[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":331},["ShallowReactive",2],{"\u002Fblog\u002Fcommon-ap-style-mistakes-and-how-to-fix-them":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":321,"extension":322,"meta":323,"navigation":326,"path":327,"seo":328,"stem":329,"__hash__":330},"content\u002Fblog\u002Fcommon-ap-style-mistakes-and-how-to-fix-them.md","10 Common AP Style Mistakes and How to Fix Them",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":305},"minimark",[9,13,16,21,24,41,44,48,51,63,69,73,91,103,107,118,130,147,151,158,170,173,177,180,192,195,199,202,216,219,223,226,240,244,261,273,276,280,283,292,297],[10,11,12],"p",{},"AP style gives journalists, editors and communications teams a shared set of\nconventions for clear, consistent copy. The details are easy to miss,\nespecially when a deadline is close.",[10,14,15],{},"The examples below cover common AP style mistakes that can often be found\nmechanically. Context still matters, and AP guidance changes over time, so use\nthe current AP Stylebook as the authority for important editorial decisions.",[17,18,20],"h3",{"id":19},"_1-using-numerals-for-every-number","1. Using numerals for every number",[10,22,23],{},"In general text, spell out whole numbers below 10 and use figures for 10 and\nabove.",[25,26,27,35],"ul",{},[28,29,30,31],"li",{},"Instead of: ",[32,33,34],"code",{},"The committee has 7 members.",[28,36,37,38],{},"Write: ",[32,39,40],{},"The committee has seven members.",[10,42,43],{},"Many categories are exceptions. Ages, dimensions, percentages, temperatures,\ndates and times generally use figures. A checker should consider the category,\nnot replace every small number blindly.",[17,45,47],{"id":46},"_2-starting-a-sentence-with-a-figure","2. Starting a sentence with a figure",[10,49,50],{},"Spell out a number at the beginning of a sentence unless it is a year.",[25,52,53,58],{},[28,54,30,55],{},[32,56,57],{},"25 volunteers attended the event.",[28,59,37,60],{},[32,61,62],{},"Twenty-five volunteers attended the event.",[10,64,65,66],{},"Recasting the sentence is often cleaner when spelling out a large number would\nbe awkward: ",[32,67,68],{},"The event drew 1,250 volunteers.",[17,70,72],{"id":71},"_3-adding-ordinal-endings-to-dates","3. Adding ordinal endings to dates",[10,74,75,76,79,80,79,83,86,87,90],{},"Use a figure without ",[32,77,78],{},"st",", ",[32,81,82],{},"nd",[32,84,85],{},"rd"," or ",[32,88,89],{},"th"," in a calendar date.",[25,92,93,98],{},[28,94,30,95],{},[32,96,97],{},"The hearing is scheduled for July 21st.",[28,99,37,100],{},[32,101,102],{},"The hearing is scheduled for July 21.",[17,104,106],{"id":105},"_4-writing-700-pm","4. Writing “7:00 p.m.”",[10,108,109,110,113,114,117],{},"Drop the minutes when a time falls exactly on the hour. Keep ",[32,111,112],{},"a.m."," and ",[32,115,116],{},"p.m.","\nlowercase with periods.",[25,119,120,125],{},[28,121,30,122],{},[32,123,124],{},"The doors open at 7:00 PM.",[28,126,37,127],{},[32,128,129],{},"The doors open at 7 p.m.",[10,131,132,133,113,136,139,140,113,143,146],{},"Use ",[32,134,135],{},"noon",[32,137,138],{},"midnight"," rather than ",[32,141,142],{},"12 p.m.",[32,144,145],{},"12 a.m."," when that wording\nis clearer.",[17,148,150],{"id":149},"_5-spelling-out-percent","5. Spelling out “percent”",[10,152,153,154,157],{},"AP style uses the ",[32,155,156],{},"%"," sign with a numeral in most news copy.",[25,159,160,165],{},[28,161,30,162],{},[32,163,164],{},"Attendance increased 8 percent.",[28,166,37,167],{},[32,168,169],{},"Attendance increased 8%.",[10,171,172],{},"At the start of a sentence, rewrite when possible so the numeral and symbol do\nnot lead.",[17,174,176],{"id":175},"_6-adding-a-serial-comma-to-a-simple-list","6. Adding a serial comma to a simple list",[10,178,179],{},"AP style generally omits the comma before the conjunction in a simple series.",[25,181,182,187],{},[28,183,30,184],{},[32,185,186],{},"The flag is red, white, and blue.",[28,188,37,189],{},[32,190,191],{},"The flag is red, white and blue.",[10,193,194],{},"Use a comma when it is needed for clarity or when an item in the series already\ncontains a conjunction. Meaning is more important than mechanically deleting\nevery final comma.",[17,196,198],{"id":197},"_7-capitalizing-every-job-title","7. Capitalizing every job title",[10,200,201],{},"Capitalize a formal title when it appears immediately before a person's name.\nLowercase a title when it follows the name or is used as a general description.",[25,203,204,210],{},[28,205,206,207],{},"Before a name: ",[32,208,209],{},"Mayor Jordan Lee spoke Tuesday.",[28,211,212,213],{},"After a name: ",[32,214,215],{},"Jordan Lee, the mayor, spoke Tuesday.",[10,217,218],{},"Whether a phrase is a formal title or a job description can depend on context,\nso title corrections often need human review.",[17,220,222],{"id":221},"_8-using-postal-abbreviations-in-prose","8. Using postal abbreviations in prose",[10,224,225],{},"AP state abbreviations used in traditional news copy are not always the same as\ntwo-letter U.S. Postal Service codes. Some state names are spelled out, and\ndatelines and mailing addresses follow different conventions.",[10,227,228,229,232,233,86,236,239],{},"Before changing ",[32,230,231],{},"California"," to ",[32,234,235],{},"CA",[32,237,238],{},"Calif.",", identify whether the text is\nbody copy, a dateline or a postal address.",[17,241,243],{"id":242},"_9-hyphenating-email-or-splitting-website","9. Hyphenating “email” or splitting “website”",[10,245,246,247,79,250,79,253,256,257,260],{},"Current web terminology includes ",[32,248,249],{},"email",[32,251,252],{},"website",[32,254,255],{},"webpage"," and lowercase\n",[32,258,259],{},"internet",".",[25,262,263,268],{},[28,264,30,265],{},[32,266,267],{},"Send an e-mail through the web site.",[28,269,37,270],{},[32,271,272],{},"Send an email through the website.",[10,274,275],{},"This is one of the safest patterns for an automated style check because the\npreferred forms usually do not depend on sentence context.",[17,277,279],{"id":278},"_10-treating-a-style-checker-as-a-grammar-checker","10. Treating a style checker as a grammar checker",[10,281,282],{},"AP style and grammar overlap, but they are not the same. A sentence can be\ngrammatical and still conflict with an AP convention. It can also follow AP\nformatting while containing a grammatical error.",[10,284,285,286,291],{},"Use an automated tool to find supported patterns, then read the copy for\nmeaning, tone, accuracy and exceptions. Fileverter publishes its\n",[287,288,290],"a",{"href":289},"\u002Ftools\u002Fap-style-rules","AP style rule coverage"," so you can see which checks are\nimplemented, partial or planned.",[293,294,296],"h2",{"id":295},"check-your-copy","Check your copy",[10,298,299,300,304],{},"Paste a draft into the ",[287,301,303],{"href":302},"\u002Ftools\u002Fap-style-checker","free AP Style Checker"," to review\ncommon number, date, time, punctuation, capitalization and web-term issues.\nSuggestions remain under your control, and important copy should still receive\nhuman editorial review.",{"title":306,"searchDepth":307,"depth":307,"links":308},"",2,[309,311,312,313,314,315,316,317,318,319,320],{"id":19,"depth":310,"text":20},3,{"id":46,"depth":310,"text":47},{"id":71,"depth":310,"text":72},{"id":105,"depth":310,"text":106},{"id":149,"depth":310,"text":150},{"id":175,"depth":310,"text":176},{"id":197,"depth":310,"text":198},{"id":221,"depth":310,"text":222},{"id":242,"depth":310,"text":243},{"id":278,"depth":310,"text":279},{"id":295,"depth":307,"text":296},"Review common AP style mistakes involving numbers, dates, times, titles, punctuation and web terms, with practical examples for cleaner copy.","md",{"date":324,"slug":325},"2026-07-21","common-ap-style-mistakes-and-how-to-fix-them",true,"\u002Fblog\u002Fcommon-ap-style-mistakes-and-how-to-fix-them",{"title":5,"description":321},"blog\u002Fcommon-ap-style-mistakes-and-how-to-fix-them","S4nPLcnaMCXfxV2c_KdD7ZOW1KqmVW8vwELNaobf0to",1784657723265]