yes. See "composition titles."

it's correctly hyphenated.

Yes, that example was added in the 2008 edition to specify figures in such ratios. Thus, 4 of 7 students is correct.

AP spelling is Time magazine (cap-T only).

In this usage, yet is an adverb. It suggests continuance, a process under way.

Prefacing quotes would be highly unusual in AP news transmissions. Suggest you follow a book or magazine article format.

Both forms are acceptable. Let the context be your guide.

continue (pl. verb) in agreement with conversations (pl. noun).

In abbreviations, the guidance is custom and usage. For example, the FBI, the CIA and the VA. But ABC, NBC and GM can stand without the definite article.

yes.

The second attribution makes clearer that both parts of the indirect quote are from Helbach.

Normally it's unhyphenated as a noun phrase: land use planning, land use management, etc.

AP stories use both terms for President-elect Barack Obama. See stylebook's "African-American" and "black" entries.

Use the personal pronoun "who" for this reference. The pronoun "that" is normally used for inanimate objects or animals without a name.

There are various formats for this. You may want to use a different typeface or boldface the quotation for contrast. The Chicago Manual of Style may have a guide on this.

AP news stories describe groups or organizations as nonprofit if they qualify for that status.

AP doesn't use that device. In the case you cite, perhaps bylines for both individuals? Or one byline atop and a contributor name at the end?

We follow Webster's on that term.

no.

AP avoids using handles alone, which amount to granting anonymity. If the handle is somehow relevant to a news story, it might be included in addition to the person's name.

Yes, but AP uses one word.

Depends on the subject matter. Singular implies a body of concepts, plural suggests individual ideas. See dictionary definitions.

the article is lowercase with these proper names.

B-movies, B-list for films and celebs of secondary rank.

Generally it's Black Friday (caps, no quotes) for the big shopping day after Thanksgiving.

correct.

the first.

See QUOTATIONS in the "ellipsis" entry. In a story, don't use ellipses at beginning and end of a direct quote.

society is no doubt sufficient in references after the proper name.

commas, not semicolons, are correct.

See "trademark" entry for AP's policy.

In the "dash" entry see WITH SPACES. In the "ellipsis" entry see SPACING REQUIREMENTS.

In these cases, police chief and police officer are capitalized titles.

lowercase reserve. It's capitalized as part of a proper name, such as Army Reserve.

lowercase "u"

the second is correct.

correct as written.

Consult a graphics design/typography reference.

It's hyphenated as a modifier: single-family residence. Otherwise it's two words: A single family lived in the house.

suggest recast to avoid stacking modifiers: algae damaged by climate change.

the same.

AP doesn't require states with Dallas and Atlanta, so the sentence should read: Offices are located in Atlanta and Dallas, with their corporate office in Tampa, Fla. Normally commas are used to set off lists of cities, states.

AP now uses the hyphenated name on second reference.

correct, with comma after Texas when city, state, are together on first reference.

AP uses numerals for all numbers in headlines. See the "headlines" entry.

AP tends to hyphenate the first term and use one word for the second.

two words.

See "dangling modifiers" entry for advice on recasting.

no.

AP uses two words.

See "affect, effect" entry. Affect (influence) is the right choice.

Both are correct, though AP's normal usage is John Smith, 24, ...

Same rule -- add es for plural -- unless the family has another preference.

AP regards the full name as a unit taking a singular verb. CDC is invariably used in subsequent references and also takes a singular verb.

See "collectibles" entry.

You don't want to overuse that construction.

It's a common phrase in direct or indirect quotes in AP stories. Your tactic in other situations makes sense.

AP doesn't use the # sign on news wires. Better ask a press release service.

President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush are usual first references in AP stories.

one word, per Webster's.

lowercase. See "artworks" entry.

Barack Obama, then the Democratic presidential candidate, delivered a campaign speech, etc.

Spell out those amounts. See "factions" entry.

... which is to be one of the best hospital workplaces in the country.

Three four-page newsletters (printed stories on Page 4).

Lowercase the compass point unless it's a widely known section, as in Southern California or South Florida. Use local preference on spellings.

Try tightening: Of the $224 billion in projected revenue, $192 billion (86 percent) is committed to specific uses by federal, state and local governments.

The first is standard.

In rare uses, AP wrote trucker hat fad, no quotes.

Search this archive for stormwater.

these are synonyms, so both adjectives are correct.

lowercase formal title following name, capitalize it preceding the name. Department names can be lowercase if they are generic. However, businesses/organizations often choose to capitalize those names. I would lowercase membership in the last usage.

If the individual used the title in making the purchase, of if the designation is a factor in the acquisition, such as real estate bought as an office.

Company internal reports may use additional capitalization for graphical reasons. However, the style for AP news is to capitalize only the first word and proper names of headlines, with some exception in Web versions.

Apparently it isn't online. What specifics do you need? I can provide a brief summary.

As you have them, caps A and P.

correct.

the second, deriving from the sailing term for a zig-zag course against the wind.

The name of the wax effigy isn't in quotes.

it's payer, as in single-payer system.

This proper name denotes a unit, so it takes the singular verb makes. See "collective nouns" entry.

The film title gets a comma.

Guidelines are covered in "photo captions" entry of the online stylebook.

proof of purchases

Float titles are enclosed in quotes.

In this case, hyphen unneeded.

lowercase.

David Lewin, 35, Alice Lewin, 34, and their children, Freddie, 7, and Barbara, 3, were seriously injured in the crash.

Silva on second reference.

The second if the quotation comes within a paragraph. See stylebook's "colon (:)" entry.

lowercase as a generic, capitalize for a specific business, such as Multiple Listing Service Inc.

AP uses figures for ages. To avoid numbers bumping against each other and multiple hyphens, you could recast: The study found increased hyperactivity among nearly 300 children ages 3, 8 and 9.

Whether these banking titles are capitalized or not when directly preceding the name depends on the conferring organization. Check with the bank.

To bring usage into conformity in all AP stories. For many years stories transmitted internationally have used both names when directly preceded by president. Now AP stories transmitted domestically will conform to that style.

no hyphens. Perhaps you saw it hyphenated as compound modifier preceding a noun.

masters and senior-level track and field.

hyphens in both cases.

all are fine, though no comma needed in third example.

no hyphens.

Suggest drop then again. But adequately introduces the contrasting idea.

one word.

It's used both ways in AP football stories.

play dough (no hyphen)

This title is an exception: Presidents George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter on first reference, Bush and Carter on subsequent references.

no, check "weather terms"

marketing on demand, but could be hyphenated as a preceding modifier.

Glad you like it. Me too.

AP refers to transgender men and women, or people.

See "non-" and check a technical reference for such spellings.

Yes, the wire advisory transmitted today says: EDITORS: The Associated Press is adopting a universal style for referring to all heads of state, including the United States. Effective Thursday at 3 a.m. EST, the AP will use the title and first and family names on first reference: President George W. Bush, not just President Bush; President-elect Barack Obama, not just President-elect Obama; President Nicolas Sarkozy, not just President Sarkozy. The AP

Yes, see "artworks" entry.

As you wrote the terms -- caps G, X, Y.

plural.

There are no iron-clad rules on these spellings. My best advice is to look 'em up in the stylebook or Webster's. For others, conform to accepted usage. AP uses WAC, FIFA, NASCAR and NASA in all references, but MEAC is spelled out on first reference.

Ask tournament organizers.

The adverb should go directly before the word or idea being emphasized.

AP establishes the location with a NEW YORK dateline. Manhattan and Brooklyn rarely require borough references. Occasionally AP stories will refer to all five boroughs and list them by name, including the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. If the story doesn't have a dateline, AP would refer to the New York City borough or boroughs, citing the relevant names.

Sure, if it's a proper name, as in Jones said. Otherwise, lowercase the pronoun attribution, as in she said.

Check archive for Sept. 24 response.

UPDATE. Starting Thursday, Nov. 13, AP will use first and last names with the title of U.S. president or president-elect on first reference. Same holds for presidents of other nations.

Drop well. Adding widgets to the construct is less understood.

Check a scientific reference for the accepted spelling.

Clear majority of AP stories use harken back.

UPDATE. Starting Thursday, Nov. 13, AP will use first and last names with president or president-elect on first reference.

yes.

not in a news story.

two words, no hyphen needed.

Capitalized in meaning God or Jesus, with lowercase the.

Often the dictionary spelling. Webster's uses capital A for "a grade indicating excellence ..." and lowercases the letters in "mind your p's and q's." But it caps the three R's. In other cases, popular usage can be decisive.

The stylebook's bibliography, other references, lists Concise Oxford English Dictionary, Eleventh Edition.

I would defer to Webster's, which hyphenates this verb.

In normal speech, "He earns $10 a month." However, per month is equally correct.

no hyphen.

lowercase; yes.

normally it's a possessive.

AP uses one word.

no.

the first.

lowercase article or without article.

Yes, in this case.

See stylebook entry.

ABC Clinic (if clinic is part of the formal or proper name); ABC clinics (lowercase "c" as plural of common noun element in the name).

below 10, spell out the figure.

two.

these are noun phrases correctly spelled without hyphens.

AP frequently uses Gitmo in story headlines.

interchangeable

neither, it's a noun, as is tightening.

"don't ask, don't tell" policy

See stylebook's "take off, takeoff"

... the company said on its Web site, http://www.bmw.com, that profits fell in the third quarter ...

AP uses gift wrap (n.), as in product lines, and hyphenates as modifier. I'll defer to Webster's on the hyphenated verb form.

For people who are unfamiliar with the 24-hour clock, you could give both: 10 a.m. (1000), 1:15 p.m. (1315), etc.

yes.

The "bullet" question has been addressed frequently in Ask the Editor. Here's a recent answer in the archive you can search: AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section.

without apostrophe, per Webster's.

Yes, the guidance was amended in the 2008 printed and online editions.

Not a formal title so doesn't need caps, but quote marks are appropriate to indicate an assertion.

Either way is fine; both are used AP stories. AP Stylebook and Webster's don't list, but Oxford dictionary says ice tea is the North American form of iced tea. The stylebook does mandate teenage, not teenaged.

As a descriptive term, doctorate in psychology is lowercase. Bachelor of Arts is capitalized as an academic degree, as are B.A. and Ph.D. See "doctor" for an explanation of Dr. as a title on first reference.

lowercase.

hyphenate as compound modifier.

It's a plural construction: A sizable percentage of voters remain ...

see "contractions" entry.

Local option on that. What's it say on the Mass. ballot?

AP uses water sports (two words), an exception to the Webster's spelling.

lab is fine, but better spell out catheterization on first use.

one word

sub-Saharan

mid-single-digit range, mid single digits.

two words (n.), hyphenate as compound modifier.

The first formulation implies that that state has been "called" as a victory ahead of a decisive vote count. The other suggests a trend, but short of a "call."

On initial reference, AP usually prefaces the acronym with a brief descriptive: the community activist group ACORN. The full name may then be spelled out later in the story.

no.

singular

boo-boos

see "dash" entry, IN LISTS section

No hyphen, based on the NFL all-star game usage.

no.

AP would lowercase commissioner; Major League Baseball is properly capitalized.

Assume you're referring to their class, rather than than a subordinate level of team captains. Captains include juniors John Smith, John Doe ...

generically speaking they're both lowercase.

lowercase

AP would use the first. Entries for "millimeter" and "time sequences" explain.

See "well" entry.

taxpaying citizen; a company that pays no taxes.

Ask the target publication(s), or simply say in the release that you have photo available on request.

the first.

AP would use the second form. See "slash" and "hyphen" entries.

That title is not abbreviated.

Good point. National Park Service on first reference, Park Service thereafter. AP stories typically use those spellings.

AP doesn't hyphenate health care.

five-year limited warranty

Obama-Biden ticket, McCain-Palin ticket

election night should be lowercase, though caps sometimes slip through. thanks for the reminder.

"... nearly 1 of every 5 people ages 2 to 19 is overweight."

Americans with Disabilities Act on first reference, then you could refer to work compliant with the ADA.

See "-elect" and "chairman, chairwoman" entries

Either spell out version or follow the manufacturer's designation: e.g., HDMI v1.3 offering.

recession-proof (hyphenated) in AP stories, although the guidance you cite could well apply. It's an example of a word or expression coming into vogue, outpacing a dictionary listing. In such cases, the spelling can be a judgment call.

traditionally, college preparatory

Membership doesn't rate a title, though the name of the honorary is capitalized.

See SENTENCE START in "numerals" entry

yes

spell five, as in placed in the top five.

no hyphens

proactive

The first example is correct. Recast the second to avoid the personal pronoun dilemma: Americans have a 1 in 3 chance of developing diabetes in their lifetimes. (Of course, these figures need credible attribution. The diabetes claim seems particularly high.)

no hyphens.

two words, no hyphen, in both uses. See Webster's.

If there's any doubt about this renowned location, you can certainly specify Silicon Valley in California.

RSS is OK on first reference, though it's a good idea to spell it out somewhere in the story.

first says it all, drop ever.

normally lowercase "h"

It may be a case of similar transliterations from Russian, which can yield both versions in English. AP uses Decembrists for the nobles who sought to overthrow the czar in 1825 and were exiled.

AP would lowercase that term.

See regional groupings: travel.nationalgeographic.com

see Webster's definition.

see "headlines" entry

... ran (xx distance) in 2:37.80.

see "millions, billions" entry

the second, with comma.

no hyphen

anymore (adv.), according to Webster's.

There's no AP rule on placement of "also" and similar adverbs. Writer's choice on where to put the emphasis word in the sentence.

Lowercase, per "coach" entry. It's only capitalized when used in place of a name as a term of address.

based on "non-" prefix entry, it's one word.

see stylebook entry

Joe the Plumber (usually no quotes), "Joe Six-pack" (usually in quotes).

Apostle Paul, the apostles.

no hyphen.

no quotes around the names.

the second ... or better yet, take a few more words to describe it.

hypenhated.

Putting the time element in the following sentence is one remedy.

the second.

bailout (no hyphen)

no.

House majority whip

lowercase as a generic term.

this phrase is typically written without a hyphen.

Libor

a board acting in concert hails (singular)

See "board of directors, board of trustees" always lowercase.

AP wouldn't capitalize period ending. However, the typographics you are describing differ from news writing format, so check a specialized publication for assistance.

correct.

your two examples are correct as written.

I said AP sports stories lowercase finals with NBA and Stanley Cup. I haven't been asked about ALCS. The full term is normally capitalized on first reference in AP sports stories.

The preposition form is widely used in AP stories. Webster's and other dictionaries take note of objections by some grammarians.

See "elderly" entry.

See PROPER NOUNS in "capitalization" entry: These students are enrolled in the School of Cytotechnology at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene.

Wall Street, Main Street and Pennsylvania Ave. Commas only if the locations are being addressed, which doesn't seem to be the case. See "obscenities, profanities, vulgarities" entry for guidance on flagging such quotes.

We've addressed this frequently. For explanation, search Ask the Editor archive for ANPA.

depends on context. plans may be shorter term, future plans off in the distance.

cost-effective (adj.)

correct.

the second.

two words.

Spell the number at start of a sentence. The only exception is a calendar year, which is a figure.

Drop but and the comma.

the first

As in the guidance for "ratios" and "proportions," and in USAGE EXAMPLES for "numerals," use figures. Either of your first two examples is fine.

Take a few more words to describe what's going on. Perhaps audiences may join in caroling during a re-enactment of the Nativity scene?

In AP style, the only figure used to start a sentence is a calendar year: 2000 launched the new millenium.

Yes, if you want to conform with AP style.

two

No. See QUOTATIONS in the "ellipsis" entry.

If the second part is a proper noun.

Within text, AP gives only sitename.com

no

cap T

AP follows Webster's spellings on animal species. Only those examples you cite are capitalized.

A few examples: master's in American studies, bachelor's in English, doctorate in Russian history.

with an "s"

often hyphenated in news stories, though using stylebook's "pre-" guidance it should be one word.

Use the local preference: 127 West Fifth South Street

the Rev. is correct before the name; pastor is often used as a descriptive with the individual's duties, as in youth pastor.

upfront, per Webster's and the stylebook's prefix guidance on "up-"

First example is correct. The guidance is to leave one regular space on both sides of an ellipsis.

tagger describes both kinds of graffiti art.

Capitalize and spell out Salvation Army officer ranks used directly before a full name.

See "versus" entry.

regularly scheduled treatments

Correct. The stylebook entry is "illegal immigrant" ... do not use the shortened term "illegals."

Flash is capitalized when referring to an online presentation or interactive using a program of that name made by Adobe Systems Inc. The lowercase usage of flash refers to a type of memory chip.

correct; I don't know.

No comma. You may want to run that sentence past an editor.

correct.

Not always. Suggest recast to avoid the need for it.

correct, and lowercase wireless terminals business unit unless it is the formal name of the company.

Correct. See stylebook's "courtesy titles" entry.

AP capitalizes Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, but not the terms you cite.

The record showed nine delegates: four Pennsylvanians, three Marylanders and two Ohioans.

sixth-degree black belt

Advanced Placement English

an all-raw dinner, a raw foods pioneer

Use the local preference in those street addresses, presumably as you've written them.

one word, no hyphen.

AP spells out percent in news stories. In occasional financial data, you might see the abbreviation pc with a figure.

correct.

Yes, the subjects are plural in both sentences and take plural verbs: She is one of the officials who tell schools ... It is one of only five schools that offer ... (Flip the sentences around and verbs become clear: Of the officials who tell schools ..., she is one. Of only five schools that offer ..., it is one.)

one word.

Yes, see POPULAR NAMES section of "capitalization."

Yes, hyphenate as compound modifier.

For precision, generally leave such figures unchanged.

Use article "a" before consonant sound.

no hyphen.

lowercase as a generic term.

turnkey; no hyphens.

AP goes with Webster's on that.

I wouldn't abbreviate inches per pound.

war fighter (two words)

A-plus

TLC's "Clean Sweep" should be sufficient.

Awards seems more precise.

Miami alone in the text, too.

lowercase method

farmers minimarkets

A person can be in a building or at a building, depending on the situation. She's in the city to shop at the mall is normal usage. At the city to shop is a little unusual.

one word (per Webster's)

AP news stories tend to hyphenate it.

No single place. Check the AP Stylebook online, Ask the Editor archive and Webster's New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition.

The association undertakes ...

correct.

See the stylebook's "department" entry.

A rather recent AP story put it this way: Reagan was dubbed "the great communicator" by his supporters. That should work for most uses. The descriptive is, however, capitalized as a film title: "Ronald Reagan: The Great Communicator."

John Doe, president and chief executive. Jane Doe, vice president of human resources.

"The die is cast." -- Julius Caesar at the Rubicon.

Assuming the club is formal group, the spelling is correct; capitalize Diabetes Education Center.

Be sure the context is clear because TLC is also used for a a TV network, Texas League Championship, and Taxi and Limousine Commission, among others.

It's a normal reference in martial arts.

honeybee

tip-off

who

no hyphens.

In AP style, Inc. is not set off by commas.

lowercase common noun plurals in proper names.

lowercase title in apposition.

land line (two words)

CORRECTION: A contribution honoring state Sen. Ernie Chambers' 38 years of service came from Senate colleagues, staff and others in the 100th Nebraska Legislature. (lowercase state, capitalize Senate)

no.

one word when cited by AP in legal documents.

correct.

Gov. David Peterson (without New York) is sufficient in such cases.

... friends and alumni who ... groups and corporations that ...

lowercase as both a modifier and a noun. You'll have to look elsewhere for an exact definition.

Normally, consults with ... and including a word or two describing the expertise: security, economics, etc.

Officer used before the full name of a policeman is capitalized as a formal title, but police officer as a job descriptive is lowercase. Deputy as part of a formal title before a full name is also capitalized, as are undersheriff and councilman. See the "legislative titles" and "military titles" entries for additional guidance.

no spaces. see "slash" entry for guidance.

.... Seattle, Atlanta and Fontana, Calif., ...

no hyphens.

attribute the source.

AP doesn't use italics in news stories.

omega-3

hyphenate.

a compound should work, based on Webster's guidance.

normally the pronoun "it" for the collective noun.

lowercase; see "dad" in stylebook.

one word, per Webster's.

The second, and also check the stylebook's "obscenities, profanities, vulgarities" entry for guidance.

correct.

Each couple has issues.

Based on USDA's plant list, lowercase regional references in plant names.

fine to lowercase board of governors after proper name Federal Reserve.

It was an honor (for the consonant sound following the silent "h").

homefront, outperform, semitrailer or tractor-trailer (see stylebook's "semitrailer").

In a tight pinch, such as a graphic chart, might use wks, but it's always spelled out in news stories.

RSVP to the invitation for dinner. The abbreviation stands for "please reply."

If you insist, but a rephrase would avoid it ... have completed courses in service learning.

Check with publishers of the news articles for rights.

The World Wide Web address is often sufficient, as in: www.apstylebook.com

check U.S. Postal Service address labels, which will reveal the answer.

it's spelled out.

Choice probably depends on the context. You be the judge.

homeowners association (descriptive rather than possessive) works as a generic in most cases. However, it's sometimes written homeowners' association (possessive) as a generic and that's not a crime. For a specific association, check the proper name.

In some technical contexts, such as utilize waste heat.

two words.

They're hyphenated as modifiers: toe-to-toe fight, cheek-to-cheek dancing.

yes, abbreviations with periods are used in the rare instances when the need to identify many individuals by degree on first reference would make the preferred forms cumbersome. See "academic degrees" entry.

public is normally a collective noun, which takes a singular verb.

spell it out. you'll find it in the stylebook under "zero, zeroes"

AP has no plans to jettison these widely accepted and standard abbreviations.

This is beyond my ken. Check a technical reference book.

mooncake (one word)

AP would lowercase the center on second and subsequent references.

Based on the ANPA specifications AP follows, there's no en or short dash. A hyphen would be the equivalent of a short dash. In ANPA, an em or long dash is the underscore.

See CAPS, PERIODS section of stylebook's "abbreviations and acronyms"

comma to set off interjection.

a half-foot, half a foot

There's no AP rule on placement of "also" and similar adverbs. Writer's choice on where to put the emphasis word in the sentence.

lowercase court in followup references to Ohio Supreme Court or in phrases such as Ohio's highest court and subsequent references to that court.

the first, with comma after Oh.

while the modifier may not be esssential in the example you cite, it's accurate and helps clarity in other cases.

Perhaps in the Chicago Manual of Style.

AP headlines capitalize only the first word and proper nouns.

customarily written without the article.

yes, all caps.

midnight and noon are the correct terms in the 12-hour clock. do not put 12 or a meridiem abbreviation in front of either.

AP doesn't use italics in news stories. That includes newspaper names and magazine references. No italics. The stylebook uses italics for examples only.

multifamily (one word).

correct.

two words.

AP would use the numeral. See stylebook guidance on following basic writing style in the "quotations in the news" entry.

AP doesn't recommend dropping the article in such uses.

AP uses Web site because it's a component of the World Wide Web. Compound nouns based on Web are one word, lowercase (webcam, webcast).

AP doesn't use chairperson or chair, so one of the other two.

news release?

the second.

Looks fine as written.

no hyphen: 1.4 million-square-foot building.

X chromosome (cap X, lowercase c)

"thoroughbred," whether used to describe horses or people, generally is an adjective and should be lowercase.

response amended.

such descriptions are often written as hyphenated compounds, but it seems they are usually clear without the hyphen links.

yes, set off interjections.

check "i.e." entry in stylebook: id est means that is. It's more specific than e.g., or exempli gratia, which means for example.

one word preferred.

correct by the stylebook's "farther, further" entry.

"Do You Have Something to Say" ... "A Dream to Believe In" See "composition titles" entry explanation: capitalize an article or a word of fewer than four letters if it is the first or last word in a title. And titles are in quotes.

athletics as used in the U.S. is an all-encompassing term for sports, so be specific: track and field? Internationally athletics does mean track and field.

computers ... or, more specifically, computer programming, computer technology, etc.

Normally no comma needed. Setting it off with a comma pause may be a device for emphasis, though.

She was unsure of herself, but she was unsure how to react.

those over 85 ...

For an upcoming event, you may use the day and date for clarity: i.e., Thursday, Dec. 25. For a past event within a week of the current date, cite the day without a redundant "last." For events further in the past, give the date.

ex officio (no caps, no hyphen)

lowercase as a generic, capped as part of a business name.

capitalize the proper name.

He appeared on a TV show, "Overhaulin'," which is about ... The chair was Jules', but someone else was sitting there. (Comma always placed within quote mark; comma follows possessive apostrophe.)

Yes, but the phrasing implies all items are available for both meal times. Burgers and pizza for breakfast?

hyphenate.

yes. no.

no hyphen.

none in the generic term for a guardian of a minor or incapacitated adult in a legal action.

two words.

capitalize this attained rank.

correct.

Doesn't seem to be part of the formal title, so lowercase chapter.

In general, spell out numbers under 10: three to five people; 13 to 15 people.

No "change." This has been AP style for decades.

Looks right, though AP doesn't use circle r.

check IN A SERIES section of the stylebook's "comma(,)" entry for AP's guidance.

Degree isn't essential. Also acceptable, bachelor's or bachelor's degree from Harvard; executive MBA from Washington University.

yes, D.C., set off with commas as in a city, state, address.

AP stories occasionally use abbreviations like OMG and LOL (with translations) to illustrate informal writing in text messaging and at social networking sites. Not familiar with your dot-com reference, though.

applications plural.

thank you. response corrected.

no comma.

Not listed in Webster's. However, other "bio" compounds listed in the dictionary are spelled as one word.

correct.

CORRECTION: off-site is hyphenated as adjective and adverb, according to Webster's.

AP lists the Web site's dot-com address, without quotes.

Can only endorse AP style: June 12, 2008; 4:45-8:30 a.m.

AP stories use two words.

as written.

Webster's and other standard dictionaries have detailed guidance on the definite article. The may not be essential in this example.

In a recent SEC filing, the company identified itself as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Thus AP is leaving unchanged, Wal-Mart.

no hyphen in that case.

Old West if referencing frontier era in 19th century/early 20th century America.

AP lowercases the term.

lowercase board of governors (see INTERNAL ELEMENTS section of stylebook's "organizations and institutions" entry).

right, ins and outs (no apostrophes).

two words.

AP wouldn't use "!" as a substitute for "i."

toward is the standard American English preposition. The British English form is towards, pronounced "too wordz."

prework is correct. Check the stylebook's "pre-" entry for guidance on forming words with this prefix.

AP normally gives the dot-com citation for such publications.

As a technical measurement requiring explanation, AP would write it out: 88 inches per pound.

second example is correct.

lowercase the plural, chapters 2 and 3.

blue-collar workers is correct.

Harris' bookstore (see "possessives" entry)

See stylebook's "numerals" entry for explanations on when to spell out numbers and when to use figures.

I'd hyphenate for easier reading.

If posting set hours, open for dinner 5:30-11 p.m. If the closing time is indefinite, open for dinner from 5:30 p.m. until late evening.

yep, judged by ads for the maple varieties.

Practices vary. See INTERNAL ELEMENTS section of stylebook's "organizations and institutions" entry for additional guidance.

Check stylebook's "animals" entry. Inanimate objects take indefinite pronouns.

hyphenated as compound modifiers, otherwise not.

In the stylebook's "quotation marks" entry, see QUOTES WITHIN QUOTES.

see Webster's definition.

AP would lowercase the terms, without quotes or italics.

AP stories favor ambiance, a spelling permitted by Webster's (ambience is the dictionary's first choice).

lifesaving (adj. and noun), according to Webster's.

AP doesn't use trademark symbols, such as TM or circle R, in news stories. Plenty of news releases include such symbols, but we just don't use them. AP does use trademark names (e.g., Astro-Turf) when essential to the story.

the first.

Your practice seems to work if the story location is made clear in the text. Presumably you would use datelines for stories reported and written from other areas. Check the stylebook's "datelines" and "dateline selection" entries for AP's policies.

Usually described as wireless Bluetooth technology or Bluetooth headsets.

correct, but download the software normally suffices.

squashes if more than one.

correct.

As idiom, plan B (though tough to enforce lowercase "p").

AP stories favor pre-K (though some lowercase the "k" as well as the "p").

as a noun, two words.

no.

no hyphen.

AP stories customarily use "ages" in such phrasings. Also, the age is always expressed as a figure; 6 months or older.

... U.S. military (periods, lowercase m)

Better to avoid two pronouns: If the person makes $10,000 or more, the refund is reduced, etc.

hyphenate as compound modifier.

no hyphen.

sure.

AP stories render it as ... mmm hmm ... (no hyphen).

stormwater runoff

no hyphen.

One-word compounds in that context.

yes.

Render the title as given by the newspaper. USA Today is not italicized.

Correct but you can drop the second comma.

capitalize as formal name.

Correct, use figures for weights.

The latter, though NCAA is normally understood.

correct.

... the "Today" show, or NBC's "Today" show.

AP favors Re/Max and Weichert Realty.

Usually written Bhagavad-Gita, no quotes.

AP prefers 1972 Munich Olympics on first reference, then Munich games or Munich Olympics thereafter.

hyphenate as compound modifier. In other uses, two words.

AP hyphenates the term.

the second.

AP capitalizes Craigslist.

If you must use it, better to hyphenate.

throughout (one word), according to Webster's.

no hyphen.

no apostrophe.

Only if it's a formal name.

Lowercase is correct, but make it possessive for clarity: the auxiliary's board of directors.

It's green fees, according to the United States Golf Association.

Yes, spelling determined by the context.

yes, although hyphenated spellings might be defensible for clarity.

lowercase earth in both cases.

book bag (two words)

correct, but "more than 40 years' experience" is preferred.'

Deferring to Webster's year-round (hyphenated) for both uses.

The phrase suggests a contingency unlikely to come true, so use "were" for the subjunctive mood.

AP stories refer to in-vitro fertilization or in-vitro procedure (no quotes or italics).

The second example is correct.

The term is generally lowercase.

no hyphen

no hyphen in customary usage.

correct.

biweekly, semimonthly, nonexempt (no hyphens)

The plurals are puddings and newsprint.

two words.

data center (two words)

... crab, lobster, steaks, desserts and beers and wines.

no hyphens in that phrase.

hyphenate as a modifier, back-to-school clothing. Otherwise, she went back to school.

Jan. 24, 2009, to May 3, 2009, ... or, Jan. 24-May 3 in 2009.

break room (two words)

With a Youngstown, Ohio, dateline, Mayor Jay Williams is sufficient in the lead. If the first reference comes lower in the story, Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams.

All three branches have CW5.

plurals for steaks, wines and beers, but seafood items usually singular.

share as a collective noun takes singular verb.

AP spelling: Lead America (no italics, space)

AP lowercases the company in subsequent references.

See stylebook's "-like" entry. Try recasting to avoid an awkward phrase: a situation like credit crunch.

check Webster's.

correct.

If understood from the context, the years aren't needed. Otherwise, include the full 2009 dates: Other weigh-days are Nov. 12, Jan. 7, 2009, and Feb. 11, 2009. The final shearing is Feb. 12, 2009.

two words.

AP uses one word, taekwondo

no objection to the abbreviation if pajamas is spelled out in the story.

eight assists, seven rebounds

the first example is customary.

lowercase "t"

3/4-ton pickup

Space between the figure and F ... 350 F

chairmen and chairwomen

sure.

one word.

CORRECTION: AP stories typically capitalize Park Servicen in subsequent references.

Some Italian Renaissance artists are referred to by their given names on follow up references: Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Sebastiano. Others take family names: Giotto, Titian, Tintoretto, Bellini and Botticelli.

In AP style, Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B, Medicare parts A and B.

AP uses health care (two words) in all instances.

the context should make it clear.

record-holder ... see COMPOUND MODIFIERS in "hyphen (-) entry

yes.

...liability, myriad additional forms have ...

In common usage, two words.

It's correctly capitalized as phrased.

as written but it's merely jargon without a definition.

In AP usage, first-class mail (lowercase)

The name of the publication and byline are normally cited in such references.

I've seen it as two words, hyphenated and one word. Jury's still out on a definitive spelling.

pinback (one word)

no.

lowercase styles and movements, capitalize historical periods. See "artworks" entry.

They mean different things. Check Webster's.

Two words. See stylebook's "long term, long-term" entry.

City is capitalized as part of the formal title, lowercase elsewhere. Unless Downtown Boulder is an organization or recognized entity, lowercase "d" in both instances.

capitalize in the context of the Beijing competitions.

the hyphenated modifier is widely used in AP stories. I don't see a problem with redundancy.

record-setter, mixed-use permit, fix-it festival, day laborer pool

dryland training.

sellout crowd

e.g. and i.e. are set off with commas.

See COMPOUND MODIFIERS in "hyphen (-) entry.

... won by 0.08 second ... or 0.08 of a second.

Lasik is acceptable on first reference, but define the term term promptly.

You should use an apostrophe to indicate the omitted figures.

Deferring to Webster's hyphenated spelling for both.

as is.

yep, but no comma after grinnin'

a nest of bees or bees' nest.

Looks like a collective noun in this usage, so singular verb.

small t.

band mate (two words)

correct.

as a modifier preceding the noun, five-star accomodations.

See stylebook's "numerals" entry for explanations on when to spell out numbers and when to use figures.

Correct. We'll tweak it online now and in subsequent print editions of the stylebook.

lowercase as a generic term.

Olympic village (lowercase v).

service members (two words).

hyphenate 60-foot-wide and 20-foot-deep as compound modifiers. No hyphens needed in second example.

I'm not aware of any rule forbidding that. The "decimal units" entry says decimalization should not exceed two places in textual material, unless there are special circumstances."

all caps, no quotes.

Northern Alliance (capitalized)

AP doesn't yet use hyperlinks within texts. When relevant and available, URLs are listed at the end of AP stories.

correct.

keyword (one word) in this usage.

AP follows the firm's preference.

For a series of this complexity, including individual elements set off by commas, use semicolons to separate the segments. See "semicolon (;)" entry for details.

Check the "non" entry, which advises a hyphen to avoid ackward constructions: non-nuclear.

The second is correct, all capitalized.

The first version with "financing" seems to be standard. AP wouldn't use the abbreviation on first reference without defining it.

lowercase.

AP doesn't use fictitious names in news stories to mask an identity. If the real name must be withheld, the story specifies why.

substandard (one word)

AP reserves the amphersand for formal company names and composition titles. Course titles aren't included in the guidance.

Check stylebook's "air base" entry. In brief, the first example is correct.

terra-cotta army

Because the "k" is normally lowercase, you might consider writing 401k retirement accounts or 401k plans, to avoid 401ks or 401k's. Preferred AP style is 401(k).

Reiki is capitalized in infrequent uses by AP. Tia Chi unshows in recent AP copy, so can't judge it. Ohio Lottery is capitalized.

Capitalize if referring to the World Wide Web and the Internet. I can't tell if your example meets that standard.

hyphenate as a modifier, as in single-pane window.

See the AP Stylebook's "collective nouns" and "group" entries. Group denotes a unit and takes a singular verb.

Which of the following is the correct choice? a.) XXX b.) XXX c.) XXX d.) XXX

you recast: The 24-year industry veteran ...

Tuesday, 8-9:15 a.m. Wednesday, noon-1:15 p.m.

coffee makers (two words).

sure.

See SUSPENSIVE HYPHENATION explanation in stylebook's "hyphen (-)" entry.

either phrase is fine.

AP news writing style doesn't encompass business cards/brochures. Check your professional organizations for protocols on what to list.

... ranked 47th in English language skills out of 50 states.

He was one of the Red Sox's greatest players.

"Here once the embattled farmers stood,/and fired the shot heard round the world." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson, The Concord Hymn

of.

Byrd described himself as an independent Democrat. Buckley was a Conservative allied with Republicans. The 2008 edition doesn't include those examples.

There are local variations in this guidance. In Colorado, AP capitalizes both "General Assembly" and "Legislature," including in stories that use both terms.

No exception in AP Stylebook's "addresses" guidance: always use figures for an address number.

Stylebook guidance on states largely conforms with traditional usage of the Government Printing Office. One exception: GPO uses Tex., AP spells out Texas.

See "time element" entry, which also applies to months. Briefly, avoid redundancies such as "last" or "past." The verb usually provides adequate indication of which month is meant. If the month is from the previous year, specify May 2007.

no apostrophe in both instances.

hyphen unneeded.

fairgoer is standard in AP stories.

Italics aren't used for car names or anything else in AP news stories. Don't be confused by italicized examples in the AP Stylebook.

young 'uns

No hyphens in these noun phrases: mini class reunion, mini cell phone towers.

doctor's appointment, doctors' appointments.

X's correct. See PLURALS OF A SINGLE LETTER in stylebook's "apostrophe (')" entry.

Per "company names" entry, lowercase the unless part of a company's formal name. It's the Venetian in references to the Las Vegas casino.

AP doesn't do guidelines on formatting press releases. Have a look at publicity services, such as PR Newswire: http://www.prnewswire.com/

If the proper name is Smart Girls Awards, then stick with the plurals (girls, awards) in reference to the three winners.

Private driver education earns four credits, the same as the high school's program.

In AP food stories, cap P, cap R, lowercase c

as written.

hyphenate when used with form of verb "to be."

Lists should be consistent. So consider either giving the full city-state location (Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.) after the school, or just list the school name alone.

re-enactor, based on AP Stylebook's "re-" entry example, re-enact.

video is now widely used in AP news stories, though videotape is the stylebook's term.

nonprofit

Big Brother is properly capitalized as a recognized concept, but nanny state lacks that cachet, so lowercase and no quotes unless for emphasis.

monthlong, monthslong

just the "b" ... eggs Benedict

AP wouldn't capitalize those terms.

No hyphens in this adverb usage. As an adjective, it's hyphenated.

AP doesn't use TM. See archives and "trademark" entry.

See SENTENCE START in "numerals" entry: --Thirty days of community service. --Fines of $1,500.

lowercase opening ceremony or ceremonies (AP stories use both singular and plural).

NASCAR qualifies as a six-letter acronym, along with its separate listing in stylebook and Webster's usage. Admittedly, spellings of acronyms are fraught with exceptions. Previous response has been amended.

Mexican border, or Mexico's border.

Texas-Mexico border.

ace in a day, probably in quotes on first reference.

Lowercase emergency room as a generic term. Every hospital has at least one.

Yes, and typically written with the major: Bachelor of Science in mathematics, Bachelor of Arts in English.

AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section.

I don't detect a clear preference in AP stories for the past tense of spring. Even a familiar phrase is written both ways, depending on the individual writer: sprang a leak, sprung a leak.

Mike Mokrzycki, AP's director of polling: I lean toward calling the "cons" a "bare majority." Yes it is possible that because of sampling, less than a majority oppose the measure. Then again, 51% is the most likely result, statistically speaking. Also, given the range of possible results within sampling error (47% to 55% against), a majority is more likely than merely a plurality. If the member said "half plan to vote against" that could imply that half would vote for it, at least initially, until the percentages are reported and the statistically significant difference between "against" and "for" becomes clear.

Yes. In second instance, even though the combinations follow a form of the verb "to be," they don't require hyphens for clarity.

Make it Tops. Use all caps in acronyms when each individual letter is pronounced. See "abbreviations and acronyms" entry. (correction: deletes "only" before when.)

Ten Commandments is capitalized, but lowercase the individual commandments.

The 2008 AP Stylebook dropped that rule. Webster's and other dictionaries list headquarter as a verb.

AP financial news stories use such abbreviations: Aero Ventures Sdn. Bhd., Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd. General news stories normally shorten the title: Malaysia's national oil company Petronas.

Either is fine: Bachelor of Science degree in accounting, or bachelor's degree in accounting.

For AP writers and editors, the same style guidance applies for all formats. I have no knowledge of different rules for Web writing.

Yes, al-Maliki on following references.

Check PHOTO CAPTIONS section of stylebook for the format.

AP has no problem using believes in news stories. Webster's definition covers the waterfront: to take as true, real; to have confidence in a statement or promise; to suppose or think.

outdoor enthusiast, based on Webster's definitions: outdoor (adj.), outdoors (adv., n.)

AP uses Taiwan in references to the government in Taiwan and to the island itself. Taiwan competes in the Olympics as "Chinese Taipei."

Ask the Editor interprets the stylebook. Any changes are posted in the online stylebook.

The trademark name is written iPod in news stories. Symbols aren't used.

No comma in the sentence. No hyphen in this usage; see COMPOUND MODIFIERS section of stylebook's "hyphen(-)" entry.

Normally alphabetical, if there is no other sorting hierarchy, such as ranks of individuals or the like.

AP stories spell it Ratt. That's the pattern for other such names.

Yes, based on Webster's guidance for the adjective form.

"on the defensive" is widely accepted.

In AP style, formal titles are capitalized when used directly before a name and lowercase when used after a name or alone. See "titles" entry for details.

Yes, cap it as a trademark name. It's sometimes used generically but shouldn't be.

AP lowercases director of sales and sales department.

lowercase flu.

Correct.

See "day care" entry in the stylebook: two words, no hyphen, in all cases.

See "Medal of Honor" entry. It is the correct title of the nation's highest military award, awarded by Congress for risk of life in combat beyond the call of duty.

No hyphen. See "-ly" entry in stylebook.

No hyphen. See "-ly" entry in stylebook.

Yes, end each numbered instruction with a period.

AP spells it unequaled, based on stylebook's "equal, equaled, equaling" entry.

Yes, copay and copayment. Check "co-" entry for explanation.

AP lowercases scoutmaster in these instances.

Correct. The NYC neighborhood is SoHo.

E-mail starts this sentence, and it looks fine.

AP spells it aging. Webster's lists ageing as a secondary spelling.

one word in rare uses by AP.

Yes, with comma after 2008 if it's really needed and sentence continues.

AP stories usually define it with the abbreviation: polyvinyl chloride, or PVC.

Yes, lowercase the common noun element of these names.

breaststroke (one word), ditto backstroke.

One exception comes to mind: Web-based.

no.

The bands that perform ... A person can be either a who or that; an inanimate object is a that. See "that, which (pronouns)" entry for elaboration.

There's no AP rule on placement of "also" and similar adverbs. Writer's choice on where to put the emphasis word in the sentence.

Headlines on AP wire stories capitalize the first word and proper nouns. Headlines for AP stories online use either "up" style, capitalizing virtually all words, or "down" style, per wire story style. It's your call.

Yes, but see stylebook's "Web" entry for lowercase compounds: Web, Web site, Web page, but webcam, webcast, webmaster.

inpatient, outpatient

the 50-megawatt power plant ... 50-MW power plant on second reference.

Unfound in Webster's or main backup dictionaries. In AP news stories, it's usually hyphenated, over-tighten.

who is the correct pronoun in this subordinate clause (who ... have given time and energy to their community.)

See the stylebook's "television program titles" entry: (Italics are used here only to illustrate examples; do not use italics on the wires.) Also, the STYLEBOOK KEY notes: Examples of correct and incorrect usage are in italics.

It's a little easier to read with a hyphen.

See the stylebook's "slash" entry for AP guidance. Public and private partnerships or public-private partnerships are preferable.

Irish moss is correct.

spell out ounce in text: ... limit consumption to two 6-ounce portions of fish per week.

AP stories repeat Home Run Derby on subsequent references, perhaps to differentiate from the equine Derby.

Both as an adjective and an adverb, year-round is hyphenated.

play set is favored in AP stories, though some manufacturers spell it as one word.

Yes, long-term health care insurance (hyphenate long-term, two words for health care).

and makes it a little clearer.

drag racing (two words).

We can give you 8,000 reasons: Our legion of independent, etc.

Texas Hold 'em, though sometimes spelled Hold'em.

In the Web context, it's link building.

Why hyphenate? Better to write in stores or in a store.

Yes, ER is used on second reference in AP stories, and in headlines. Webster's lists the abbreviation.

The Borysewiczes' sunken living room.

It's yearlong (adj.). The phrase is all year long.

lean manufacturing (lowercase).

Those are outdated AP broadcast guidelines. Broadcast now follows the AP Stylebook's "numerals" entry, with some exceptions.

nearly three times the legal limit.

Money has a plural meaning: sums of money. So money works fine in your example. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language lists these plurals: state tax moneys; monies set aside for research and development.

AP uses straight type for titles of academic and other journals, no quotation marks or italics, principal words capitalized.

The stylebook's "grade, grader" entry says hyphenate combined forms: sixth-grade student, sixth-grader.

For 10 and above, use the figure: 1 million.

AP stories now use US and UN in headlines without periods, %primarily a space-saving change.

2008 AP Stylebook settled on homebuilder (one word), based on usage in news stories and a dictionary preference. A proper name is an exception: National Association of Home Builders.

Correct. In "comma (,)" entry of AP Stylebook's punctuation guide, see the paragraph on names of states and nations used with city names.

The term describes the belief system or religion, which is organized and spread by the church.

costs ... mean that ...

Recast the sentence to avoid a non-standard possessive: ... foodforothers.org in Fairfax, Va., etc.

single letter is permissable for a chart.

For pronunication, the U.S.'s.

a half-acre, a quarter-acre, .50 acre ... smaller parcels might be easier to visualize in square-feet or as a lot with frontage and depth in feet.

no hyphens.

don't hyphenate this noun phrase.

AP stories hyphenate work-life in such usages.

AP doesn't use footnotes in its news copy. The Chicago Manual of Style is a reference for footnotes.

two-point

Customarily boys' names and girls' names.

Yes, good catch for two of the three examples. Our office is handicapped-accessible. Her trust is well-placed. Call us toll free.

lowercase city of expressions, per "city" entry ... and use figure 10 unless ten starts the sentence.

correct, the fourth edition to be exact.

AP stories use PHP, Ajax, XML, FTP ... search engine optimization ... click-through rate ... pay-per-click.

two words in this usage.

no hyphens; lowercase

Correct. Use a comma before the conjunction joining two independent clauses.

Inkjet, per Webster's.

lowercase in AP stories.

yes.

AP lowercases those descriptives.

two words.

yes.

No doubt we'd conform to a new spelling, once it's official.

invariably plural, services.

AP sports stories lowercase head coach, assistant coach, general manager, etc., even when directly preceding a name.

If region is part of the official name, capitalize it.

Check the "hyphen" entry in the stylebook's "punctuation" section.

OK as is.

Chris Thomas began serving as president and chief executive of Community Hospital on April 21.

boardroom (one word), per Webster's.

No basic preference, though the phrasing can affect whether one or the other form fits better.

Yes. See the "quotation marks" entry in the stylebook's "punctuation" chapter for particulars.

Following the dash (AP doesn't use bullets), spell out the number at the start of the item.

These names are lowercase in AP stories, though institutions often capitalize them.

No hyphen in Webster's spelling.

facelift in most AP stories, though Webster's hyphenates the noun.

lowercase.

That depends on whether couple is used in the sense of two people (plural verb) or in the sense of a single unit (singular verb). See "couple" entry for details.

simplify. A strategic plan will be developed from the gathered data.

The sentence is correctly punctuated.

No hyphens for in turn or time off. You could simplify the sentence for impact.

Yes, that'll fly.

AP sports stories favor strikeouts (n.)

plural.

al-Qaim is in Anbar province on the Syrian border

We defer to Webster's preferred spelling, which is mind-set (hypenated). The dictionary says "also mindset," so there's leeway on this.

a 12-acre parcel, a parcel of 12 acres.

multistate, per "multi-" entry.

the second is correct.

Check the expanded "artworks" entry: art styles and movements are lowercase unless used in formal titles of shows, etc.

lowercase e-newsletter unless it starts a sentence. It's hyphenated and the "n" is also down.

If the students worked together to achieve a collective goal, singular mark would work.

Yes, but it's not pretty. Better to rephrase: the company based in Oakland, Calif.

In AP style, crude oil prices rose 3 percent to $120 a barrel.

The Web site will be unavailable from 6 p.m. CDT, Saturday, June 7, until 10 a.m. CDT, Sunday, June 8.

Yes, but a verb works too. Event fees are $50 for nonmembers, etc.

The full title is correct on first reference, thereafter use the shortened District Court.

Probably one word, though it looks awful. Doesn't show in AP archives. Maybe you can rephrase to avoid?

two words.

See "affect, effect" entry in stylebook.

Yes, capitalize Doctor of Humane Letters except when used in apposition to the name.

The definite article is generally lowercase in AP news stories about universities, professional organizations and the like.

AP doesn't use the abbreviation (though you'll find it in Webster's). The AP Stylebook entry: air-condition, air-conditioned (v. and adj.), air conditioner, air conditioning (n.).

DJ on second reference for disc jockey.

AP's guidance is the same for Web versions of stories: Capitalize the trademark or brand name.

no comma.

yes.

Not in this formulation. Check the stylebook entry on titles.

It's six versus six or six vs. six if those numbers represent people.

The first phrase is customary, but the second may be more precise. You can avoid the issue by saying 200 words maximum.

Normally it's Emmy Award-winning or Emmy-winning ... it could also be Emmy Award series (no hyphen).

two words.

Instead of -fold, 2.7 times, 500 times.

yes.

ill afford to (no hyphen), according to Webster's.

midseason (one word) per stylebook's mid- entry.

as a general descriptive, video on demand.

Taking a cue from the Ramsey Lewis hit, the in crowd.

AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories. Following the dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods (not semicolons) at the end of each section.

goody two-shoes (derives from nursery tale character).

rain forest (two words).

The second example is correct.

... to save renting, etc.

One-word onto means on top of, aware of. Otherwise use two words: hold on to, log on to.

For an organization with $200 million in annual accounts payable, overpayments of just 0.1 percent could cost it $200,000.

As a general term, it's usually veterans benefits, lowercase and not a possessive. Also lowercase state approving agency unless it's a formal name.

John Smith, president of small engine systems, Boeing Co.

No hyphens. Our attorneys are certified as criminal defense specialists by the Iowa State Bar.

AP stories use the underscore for a dash, with a space on each side. Others may have different solutions, such as yours.

No comma needed here. If introductory time reference were more detailed, it could be set off.

IRS' boss.

Yes.

HMO is widely used in AP stories about health care. Webster's lists it as a standard abbreviation.

use figures ... 5 grams, etc.

AP doesn't use TM symbols in news stories. When trademark names are used, they're capitalized.

Choose any one of the scarves: blue, red or green.

See "course numbers" entry in stylebook: Use Arabic numerals and capitalize the subject when used with a numeral. So, Geometry 1, Geometry 2, mathematics, world cultures, history, English, Spanish.

In AP headlines, only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.

unlimited, toll-free customer service (personal just gums it up).

The test lasts three hours and 45 minutes ... a three-hour and 45-minute test.

crew member.

Not necessary to hyphenate green and white. It's not a term like man-to-man or pick-and-roll.

Here in the Big Apple, tri-state refers to New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Elsewhere, Alabama, Florida and Georgia are engaged in tri-state water talks; Huntington, W.Va., boasts the Tri-State Airport also serving Kentucky and Ohio; and parts of South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota form a tri-state area. Other tri-state designations abound.

Food-grade corn, food-grade soybeans, food-grade salt. The sorghum is food grade. Don't make it a verb.

prepay.

All are acceptable for expressing ranges. When the spread involves two centuries, use full figures: 1988 to 2008 or 1988-2008.

Shouldn't require a hyphen. There's probably a good reason it's not in the dictionary.

Yes, drive-offs is increasingly used in AP stories about gas station thefts.

Town house (two words) is preferred in AP stories. The other term is rarely used.

The Webster's AP uses says: more than two but not many ...

yes ... but lowercase "beef" if the quote starts with typically.

A handful of children were playing. A handful of dust was in his pocket.

He won 64 tour titles, all on the PGA Tour.

You need an ellipsis to show readers that some words were left out of the direct quote.

lowercase major.

Yes, periods. Check "parentheses" entry for explanation.

Either works, or as a range: $500-$999, $1,000-$1,999, etc.

Yes, I overlooked the "former" entry in the stylebook: if it's a formal title, lowercase former and capitalize the title used immediately before a name: former President Bill Clinton, former Mayor John Doe, former Superintendent Jane Doe.

Broward County is sufficient if state is clear from the context. Otherwise, Broward County, Fla., Broward County in Florida or Florida's Broward County.

no hyphen.

The first. Check "numerals" section of stylebook for guidance on when to spell out numbers.

Cubs rule (at least today).

Correct as punctuated.

See USAGE section of the stylebook's "majority, plurality" entry. In brief, majority used alone takes a singular verb. If a plural word follows a "majority of" construction, the use of a singular or plural verb depends on the sense of the sentence.

Smith said is preferred for attribution. Said Smith may be used if details follow the noun in apposition.

I've seen it both ways in news stories. You might ask the athletic department for a preference.

lowercase in most descriptives.

This compound doesn't appear in Webster's or several other dictionaries I consult. Nor does it show in AP news stories. You may want to check a law reference book, which may hold the key.

AP stories occasionally refer to digitalized files ... or, in the case of a disguised photo, a digitalized swirl or blur. Digital is by far the preferred term: digital media, digital service ... or industry has gone digital.

shades of color don't require hyphens, either as standalones or modifiers: light brown hair, deep red dress, dark green leaves.

hyphenated.

square one.

You may capitalize these unusual formal entities within the company, though generics like finance department are usually lowercase.

lowercase in almost all instances.

Looks like a promotional or advertising usage, rather than newswriting style. Your call.

Yes, AP adheres to that guidance. The 21-year-old male customer entered the bank.

Don't hyphenate, but put a comma after funny.

stadium may be lowercase ... the proper name was Centennial Olympic Stadium. Also, opening ceremonies for (not to).

make it ol' -- apostrophe indicates "d" dropped.

comma before including.

... has been shown ...

It's the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or anti-fraud law. Webster's lists law as a synonym for regulation.

If you do, make sure the elements line up: Clutching his lottery ticket, Jones said he felt "elated and perfectly confident. I knew I had the winner."

two words, per Webster's.

Ask the degree-awarding college for its preference.

No apostrophe for simple plurals of these abbreviations.

Us Weekly ... AP doesn't use italics in news stories.

CSR & Co. looks fine.

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases is correct.

Don't hyphenate. Could you use preoperation, in place of preoperative?

Yes.

Jane Doe holds a Master of Science (or master's) in clinical nutrition and counseling. Associate degree (no possessive) is correct. FAQ reference fixed.

It's an accepted term, normally understood from the context in AP news stories. The region includes Australia, New Zealand and many of the South Pacific islands.

No. If germane to a story, AP would place it after the name and in lowercase.

well-tolerated or tolerated well.

To close a missive, regards.

You feel nauseated (sick) from something nauseous (sickening).

AP only uses single quotes within quotations and for quotes in headlines. That's it.

We're holding the line on those spellings. E-mail is the first choice of Webster's and preferred by many newspapers. E-mail is consistent with other hyphenated, electronic age terms such as e-book, e-commerce, e-shopping and e-business.

AP lowercases conductor, resident conductor, guest conductor, chief conductor, etc.

It was a word-of-mouth campaign. She learned of it by word of mouth.

a half-mile is customary in news stories, though half a mile is more expressive in some cases.

Replace the period with a comma inside the quote. Isn't there a better phrase than "leverages the work ethic"?

Two words in most uses, though retailers are increasingly using cashback for certain services or rebates.

AP sports stories favor scorecard.

The scene was all too familiar. It was an all-too-familar scene.

Stick with copy editor, per Webster's.

The guidance is for adverbs ending in -ly. Bully is a noun, so you can hyphenate bully-free schools.

The AP Stylebook, Webster's New College Dictionary Fourth Edition, The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.

Assume you mean computer numerical control.

Webster's uses both spellings. Take your pick.

AP capitalizes proper noun elements of dishes; italics aren't used in AP news stories.

yes. see Webster's.

You could capitalize those as formal names within the company.

AP doesn't abbreviate nautical miles; hyphenate the figure as a modifier.

That's correct, or just vault.

... years ... are ....

AP prefers 221,019-square-foot hospital, though sq. ft. is acceptable in a pinch.

Normally plural, as in ... a multitude of factors contribute to climate change.

lowercase states.

chicken Parmesan (capital P).

one.

Capitalize when using full proper name, such as member of the Iowa State Bar Association.

The AP Stylebook's "dash" entry and other references to the dash don't mention "em." Dashes are overused as linking devices. Colons might be better for your examples.

In sports stories, AP lowercases general manager even when used before the person's name. In other categories of news, GM should be capitalized as a formal business title preceding the name.

See AP Stylebook's "academic titles" entry. In this case, Gomer Pyle is capitalized and chairman of biomedical ethics are lowercase.

camera obscuras seems to be preferred for this compound.

Yes, spell out zero percent.

It's not capped in Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition. In AP stories, skivvy and skivvies are lowercase.

AP stories spell it with a space between J. and Crew.

Normally the military rank precedes the name, which is followed by chaplain and pertinent details.

the second.

the first.

Webster's lists it as an informal term. AP would use a more neutral term, except in an essential direct quote.

correct as two words.

Yes.

It's not done in English.

The current entry: "incorporated" Abbreviate and capitalize as Inc. when used as a part of a corporate name. Do not set off with commas: Time Warner Inc. announced ...

Put the headline or title in quotes, or paraphrase the topic without quotes.

Check "academic degrees" entry. In short, AP prefers to spell out the credential if essential for the story.

Yes, if the context is clear. Another possibility: Herman B Wells, 11th president of Indiana University.

turnaround

the latter.

Yes, updated works just fine.

Top 10 list doesn't get a hyphen, nor does placed in the top 10. Another common phrase is written with and without hyphens: two top-10s or five top 10s. Writer's preference.

Generation Next seems to be in vogue and acceptable for the current crop of 18 to 25-year-olds. (Generation X referred to that demographic during the Ronald Reagan presidency.)

Yes, for the forum cited, "Live from the Heart of NY." Admittedly, some forums or symposiums are virtual conventions and the titles aren't enclosed in quotes: World Economic Forum, Democratic National Convention.

Depends on the content. Surrounding areas might seem a little less inclusive than the surrounding area.

The 10-foot-by-10-foot floor. The floor is 10 feet by 10 feet. (When figures follow the noun, use plural without hyphens.)

lowercase celebration.

lowercase as a generic term, capitalize as a band name, Mariachi Campanas de America.

Better ask the restaurant for the preference.

The latter.

In AP captions, the identifying word set off by commas normally comes right after the name, which is typically preceded by the title.

The first because it's less than a multiple.

As a title, "Rock-a-Bye Baby." Quoting the lyric, just capitalize Rock at the start of the line.

The "eco-" prefix is normally hyphenated, with the exception of ecotourism (one word).

http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0764571257.html

AP stylebook entry: emcee, emceed, emceeing A phrase such as: He was the master of ceremonies is preferred.

hyphen, no spaces.

Community partners ... have ...

AP does not use this symbol in news stories, as explained in the "asterix" entry. If it refers to a footnote definition, you might put that in apposition instead.

Businesses capitalize all sorts of stuff for emphasis. In an AP news story, only the company's name would be uppercase, not the insurance policy.

AP stylebook's "academic degrees" entry provides guidance.

The brand is Post-it notes.

It's touchpoint in occasional uses in AP stories.

AP follows Webster's spelling, which is rollout (n.)

The stylebook's "pronouncer" entry provides guidance.

Capitalize without quotes as in Iowa State Fair, Cannes Film Festival.

The noes have it. Or you could use nays, as in yeas and nays.

a combined classroom for kindergarten and first grade.

Go with the "course numbers" guidance, meaning Psychology 101.

If it's an official name, Fourth of July Celebration. Otherwise, lowercase the c.

Often hyphenated in AP stories when following the name, but some prefer it unhyphenated, as in Webster's.

It's updated every year, Webster's says.

Any can be either singular or plural. In this case, "any of us" refers to several individuals so it takes the plural verb. None may also be used in a singular or plural sense. If meant as a singular, you can avoid an ambiguity by writing, Not one of the children goes to that school.

Check "Russian names" entry in stylebook for AP guidance. Transliterations generally don't attempt fine points of pronunciation: Dmitry Medvedev, Boris Yeltsin and Belarus

homebuilder (one word), per stylebook entry.

lowercase interim.

Use "and" not an ampersand (see stylebook entry); spell out food, drugs and cosmetics; red No. 6 with explanation.

Deferring to Webster's, which uses grass roots and hyphenates the adjective.

Newspaper names are capitalized, not italicized.

Like Webster's, the AP Stylebook uses homeowner. Webster's also lists homeownership (one word), and that's the spelling in a majority of AP stories.

generally hyphenated.

Yes, abbreviations of certain formal titles preceding a name may start a sentence. These include Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Rep., Sen. and military ranks such as Gen. or Sgt. However, Mr. is a courtesy title and not generally used by AP except in a direct quote.

Check the "quotation marks (" ") entry in the stylebook's PUNCTUATION GUIDE.

According to Webster's, wallcovering.

After the colon, start a new paragraph with the material you're quoting.

Yes, lowercase the common noun elements.

AP prefers the first example.

Use "that" for a thing ... "who" for the personal pronoun, although "that" also fits some human references. The more businesses that join, the more effective we are, etc.

Why not simplify? We'd like you to try out these features designed for your needs.

No. Use plural verb with the plural noun.

Based on titles given on the Nevada Highway Patrol Web page, trooper looks like a formal rank capitalized before a name. Better call them to confirm.

I'd write it free of cancer.

In AP style, each bullet normally ends with a period.

Mea culpa. The stylebook's "company names" entry says it should be Ikea. The company itself uses all caps. I'm accustomed to a European pronunication that seemed to meet the stylebook's guidance.

corporate (adj.) is lowercase.

in-house (hyphenated) as both adjective and adverb.

AP uses health care (two words) in all instances.

These are abbreviations, not acronymns. The plural WMDs appears in AP stories. It's miles per gallon on first reference, mpg (lowercase) thereafter, no "s" form that I'm aware of.

one word.

the former.

hyphenate as a modifier of program. Or rephrase: XYZ Co.'s new program for weight loss.

Yes, though we're not necessarily endorsing your city, country, example.

hyphenate as a modifier of increase.

First example is correct: Gonzalezes' contributions.

lowercase.

See stylebook's "millions, billions" entry.

lowercase counsel.

In AP headline style, it could be: 1Q, 1st qtr or 1st quarter, latter two hyphenated as modifier. Year is normally understood.

No AP rule on paragraphs. However, we don't advocate writing each sentence as a separate paragraph. "Moderation and a sense of order should be the main considerations in paragraphing," is the sage advice of "The Elements of Style."

The press is ... collective noun takes singular verb. However, news media are plural.

Only if earnings starts the sentence.

video game titles are enclosed in quotes.

No quotes or italics for titles of publications, so it's correct as written.

In news stories, the date or day is usually sufficient. The reception is at 5 p.m. May 20 at the state museum.

Brand name medications are capitalized.

It's hyphenated as a modifier in AP stories.

You have to decide whether the descriptive or the possessive is better for the context.

Webster's lists both spellings. In AP stories, mama seems to be used more often.

The last sentence breaks off ... Pls repeat the concluding part and I'll take a look.

lowercase, unless part of a title like Creole Tomato Festival.

one word, no hyphen.

AP wouldn't capitalize town in these references. And unless there's something really unusual about flag pole, requiring extra emphasis, doubt it needs to be in quotes.

no hyphen in the dollar figure.

It's not in stylebook or Webster's. Based on the spelling at rei.com, dry bag (two words).

one word.

Yes, AP stories use Minutemen for the plural.

AP normally lists yuan (lowercase) for China's currency, which is also known as the renminbi, or "people's currency." Dollar and euro conversions are given for large amounts, such as 6.77 billion yuan (US$969.5 billion; euro608 billion). Some conversions will be RMB/dollars, such as RMB 271.6 million ($37.2 million).

The trade show will be open 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Or, the trade show will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Yes, spell out on first reference, then ATV or four-wheeler thereafter. ATV may be used in headline if full term follows in story.

Usually a modifier will define the arrangement: business partner, domestic partner.

The stylebook's "co-" entry explains why it's copay (one word).

AP spells out numbers less than 10 except when citing clock time, so three credit hours.

two words.

better use a hyphen on that one.

premiums customary.

I've seen the term written both ways. However, a hyphen isn't essential if there's no risk of ambiguity.

I'm stumped. No stylebook, dictionary or AP story uses. It shows both ways online and in various books. Flip a coin.

The first is correct ... any of us need.

OK to start with a spelled out number. There's one exception. A sentence may begin with a numeral for a calendar year. 2000 launched the new millenium.

You write out both numbers in the range.

It's lowercase in AP stories, including within quoted material.

AP stories capitalize Generation X in all variations.

No quotes for these news organizations, but their program titles are enclosed in quotes.

AP would lowercase seafood unless it's part of a proper name, such as a trademarked brand.

AP Stylebook lists homebuyer (one word), so homebuying by extension.

Looks fine as is.

Webster's prefers lifelong (adj.)

wage garnishment, n., is correct.

heartland is lowercase in this usage.

fast is the adverb, meaning rapidly or quickly. fastly is not OK.

see below.

plural in an AP story about the syndrome.

Yes, see stylebook's "decimal units" entry.

That abbreviation takes a possessive in AP stories.

No stylebook or dictionary listings so can't be absolute. Stormwater (one word) is probably used more often than storm water in AP stories. Rain garden (two words) seems to be preferred by news media.

Under the MILITARY TITLES section are columns headed "Rank" and "Usage before a name." Most of the latter are abbreviations.

Proper noun elements in titles are capitalized when the title follows a name: Rick Wagoner, chief executive officer of General Motors Corp.

second season, Game 5

AP uses these standard abbreviations, LLC and L.P.

Yes, for emphasis.

Last month, AP quoted Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal this way: "I find that a little troubling, not in a big 'D' Democratic Party sense, but in a small 'd,' representative democracy sense."

yes, in reference to the frontier days of America.

The purpose of the AP Stylebook, outlined in the Forward, is to provide a uniform presentation of the printed word, to make a story written anywhere understandable everywhere.

AP uses the numeral for acres, even when less than 10, as a dimension: 5 acres.

The preferred dictionary spellings are hard core (n.) and hard-core (adj.). Despite that, hardcore (one word) is used frequently as a noun or modifier, including in the genre you cite.

yes.

worst-case scenario, though often written without a hyphen.

For AP stories transmitted worldwide, ST. LOUIS is a standalone dateline. A locating phrase may be included in the text, such as the Missouri city.

poolside, as in Webster's. One word seems to be standard: lakeside, roadside, etc.

See stylebook's "possessives" entry, which cites other x-ending words: fox's den, Marx's theories, Xerox's profits.

semi-automatic (hyphenated) is preferred for weapons.

As I responded previously, the phrasing is acceptable, but shouldn't be overused.

The AP Stylebook would only use USS Arizona in italics as an example, to differentiate from a definition. In AP news stories, italics aren't used because the typeface doesn't transmit through all computers.

"we" or "our" are appropriate pronouns for the company brochure to impart a sense of informality, familiarity and esprit.

Not in stylebook. However, in AP baseball stories, at-bat is normally hyphenated.

... effectively stopping cattle shipments out of the state unless the animals are certified as free of bovine tuberculosis. Thereafter, TB-free.

... Red Sox's only home run.

Not aware of any difference beyond singular and plural.

BAC is the stock listing. In the stock charts in newspapers, it's often BankAm.

AP lowercases such terms.

It's something we'll put up with.

AP uses Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (no hyphen), and FLDS abbreviation in subsequent references.

yes.

hyphenate as adjective. as an adverb, it's back and forth (no hyphens).

Roberts court (lowercase), but Roberts-led court or Supreme Court are preferred.

sure, and a few examples: radar, laser, NATO, OPEC

The dropped letter would be in quotes, capitalized or lowercase depending in how it was used in the title. (I'm scratching my head trying to imagine it.)

Based on the stylebook's "organizations and institutions" entry, lowercase names of internal elements that are widely used generic terms. So human resources and similar department names are generally lowercase in AP stories.

AP book reviews use this style: "Arnie and Jack: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Golf's Greatest Rivalry" (Houghton Mifflin Co., 368 pages, $26), by Ian O'Connor: Start of review...

For the updated 2008 edition, we've settled on cross-country (hyphenated).

capitalize University of Nebraska Board of Regents as integral parts of proper name. In other instances, board of regents or regents board may be lowercase, per stylebook's "board of directors, board of trustees" entry.

The first, though it could be trimmed: He has succeeded as a hitter and base-runner.

The military rank normally goes first if the individual is on active duty. Capt. Joe Smith, an Air Force neurosurgeon, won a federal grant for medical research.

No, but online announcements by PR Newswire might be helpful.

lowercase.

Either is correct depending on individual preference. Check whether the dealer uses singular or plural for the store name.

Check the NLGJA stylebook supplement at this site: http://www.nlgja.org/resources/index.html

Your question breaks off. However, the stylebook's "gay" entry is not intended to bar the term homosexuality. This noun is used frequently in AP stories.

Based the AP Stylebook's "workplace" entry, workspace (one word) looks right.

All three are legitimate attribution phrases. The writer's name can also be included, such as ... Smith wrote in the letter.

The answer cited "recognized titles." The examples ... a Broadway musical and the show's hit song ... illustrate spelling variations in similar titles. Some leeway is allowed in principal (meaning capitalized) words. A short (three or fewer letters) modifier, verb or pronoun is customarily uppercase if it starts the title. It may be capitalized or not within the title depending on emphasis given by the writer.

only if part of a capitalized brand name.

St. Louis before San Francisco

skill sets or skill set in most AP stories, including direct quotes from education experts.

Football references also vary. NCAA rules uses place kick (two words), and NFL rules list placekick (one word). Another of our references, The American Heritage Dictionary, uses place kick (two words).

Place kicking is his forte. He's determined to win the place-kicking job.

The general guidance is to capitalize a title denoting seniority and authority directly before a name. However, when a title is multiple words, it's often better for comprehension to put the title after the name and lowercase or use well-known abbreviations: John Smith became chief financial officer in 2002. His promotion to CEO was announced Friday. "I'll be a bottom-line chief executive officer," Smith vowed.

AP lowercases status of forces agreement in most instances. It might be capitalized for a specific situation involving the U.S. and another nation when used as a formal title or within a quotation, if the source material has it that way.

Latin America includes South America, the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Within a quotation, Holy Father is capitalized.

The rank is private, or pvt. The pay grade is E2, up from private E1 while undergoing basic training. The next promotion is to private first class, pfc., pay grade E3.

IM Acronym for instant message; sometimes used as a verb IM'ing, IM'ed. Acceptable on second reference for instant messaging.

Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish (pl.)

In admittedly rare appearances in AP copy, the geographic doldrums is lowercase and without separate quotes.

I'm not aware of any qualms about using kid or kids in news stories, particularly lighter fare. It may be that the more formal child or children could be more appropriate for some topics.

In AP style, internal elements of organizations may be lowercase if the names are widely used generic terms. Human resources department seems to fall into this category, but practices may differ on that. The stylebook's "department" entry describes U.S. government units, such as State Department, which are capitalized. Additional guidance is that when department is part of a formal name, such as Los Angeles Police Department, it is capitalized.

AP uses elder law, as in National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.

I told governs both direct objects linked by a conjunction so no comma is needed.

the phrasing should be fine.

The subjunctive expresses a possibility or wish rather than a completed action or a fact. Check a grammar book for elaboration.

nonathletes preferable, but not a capital offense to hyphenate as is often done.

You could argue that either way. However, a superlative that requires a qualifier may not be the "best" choice.

AP uses blood-alcohol content or level on first reference, and sometimes the abbreviation on second reference.

9-by-12-inch pan.

one word in AP stories.

that works if the sequence is clear, presumably victories, draws and losses.

President Bush has been referring lately to war on terror, which AP spells lowercase.

The Reds' front office ... the Red Sox's front office.

16-hour-long ordeal.

AP uses lowercase for baseball's opening day and the like.

the plural is correct.

When in doubt, look 'em up in Webster's. That's what I do.

AP might well use "the attorney," without his surname, on a subsequent reference if the occupational description clearly stands for Smith. Manila-area company is an acceptable locator.

It's not in the AP Stylebook or Webster's, but prevailing usage seems to favor two words, in country.

CORRECTION: the pan is 9 inches by 12 inches (no hyphens when dimensions follow the noun).

If you're referring to e-mail alerts on AP Stylebook updates, the last was in March on ethnic-related issues (Chicano, Latino, etc.). We've revised the stylebook with about 1,000 changes, not all of which got e-mail alerts. Changes are listed on the online stylebook's home page. The 2008 printed edition is due out in early May.

premed or pre-med (we see it both ways), but pre-veterinarian is clearer.

one-two punch, though just a one-two will do.

Stanley Cup playoffs, finals (lowercase).

lowercase fellow, though AP would leave the title at Dr. Troy Griffiths, a podiatric surgeon.

yes, but the go-to guy cliche should be benched.

No caps in either instance: Use lowercase for internal elements of an organization when they have names that are widely used generic terms. (See stylebook's "organizations and institutions" entry.)

The Tony and Grammy awards-winning musical

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language gives these plural uses: state tax moneys; monies set aside for research and development. Moneys is preferred under the AP Stylebook's "plurals" entry for WORDS ENDING IN Y.

Hyphenate those words following the general rule on prefixes: a hyphen is used if a prefix ends in a vowel and the word that follows begins with the same vowel.

Like cow's milk, cow's cheese works in many situations. However, let the context determine whether to use singular, plural or possessive.

With the exception of Dr. for medical doctor, AP rarely uses professional or academic abbreviations, instead specifying registered nurse, physician assistant, etc. If a a public health degree is relevant to a news story, the specialty will be described without MPH. Same goes for the other abbreviations.

Used in connection with corporate personnel issues, the plural looks right.

AP lowercases these Olympic event categories.

AP capitalizes U.S. Ski Team, but the specialist squads within the team are normally lowercase. The proper name of the overall organization is U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association.

That makes sense for consistency in your situation. AP's reason for not using italics in news copy is that the typeface doesn't transmit through all computer systems.

For a one-month period, either works: Jan. 14-Feb. 15 ... Jan. 14 through Feb. 15.

... portion of the flight June 30-July 1 also established a 24-hour record for speed. The second example works, too.

cost prohibitive is jargon. Possible alternative: too expensive.

On first reference, spell the times as you have it. That sets the standard for subsequent comparisons, in which days are expressed separately from the hours-minutes-seconds abbreviation: 20 days 9:52.30.

Yes, hyphenate as a modifer, or recast to the fence in center field.

locker room (two words).

The standard credit, updated yearly, reads: Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. (There are other requirements for displaying the AP logo on photos, graphics, etc. Contact the local AP office for details.)

We recommend the more conventional guilt trip.

AP stories use Olympic torch (lowercase t).

Yes, that looks right.

"differently than" gets the nod over "differently from how" but a recast would avoid the need for either.

lowercase, in quotes and defined.

one word.

Triple-A and Class AAA are both used as descriptives in stories. (1x send, please. Repeats jam the queue.)

yes.

AP prefers goal post (two words).

check "decades" entry. Use Arabic figures to indicate decades of history: the 1920s, the '80s, etc.

He went 2 for 3, but it's hyphenated as a modifier. (your question repeated six times in the queue. 1x send is best.)

The online stylebook spelling has been amended to flaxseed (one word). Thanks for pointing it out.

G-force, three G's and the number of G's or extreme G-forces. No italics in AP style.

blog is OK as a verb; journal is a noun (though Webster's lists journalize as a verb.)

spell it out lowercase.

break-even season, Gamecocks' 13 yard line, Bulldogs' touchdown (see sports guidelines).

Abbreviate Corp. if it occurs at the end of a company name or government agency. Spell out Corporation when it occurs elsewhere the name.

sure.

no hyphen.

credit card holder is correct.

correct.

Like Webster's, AP seems to prefer racetrack (one word).

AP wouldn't capitalize it.

The last three are all but interchangeable, but roughly is less versatile. For example, AP probably wouldn't (or shouldn't) write that a child is roughly 6 years old.

Suggest recast the sentence. A publisher buys your book but doesn't promote it.

Girl applicable until 18th birthday is reached. Use woman or young woman afterward.

It's a one-of-a-kind opportunity. She's one of a kind.

yes.

They're usually hyphenated as compound modifiers preceding nouns.

In AP style, Smith without the occupational descriptive on second reference.

First sentence seems a little clearer using with.

Game 7, opening day.

golden Lab is correct. AP capitalizes only the proper name element in a breed: e.g., English springer spaniel.

As a plural possessive, kids' books.

Check the IN LISTS section of the "dash" entry of the stylebook's punctuation guide.

on the front line (two words as noun), but front-line soldier (hyphenated as adjective).

Doctors' Day and International Nurses Day, according to medical association Web pages. There's considerable variation in spellings of such days, depending on whether the honoree is rendered as a possessive (with apostrophe) or as a descriptive (no apostrophe).

no.

lowercase.

he is a former district attorney ... (though an obituary customarily uses imperfect or past tense for such details).

Without a hyphen, "small" could refer to the physical stature of the business owner, rather than the size of the business, which is made clear by the linked modifiers.

ultralow power device (see "ultra-" entry)

AP uses wrapup (n.), wrap up (v.)

AP uses Vietnam Veterans Memorial and lowercases wall.

Probably an, if SFPD is used with a noun. You have an example?

Enclose both titles in quotes.

Probably BSer and BSes, based on Webster's first citation for the abbreviation. Vulgarities are used in AP stories only in direct quotations and if there is a compelling reason.

hyphenate the footage as modifier of building and retail building.

AP hyphenates e- references, such as e-book, e-mail, e-commerce. Your newsletter, your call.

Agree it's awkward. How about determined to succeed?

It's now fixed. Thanks for outpointing.

Yes, for example: US Steel in headline and U.S. Steel in text.

lowercase traditionalists and millennials, along with the baby boomers. Generation X stays capped in the group.

educational is the adjective and education the noun. Access to education is undoubtedly preferable to education access or educational access.

U.S. entry in current stylebook says the abbreviation is acceptable as a noun or adjective for United States. Same guidance applies to U.N.

yes.

The correct term is split again.

yes.

You should read into the sports guidelines section of the stylebook.

probably two words, though it shows both ways on the Web.

two words look right, hyphenated as a modifier.

According to Webster's, downturn and upturn.

no hyphen.

Generally lowercase this descriptive, unless directly quoting a document in which the term is sometimes capitalized.

sure.

U.S. and U.N. are acceptable as nouns.

Webster's uses double caps, no commas for NW, NE, SW, SE. Cities generally use these directional abbreviations for full addresses, local practices excepted. The other forms remain unchanged.

you could rephrase to avoid it: tricks by sleight of hand.

A number of options are available, based on this guidance in Fowler's Modern English Usage: When the word number is itself the subject it is a safe rule to treat it as singular when it has a definite article and as plural when it has an indefinite.

The market for carbon offsets has ballooned to $100 million a year.

The construction is not hyphenated in AP stories. Voice mail or voice messages usually suffice, though.

Capitalize commonwealth only when it's part of the formal name, as in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania used in an official document.

Webster's hyphenates fly-fishing (n.), and also lists fly fisherman, one who fishes by fly-casting. No wonder AP stories spell it either way.

Check QUASI POSSESSIVES in "apostrophe (')" entry. I believe that covers it.

They look OK. (Your query repeated 10 times. 1x send should do it.)

"We have lost about $10,000 to $15,000 a day in overall revenue..."

The colon is misplaced. It may be a typo. A possible recast: ... mirror 1984 when superdelegates decided the outcome.

hypenate as a modifier.

Midsouth as a regional noun when used in the same sense as Midwest, Northeast, Southwest.

no hyphen in this noun phrase.

The active voice is generally preferred over the passive.

Company X names new president and a CEO

dollars' worth is correct.

That's outside our purview. Suggest contact local museums or other public institutions to see how they've handled donor recognitions.

Headlines on AP wire stories capitalize the first word and proper nouns (Dying to be thin). Headlines for AP stories online use either "up" style, capitalizing virtually all words (Dying To Be Thin), or "down" style, per first example.

Pronouns are capitalized in composition titles; numbers that start titles are generally spelled out, but not always, as shown by best-seller and box office lists.

yes.

show tune (two words) is customary.

fourth-and-1 is preferred.

Complaints may be resolved at a higher level in the chain of command.

Perhaps, and you could rephrase to make it clearer: Name Here, a regional magazine, has won national awards.

Correct, as in dieters should eat less fast food.

U.S. Department of Agriculture on first reference, then USDA on subsequent reference. Agriculture Department also works on first reference is the context is federal.

AP stories tend to use Salvation Army on second and subsequent references. But if the army alone, then lowercase.

It can be either, depending on whether event organizers use cap K or lowercase k.

Elite Eight ... and Final Four.

basepaths in AP baseball stories.

AP stories often use www. with the title or a brief description of the Web site as a guide. Example: ___ On the Net: http://www.whitehouse.gov/report

Suggest rephrase to avoid qualifying the superlative most: the city ranks fifth (or No. 5) among U.S. cities in pollution.

My error. It should be hourlong (one word), conforming with the other forms. Hourlong has been added to the online stylebook and will listed in the 2008 printed edition. Thank you.

CORRECTION: hourlong (one word). A new citation in the online stylebook.

microphone is used far more frequently in AP stories than either of the shortened versions. Webster's lists both mic and mike, so either is acceptable.

A call girl is defined as a prostitute who is called to assignations by telephone. The term is precise in this situation. Race or education aren't known to be factors.

eight tracks, eight-track tape are preferred.

Webster's and other standard dictionaries have detailed guidance on uses of the definite article. I think it could go either way in the example you cite.

For the common reed, Phragmites australis, then p. australis on subsequent references. See "genus, species" entry in stylebook

Shouldn't be overused, but not a taboo word.

No preference intended. The terms are used interchangeably. Guidance on capitalization applies to both.

It's hyphenated as compound modifier. The plural is customary but I've seen it both ways.

AP doesn't abbreviate manager. A standard dictionary will offer options, though.

Better consult a legal reference on those terms.

occupation of Berlin is correct.

10K, 15K, etc. Acceptable abbreviation in cross-country foot, cycling and ski races.

census taker (two words)

Webster's two-word spelling gets our nod: hung over (adj.)

probably not, but hyphenate as a compound modifier before a noun.

I'd reword to the premiere of "Semi-Pro" ...

BlackBerrys, per the company's usage. AP stories tend to say BlackBerry phones.

one's enough.

You could flip a couple of these terms for easier reading: analyses of the comparison group, students in the comparison group. Comparison-group methods seems to make better sense.

lowercase championship unless citing the full formal title of the NCAA event.

chairman's round-table committee, though could be capped if it's a formal name.

No comma. An alternative attribution ... said Ken Riley, federal coordinating officer of FEMA.

Correct. Set off the person(s) in direct address.

lowercase Doe's new title in this phrasing.

lowercase both.

When referring to a will, usual phrasing is named as the beneficiary.

Yes, time zone designations vary with the dates of "spring foward, fall back" on clocks.

single space.

yes, unless the plural is used in a formal name.

The stylebook's "genus, species" entry says capitalize the Latin name for the class, lowercase the species that follows: Tyrannosaurus rex. For movie series, "The Godfather" trilogy, the "Jurassic Park" films, etc.

Stick to the stylebook guidance for consistency: anti-epileptic, anti-convulsant, anti-competitive (correcting my July miscue).

lowercase the season unless part of a formal title.