March 14, 2002: Issue 14
SIM STYLE: Can I break a Web address over two lines?
Keeping the address on one line is ideal, but if that’s not possible, it may be broken. If the address breaks at a period, split it BEFORE the period so readers naturally continue reading to the next line. If the address breaks at a slash, split it AFTER the slash.
correct: For more information visit www.waverly.com.
correct: For more information visit www.waverly.com/new/new.asp.
Never insert a hyphen into a Web address to break it over two lines. If an address naturally contains a hyphen, you may break it BEFORE the hyphen, which serves as a cue to readers that the hyphen is part of the address. Long Web addresses that can’t be broken are likely to leave you with awkward spacing elsewhere. Tweaking breaks on the lines before and after the address can sometimes prevent that.
For more information, see Web Site Addresses in the Addresses
section in the SIM Stylebook.
GRAMMAR: Is it “free reign” or “free rein”?
A king or queen reigns over the land; a driver reins in a horse. When you are given control of a project, you may believe you have “free reign.” But unless you’re working with a limitless budget and answering to no one, you’ll quickly find yourself still hitched to the cart. In reality, your reins have simply been loosened: You’ve been given “free rein.”
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