Tip versus Note

BHG Stylebook

Tip and Note are not interchangeable. Use Tip if the information is instructional. Use Note if the information is explanatory.
Tip: To toast almonds, put them on a baking sheet in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes.
Note: You can find rotary cutters at your local quilt shop or online.

Copyright year

BHG Stylebook

(Entry added 11/17/16)

For new titles, use the issue’s on-sale date to determine the copyright year. (See the production database to confirm the on-sale date.)
If Mediterranean Homes & Lifestyles 2017 goes on sale Dec. 27, 2016, the copyright year is 2016.
If Skinny Slow Cooker 2017 goes on sale Jan. 3, 2017, the copyright year is 2017.
If Better Homes and Gardens January 2017 goes on sale Dec. 20, 2016, the copyright year is 2016.

For reprints, use the copyright year of the original publication. If content has been added or significantly changed, add a second copyright year according to the new issue’s on-sale date.
If Elegant Homes Sp/Su 2017 is a reprint of Elegant Homes F/W 2015 and there have been no significant changes or new content added, the only copyright year would be 2015.
If Elegant Homes Sp/Su 2017 is a reprint of Elegant Homes F/W 2015 and a new story was added, there would be two copyright years, 2015, 2017, with the second year based on the Elegant Homes Sp/Su 2017 on-sale date of Jan. 10, 2017.

 

Capitalization: Company names

BHG Stylebook

In text, company names can be what they might be called in conversation (Sherwin-Williams, not The Sherwin-Williams Co.). In resources use the business name as it appears on the “About Us” or “Contact Us” page or in comparable text on the website. (clarified 5.14.14)

Capitalize the first letter in a business name, even if the business uses a lowercase letter in its logos and promotional materials. The exception to this rule is a business name such as eBay, where a logical internal letter is capitalized instead of the first letter. And when eBay starts a sentence, cap the e.

 

Capitalization
Acronyms
After colons
Company names
 Directions and regions
Generic terms
Headlines
Job titles
Product names
Websites
Zones

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Addresses: State Abbreviations

BHG Stylebook

Special Interest Media
In mailing addresses (those requiring ZIP codes), use U.S. Postal Service state name abbreviations. In general, do not abbreviate state names in copy. In some instances, such as charts and lists, abbreviations may be used; follow Associated Press style in those cases.

Better Homes & Gardens (added 8/29/16)
Use state U.S. Postal Service state name abbreviations whenever a state accompanies a city. Spell out state names when they stand alone.

 

U.S. Postal Service state name abbreviations

AL Alabama
AK Alaska
AZ Arizona
AR Arkansas
CA California
CO Colorado
CT Connecticut
DE Delaware
**DC District of Columbia
FL Florida
GA Georgia
HI Hawaii
ID Idaho
IL Illinois
IN Indiana
IA Iowa
KS Kansas
KY Kentucky
LA Louisiana
ME Maine
MD Maryland
MA Massachusetts
MI Michigan
MN Minnesota
MS Mississippi
MO Missouri
MT Montana
NE Nebraska
NV Nevada
NH New Hampshire
NJ New Jersey
NM New Mexico
NY New York
NC North Carolina
ND North Dakota
OH Ohio
OK Oklahoma
OR Oregon
PA Pennsylvania
RI Rhode Island
SC South Carolina
SD South Dakota
TN Tennessee
TX Texas
UT Utah
VT Vermont
VA Virginia
WA Washington
WV West Virginia
WI Wisconsin
WY Wyoming

**Use the abbreviation DC with ZIP codes, and D.C. without ZIP codes.

 

Addresses
State abbreviations
Street Abbreviations
Website addresses
Stand-alone cities

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Redundancies

BHG Stylebook

Below is a list of redundant and superfluous phrases compiled from several sources. Words Into Type also has a detailed, and often funny, list of “excess words” on pages 407–410.

advanced forward
advance planning
advance warning
any and all
appreciate in value
assemble together
big in size
blend seamlessly
blue in color
butt together
cancel out
cantilever out
center around
circle around
classified into groups
climb up
close proximity
completely destroyed
completely gutted
completely surrounded
consensus of opinion
depreciate in value
each and every one
empty cavity
end result
equally as
face up to
few in number
filled to capacity
final outcome
first begin
full satisfaction
general rule of thumb
good benefits
group together
honest truth
hot-water heater
invited guest
join together
join up
julienne strip
local resident
major breakthrough
meld together
narrow width
natural daylight
new record
old adage
one and the same
original source
other alternative
outside of
over with
pair of twins
pair up
past experience
past history
preplan
preregister
ravenously hungry
rectangular in shape
refer back
retreat back
root cause
same identical
scarlet red
self-confessed
separate entities
serious danger
simulate the look
square in shape
strangled to death
suburbs of the city
sum total
team up
temporarily suspended
today’s modern woman
total annihilation
total destruction
true facts
visible to the eye
when and if
whether or not
wide width

 

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Easily confused words

BHG Stylebook

Often, words with similar meanings may be used interchangeably. Sometimes, however, words that appear similar actually have slightly different meanings. Strive for exactness in your use of words by observing these various shades of meaning in your writing.

affect: to influence (verb)
effect: to accomplish or execute (verb), result (noun)

already: previously
all ready: completely prepared

alternate: occurring by turns, one after the other, substitute
alternative: offering a choice between two or more possibilities

although: contrary to, in spite of the fact that, granting or supposing that
while: at the same time as, during the time that

altogether: wholly, completely
all together: in a group

among: (more than two persons or things)
between: (only two persons or things)

amount: quantity or mass
number: countable objects

and: in addition to
plus: preposition meaning “with the addition of,” not a conjunction equivalent to and

apt: inclined
likely: probable

as: (used to introduce a subject and verb)
like: similar to (must have an object but no verb)
such as: for example

awhile: (adverb of time and place; means “for a while”)—We visited awhile.
a while: (when preceded by for or another preposition)—Wait for a while.

because: for that reason
since: generally refers to a passage of time

can: is able
may: is permitted

center on: (correct term)
center around: redundant (use center on or revolve around)

compare to: implies similarities between objects of a different order
compare with: points out differences between objects of the same order

complement: to fill out or complete
compliment: to flatter or congratulate; to give free as a courtesy or favor (complimentary tickets)

comprise*: to embrace, include (the whole comprises the parts)
compose: to constitute (the parts compose the whole)
*never “comprised of” (see p. 454 W.I.T.)

continual: frequently repeated
continuous: without interruption

dab: to strike or touch lightly
daub: to cover with a soft adhesive matter

dimensions: express a relationship to size, measurements
proportions: express a relationship of one part to another, or of parts to the whole

disc: phonograph record, videodisc, compact disc, farm tool
disk: part of the body, floppy disk, most other references

discreet: something not likely to be seen or noticed; unpretentious, modest; prudent
discrete: separate, individually distinct; noncontinuous

distinctive: noticeably different and recognizable
distinguished: outstanding or eminent

each: (refers individually to more than one)
either: (refers to one of two)

eminent: prominent or famous
imminent: about to occur, often in a threatening sense

ensure: to make sure, safe
insure: to provide or obtain insurance on
assure: to remove doubt

farther: (refers to distance)
further: (refers to degree or quantity)

fewer: (refers to numbers or units capable of being counted)
less: (refers to degree or quantity)

flack: a PR agent or someone who provides publicity
flak: criticism, opposition; antiaircraft guns; the bursting shells fired from flak

flair: inclination, talent, style
flare: glaring light

flounder: to struggle to move or get one’s footing; to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually
founder: to collapse, sink, or fall; to lose its foundation

grill: object used for outdoor cooking
grille: grating

handicap-accessible: better to use wheelchair-accessible or barrier-free, if necessary.
universal design: the most common term for wheelchair-accessible architecture.

healthful: giving health (food is healthful)
healthy: having health

historic: of special significance in history (buildings, sites, landmarks)
historical: occurring in or pertaining to the past

if: indicates a general possibility or doubt
whether: indicates a choice, when an alternative is implied

impact: effect or forceful contact (noun), to strike or press against, to congest (verb)
affect: to influence or produce an effect upon (noun)

imply: to hint or suggest
infer: to draw a conclusion

ingenious: clever
ingenuous: frank or naïve

last: that which comes after all others, the end
latest: most recent
latter: the second of two things

lay: put to rest (transitive; requires an object)
lie: be at or come to rest

literally: actually, in a strict sense, without exaggeration
figuratively: in a manner of speaking (the opposite of literally)

luxuriant: abundant, abounding, teeming
luxurious: given to indulgence of the senses; relating to or marked by luxury

mantel: shelf above a fireplace
mantle: cloak

mat: a pad or cushion or artboard or picture framing
matte: a dull finish

mixer bowl: one that goes with an electric mixer
mixing bowl: any bowl used for mixing

operable: used to describe a window that can be opened

pendant: noun; something suspended, as a light a fixture from the ceiling
pendent: adjective; suspended or supported from above

pore: to gaze intently; to read or study attentively; to reflect or meditate steadily
pour: to cause to flow in a stream

principal: chief, main
principle: fundamental truth, basic law or doctrine

precede: to be, go, or come before; to be earlier than
proceed: to move along a course, go forward; to continue after a pause or interruption; to begin and carry on an action, process, or movement

real: actual, not a synonym for very

seasonable: appropriate to the season
seasonal: varying according to the season

sensual: indulging the senses
sensuous: appealing to the senses

sometime: at a point in time (adverb; answers the question “when?”)
some time: an indefinite time (adjective and noun; substitutes for “some time/point in the future”)
sometimes: at times (adverb)

stationary: not moving; fixed, immobile, or static
stationery: writing paper

terrine: the food
tureen: the bowl

than: (when you’re comparing things)
then: (when you’re talking about sequences and time)

that: (use only to introduce a restrictive clause—one that cannot be deleted because it defines or limits a subject)
which: (use only to introduce a nonrestrictive clause—one that can be omitted because it only describes a subject or is parenthetical)

tortuous: tricky, complicated, or circuitous, such an an overly elaborate plan
torturous: causing torture; very unpleasant, painful, difficult, or slow

unique: the only one of its kind (It’s an absolute that does NOT vary in degree; therefore, something cannot be “more unique.”)

whoever: anyone who
whomever: anyone whom

 

Problem rules and words
Easily confused words
Suffix -ed

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