The best ap style cheat sheet every writer needs free. The ap stylebook holds that you should abbreviate junior and senior as jr. Rules for plural and possessive names merriamwebster. Aug 12, 2019 whew, so that seemed complicated, but remember most of the time its simple. For instance, if the subject of the sentence were queen elizabeth, we. Singular common nouns ending in s also define a possessive relationship by adding s to the end of the word. Book style is simultaneously more complex and more consistent.
Bob doles concession speech was stoic and dignified. Sep 01, 20 when creating the possessive form of nouns, there are eight simple rules. The associated press stylebook says it is opening the door to use of the singular they. Though a true maven would write jesu, thus avoiding the problem altogether. Form the possessive of singular nouns and abbreviations by adding an apostrophe and an s. Associated press style, for example, which prevails in newspaper journalism and other less formal contexts, requires the possessive form for the spelledout name as shown here. If the possessive involves a last name with s or z, you can add either. Ap reporters write fast, but their stylebook moves slow.
Forming possessives with singular names apa style blog. Possessives of nouns ending in s most people regularly write stuff like we went to jamess house without stopping to think whether it should be james house. It indicates possession or ownership specifically, hers is a third person singular feminine pronoun and is used with singular feminine subjects. Thank you for the summary of these updates on the most recent ap style guide. When indicating the possessive, if there is more than one owner add an apostrophe to the plural, if there is one owner, add s to the singular the smiths car vs smith s car. Ap style is the standard for writing news release and other content for media in the united states. Supplement ap stylebook onlines extensive guidance with about 185,000 descriptions from the stylebooks main dictionary, websters new world college dictionary. Forming possessives of words ending in s or an s sound by karen yin 9 comments im going to focus on the difference between how the associated press stylebook and the chicago manual of style handle possessives for words ending in s or an s sound. Their is a plural possessive pronoun and must agree in number with the antecedent. Im going to focus on the difference between how the associated press stylebook and the chicago manual of style handle possessives for words ending in s or. The ap stylebook now includes they as a singular, genderneutral pronoun.
However, in the first section, the authors promote the use of s, no matter what the last letter of a word is, to show possessiveness. Here s what the ap stylebook needs to change in its 2016. Mar 24, 2017 the associated press stylebook says it is opening the door to use of the singular they. Add es for names ending in s or z and add s for everything else.
Spiralbound book, updated each spring 2019 ap stylebook. The notation ii or 2nd may be used if it is the individuals preference. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The ap stylebook now includes they as a singular, gender. The possessive plural is formed by adding only an apostrophe except for a few irregular plurals that do not end in s.
If youre new to news writing or switching from one to another, youll want to keep this ap cheat sheet handy and refer to it when in doubt. Chicago style normally adds an apostrophe and s to singular nouns the horses mouth sandy joness theories fdrs legacy descartess philosophy 2016s top events. Associated press style quick reference guide to subscribe to the associated press stylebook online, or to find out about purchasing hard copies of the book, start here. Jul 31, 2014 making compound words possessive, such as the attorney generals report.
The eggleses are a husband and wife consultant team. To use some examples, the lasss book, the buss timetable, jamess homework, kansass statute, and so on. For singular common nouns that end in s, both ap and chicago styles use apostrophes. Plus, i will show you a helpful memory tool that you can use to determine whether her s or hers is the correct word when to use hers. Sep 15, 2016 if possession is ninetenths of the law, just imagine how important correctly signifying it in your writing is. Eventually, incorrect usage will predominate and well abandon the. There are a few different ways to form the possessive of a noun. Marsh last term, the justices didnt just split over whether to uphold a kansas deathpenalty statute they also disagreed over a usage issue that has driven many lawyers to blows. Here s what the ap stylebook needs to change in its 2016 edition. Cathys right, though you usually use only one possessive at a time. A good dictionary may also be able to offer you some guidance. A century on, we at ragan communications are reexamining the elements of style in an occasional series. Mary norriss thoughts on pesky possessives the new yorker.
Possessives of nouns ending in s grammar underground. For cases like these, its best to check a comprehensive style guide, such as the chicago manual or the ap stylebook its dos and donts, according to the ap. The ap stylebook persons entry says do not use coined words such as spokesperson or chairperson in regular text. The 2019 edition of the associated press stylebook and briefing on media law includes more than 200 new or revised entries, with chapters covering data journalism, business, fashion, food, religion and sports terms, as well as media law, news values, punctuation, social media, polls and surveys and a new chapter on health and science. When a singular proper noun ends in s, add an apostrophe to the end of the word and leave off. It looks like all the main style guides, with the exception of the ap s, recommend using the s. Strunk and whites famous book the elements of style states in rule 1 to add s no matter what the final consonant. Ap stylebook plurals follow these guidelines in forming and using plural words. We are discussing a possible change to our guidance on the possessive form of singular proper names ending in s. For slide presentations of ap style basics, go here. The ap style as it s known in the trade is quite different from the new york times style or chicago manual of style. The associated press stylebook is the goto guide for u. We prefer farmers market as a descriptive, rather than a possessive with an apostrophe. How do you make names that end in s possessive and would you welcome a change to ap style.
Your favorite author, director, or musician isnt likely to write you an angry letter over incorrect style usage when it comes to their art. She points out that it would sound normal to say, hes a friend of mine, and mine is the possessive. Possessive pronouns are a part of speech that replaces a noun s. When an italicized term appears in roman text, the possessive s should be set in roman the atlantic monthlys editor gone with the winds readers.
When creating the possessive form of nouns, there are eight simple rules. Making compound words possessive, such as the attorney generals report. Its interesting to consider how our language standards reflect shifting cultural. Extra rules and exceptions just make it more confusing. Sep 28, 2011 heres what my old ap style guide says about the possessive and singular common nouns ending in s. When did it become correct to add an s to a singular possessive already ending in s. Mar 04, 2007 you can understand the possessive just fine, and still not be sure how to spell it, because there s more than one correct way. What really matters to my readers is punctuation and ap style.
Since the wedding is jointly possessed by margarita and kris, mla style treats margarita and kris as a single unit and adds an apostrophe s after kris. If the plural form doesnt end in s, use apostrophe s. I just bought the elements of style, an awesome little book. Written in 1918, the little book on grammar, style and usage begins with this advice. Yet as we appreciate the book, its noteworthy that the first chapter contains guidelines of the sort white admitted were as whimsical as the choice of a necktie, yet strunk made them feel utterly convincing. This resource, revised according to the associated press stylebook 2012, offers examples for the general format of ap style.
Roy peter clark settles the possessive apostrophe debate. Its worth noting that the reference you gave advocates an idiosyncratic style, and other style manuals have different rules. It is the indispensable reference for writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers, and publishers, informing the editorial canon with sound, definitive advice. What is the correct possessive for nouns ending in s. Other style guides like the chicago manual of style agree largely with strunk and white, while the ap stylebook uses only an apostrophe for proper names ending in s and common nouns ending in s where the first letter of the. When a word ends in s or x, do you add s or just an. Ap defers to webster s new world college dictionary for backstage. Both are acceptableit s merely a difference of style and personal preference.
For plural, proper nouns that are possessive, use an apostrophe after the s. Its common for a businesss name to be a proper single name in possessive form, as with mcdonalds, t. Therefore, in the example above, the correct usage would be adamss 20 work. You can understand the possessive just fine, and still not be sure how to spell it, because theres more than one correct way. Jesus i find myself avoiding when in doubt or dont remember rule set for myself. As a collective noun, company should take a singular verb and pronoun in formal writing. The ap style as its known in the trade is quite different from the new york times style or chicago manual of style. So we read the newspaper and learn this incorrect form. Mistaking a stylebook for a rule book baltimore sun. Aps 2017 stylebook includes new rules for citing gender. Oct 03, 2019 most clients in the b2b world will base their style on either ap or chicago style. No exception is made depending on whether singular nouns preceding and following the apostrophe end and start with s, respectively. Many purists believe that double possessives should be relegated to informal and semiformal writing, if you use them at all.
But in fact the rules are a mess, the language referees disagree, and on any given day you might see james in a newspaper and jamess in a book. With the addition of s or sometimes just the apostrophe, a noun can change from a simple person, place, or thing to a person, place, or thing that owns something. Per apa style, the answer is that the possessive of a singular name is formed by adding an apostrophe and an s, even when the name ends in s see p. We took at look at the ap stylebooks section on possessions possessives and exorcised some demons coming up with these guidelines. But if the singular they is used in spoken conversation about a company, ap would use that form unchanged in a direct quote. The ap stylebook is available as a book, website or smartphone app. That comes in time so with that, all that i read here. As mentioned above, this is the comma that appears before a conjunction such as and or or in a series.
Feb 27, 2019 a century on, we at ragan communications are reexamining the elements of style in an occasional series. Whew, so that seemed complicated, but remember most of the time its simple. Possessive pronouns show ownership of a person, place, or thing. A new stylebook entry, which was announced thursday as part of the aps session at the 21st national conference of aces. We took at look at the ap stylebook s section on possessions possessives and exorcised some demons coming up with these guidelines. If you follow ap style, youll always use just the apostrophe to make. It may be because of the ap style manuals recommendation. To form a possessive construction from a singular common noun, add an apostrophe and the letter s.
Using correct ap style for book, movie, and song titles. Ap style for first time allows use of they as singular pronoun. Instead, use spokesman if referring to a man or the office in general, or spokeswoman if referring to a woman. George is only one person, so in order to form the possessive singular we simply add an s. These help the reader understand you more clearly because if you added an s to its, it is not clear whether you mean its as a possessive or its as a contraction. Only when the word is plural and possessive do you place the apostrophe outside the s. Learn the major differences between chicago and ap style guides to assist. The sense in a particular sentence is conveyed by the use of a singular or plural verb. The associated press stylebook, a widely used manual of journalistic writing standards, has made a shift in the use of the pronoun they to acknowledge the evolving landscape of gender identity.
Notably, the chicago manual of style accepts both jesus and jesuss. If the common noun is plural, both styles use just an apostrophe. See, for example, garner s modern american usage at page 624. In many areas of life, such cavalier carelessness is a bad idea. Its is not possessive it is a contraction of it and is. Oct 28, 2019 written in 1918, the little book on grammar, style and usage begins with this advice. Most clients in the b2b world will base their style on either ap or chicago style. The associated press stylebook and briefing on media law official style guide of the associated press, a notforprofit news agency thats been around since 1846.
Some style guides say that singular nouns ending in s sounds such as ce, x, and z may take either the apostrophe alone or s. Your style of writing can make or break your career if news release are deleted in journalists email inboxes. Even when the word already ends in s, this is the rule i follow. In other style guides, chris takes an apostrophe and an s. However, if the noun ends in the letter s and the following noun begins with an s, add an apostrophe only. In ap style, you use a lone apostrophe to make singular nouns and names that end with s possessive, and in chicago style, most of the time you add an apostrophe and an s, with a few rare exceptions.
Regarding your examples, rephrasing is recommended in the stylebooks new entry on they, them, their. If possession is ninetenths of the law, just imagine how important correctly signifying it in your writing is. Youd normally just add s to make a singular name possessive, such as mr. The office of financial services report has been delayed, so the abbreviated form is the ofs report has been. Descartes theories, dickens novels, kansas schools. Its often used by news organizations, magazines, and web publications, but brands often use it to form the basis of their own style guides, too. Dennis shoes correct in ap style kansass schools correct in chicago style.
And there exist, side by side, two conventions in forming the possessive of words ending in s, the aforementioned s and the apostrophe. Heres what my old ap style guide says about the possessive and singular common nouns ending in s. Use a possessive form after both words if the objects are individually owned. Possessives learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. In an older convention, described in the fifteenth edition of the chicago manual of style sec. Answers to questions about possessives daily writing tips. See special expressions, but otherwise, for consistency and ease in remembering a rule. The fact that its being accepted by the associated press, thats super exciting, said tiffany stevens, a reporter. The chicago manual of style online is the venerable, timetested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. Otherwise, use a neutral word such as representative, leader or authority. Jan 02, 2015 she points out that it would sound normal to say, hes a friend of mine, and mine is the possessive. Possessive of proper names ending in s by maeve maddox. The truth is that chris takes just an apostrophe only if you follow the rules in the the associated press stylebook. Possessives of nouns ending in s grammar underground with.
For both ap and chicago style, if a singular noun does not end in s. Forming possessives with singular names by tyler krupa i dont think that im revealing a big grammar secret by letting you know that the possessive of a singular name is formed by adding an apostrophe and an s e. For both ap and chicago style, if a singular noun does not end in s, add s. Because they are pronouns, a noun must be used before a possessive pronoun is used. These resources provide an overview of journalistic writing with explanations of the most important and most often used elements of journalism and the associated press style. Possessive of proper names ending in s daily writing tips. When you are using a common noun ending in s that is possessive. Governors ball is the official name, and afterparties is the accepted spelling, also adopted by the stylebook. Ap style rules for possessives gatehouse media 20160915. Also i should mention that i did not quote chicago s entire recommendation. Whether to write kansas statute, as justice thomas did in his majority opinion, or kansass statute, as justice souter did in his dissent. Mar 28, 2017 the associated press says the use of they as a singular or genderneutral pronoun is acceptable in limited cases. Apr 10, 20 its common for a businesss name to be a proper single name in possessive form, as with mcdonalds, t.
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