spell them out and capitalize without a number: Pennsylvania Avenue. See addresses.

Abbreviations (general)

It is not necessary to spell out the most common abbreviations on first reference (ex: NFL) A few universally recognized abbreviations are required in some circumstances. Some others are acceptable depending on the context. But in general, avoid alphabet soup. Do not use abbreviations or acronyms that the reader would not quickly recognize. Abbreviations and most acronyms should be avoided in headlines. Guidance on how to use a particular abbreviation or acronym is provided in entries alphabetized according to the sequence of letters in the word or phrase.

prison pt 2

JAILS: Capitalize jail when linked with the name of the jurisdiction: Los Angeles County Jail. Lowercase county jail, city jail and jail when they stand alone. FEDERAL INSTITUTIONS: Maximum security institutions are known as penitentiaries: the U.S. Penitentiary at Lewisburg or Lewisburg Penitentiary on first reference; the federal penitentiary or the penitentiary on second reference. Medium security institutions include the word federal as part of their formal names: the Federal Correctional Institution at Danbury, Connecticut. On second reference: the correctional institution, the federal prison, the prison. Most federal facilities used to house people awaiting trial or serving sentences of a year or less have the proper name Federal Detention Center. The term Metropolitan Correctional Center is being adopted for some new installations. On second reference: the detention center, the correctional center.

burglary

Legal definitions of burglary vary, but in general a burglary involves entering a building (not necessarily by breaking in) and remaining unlawfully with the intention of committing a crime. Larceny is the legal term for the wrongful taking of property. Its nonlegal equivalents are stealing or theft. Robbery in the legal sense involves the use of violence or threat in committing larceny. In a wider sense it means to plunder or rifle, and may thus be used even if a person was not present: His house was robbed while he was away. Theft describes a larceny that did not involve threat, violence or plundering. USAGE NOTE: You rob a person, bank, house, etc., but you steal the money or the jewels.

d&r with names of nations

Lowercase unless they are part of a proper name or are used to designate a politically divided nation: northern France, eastern Canada, the western United States. But: Northern Ireland, South Korea.

USA

No periods in the abbreviated form for United States of America.

percent

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. He said 50 percent of the membership was there. It takes a plural verb when a plural word follows an of construction: He said 50 percent of the members were there. Use figures for percent and percentages: 1 percent, 2.5 percent (use decimals, not fractions), 10 percent, 4 percentage points. For a range, 12 to 15 percent, or between 12 and 15 percent. For amounts less than 1 percent, precede the decimal with a zero: The cost of living rose 0.6 percent.

governmental bodies pt 2

PLURALS, NONSPECIFIC REFERENCES: All words that are capitalized when part of a proper name should be lowercased when they are used in the plural or do not refer to a specific, existing body. Some examples: All states except Nebraska have a state senate. The town does not have a fire department. The bill requires city councils to provide matching funds. The president will address the lower houses of the New York and New Jersey legislatures. NON-U.S. BODIES: The same principles apply. Capitalize the names of the specific governmental agencies and departments, either with the name of the nation or without it if clear in the context: French Foreign Ministry, the Foreign Ministry. Lowercase the ministry or a similar term when standing alone.

legislative titles pt 2

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. Congressman and congresswoman should appear as capitalized formal titles before a name only in direct quotation. ORGANIZATIONAL TITLES: Capitalize titles for formal, organizational offices within a legislative body when they are used before a name: House Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, President Pro Tem Orrin Hatch, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley.

numerals 5

SEQUENTIAL DESIGNATIONS: Page 1, Page 20A. They were out of sizes 4 and 5; magnitude 6 earthquake; Rooms 3 and 4; Chapter 2; line 1 but first line; Act 3, Scene 4, but third act, fourth scene; Game 1, but best of seven. See act numbers; chapters; earthquakes; line numbers; page numbers; scene numbers. POLITICAL DISTRICTS: Ward 9, 9th Precinct, 3rd Congressional District. See congressional districts; political divisions. - Recipes: 2 tablespoons of sugar to 1 cup of milk. See recipes. SPEEDS: 7 mph, winds of 5 to 10 mph, winds of 7 to 9 knots. SPORTS SCORES, STANDINGS AND STANDARDS: The Dodgers defeated the Phillies 10-3 (No comma between the team and the score); in golf, 3 up, but a 3-up lead; led 3-2; a 6-1-2 record (six wins, one loss, two ties); par 3; 5 handicap, 5-under-par 67 but he was 5 under par (or 5 under, with "par" understood). In narrative, spell out nine and under except for yard lines in football and individual and team statistical performances: The ball was on the 5-yard line. Seventh hole. In basketball, 3-point play and 3-point shot. In statistical performances, hyphenate as a modifier: He completed 8 of 12 passes. He made 5 of 6 (shots is understood). He was 5-for-12 passing. He had a 3-for-5 day. He was 3-for-5. He went 3-for-5 (batting, shooting, etc., is understood). TEMPERATURES: Use figures, except zero. It was 8 degrees below zero or minus 8. The temperature dropped from 38 to 8 in two hours. See temperatures. TIMES: Use figures for time of day except for noon and midnight: 1 p.m., 10:30 a.m., 5 o'clock, 8 hours, 30 minutes, 20 seconds, a winning time of 2:17:3 (2 hours, 17 minutes, 3 seconds). Spell out numbers less than 10 standing alone and in modifiers: I'll be there in five minutes. He scored with two seconds left. An eight-hour day. The two-minute warning. See times; time sequences. VOTES: The bill was defeated by a vote of 6 to 4, but by a two-vote margin.

Abbreviations in states

The names of certain states and the United States are abbreviated with periods in some circumstances.

d&r with states and cities

The preferred form is to lowercase directional or area descriptions when referring to a section of a state or city: western Montana, southern Atlanta. But capitalize compass points: — When part of a proper name: North Dakota, West Virginia. — When used in denoting widely known sections: Southern California, West Texas, the South Side of Chicago, the Lower East Side of New York. If in doubt, use lowercase.

allege

The word must be used with great care. Some guidelines: 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, where possible, alleged victim. It is too easily construed as skepticism of a victim's account. Avoid redundant uses of alleged. It is proper to say: The district attorney alleged that 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 event 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 use alleged as a routine qualifier. Instead, use a word such as apparent, ostensible or reputed.

doctor

Use Dr. in first reference as a formal title before the name of an individual who holds a doctor of dental surgery, doctor of medicine, doctor of optometry, doctor of osteopathic medicine, doctor of podiatric medicine, or doctor of veterinary medicine: Dr. Jonas Salk. The form Dr., or Drs., in a plural construction, applies to all first-reference uses before a name, including direct quotations. If appropriate in the context, Dr. also may be used on first reference before the names of individuals who hold other types of doctoral degrees. However, because the public frequently identifies Dr. only with physicians, care should be taken to ensure that the individual's specialty is stated in first or second reference. The only exception would be a story in which the context left no doubt that the person was a dentist, psychologist, chemist, historian, etc. In some instances it also is necessary to specify that an individual identified as Dr. is a physician. One frequent case is a story reporting on joint research by physicians, biologists, etc. Do not use Dr. before the names of individuals who hold only honorary doctorates. Do not continue the use of Dr. in subsequent references.

federal

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. (See separate entries for governmental agencies.) Lowercase when used as an adjective to distinguish something from state, county, city, town or private entities: federal assistance, federal court, the federal government, a federal judge. Also: federal court (but U.S. District Court is preferred) and federal Judge Ann Aldrich (but U.S. District Judge Ann Aldrich is preferred).

Abbreviations in caps, periods

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 most two-letter abbreviations: U.S., U.N., U.K., B.A., B.C. (AP, a trademark, is an exception. Also, no periods in GI, ID and EU, among others.) In headlines, do not use periods in abbreviations, unless required for clarity. Use all caps, but no periods, in longer abbreviations when the individual letters are pronounced: ABC, CIA, FBI. Use only an initial cap and then lowercase for abbreviations and acronyms of more than five letters, unless listed otherwise in this Stylebook or Webster's New World College Dictionary.

dimensions

Use figures and spell out inches, feet, yards, etc., to indicate depth, height, length and width. Hyphenate adjectival forms before nouns. EXAMPLES: He is 5 feet, 6 inches tall, the 5-foot-6-inch man, the 5-foot man, the basketball team signed a 7-footer. The car is 17 feet long, 6 feet wide and 5 feet high. The rug is 9 feet by 12 feet, the 9-by-12 rug. The storm left 5 inches of snow. The building has 6,000 square feet of floor space. Use an apostrophe to indicate feet and quote marks to indicate inches (5'6") only in very technical contexts.

time

Use figures except for noon and midnight. Use a colon to separate hours from minutes: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 9-11 a.m., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Avoid such redundancies as 10 a.m. this morning, 10 p.m. tonight or 10 p.m. Monday night. Use 10 a.m. or 10 p.m. Monday, etc., as required by the norms in time element. The construction 4 o'clock is acceptable, but time listings with a.m. or p.m. are preferred.

congressman/congresswoman

Use only in reference to members of the U.S. House of Representatives. 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. Congressman and congresswoman should appear as capitalized formal titles before a name only in direct quotation.

U.S.

Use periods in the abbreviation, U.S. within texts. In headlines, it's US (no periods). The abbreviation is acceptable as a noun or adjective for United States. In headlines, it's US (no periods).

Abbreviations with dates or numerals

Use the abbreviations A.D., B.C., a.m., p.m., No., and abbreviate certain months (Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.) 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. The abbreviations are correct only with figures. Right: Early this morning he asked for the number of your room.

addresses

Use the abbreviations Ave., Blvd. and St. only with a numbered address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Spell them out and capitalize when part of a formal street name without a number: Pennsylvania Avenue. 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 for 10th and above: 7 Fifth Ave., 100 21st St. Abbreviate compass points used to indicate directional ends of a street or quadrants of a city in a numbered address: 222 E. 42nd St., 562 W. 43rd St., 600 K St. NW. Do not abbreviate if the number is omitted: East 42nd Street, West 43rd Street, K Street Northwest. No periods in quadrant abbreviations NW, SE unless customary locally. Use periods in the abbreviation P.O. for P.O. Box numbers.

ages

Use when deemed relevant to the situation. If someone is quoted as saying, "I'm too old to get another job," the age is relevant. Generally, use ages for profiles, obituaries, significant career milestones and achievements unusual for the age. Use ages for people commenting or providing information only if their age is relevant to their comments (e.g., a teenager's comment on video games aimed at that age group). Appropriate background, such as a parent of two young children or a World War II veteran, may suffice instead of the actual age. Always use figures. The girl is 15 years old; the law is 8 years old; the 101-year-old house. When the context does not require years or years old, the figure is presumed to be years. Use hyphens for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or as substitutes for a noun. Examples: A 5-year-old boy, but the boy is 5 years old. The boy, 7, has a sister, 10. The woman, 26, has a daughter 2 months old. The race is for 3-year-olds. The woman is in her 30s (no apostrophe).

slang

avoid it lol