Ask the Editor
Last Seven DaysQuestion from Evanston, Illinois, on June 7, 2023
Should point of care be hyphenated in the phrase "point-of-care test?" Our staff disagrees on whether to hyphenate or not.
Answer
I'd definitely hyphenate it as a modifier, as in that use.
Question from Washington, District of Columbia, on June 7, 2023
How would you write the term Waters of the United States? Waters of the United States, "Waters of the United States" or waters of the United States?
Answer
I'm not sure what the term refers to. But, assuming it's not a proper name: waters of the United States.
Question from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 7, 2023
I have a question about a somewhat odd construction. I know inter and intra prefixes generally aren’t hyphenated. Is the following construction correct with hyphen, though?
“The product was moved on both intra- and interstate lines.”
Or would it be better to write it as “intrastate and interstate”?
Thank you!
“The product was moved on both intra- and interstate lines.”
Or would it be better to write it as “intrastate and interstate”?
Thank you!
Answer
Either way is OK. I prefer the second option.
Answer
The first option. We capitalize titles only when they directly precede a name. Not after a name or when standing alone, as in your examples.
Question on June 7, 2023
When writing content for corporate LinkedIn account meaning short form postings, would we still follow AP style?
Answer
We would. Whether you do is up to you. But generally we intend for our style to apply to all formats.
Question on June 7, 2023
How do we write it? multi-billion dollar or multibillion dollar drug
Answer
multibillion-dollar drug
Answer
Choose the article based on how the acronym or initialism is spoken: an FBI agent; a NATO meeting. But the tricky part you note is indeed tricky. I don't know of any rule that covers that. My suggestion: Go with whichever article is correct with the full phrase as well as with one of the two acronym/initialism pronunciations. As Meatloaf noted, two out of three ain't bad.
Question from Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, on June 6, 2023
Hello! June is Pride Month or June is Pride month?
Thank you.
Thank you.
Answer
Our style is Pride month.
Question from LA CROSSE, on June 6, 2023
Hello. In the listing for prefixes, it says, "See separate listings for commonly used prefixes." However, I can't find the list of commonly used prefixes. Where is it located?
Answer
That means see the individual separate listings, such as multi-, pre-, over-, etc. However: Your question makes me think that we should compile an actual list. I will put that on my ... list.
Question on June 6, 2023
If our university often refers to areas as "West Campus," "East Campus," "North Campus" and "South Campus," should those be capitalized like regions?
Answer
If you consider them a "region" of sorts, then yes.
Answer
Thanks for pointing that out. It should be class of '66 (lowercase) in all uses. That's supported by both Webster's New World College Dictionary and Merriam-Webster, which are entirely separate. We will delete the 2015 response (which was by a different editor). And we will correct the relevant section of the numerals entry.
Question from Washington, District of Columbia, on June 6, 2023
Hi - WNW dictionary lowercases "sub-Saharan Africa," and AP stories seem to follow suit. Why does the lowercase "sub-Saharan Africa" differ from widely recognized regions like Southeast Asia? We often write about this alongside "Middle East and North Africa," so the lowercase "sub" stands out as odd. Thanks!
Answer
As a prefix, sub- is generally lowercase. Merriam-Webster and the American Heritage Dictionary (which are entirely separate from WNWCD) also use the lowercase.
Question from Lewiston, New York, on June 6, 2023
In sports coverage where its applicable, would you uppercase or lowercase heavyweight champion?
Answer
No. Lowercase.
Question from Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on June 6, 2023
Hi. AP says no hyphen for “augmented reality” and “virtual reality” as an adjective, but what about “mixed reality”? Seeing recent AP stories with it hyphenated such as “a mixed-reality headset” so wanted to check.
Answer
Yes, we hyphenate that. The term isn't as well known as the others, so the hyphen helps with clarity.
Answer
In that use: unrealized losses on bond holdings deteriorated.
Question from Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 5, 2023
I'm editing a freelancer's story and it says "...1 in 5 children are in peril." Isn't 1 singular here so should it be 1 in 5 children IS not ARE?
Answer
Reasonable and knowledgeable people debate that one. There are arguments both ways. I'd recommend the plural, since the sense is clearly plural. But if you prefer the singular, many people would support that view as well.
Question from RENTON, Washington, on June 5, 2023
I have a question about punctuation in a phrase like "(above, right)" when used to identify the placement of a person in a photo. (In this case, the photo is above the caption, and the person being identified is on the right side of the photo.) Would you use a comma like I did above, or would you leave the comma out so that it reads "(above right)"?
Answer
I'd omit the comma.
Question from Rockville, Maryland, on June 5, 2023
Is "waste" always a mass noun? Or is there a context in which it count be a countable noun?
For example: "Kidney damage can cause wastes and fluids to build up in your body" or "Kidney damage can cause waste and fluid to build up in your body"?
For example: "Kidney damage can cause wastes and fluids to build up in your body" or "Kidney damage can cause waste and fluid to build up in your body"?
Answer
Either is OK in that context.
Question from Lakewood Ranch, Florida, on June 5, 2023
With new guidance on G7 and G20 with no hyphenation, what would "G-8" or the other "G"s be? As there is not an official AP entry for G-8, one continues on to Webster's to see that it is hyphenated there. So to refer to the predecessor of the G7, would it be G-8 or G8?
Answer
G8, for consistency.
Question from La Conner, Washington, on June 5, 2023
Help, please for programs and lectures at the local library when host April Emanuelson, F.N.P. will talk about the 3 Pillars for Optimal Health. Is it: host April Emanuelson, F.N.P., will talk about the "3 Pillars for Optimal Health."? And, she uses the number 3 so do I leave that as her program title?
Thanks,
- ken stern
La Conner Weekly News publisher and editor
Thanks,
- ken stern
La Conner Weekly News publisher and editor
Answer
Yes, it's fine as you have it, in that use.
La Conner: a wonderful place.
La Conner: a wonderful place.
Question from Canton, Ohio, on June 2, 2023
The "immigration, emigration" entry has an "Other terms" subsection. The 56th bound edition and the online version both capitalize "Migrants," "Migrant children," "Refugees" and "Asylum-seekers" as the entry heading but not elsewhere in the text. What is the actual AP style for those terms -- uppercase or lowercase?
-Mary B.
-Mary B.
Answer
They are lowercase.
Question from KANSAS CITY, Missouri, on June 1, 2023
over-the-counter: Pharmacy sold legally without prescription, as some drugs [over-the-counter analgesic]
But if not used as an adjective, e.g. "available over the counter," - would that be hyphenated? Thanks.
But if not used as an adjective, e.g. "available over the counter," - would that be hyphenated? Thanks.
Answer
That's correct.
Answer
That's OK. Sometimes you need to be flexible with the "rules" if you do it knowingly and for a reason.
Question from Colorado, on June 1, 2023
Once the acronym has been defined in text as in the Federal Electric Reliability Corporation (FERC), should "the" be used before the acronym as in, "The FERC is an..." or should it be, "FERC is an..."?
Answer
First, in our style we don't put acronyms in parentheses after the full name. We believe that either the acronym should be clear enough to be understood without the parenthetical reference, or it shouldn't be used at all. You can choose to do differently, of course. Here's the abbreviations and acronyms entry.
As for the question of the, that's largely idiomatic. There's no firm rule. When people talk about FERC, or the FERC, which do they say? Go with that usage.
As for the question of the, that's largely idiomatic. There's no firm rule. When people talk about FERC, or the FERC, which do they say? Go with that usage.
Question from Philippines, on June 1, 2023
In a paragraph or sentence, should titles like "Clinical Instructor", "Registered Nurse", "Neurologist", "Doctor of Medicine" be uppercased? Ex:
"She has also served as a Clinical Instructor through Ohio State Community College. "
Thank you!
"She has also served as a Clinical Instructor through Ohio State Community College. "
Thank you!
Answer
In our style, job titles are lowercase when they stand alone, as in your examples, or when the follow a name.
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