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Last Seven DaysQuestion from Yorkshire, UK, on Sept. 13, 2024
Hi there,
To supensively hyphenate or not to suspensively hyphenate when using a slash:
"maritime-/shipping-related commercial agreements"
or
"maritime/shipping-related commercial agreements"
Thanks everso...
To supensively hyphenate or not to suspensively hyphenate when using a slash:
"maritime-/shipping-related commercial agreements"
or
"maritime/shipping-related commercial agreements"
Thanks everso...
Answer
The first option.
Question on Sept. 13, 2024
Hi AP! Would it be "midprice" or "mid-price"? I thought the former based on the new hyphen rules, but I want to check. Thank you so much!
Answer
Midprice, based on the below condensed section of the prefixes guidance:
In general, no hyphen with these prefixes except as noted in the above three rules:
mid- In addition to the general rules for prefixes, use a hyphen when a figure follows: mid-30s.
In general, no hyphen with these prefixes except as noted in the above three rules:
mid- In addition to the general rules for prefixes, use a hyphen when a figure follows: mid-30s.
Question on Sept. 13, 2024
Does AP have a preference on whether to use "more likely" or "likelier" in a sentence? "I am more likely/likelier to walk to school than ride a bus."
Answer
AP doesn't necessarily have a preference. I prefer more likely. It's less of a mouthful. Do people actually say likelier?
Question from Washington, District of Columbia, on Sept. 13, 2024
Are hyphens needed in the below bullet format?
· Immediately shelter-in-place. If you are in direct contact with hazardous materials, relocate to a safe area.
· Immediately shelter-in-place. If you are in direct contact with hazardous materials, relocate to a safe area.
Answer
No hyphens in that use.
Question from Washington, District of Columbia, on Sept. 13, 2024
In a bullet format, which is correct:
Shelter-in-Place or Shelter-in-place?
Example: · Shelter-In-Place until the “All Clear” announcement is given
Shelter-in-Place or Shelter-in-place?
Example: · Shelter-In-Place until the “All Clear” announcement is given
Answer
No hyphens in that use, either.
Question on Sept. 13, 2024
AP style says half-marathon should have a hyphen. What if the name of an event does NOT have the hyphen in it. (i.e. the 'Arrowhead Half Marathon)...should we add the hyphen in?
Answer
Don't add it if the event doesn't have it in and you need to use the formal name.
Question from Detroit, on Sept. 12, 2024
Why is there a difference between U.S. and LA or NY, etc. in the body of a story? Periods for one, not for others.
Answer
We don't typically use LA/L.A. or NY/N.Y. in the body of stories. What are you looking at? It could be that a writer sneaked such a use in, but it's not our standard practice.
Question from Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 12, 2024
Is it correct to use a preposition before a colon in a list? For example:
The work was completed to:
The work was completed to:
- Increase area awareness
- Resurface the trail
- Widen and resurface State Road
- Add a two-way left-turn lane
- Reconstruct and upgrade traffic signals
- Construct a westbound right-turn lane at Hill Road
- Adding a walking path on the south side of the trail
Thank you.
Answer
Yes, that's fine. Except the last bullet needs to start with Add, not Adding.
Question from Page, Arizona, on Sept. 12, 2024
Is downwinders capitalized when referring to group of people affected by radioactive fallout?
Answer
No. And we wouldn't use the term. We'd say: people affected by radioactive fallout.
Answer
Both should be Panhandle.
Question from San Francisco, California, on Sept. 11, 2024
I get that we hyphenate "low code" when used as a modifier, as in "low-code tools." Should we also hyphenate "natural language" in the following? "... low-code and natural language tools ..." If not, why not?
Answer
I'd hyphenate natural-language tools to avoid any confusion, though as with low-code tools, it could depend on the audience. Much more detail is in the hyphen entry.
Question on Sept. 11, 2024
Should a URL be included in its entirety (in a press release) or is it okay to shorten it?
Answer
It's OK to shorten it, if it's awkwardly long.
Question from California, on Sept. 11, 2024
Is it IoT or the IoT? Is it the Internet of Things or Internet of Things? When do we use "the"? Thanks.
Answer
We don't use the term. Here's the entry:
Internet of Things
General term used to describe devices, appliances, sensors and other gadgets with internet connections. This somewhat obscure term should be avoided in stories for general readers. Instead, use internet-connected or smart, such as internet-connected thermostat or smart light bulb.
Question from WASHINGTON, District of Columbia, on Sept. 11, 2024
How do you style the acronym for a phrase that ends with a plural word? Does it need a small "s" at the end? For example, you introduce the phrase "sports utility vehicles" and want to subsequently reference it by an acronym. Is it "SUV are..." or "SUVs are..."? Thanks.
Answer
SUVs are ...
Question from Silver Spring, Maryland, on Sept. 11, 2024
The word "debris" is a French borrowing and a noncount noun. How would we make the plural? Debris's?
Answer
Debris is both singular and plural.
Question from Medford, New Jersey, on Sept. 11, 2024
My staff and I disagree about how to treat a parenthetical that comes at the end of a sentence. I think if it is a complete sentence, it should be treated as such, meaning the text before it ends with a period and then the parenthetical has a period inside it. They put the period outside of the parenthesis and treat it all as one (often long) sentence. Is there an AP rule to end this debate?
Answer
Here's the full guidance in the parentheses entry.
I think this section addresses your question:
PUNCTUATION: Place a period outside a closing parenthesis if the material inside is not a sentence (such as this fragment).
I think this section addresses your question:
PUNCTUATION: Place a period outside a closing parenthesis if the material inside is not a sentence (such as this fragment).
(An independent parenthetical sentence such as this one takes a period before the closing parenthesis.)
When a phrase placed in parentheses (this one is an example) might normally qualify as a complete sentence but is dependent on the surrounding material, do not capitalize the first word or end with a period.
Question on Sept. 11, 2024
Hello AP! Following the recent switch to Merriam-Webster, would it be "tri-state" or "tristate"? Thank you very much!
Answer
Tristate, as Merriam-Webster prefers.
Question from Taipei, on Sept. 11, 2024
I am looking at the suspensive hyphenation section under hyphens in the punctuation chapter and wondering if I'm applying the rule correctly here:
"The bureau predicts a two- to fourfold increase in instances of dangerous flooding."
Thanks!
"The bureau predicts a two- to fourfold increase in instances of dangerous flooding."
Thanks!
Answer
I'd reword it. The bureau predicts two to four times more instances of dangerous flooding.
Question on Sept. 11, 2024
Hi Paula,
When using the word, "month" to describe how much the monthly price is, is it correct to say, "per month", "per mo", or "per mo."?
When using the word, "month" to describe how much the monthly price is, is it correct to say, "per month", "per mo", or "per mo."?
Answer
per month
Question from Longmont, Colorado, on Sept. 10, 2024
As a fraction, is it one-quarter or one quarter? For example, "One quarter of hospice patients were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease."
Answer
With the hyphen.
Question from SUN LAKES, Arizona, on Sept. 10, 2024
I checked Garner's Modern American Usage, The Gregg Reference Manual, Bill Walsh's books, among others for an example of "w/" plus a word. No luck. Does one include a space after the vigule? Is it:
"W/my family" or "W/ my family"? Thank you!
"W/my family" or "W/ my family"? Thank you!
Answer
We also don't have a style for that, because we wouldn't use that format. Apparently the others you note wouldn't, either. And I'm not seeing it in The Chicago Manual of Style (though it was a quick search). What's the reason for not spelling out the word? It's hard to read as you have it ...
Question from Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, on Sept. 10, 2024
Would you use "nor" in this sentence?
3-D scanners allow travelers to pass through security without removing liquids nor laptops.
3-D scanners allow travelers to pass through security without removing liquids nor laptops.
Answer
No. It's or. Bonus tip: Our style is 3D, without the hyphen.
Question from Tokyo, on Sept. 10, 2024
Following AP style on "corporation" in a company name, we use "Corp." if it's at the end of a company name. But what about on second reference? Can we drop the "Corp."?
Answer
Yes. Drop the Corp. on second reference.
Question from Mishawka, Indiana, on Sept. 10, 2024
4- to 5-year-olds
include hyphens to indicate the age range as an adjective before a noun
Is this still the AP's stance above? Not seeing this noted anywhere on here now.
include hyphens to indicate the age range as an adjective before a noun
Is this still the AP's stance above? Not seeing this noted anywhere on here now.
Answer
See this section of the hyphen entry:
SUSPENSIVE HYPHENATION: Use these forms to shorten a compound modifier or a noun phrase that shares a common word:
SUSPENSIVE HYPHENATION: Use these forms to shorten a compound modifier or a noun phrase that shares a common word:
When the elements are joined by and or or, expressing more than one element: 10-, 15- or 20-minute intervals; 5- and 6-year-olds. But: The intervals are 10, 15 or 20 minutes; the children are 5 to 6 years old.
When the elements are joined by to or by, expressing a single element: a 10-to-15-year prison term; an 8-by-12-inch pan. But: The prison term is 10 to 15 years; the pan is 8 by 12 inches.
Question from Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 9, 2024
How does the AP decide which post-nominal letters warrant inclusion? If someone holds a relevant Bachelor of Science, should they be identified as [Jane Doe, B.S.]?
Answer
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