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AP Stylebook Practice Quiz
Ace your exam with style guidelines
Study Outcomes
- Analyze AP style guidelines and understand their applications in written texts.
- Apply punctuation, capitalization, and abbreviation rules as outlined in the AP stylebook.
- Evaluate written examples to identify and correct AP style errors.
- Interpret the rationale behind key AP style conventions to support effective writing.
- Demonstrate increased confidence in utilizing AP style for academic and journalistic writing.
AP Stylebook Cheat Sheet
- Master the art of capitalization - Spice up your sentences by capitalizing proper nouns, official titles before names, and specific regions like "the South." But don't overdo it - lowercase general directions and job titles after names, such as "the president, Abraham Lincoln." Stick to these guidelines, and you'll sound sharp and savvy. AP Stylebook
- Understand the use of numerals - When counting becomes a quest, spell out numbers one through nine, then switch to numerals from 10 upward. Always stick to numerals for ages, dates, and percentages to keep things consistent - think "two kittens and 15 puppies" or "She's 7 years old." Master this rule, and your stats will stand out cleanly! AP Stylebook
- Get comfortable with abbreviations and acronyms - Introduce an organization by its full name on first mention, then drop in the abbreviation in parentheses - like "The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)." After that, the sky's the limit to use your snappy acronym in place of the long name. Nail this technique, and your writing will stay both clear and concise. AP Stylebook
- Learn the rules for dates and times - Write dates with Arabic numerals without "st," "nd," "rd," or "th" so "April 16, 2025" shines crisply. Use figures for clock times like "3 p.m." - except for "noon" and "midnight," of course. Stick to these tips, and you'll never time-travel to "April 16th" again! AP Stylebook
- Practice proper punctuation - Separate items in a series with commas but skip the Oxford comma in simple lists: "red, white and blue." Use hyphens to link words in a compound modifier before nouns, such as "a well-known author." With these tools in your kit, your sentences will flow flawlessly - and look fantastic! AP Stylebook
- Understand the use of titles - Capitalize formal titles when they directly precede a name - like "President Biden" - but lowercase them if they stand alone or follow a name: "the president, Joe Biden." This tweak will keep your headlines and prose polished and professional. Nail this, and you'll command respect from every reader. AP Stylebook
- Know the guidelines for addresses - Abbreviate words like "St.," "Ave.," and "Blvd." only when there's a numbered address - think "221B Baker St." Otherwise, spell them out in formal names: "Baker Street." Follow this map, and your mail letters will arrive spot-on! AP Stylebook
- Familiarize yourself with the treatment of state names - Spell out state names in the body text - "She moved to California" - but switch to official postal abbreviations (CA, NY) in datelines, lists, and captions. This approach keeps your narrative smooth while satisfying format rules. Plug in this tip, and you'll be state-savvy! AP Stylebook
- Learn the correct usage of "more than" vs. "over" - Reserve "more than" for numbers ("More than 100 students attended") and pick "over" for spatial relationships ("The bird flew over the fence"). Using the right phrase makes your writing precise and prevents runaway confusion. Practice this rule, and watch your clarity soar! AP Stylebook
- Understand the guidelines for composition titles - Wrap titles of books, songs, movies, and other works in quotation marks - "To Kill a Mockingbird" - instead of italics or underlines. Use this simple trick to honor original works and keep your articles publication-ready. Quote away, and let your creativity strike a chord! AP Stylebook