Speech/Meeting: Writing With (AP) Style

Is it an eighth-grader or an 8th-grader or an eighth grader?

It's the middle one. AP Style, under grade, grader:

Hyphenate in combining forms: a fourth-grade pupil, a 12th-grade student, first-grader, 10th-grader.

Note there is no exception made from the general AP numbers rule of spell out numbers under 10, and use digits for 10 and above. Also note that the examples given appear to adhere to that rule.

Now, in first reference is it PTA or Parent-Teacher Association? Did anybody look under PTA?

Finally, if the number is at the start of a sentence, do you spell it out regardless? You tell me. We've been over this one time and time again.

Please review AP Style under grade, grader and numerals.

Is it 5 percent, or 5%, or five percent, or five %?

It's 5 percent, with "percent" spelled out and the number 5. And even though the number is under 10, whenever a percentage is used then the numeral should be presented as a digit, and not spelled out.

How do I know all this? AP Style, under percent.

Also, we're still having some issues with properly labeling streets. Let's revisit AP Style, under addresses:

Use the abbreviations Ave., Blvd. and St. only with a numbered address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Spell them out and capitalize when part of a formal street name without a number: Pennsylvania Avenue. Lowercase and spell out when used alone or with more than one street name: Massachusetts and Pennsylvania avenues.

Spell out and capitalize First through Ninth when used as street names; use figures with two letters for 10th and above: 7 Fifth Ave., 100 21st St.


Before the end of the semester, we are going to have an AP Style quiz that will be equal in weight to roughly NINE current events quizzes. So be sure to be boning up on your AP Style!