Chapter 5: AP Style Basics - campusjourn.com

Chapter 5: AP Style Basics — CampusJourn

Student editor crossing out ordinal suffix from a date and spelling out single-digit numbers following AP Style rules

📰 Introduction

Two Reporters. Same Story. Two Very Different Sentences.

Last chapter, you sharpened your grammar skills.

Subject-verb agreement. Tense errors. Pronoun problems. Punctuation and capitalization.

You can now spot all four in a sentence — and fix them fast.

Here's a new situation to think about. Two reporters cover the same school event. Here's what they write.

Reporter 1: "The contest was held on April 10th at 2:00 p.m. and eight students joined."

Reporter 2: "The contest was held on April 10 at 2 p.m. and 8 students joined."

Same event. Same facts. But the sentences look different. Which one is correct?

In journalism, Reporter 2 is right.

You might be wondering — why does it matter? Both sentences are clear. Both have correct grammar. What's the difference? The difference is called AP Style — and it's the reason professional news stories all look and feel consistent, no matter who writes them.

🤔 Concept

So, What Is AP Style?

AP Style is a set of writing rules used by journalists to keep news stories consistent, clear, and professional.

AP stands for Associated Press — a major international news organization that created these rules. Journalists all over the world follow AP Style so that every news story uses the same format for numbers, dates, titles, time, names, and more.

For Filipino school journalists, AP Style is especially important because it's tested in journalism competitions — including the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC). Knowing the rules gives you a real advantage.

🛡️ Rule 1

AP Style Rule 1: Numbers

This is one of the most commonly tested AP Style rules. Get this right and you'll catch a lot of errors!

Numbers 1 through 9

❌ Wrong:"The Science Club planted 8 trees."

✅ Correct:"The Science Club planted eight trees."

Numbers one through nine are always written in words — not digits.

Numbers 10 and above

❌ Wrong:"There were twenty students in the group."

✅ Correct:"There were 20 students in the group."

Once you hit 10, use the numeral digit.

Ages & Percentages

❌ Wrong:"The nine-year-old student won first place." / "Ninety % of students came."

✅ Correct:"The 9-year-old student won first place." / "90 percent of students came."

Ages always use digits. Percentages always use digits, and the word "percent" is spelled out instead of using the "%" symbol.

Sentence Starters

❌ Wrong:"25 students joined the contest."

✅ Correct:"Twenty-five students joined the contest."

Never start a sentence with a digit! Spell it out, or rewrite the sentence so the number doesn't come first.

Grades & Scores

❌ Wrong:"The Grade four class won by two points."

✅ Correct:"The Grade 4 class won by 2 points."

Grade levels, scores, vote counts, and measurements always use digits — even if under 10.

Fractions

❌ Wrong:"About 1/2 of the books were damaged."

✅ Correct:"About half of the books were damaged."

Simple fractions below one are spelled out in words (e.g., "half", "one-third").

🛡️ Rule 2

AP Style Rule 2: Dates

Dates come up in almost every news story. Here is how AP Style standardizes them.

Month Abbreviations (With dates)

❌ Wrong:"The program happened on January 5th."

✅ Correct:"The program happened on Jan. 5."

Abbreviate months with 6 or more letters (Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.) when listed with a specific date. Never abbreviate short months (March, April, May, June, July).

Months Alone

❌ Wrong:"The exam is scheduled for Nov."

✅ Correct:"The exam is scheduled for November."

Never abbreviate the month if it stands alone without a specific date day.

Ordinal Suffixes

❌ Wrong:"Classes resumed on August 15th, 2026."

✅ Correct:"Classes resumed on Aug. 15, 2026."

Never use "th", "st", "nd", or "rd" after a date number. Just write the plain digit.

🛡️ Rule 3

AP Style Rule 3: Time

Formatting Time

❌ Wrong:"The seminar starts at eight o'clock in the morning / 8:00 AM."

✅ Correct:"The seminar starts at 8 a.m."

Always use digits for time. Use lowercase "a.m." and "p.m." with periods. Drop the ":00" for round hours.

Noon & Midnight

❌ Wrong:"The lunch break starts at 12:00 p.m."

✅ Correct:"The lunch break starts at noon."

Always write "noon" and "midnight" as lowercase words — never "12 p.m." or "12 a.m."

🛡️ Rule 4

AP Style Rule 4: Titles

Titles Before Names

❌ Wrong:"We met principal Santos yesterday."

✅ Correct:"We met Principal Santos yesterday."

Capitalize formal titles when they come directly before a person's name.

Titles After Names

❌ Wrong:"Santos, the Principal, approved the budget."

✅ Correct:"Santos, the principal, approved the budget."

Lowercase titles when they come after a name or stand alone.

Title Abbreviations

❌ Wrong:"Doctor Santos / Mister Cruz spoke."

✅ Correct:"Dr. Santos / Mr. Cruz spoke."

Abbreviate Doctor (Dr.), Mister (Mr.), Married Woman (Mrs.), and Ms. before names.

🛡️ Rule 5

AP Style Rule 5: Names and Second Reference

First vs Second Reference

❌ Wrong:"First reference: Reyes announced it. Second: Principal Reyes said..."

✅ Correct:"First: Principal Maria Reyes announced it. Second: Reyes said..."

Use a person's full name and title on the first reference. On all subsequent references, use only the last name without any titles or courtesy tags (no Mr./Mrs./Ms.).

🛡️ Rule 6

AP Style Rule 6: Quotations

Quotes & Attributions

❌ Wrong:"Principal Reyes exclaimed, 'We are ready.' " / "'We are ready,' Principal Reyes announced."

✅ Correct:" 'We are ready,' Principal Reyes said."

Always use the neutral attribution verb "said" rather than "exclaimed", "commented", or "stated". The attribution should follow the quote, separated by a comma inside the quotation marks.

🛡️ Rule 7

AP Style Rule 7: Organizations and Acronyms

Handling Acronyms

❌ Wrong:"Students are preparing for the NSPC." (On first reference)

✅ Correct:"Students are preparing for the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC)."

Always spell out the full name of an organization on the first reference, introducing the acronym in parentheses. Use the acronym alone on all subsequent mentions.

🛡️ Rule 8

AP Style Rule 8: Seasons and Academic Terms

Academic Phrasing

❌ Wrong:"The First Quarter started last Summer."

✅ Correct:"The first quarter started last summer."

Seasons (spring, summer, winter, fall) and school academic terms (first quarter, semester, school year) are always written in lowercase.

🛡️ Rule 9

AP Style Rule 9: Addresses and Locations

Locations & Places

❌ Wrong:"The writer is from Q.C., Phils."

✅ Correct:"The writer is from Quezon City, Philippines."

Always spell out city, province, and country names in full. Avoid abbreviations like "Q.C." or "Phils."

🛡️ Rule 10

AP Style Rule 10: Abbreviations & Capitalization — Final Rules

No All-Caps & No Day Abbreviations

❌ Wrong:"The event on Fri. is VERY important."

✅ Correct:"The event on Friday is important."

Never abbreviate days of the week (always write "Friday", "Monday"). Do not use ALL CAPS for emphasis in news stories; let the facts speak for themselves.

📋 RECAP

Quick Recap: AP Style at a Glance

Rule Category	What to Remember
Numbers 1–9	Spell out — eight, three, one
Numbers 10 and above	Use digits — 10, 25, 300
Ages, percentages, grades, scores	Always use digits — 9-year-old, 90 percent, Grade 4, 3 points
Months with a date	Abbreviate: Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. (Never abbreviate: March, April, May, June, July)
No "th" or "st" after dates	Write April 10, not April 10th
Time	Digits + lowercase a.m./p.m. with periods — 8 a.m., 1:30 p.m. (Drop ":00" for round hours: 7 a.m.)
Noon and Midnight	Write as words — never write 12 p.m. or 12 a.m.
Titles before/after names	Capitalize before name (Principal Reyes), lowercase after name (Reyes, the principal)
Second reference	Last name only — no title, no first name (write Reyes, not Principal Reyes or Maria)
Organizations	Full name first, then acronym in parentheses — National Schools Press Conference (NSPC)
Seasons and school terms	Always lowercase — summer, winter, first quarter

✏️ Quick Check

Fill in the Blank: Style Check

Complete each sentence using the correct word or choice. Type your answer and click show answer to verify.

Question 1

"AP Style says to spell out numbers ________ through nine."

✅ Answer: one — In AP Style, the rule itself follows the rule! We write "one" as a word.

Question 2

"In AP Style, January is abbreviated as ________ when listed with a specific date."

✅ Answer: Jan. — Always include a period at the end of month abbreviations.

Question 3

"A formal title like 'principal' is capitalized only when it comes ________ a name."

✅ Answer: before — Capitalize before: "Principal Reyes." Lowercase after: "Reyes, the principal."

Question 4

"In AP Style, you should never start a sentence with a ________."

✅ Answer: digit — If a number starts a sentence, spell it out fully (or rewrite the sentence).

Question 5

"The correct way to write twelve o'clock in the afternoon in AP Style is ________."

✅ Answer: noon — Use the word "noon" in lowercase — never write "12 p.m."

Question 6

"On second reference, you write only a person's ________ — no first name and no title."

✅ Answer: last name — Drop the title and first name entirely on the second reference.

Question 7

"The attribution verb that AP Style prefers when writing a quote is ________."

✅ Answer: said — "Said" is clean, neutral, and standard across all news reporting.

Question 8

"The names of seasons like summer and winter are written in ________ in AP Style."

✅ Answer: lowercase — Seasons are not proper nouns and must be lowercase unless they start a sentence.

✏️ Practice Time

Apply AP Style rules to evaluate sentences, correct abbreviation errors, and rewrite drafts.

Choose the Correct AP Style SentenceRead each pair and select the option that follows AP Style correctly.

📋Look closely at number rules, dates, titles, and times. Click Reveal Answer to verify.

Sentences checked:

Pair 1:
A. "Nine students represented Mabuhay Elementary in the division press conference."
B. "9 students represented Mabuhay Elementary in the division press conference."

Which is correct?

Pair 2:
A. "The recognition ceremony was held on March 21st."
B. "The recognition ceremony was held on March 21."

Which is correct?

Pair 3:
A. "The program was scheduled for Oct. 5 at the school auditorium."
B. "The program was scheduled for October 5th at the school auditorium."

Which is correct?

Pair 4:
A. "Dr. Santos, the school physician, led the health check last Friday."
B. "The School Physician Dr. Santos led the health check last Friday."

Which is correct?

Pair 5:
A. "15 students from Grade 6 joined the contest."
B. "Fifteen students from Grade 6 joined the contest."

Which is correct?

Pair 6:
A. "The assembly begins at 7:00 a.m. sharp."
B. "The assembly begins at 7 a.m. sharp."

Which is correct?

Pair 7:
A. "Principal Reyes announced the policy. Reyes said implementation begins Monday."
B. "Principal Reyes announced the policy. Principal Reyes said implementation begins Monday."

Which is correct?

Pair 8:
A. "Students are encouraged to join the NSPC."
B. "Students are encouraged to join the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC)."

Which is correct?

Fix AP Style ErrorsRead each sentence, identify the main error, and rewrite the corrected sentence.

✍️Type in your answers, then click "Check My Work" to verify.

1. "The school launched a new program with twelve students last September 3rd."

2. "Superintendent Jessa Gana announced the policy change on Mon., May 6."

3. "The event starts at 3:00 PM on Friday."

4. "The school paper won 3 awards at the division competition last Feb."

5. "The grade 6 adviser, mr. Harold Cruz, was named Teacher of the Year."

6. "'We are very happy with the results.' said Principal Reyes."

7. "The Students Council meeting was held last Summer."

Rewrite Using AP StyleThese sentences have multiple style errors. Rewrite them completely.

✍️Fix all issues including numbers, acronyms, dates, and times. Click "Check Rewrites" to evaluate.

1. "8 Grade five students won awards at the competition held on November 2nd."

2. "principal reyes said that 95 percent of students passed the quarterly exam held last august 14th."

3. "Twenty-five journalists from different schools attended the seminar on Mon., Jan. 6th."

4. "The contest begins at 9:00 AM and ends at 12 PM according to the DepEd."

5. "'Our team is ready for the NSPC,' exclaimed student editor Miles, who is 12-Years-Old."

🔍 Self-Check Guide

What to Check	Done ✅	Try Again 🔄
I can correctly spell out single-digit numbers and keep double digits numerical	☐	☐
I removed all ordinal suffixes (th, st, nd) from dates	☐	☐
I changed 12 p.m. / 12 a.m. to noon / midnight in lowercase	☐	☐
I applied acronym rules (full name on first reference, abbreviation on second)	☐	☐

📊 Simple Rubric

5/5

Perfect editing! You have mastered the Associated Press newsroom guidelines. 🗞️

3-4

Good effort. Double-check your capitalization and abbreviation styles.

1-2

Review the Learn section's AP Style table. Keep practicing!

🧠 AP Style Basics Quiz

Select the correct AP Style translation for each missing sentence component. Think carefully!

0/8

Score

Question 1 of 8

QUESTION 1 OF 8

out of 8

Up Next — Chapter 6!

Chapter 6: Printer's Directions

You now know the Associated Press newsroom basics. Next, discover how copyreaders write printer directions to instruct layout artists on page sizing, typefaces, and column widths!

Chapter 6 →

AP Style Basics

Two Reporters. Same Story. Two Very Different Sentences.

So, What Is AP Style?

AP Style Rule 1: Numbers

AP Style Rule 2: Dates

AP Style Rule 3: Time

AP Style Rule 4: Titles

AP Style Rule 5: Names and Second Reference

AP Style Rule 6: Quotations

AP Style Rule 7: Organizations and Acronyms

AP Style Rule 8: Seasons and Academic Terms

AP Style Rule 9: Addresses and Locations

AP Style Rule 10: Abbreviations & Capitalization — Final Rules

Quick Recap: AP Style at a Glance

Fill in the Blank: Style Check

✏️ Practice Time

Choose the Correct AP Style SentenceRead each pair and select the option that follows AP Style correctly.

Fix AP Style ErrorsRead each sentence, identify the main error, and rewrite the corrected sentence.

Rewrite Using AP StyleThese sentences have multiple style errors. Rewrite them completely.

🔍 Self-Check Guide

📊 Simple Rubric

🧠 AP Style Basics Quiz

Score Guide

Chapter 6: Printer's Directions