Ask the Editor
Last Seven DaysQuestion from on May 30, 2020
Do you capitalize a title after a person's name?
Answer
Question from New Orleans, LA on May 30, 2020
The term "dedensify" is becoming popular as things are beginning to reopen. Does AP recommend it be written as I typed or as hyphenated?
Answer
We recommend not using the term.
Question from Oakland, CA on May 30, 2020
Is the hyphenation correct in this sentence:
Our company has achieved a zero pay-ratio gap among men, women, and minorities.
Our company has achieved a zero pay-ratio gap among men, women, and minorities.
Answer
Yes.
Question from Edmond, OK on May 29, 2020
Is the word "interim" capitalized when in a title? For example: Interim Health Commissioner Tom Jones commented on the new agency building.
Answer
No, it's lowercase.
Question from TACOMA, WA on May 29, 2020
Is the correct verb tense "was" or "were" in this use? "If Company Z was an animal, what would it be?"
Both sound correct and I can't find a rule about it. Thank you!
Both sound correct and I can't find a rule about it. Thank you!
Answer
Were is correct. Here's the explanation:
subjunctive mood
Use the subjunctive mood of a verb for contrary-to-fact conditions, and expressions of doubts, wishes or regrets:
If I were a rich man, I wouldn't have to work hard.
I doubt that more money would be the answer.
I wish it were possible to take back my words.
Sentences that express a contingency or hypothesis may use either the subjunctive or the indicative mood depending on the context. In general, use the subjunctive if there is little likelihood that a contingency might come true:
If I were to marry a millionaire, I wouldn't have to worry about money.
If the bill passes as expected, it will provide an immediate tax cut.
See should, would.
Question from on May 29, 2020
Since 2012, they have been Monroe County, NY’s choice in childcare services.
- There was an entry from 2009 that advised against this awkwardness generally, but if we absolutely had to use it, would this be correct? Or should there be a comma after "NY's"? Thank you!
Answer
There's not a good way of doing it if for some reason you absolutely had to use it. Just accept that whatever you do won't be right. That said, I would do it as you have it if you have to use that construction. Adding the usual second comma would just add to the chaos.
AP style writes out the state name.
AP style writes out the state name.
Answer
I see it's in Edmonds. What a lovely town! I visited often when I lived in Shoreline.
Under the Rainbow Storytelling seems to be pretty firmly entrenched as the style for the show's name, so it's a little late to think about changing it. And in this case, I wouldn't use a style in your stories that's different from the style the show uses. (I realize that opens up the whole question of style on company names, etc.)
As for whether the hyphens should have been used to begin with, it's one of the many gray areas of hyphen judgment. I agree with NOT using the hyphens here. Yes, there's the guideline on modifiers of three or more words. But for reasons that I can't quite articulate, I think this should be an exception. I don't think there's really any potential for confusion without the hyphens, thanks to Dorothy and her friends (even though we're talking under rather than over). Adding hyphens here looks unsightly and unnecessary to me.
Our removal of hyphens from African American, Asian American and other dual-heritage terms applied only to those terms, not to compound proper nouns and adjectives in general.
You saw my previous answer on the last point. Presumably the organization has its own style for such an abbreviation and I'd use that, if you need to use an abbreviation.
Under the Rainbow Storytelling seems to be pretty firmly entrenched as the style for the show's name, so it's a little late to think about changing it. And in this case, I wouldn't use a style in your stories that's different from the style the show uses. (I realize that opens up the whole question of style on company names, etc.)
As for whether the hyphens should have been used to begin with, it's one of the many gray areas of hyphen judgment. I agree with NOT using the hyphens here. Yes, there's the guideline on modifiers of three or more words. But for reasons that I can't quite articulate, I think this should be an exception. I don't think there's really any potential for confusion without the hyphens, thanks to Dorothy and her friends (even though we're talking under rather than over). Adding hyphens here looks unsightly and unnecessary to me.
Our removal of hyphens from African American, Asian American and other dual-heritage terms applied only to those terms, not to compound proper nouns and adjectives in general.
You saw my previous answer on the last point. Presumably the organization has its own style for such an abbreviation and I'd use that, if you need to use an abbreviation.
Question from Oakland, CA on May 28, 2020
You've stated that referring to the COVID-19 virus is a shorthand akin to referring to the virus that causes AIDS as the AIDS virus. Is it also okay to refer to it as the COVID-19 coronavirus?
Answer
Yes.
Answer
How about this (and note who rather than whom. Doe said he was wanted, not Doe said him was wanted):
Sheriff John Doe congratulated members of his staff for their part in the capture of a man who Doe said was wanted in connection with the rape of a minor.
Sheriff John Doe congratulated members of his staff for their part in the capture of a man who Doe said was wanted in connection with the rape of a minor.
Question from DC, DC on May 28, 2020
How do I choose how to refer to an area?
Is it 'South' or 'South-Atlantic' for people around North Carolina?
Is it 'South' or 'South-Atlantic' for people around North Carolina?
Answer
It depends on how specific you want to be. Here's the entry:
South
Use South to describe the 16-state region as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau that is broken into three divisions. Capitalize Southern as an adjective describing the region.
The four East South Central states are Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee.
The eight South Atlantic states are Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.
The four West South Central states are Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.
There is no official U.S. Census Bureau definition of Southeast.
For directions, south and southern. See directions and regions.
Question from DC, DC on May 28, 2020
When referring to the Pacific Northwest is 'Pacific Northwest' or 'pacific northwest'
As in:
'Open to practitioners in the Pacific Northwest'
As in:
'Open to practitioners in the Pacific Northwest'
Answer
Pacific Northwest.
Question from Washington, DC on May 28, 2020
Do you have a rule on how to attribute a quote to someone who goes by one name? It's not Oprah or Cher or anyone else readers would know, and his first (or last?) name is nowhere to be found. Would you say something like, "X, who goes by one name, said … "?
Answer
Yes, as you suggest.
Question from on May 28, 2020
In a title or heading that uses title case, would you style it "Trompe l’Oeil" or "Trompe L’Oeil"? (I don't know French, but I think the "l" is an article and therefore lowercase.)
Answer
Trompe l’Oeil
Question from Minneapolis, MN on May 28, 2020
The "department" entry says DOJ is acceptable on second reference to Department of Justice, but it also says it is preferable to list the subject first in stories. So if I should use Justice Department on first reference, can I still use DOJ on second reference? The same question applies to any department with an initialism that starts with D.
Answer
We wouldn't use DOJ on second reference if you first used Justice Department and not Department of Justice.
Question from Foster City , CA on May 28, 2020
Are off-site and on-site both hyphenated? I've noticed an inconsistency with hyphen/no hyphen use here, and in AP articles.
Answer
Our style is off-site and on-site.
Question from on May 28, 2020
When referring to other forms of energy that are not fossil fuels, do you prefer nonfossil fuels or non-fossil fuels?
Answer
Nonfossil fuels.
Question from New York, NY on May 27, 2020
It's my thinking (with nothing to back this up) that one brings JUSTICE TO a criminal and JUSTICE FOR a victim. But I'm looking at something someone wrote and they have "BRING JUSTICE TO THE (VICTIM'S) FAMILY" which doesn't sound horrid... so it left me wondering if I made this up. Is there any rule?
Answer
The more common phrasing is to bring a criminal to justice or to bring to justice a criminal. I agree with your preference on the other: bring justice for the victim's family.
Answer
Do you need to list their credentials? If so, use the first option you listed.
Answer
We use MBA, no periods, but M.A. and M.S. with the periods. We don't have entries for CPA or RN, but follow the style of our primary dictionary, Webster's New World College Dictionary, which uses no periods for those two.
We don't list a string of credentials after a name. If you want to do that, your other source's style sounds like your go-to.
Stylebook:
Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration Abbreviated M.A., M.S., but MBA. A master's degree or a master's is acceptable in any reference.
Webster's New World College Dictionary:
CPA n. , pl. CPAs certified public accountant
RN n. , pl. RNs registered nurse
We don't list a string of credentials after a name. If you want to do that, your other source's style sounds like your go-to.
Stylebook:
Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration Abbreviated M.A., M.S., but MBA. A master's degree or a master's is acceptable in any reference.
Webster's New World College Dictionary:
CPA n. , pl. CPAs certified public accountant
RN n. , pl. RNs registered nurse
Question from Aberdeen, MS on May 27, 2020
On first reference, I capitalized "Tupelo Police Department."
If I later attribute information to "Tupelo Police" - do I capitalize "Police" or use "Tupelo police"?
In this example story, only one police department is involved.
What if I don't include the city's name in later references but I'm still referring to the previously referenced "Tupelo Police Department"?
If I later attribute information to "Tupelo Police" - do I capitalize "Police" or use "Tupelo police"?
In this example story, only one police department is involved.
What if I don't include the city's name in later references but I'm still referring to the previously referenced "Tupelo Police Department"?
Answer
We'd make the later references Tupelo police.
Question from Austin on May 27, 2020
Would you add a comma after export in this sentence? "They transport, store, export and market products and provide other fee-based processing services."
Thank you.
Thank you.
Answer
I'd put the comma after products to separate the clauses: They transport, store, export and market products, and provide other fee-based processing services.
Question from New York, NY on May 27, 2020
Since we don't use quote marks around an unfamiliar term if it's used with "so-called," do we also dispense with quote marks when the term is used with "known as"?
Answer
We don't have a firm rule on that. I'd say it depends on how familiar the term is. For instance: They are working on facial recognition, also known as face recognition. But the gadget is also known as "whippersplitty."
Answer
We don't address citation numbers. Sorry!
Question from Westchester, IL on May 27, 2020
I'm seeing the use of "including" to introduce a few examples of a bigger group but without a comma before including. Is this a new style change for AP or just mistaken usage in my local metro?
Answer
It depends on whether what follows including is an essential phrase or a nonessential phrase.
With nonessential phrases, do use a comma: I have a lot of tasks today, including responding to Ask the Editor questions, sending lots of emails and doing a Twitter chat.
With essential phrases, don't use a comma: Send a letter including your username and street address.
With nonessential phrases, do use a comma: I have a lot of tasks today, including responding to Ask the Editor questions, sending lots of emails and doing a Twitter chat.
With essential phrases, don't use a comma: Send a letter including your username and street address.
Question from Philippines on May 27, 2020
Is it correct to say "pre- and post-natal care" or "pre and post-natal care." And is it possible to cite the rule so that I can explain the reasoning behind it? (Instinctively, I know that "pre- and post-natal" is correct, but I'm unable to articulate why.)
Answer
It's a little complicated. Our entries for pre- and post- both say: Follow Webster’s New World College Dictionary. Hyphenate if not listed there.
So the next step is to check the dictionary. It lists prenatal and postnatal, with no hyphen for either. So, perhaps you could rewrite to say prenatal and postnatal care (or care before and after birth).
If you want to keep the abbreviated version, then use my "common sense sometimes must override style" informal guidance and use hyphens. You need hyphens after both pre and post to connect those elements (pre- and post-natal care) following this guidance:
SUSPENSIVE HYPHENATION: Use these forms to shorten a compound modifier or a noun phrase that shares a common word:
So the next step is to check the dictionary. It lists prenatal and postnatal, with no hyphen for either. So, perhaps you could rewrite to say prenatal and postnatal care (or care before and after birth).
If you want to keep the abbreviated version, then use my "common sense sometimes must override style" informal guidance and use hyphens. You need hyphens after both pre and post to connect those elements (pre- and post-natal care) following this guidance:
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.
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Coronavirus Topical Guide
To help with coverage of the coronavirus and COVID-19, The Associated Press has prepared a guide based on the AP Stylebook and common usage in AP stories. For more details, follow AP coverage of...
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