🔤 Garbl's Editorial Style and Usage Guide: P–R

Entries from page numbers through rooms.

A–B | C–D | E–L | M–O | P–R | S–Z
Introduction | Punctuation | Commonly Confused Words

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P

page numbers Use numerals and capitalize page when used with a figure: Page 1.

percent (%) Use the symbol for percent when paired with a number; no space between them: 80%, 9.4%, 0.3%. It takes a singular verb when standing alone or when a singular word follows an of construction: About 25% of the department was absent. It takes a plural verb when a plural word follows an of construction: She reported that 60% of the councilmembers were present.

percentages Use numerals with decimals—not fractions: 3%, 6.7%, 33%. For amounts less than 1%, precede the decimal with a zero—0.3%. Round off percentages to the tenths point: 45.8%, not 45.87%. For a range of percentages, each of these is acceptable: 9% to 12%, 9%-12%, and between 9% and 12%. Try using half instead of 50% if you’re not using the figure alongside other percentage statistics.

plain English, plain language A method of writing that matches the needs of the reader with your needs as a writer, leading to effective and efficient communication. It stresses using familiar words; cutting useless words; avoiding or explaining jargon and technical words; using abbreviations carefully; using inclusive language; writing in active voice; keeping sentences short; avoiding double negatives; using punctuation correctly; using lists; and using headings consistently. See Garbl’s Plain Language Writing Guide.

plurals Follow the rules below for forming words to show more than one of the things named.

regular plurals:

• For most words, add s: books, guitars. Do not use an apostrophe to form plurals of words or numbers. Use an apostrophe only for single letters: i’s, A’s.

• Add es to most words ending in ch, s, sh, ss, x, and z: churches, buses, foxes, fuzzes, glasses.

• Change is to es in words ending in is: parentheses, theses.

• Add es to most words ending in o if a consonant comes before o: echoes, heroes. There are exceptions: pianos.

compound words:

• Add s to compound words written as single words: cupfuls, handfuls.

• For compound words that use separate words or link the words with a hyphen, make the most significant word plural: assistant attorneys, attorneys general, daughters-in-law, deputy chiefs of staff.

proper names:

• Don’t change the spelling of proper nouns when making them plural.

• Add es to most proper names ending in s or z sounds: Gonzalezes, Jameses, Joneses.

• Add s to other proper names, including most proper names ending in y even if preceded by a consonant: the Clintons, the Abernathys, not the Abernathies.

numbers, letters, and figures:

• Add s to figures: General Motors built the car in the 1940s. The Boeing Co. sold 12 more 767s.

• To avoid confusion, add ’s to single letters: Dot your i’s. She earned two A’s and three B’s on her report card.

• Add s to multiple letters: He knows his ABCs. They have three color TVs.

words with Latin or irregular forms:

• Words with Latin roots: Change us to i in words ending in us: alumnus, alumni.

• Change words ending in on to a: phenomenon, phenomena.

• Add s in most words ending in um: memorandums, referendums, but not addenda, curricula, or media.

plural vs. possessive confusion:

• Avoid using a possessive name as a plural: The free passes are available at four McDonald’s restaurants. Not: The free passes are available at four McDonald’s.

• Do not use ’s when writing about words as words: His speech had too many ifs, ands, and buts.

compound modifiers involving numbers:

• When a number and a noun form a compound modifier before a noun, use a singular noun and hyphen: a 10-hour shift.

• Drop the hyphens and use plural nouns in other uses: The shift lasted 10 hours.

• Other examples: The room measured 6 by 9 feet, but a 6-by-9-foot room. The building has 3,300 square feet of usable space, but a 3,300-square-foot building. The container held 10 gallons, but a 10-gallon container. The type size is 18 points, but 18-point type. She was on vacation for three weeks, but a three-week vacation.

For plurals not covered here, check your preferred dictionary. Also see abbreviations and acronyms, capitalization, dimensions, distances; hyphen under Punctuation.

possessives Follow these rules for forming nouns and pronouns to show possession.

singular nouns:

• Add ’s to singular nouns that do not end in the letter s, even if they end in an s sound: the church’s members, the prince’s duties, Xerox’s profits.

• Add ’s to singular common nouns ending in s: the bus’s engine, the witness’s answer.

• Follow AP for singular proper names ending in s. More on that below.

singular proper names ending in s:

• Following AP style, use only an apostrophe: Charles’ car, James’ speech, Harris’ proposal.

• Some other style guides add ‘s: Charles’s car, James’s speech, Harris’s proposal.

plural nouns:

• Add ’s to plural nouns not ending in s: children’s passes, two deer’s tracks.

• Add only an apostrophe to plural nouns ending in s: the girls’ books, the plants’ managers.

joint vs. separate ownership:

• When two or more people jointly own an item, use a possessive form after the noun closest to the item: Gary and Gina’s car.

• When two or more people separately own items, use a possessive form after each noun: Gary’s and Gina’s cars.

families:

• To make a family name plural, add s or es: the Abernathys, the Joneses, the Gonzalezes. See plurals.

• For the plural possessive, add an apostrophe: the Abernathys’ greeting, the Joneses’ restaurant, the Gonzalezes’ house.

• For a single person: Bob Abernathy’s greeting.

pronouns:

• Possessive pronouns do not take apostrophes: yours, ours, his, hers, its, theirs, whose.

• Use apostrophes only for contractions: it’s (it is), you’re (you are). See contractions.

• Follow standard possessive rules for indefinite pronouns such as everyone, nobody, and another: someone else’s umbrella, everybody’s opinion, and each other’s views.

descriptive phrases (adjectival forms):

• Do not add an apostrophe when a plural word functions as an adjective: writers guide (a guide for writers), Veterans Day (a day for veterans).

• Add ’s when the plural does not end in s: children’s hospital.

• Respect official names even if they differ from this advice.

time and measurement expressions (quasi-possessives):

• Use apostrophes in phrases like a day’s pay, two weeks’ vacation, your money’s worth.

• Do not use an apostrophe when the quantity precedes an adjective: three months pregnant, 8 years old.

clarity check:

When a possessive construction feels awkward or unclear, try rephrasing it as an of phrase: the teachers’ hands or the hands of the teachers; the children’s brains or the brains of the children. Choose the clearer form.

nouns plural in form, singular in meaning:

• Add only an apostrophe: United States’ wealth.

• Avoid this construction when possible; consider clearer alternatives: the wealth of the United States.

double possessives:

• Use constructions such as a colleague of Maria’s or a painting of Picasso’s when referring to one of several items associated with someone.

• Avoid with inanimate objects unless clarity requires it.

inanimate objects:

• Avoid excessive personalization of inanimate objects.

• Use rules of mathematics instead of mathematics’ rules.

prefixes Generally, don’t hyphenate. But follow these rules:

• Use a hyphen if the prefix ends in a vowel and the root word begins with the same vowel: re-enter, anti-intellectual.

• Use a hyphen before a capitalized word: un-American, pro-Canadian

• Use a hyphen with double prefixes: sub-subcommittee.

There are exceptions. When in doubt, consult your preferred dictionary. If a word is not listed, do not hyphenate.

For some words, use a hyphen to avoid ambiguity:
recover (regain), re-cover (cover again)
reform (improve), re-form (form again)
resign (quit), re-sign (sign again).

The prefixes anti-, in-, and mid- don’t usually need a hyphen. Common exceptions include:
anti-abortion, anti-terrorism, anti-war
in-depth, in-house, in-law
mid-30s (when followed by a numeral).

Generally, use a hyphen with these prefixes unless listed without one in your dictionary:
all- all-inclusive
co- when indicating occupation or status: co-chair, co-worker
ex- when it means former: ex-governor, ex-Gov. Dan Spellman,
full- full-scale
part- part-time
pro- pro-life
self- self-defense, self-assured

Also see hyphen under Punctuation and suffixes.

programs, projects, and plans Capitalize the full name of official programs, projects, or plans. Otherwise, avoid capitalizing them. Always lowercase program, project, or plan when the word stands alone or when using only part of the formal name.

A–B | C–D | E–L | M–O | P–R | S–Z
Introduction | Punctuation | Commonly Confused Words

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Q

quotations Use direct quotations to add authority, clarity, or emphasis. Balance direct quotations with paraphrasing, supporting facts, and your perspective or analysis if appropriate.

Use a comma to introduce most direct quotations. Use a colon if the introduction is a complete sentence. Introduce multiple-sentence quotations with colons. When using partial quotations and the titles of books, movies, and other publications, punctuate as if the quotation marks weren’t there.

See attribution, composition titles. Also see colon, comma, quotation marks under Punctuation

Preserve a speaker’s wording in direct quotations. Spell out all words and phrases in direct quotations if that’s the way a speaker or writer expressed them: “We were in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on October 6.” Similarly, use abbreviations in quotations as expressed by a speaker or writer, but make sure its meaning is clear—or spell it out before or after the quotation. Apply standard style to surrounding punctuation. See dates, state names.

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R

ranges Use the form: $8 million to $11 million. Not: $8 to $11 million. See dash under Punctuation.

room numbers Use figures and capitalize room when used with a figure: Room No. 5, Room 911, conference Room 3D. But fifth-floor conference room. See No.

rooms Capitalize the names of specially named rooms: Willamette Room.

A–B | C–D | E–L | M–O | P–R | S–Z
Introduction | Punctuation | Commonly Confused Words

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