Posts in category: Style on the Go archive

January 19, 2006: Issue 123

Spell out state names unless they’re part of a mailing address. In mailing addresses, use the two-letter postal abbreviation (all caps, no period).

correct: She bought the two-story Colonial in Kenilworth, Illinois, in 2003.
correct: For more information, write to the Upper Illinois Orchid Society, P.O. Box 2702, Kenilworth, IL, 60043-2702.
correct: For more information, call the Upper Illinois Orchid Society, Kenilworth, Illinois, 847/555-1257.

And remember, when you use a city and state name together, set off the state name with commas before and after.

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Update 10/23/18: See grasses.

January 5, 2006: Issue 121

Here’s a change in SIM style: We’re closing up all turfgrass and lawngrass names, even when they include a proper name, to be consistent with industry usage. (Keep the capital letter from the proper name.)

Some examples:

Bahiagrass
Bermudagrass
Zoysiagrass

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December 29, 2005: Issue 120

Combine pronouns with verbs and auxiliary verbs to form contractions.

correct: She is an architect.
correct: She’s an architect.

correct: He has built four other homes in the neighborhood.
correct: He’s built four other homes in the neighborhood.

correct: They will soon welcome their third child.
correct: They’ll soon welcome their third child.

But don’t combine nouns and proper nouns with verbs. An apostrophe-s can easily be mistaken for a possessive instead of a contraction for “is,” and other forms are downright clumsy.

incorrect: The home’s been in her family for 120 years.
correct: The home has been in her family for 120 years.

incorrect: Dave’ll try any project once.
correct: Dave will try any project once.

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December 22, 2005: Issue 119

For people, use “who.” For animals and objects, use “that” or “which”:

incorrect: The guest rooms are a necessity for empty nesters that frequently keep their grandchildren overnight.
correct: The guest rooms are a necessity for empty nesters who frequently keep their grandchildren overnight.

incorrect: Three Great Danes who track in plenty of mud were the inspiration for the dark, mottled flooring.
correct: Three Great Danes that track in plenty of mud were the inspiration for the dark, mottled flooring.

The exception (and of course there is one) is animals that we name.

correct: The couple’s poodle, Fifi, who quickly claimed the window seat, is a fixture in this sunny room.

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December 15, 2005: Issue 118

We usually don’t hyphenate words that end in “like”: businesslike, paintlike, petallike. But there are three main exceptions:

• Hyphenate when not doing so would result in three l’s in a row: doll-like, wall-like.

• Hyphenate when “like” is joined to a proper noun: Paris-like, Austen-like.

• Hyphenate compound words that could be ambiguous or misunderstood without the hyphen: spa-like, multi-ply, re-creation.

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December 8, 2005: Issue 117

Design determines whether to repeat a niche cap. If text wraps around the niche cap, don’t repeat that letter. If text wraps over the niche cap, do repeat the letter.

When a story opens with a quotation, the niche cap needs a single quotation mark. If the single quote hampers design, try rewriting the lede to avoid it; don’t just skip it.

When the word “a” begins a story with a niche cap, insert a thin space (apple-option-shift-m) at the beginning of body copy.

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December 1, 2005: Issue 116

Lowercase seasons unless they’re part of a proper name:

Look for more fabulous valance ideas in our winter issue.
Bring the rich colors of fall indoors.
These hardy bloomers are at their peak in late summer.
Our Spring Planting Guide goes on sale March 1.

While we’re on the subject of seasons, here’s a distinction that often confuses people: Seasonable means appropriate to the season. Seasonal means varying according to the season.

Beat the cold with a heavy, seasonable sweater.
Keep the neutral tablecloth, but make seasonal changes with the runner.

ON BHGStylebook.com: Find help with other easily confused words.

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November 24, 2005: Issue 115

Capitalize colonial when it refers to a specific era in U.S. history or a style associated with that era:

This New England holiday tradition dates back to Colonial times.
She appreciates Colonial furniture for its graceful, simple lines.

When you’re talking about other countries, capitalize colonial in reference to a specific style but not in generic uses:

The design was influenced by British Colonial architecture.
The motif became popular when India was under British colonial rule.

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November 17, 2005: Issue 114

To quickly and easily create a Dimension x, set up the handy shortcut that IT has created. In InDesign, pull down the Edit menu, then select Keyboard shortcuts. In the Set window, select SIM Shortcuts. Click OK.

You need to do this only once. Then, whenever you want to convert an x to a Dimension x, highlight the x and type option-F2.

The same keystrokes (option-F2) will convert smart quotes to inch and foot marks.

Got that covered?

Here’s a change in SIM style: Wallcovering is one word.

See other recent changes in SIM style.

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November 10, 2005: Issue 113

When you use common nouns (mom, baby, grandma, etc.) as proper nouns, capitalize them.

correct: This is a soft, soothing nursery where any baby will have sweet dreams.
correct: This is a soft, soothing nursery where Baby will have sweet dreams.

correct: Give your mom a delicious surprise with this Mother’s Day cake.
correct: Give Mom a delicious surprise with this Mother’s Day cake.

If you’re not sure whether to capitalize, try substituting a person’s name for the noun without changing or deleting any other words. If the name makes sense, capitalize the noun.

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