Numbers, Abbreviations, and Special Characters Flashcards

When should an acronym be spelled out on first reference in a document?

Answer: Whenever the reader may not recognize it

The guiding principle is reader comprehension: spell out the acronym on first use whenever the audience may not immediately recognize it.

Street address numbers in formal writing should always be expressed as:

Answer: Numerals, regardless of size

Street addresses use numerals in all cases (e.g., 5 Elm Street, not Five Elm Street), regardless of the general rule to spell out small numbers.

Which abbreviation correctly indicates multiple pages in a bibliography?

Answer: pp.

'Pp.' is the conventional abbreviation for multiple pages in bibliographic references (from the Latin plural convention of doubling the letter).

Which is the correct way to express a dollar amount when the number is spelled out?

Answer: fifty dollars

When a currency amount is spelled out, the currency symbol is not used; instead, write the word 'dollars' (or the appropriate currency name).

In AP style, which is the correct form for a person's age in running text?

Answer: She is 25 years old.

AP style uses numerals for specific ages and omits hyphens when the age expression does not directly precede a noun as a compound modifier.

Which is the correct use of the abbreviation 'etc.'?

Answer: cats, dogs, etc.

Adding 'and' before 'etc.' is redundant because 'et cetera' already means 'and the rest'; no extra comma follows the period when it ends a clause.

When a very large or complex number must appear at the start of a sentence, the recommended editorial solution is to:

Answer: Rewrite the sentence so the number does not fall first

Because spelling out a large number at the sentence's start is awkward, the preferred fix is to restructure the sentence so the number appears elsewhere.