AP Style

Question 1

Titles

Answer 1

Titles that come BEFORE a name are capitalized
Ex. Apple Chairman and CEO Steve Jobs

Titles that come AFTER a name are lowercase
Ex. Steve Jobs, Apple chairman and CEO (look at the c in chairman)

Question 2

Addresses

Answer 2

If you use a full address, abbreviate the “street destination” such as street, avenue, or boulevard.
Ex. The bank is located at 5501 Los Angeles Ave. (pay attention to the abbreviation of avenue)

If you say that something happened on Los Angeles Avenue, then you spell out the destination.
Ex. The bank on Los Angeles Avenue was robbed

Question 3

Affect vs. Effect

Answer 3

Affect - as a verb, means to influence
Ex. The game will affect the standings.
When used as a noun, affect, is best avoided.

Effect - as a verb, means to cause
Ex. He will effect many changes in the company
When used as a noun, effect, means result
Ex. The effect was overwhelming. He miscalculated the effect of his actions.

Question 4

Age

Answer 4

For people and animals, use digits to represent age
Ex. The girl is 15 years old OR the dog is 2 years old

However, for in-animates, spell out the age
Ex. The law is eight years old

Use hyphens for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or as a substitute for a noun
Ex. A 5-year-old boy, but the boy is 5 years old.

• The woman is in her 30s (NO apostrophe)*

Question 5

Am., p.m.

Answer 5

Lowercase, with periods.
Ex. 10 a.m.

Don’t use 12 noon or 12 a.m.
it should just be noon or midnight

Question 6

Apostrophe (‘)

Answer 6

In general, it’s used to show possession
Ex. The alumni’s contribution OR Ashley’s books and notebooks OR women’s rights

Do not use an apostrophe to show plural
Wrong: She gave the CD’s to me
RIGHT: She gave the CDs to me

Question 7

Spelling and use of states

Answer 7

Spell out the name of all states (for large cities like Los Angeles, don’t include the state)

Wrong: Northridge, CA
Wrong: Northridge, Calif.
RIGHT: Northridge, California

Question 8

In cases of death…

Answer 8

Use died, NOT passed away

Question 9

Numbers

Answer 9

Spell out numbers 1-9 and use digits for number 10 and greater
Ex. Nine and 50

EXCEPTIONS: weights and measurements (including age)
Ex. She is 7 years old OR I live on a 2-acre farm