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AP Style Vocab

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. Compound Plurals
NOT teaspoonsful
Wastebasket
Most significant word is made plural: daughters-in-law - assistant attorneys general - major generals
No e

2. ICBM - ICBMs
A device used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a unit - ready for insertion into the magazine of a repeating firearm
Acceptable on first reference for intercontinental ballistic missile(s) - but the term should be defines in the body of a story. Avoid the redundant ICBM missiles
The spelling for the city in New Brunswick. To distinguish it from St. John's - Newfoundland
Abbreviation for the Latin id est or that is and is always followed by a comma

3. impeachment
AM is acceptable in all references
But lowercase devil and satanic
Acceptable in all references to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters
The constitutional process accusing an elected official of a crime in an attempt to remove the official from office. Do not use as a synonym for convicted or removed from office

4. Except
The city in Texas stands alone in datelines
To exclude
A cannon or other weapon designed for defense against air attack. The form: a 105 mm anti-aircraft gun.
A measurement of the diameter of a gun barrel except for most shotguns. Measurement is in either millimeters or decimal fractions of an inch. The word caliber is not used when giving the metric measurement. The forms: a 9 mm pistol - a .22-caliber ri

5. Taiwan
It has become a generic term - no longer a trademark - for a type of television cuing device
A compact - relatively inexpensive handgun
Use Taiwan - not Formosa - in reverences to the government in Taiwan and the island itself
A fully automatic gun that fires as long as the trigger is depressed. The form: a .50 caliber Browning machine gun.

6. No.

7. caliber
The city in Texas stands alone in datelines
Lowercase the common noun elements in plural uses
Is pronoun that is always a subject
A measurement of the diameter of a gun barrel except for most shotguns. Measurement is in either millimeters or decimal fractions of an inch. The word caliber is not used when giving the metric measurement. The forms: a 9 mm pistol - a .22-caliber ri

8. teaspoon
Individual items;fewer than 10 applicants called. I had fewer than 50 $1 bills in my pocket
Weak-kneed
Wastebasket
Equal to one-sixth of a fluid ounce - or one-third of a tablespoon. The metric equivalent is approximately 5 milliliters

9. their - there - they're

10. between
A unit of power - mostly associated with electricity. Electrical energy is measured in watt-hours (or kilowatt-hours or mega-watt hours). Do not use 'megawatts Per hours.' Abbrev.: W - kW - MW.
Introduces two items; between him and her - between you and me
Use it to mean one or the other - not both
Use instead of Italy in datelines on stories from communities on this island

11. amidships
?
In second reference: the America Exchange - Amex - or the exchange
Use only the initials in referring to the previously designed Scholastic Aptitude Test or the Scholastic Assessment Test. Example: The students scored above average on the SAT
Always use figures. Use hyphens for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or substitute as a noun

12. complement
Lowercase (without quotation marks) the bugle call for 'lights out -' also sounded at military funerals
It's = it is; its possessive form of neuter pronoun
Noun and verb denoting completeness or supplementing something
Lowercase - because it denotes not a single period but any series of cold periods marked by glaciation alternating with periods of relative warmth. Capitalize the proper nouns in the names of individual ice ages - such as the Wisconsin ice age. The m

13. clip
To introduce clauses Jim blocks the linebacker as he should
But lowercase devil and satanic
Acceptable as first reference for International Business Machines Corp. Headquarters is in Armonk - NY
A device used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a unit - ready for insertion into the magazine of a repeating firearm

14. All right
Impostor
Tailspin
Never alright; sometimes all-right as a compound modifier
Saboteur

15. cannon
Always use figures. Use hyphens for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or substitute as a noun
Saudi Aramco is acceptable on second reference. (Formerly the Arabian American Oil Co.)
In indicates location: He was in the room. Into indicates motion: She walked into the room
A weapon - usually supported on some type of carriage - that fires explosive projectiles. The form: a 105 mm cannon

16. who
Saboteur
These and similar combinations of a letter and figure(s) designate rifles used by the military. The forms: an M-1 rifle - an M-16 rifle
Teammate
Is pronoun that is always a subject

17. sanitarium - sanitariums
The '90s - 1920s
Tailspin
The new term is kilohertz
Sanitarium - sanitariums

18. email

19. rebut
A measurement of the diameter of a gun barrel except for most shotguns. Measurement is in either millimeters or decimal fractions of an inch. The word caliber is not used when giving the metric measurement. The forms: a 9 mm pistol - a .22-caliber ri
To argue to the contrary
A lightweight fully automatic gun firing handgun ammunition
The standard British gallon - equal to 277.42 cubic inches or about 1.2 US gallons. The metric equivalent is approximately 4.5 liters

20. mpg/mph
Writers or speakers imply in the words they use. A listener or reader infers something from the words
Capitalize building in Washington
This acronym - drawn from the words American travel by track - may be used in all references to the National Railroad Passenger Corp. Do not use AMTRAK. The corporation was established by Congress in 1970 to take over intercity passenger operations f
Acceptable in all forms

21. imperial quart
Capitalize formal titles directly before a name; lowercase and spell out when they are not used with a person name or after a title
Saboteur
One-fourth of an imperial gallon
A carriage-mounted cannon

22. team

23. cents
These and similar combinations of a letter and figure(s) designate rifles used by the military. The forms: an M-1 rifle - an M-16 rifle
Inasmuch as
Lowercase spell out cents 5 cents or $2.50
A lightweight fully automatic gun firing handgun ammunition

24. American Stock Exchange
The '90s - 1920s
In second reference: the America Exchange - Amex - or the exchange
The city in Utah stands alone in datelines
The following are some generally used technical terms dealing with satellite communications. -uplink: The transmission from the ground to the satellite -downlink: The transmission from the satellite to the ground. -footprint: The area on the ground i

25. Magnum
Impassable means that passage is impossible: The bridge was impassable. Impassible and impassive describe lack of sensitivity to pain or suffering. Webster's New World College Dictionary notes - however - that impassible suggest an inability to be af
A trademark for a type of high-powered cartridge with a larger case and a larger powder charge than other cartridges of approximately the same caliber. The form: a .357 Magnum - a .44 Magnum
A prefix denoting 1000 units of a measure. Move a decimal point three places to the right - adding zeros if necessary to convert to the basic unit: 10.5 kilograms equals 10 -500 grams
Use only the initials in referring to the previously designed Scholastic Aptitude Test or the Scholastic Assessment Test. Example: The students scored above average on the SAT

26. teachers college
Americorps
No apostrophe
Connotes success in argument and almost always implies an editorial judgement DON'T USE instead deny - dispute - rebut - or respond to
The city in California stands alone in datelines

27. constitute

28. Satan
Tattletale
Use illegal only to mean a violation of the law. Be especially careful in labor management disputes - where one side often calls an action by the other side illegal. Usually it is a charge that a contract or rule - not a law - has been violated
But lowercase devil and satanic
The following are some generally used technical terms dealing with satellite communications. -uplink: The transmission from the ground to the satellite -downlink: The transmission from the satellite to the ground. -footprint: The area on the ground i

29. pour
To flow in a continuous stream
No e
Someone or something first in rank - authority - importance or degree ex. school principal
Action word lay - laid - laying

30. teammate
A trademark for a type of nonstick coating
The metric term for 1000 grams. A kilogram is equal to approximately 2.2 pounds or 35 ounces. To convert to pounds - multiply by 2.2 (9 kilograms x 2.2 equals 19.8 pounds)
Teammate
2 c's and m's

31. telephone numbers
Use figures. The form: 212-621-1500. For international numbers use 011 (From the United States) - the country code - the city code and the telephone number: 011-44-20-7535-1515. Use hyphens - not periods. The forms for toll free numbers: 800-111-1000
Impassable means that passage is impossible: The bridge was impassable. Impassible and impassive describe lack of sensitivity to pain or suffering. Webster's New World College Dictionary notes - however - that impassible suggest an inability to be af
DON'T USE IN PRINT
Try to avoid abbreviations; use apostrophe in master's degree but not in Master of Science; only use B.A. - M.A. - LL.D. and Ph.D. when needed to identify individual on first reference if after a name set off with commas

32. alumnus
Plural alumni man who attended a school
Abbreviate St. in the names of saints - cities - and other places: St. Jude - St. Paul - Minn.; St. John's - Newfoundland; St. Lawrence Seaway
Americorps
Tattletale

33. Kansas City
Not amuck
The metric term for 1000 grams. A kilogram is equal to approximately 2.2 pounds or 35 ounces. To convert to pounds - multiply by 2.2 (9 kilograms x 2.2 equals 19.8 pounds)
Use KANSAS CITY - Kan. - or KANSAS CITY - Mo. - in datelines to avoid confusion between the two
Acronym for improvised explosive device. IED is acceptable on second reference. Roadside bomb is preferable

34. further
Homicide without malice or premeditation
Extension of time or degree
Their = possessive pronoun - there= adverb indicating direction - they're= contraction for they are
Don't use unless asked

35. occur - occurred - occurring - occurrence
LEARN SPELLING
See Newspaper Association of America
Uses periods in most two letter words; CIA - FBI - GOP; Never use organizations full name then an acronym;
Only used in a direct quote or part of a title

36. under way
Add s NO APOSTROPHES:1930s - ifs - buts - ands - low 20s - ABCs - Four VIPs
Salable
Two words unless used as adjective before a noun in a nautical sense
Most significant word is made plural: daughters-in-law - assistant attorneys general - major generals

37. demolish - destroy
Two words unless used as adjective before a noun in a nautical sense
Something cannot be partially demolished or destroyed
Spell out when standing alone; when with a city - town - village or military base abbreviate unless Alaska - Hawaii - Idaho -Iowa - Maine - Ohio - Texas and Utah.
An aviator or handbill; pass out those fliers

38. watt

39. hopefully
Means in a hopeful manner; never use
Lowercase (without quotation marks) the bugle call for 'lights out -' also sounded at military funerals
Writers or speakers imply in the words they use. A listener or reader infers something from the words
Formerly a trademark - now a generic term

40. imperial gallon
A measurement of the diameter of a gun barrel except for most shotguns. Measurement is in either millimeters or decimal fractions of an inch. The word caliber is not used when giving the metric measurement. The forms: a 9 mm pistol - a .22-caliber ri
Tablecloth
A trademark for a type of nonstick coating
The standard British gallon - equal to 277.42 cubic inches or about 1.2 US gallons. The metric equivalent is approximately 4.5 liters

41. SAM - SAMs
Small lead or steel pellets fired by shotguns. A shotgun shell usually contains 1 to 2 ounces of shot. Do not use shot interchangeable with buckshot - which refers only to the largest shot sizes
Preferred to persons as the plural
Abbreviate Kan. in datelines or stories. Postal code: KS
Acceptable on second reference for surface-to-air missile(s)

42. anemia - anemic
Use figures. The form: 212-621-1500. For international numbers use 011 (From the United States) - the country code - the city code and the telephone number: 011-44-20-7535-1515. Use hyphens - not periods. The forms for toll free numbers: 800-111-1000
Anemia - anemic
Once limited to accepting deposits and making home mortgage loans - they are not banks. Since enactment of the Financial Institutions Reform Recovery Act in 1989
Acronym for improvised explosive device. IED is acceptable on second reference. Roadside bomb is preferable

43. take up (v.) takeup (n. and adj)
Equal to one-sixth of a fluid ounce - or one-third of a tablespoon. The metric equivalent is approximately 5 milliliters
Create or put together
To exclude
Take up (v.) takeup (n. and adj.)

44. kilo
Acceptable as first reference for International Business Machines Corp. Headquarters is in Armonk - NY
A prefix denoting 1000 units of a measure. Move a decimal point three places to the right - adding zeros if necessary to convert to the basic unit: 10.5 kilograms equals 10 -500 grams
Use KANSAS CITY - Kan. - or KANSAS CITY - Mo. - in datelines to avoid confusion between the two
Sandwich

45. SARS
No e
A short - lightweight rifle - usually having a barrel length of less than 20 inches. The form: an M-3 carbine
Introduces more than two; must be objective ex. among us
Acceptable in all references for severe acute respiratory syndrome - but it should be spelled out somewhere in the story

46. Samsung Electronics
Noun or verb denotes praise or expression of courtsey
The constitutional process accusing an elected official of a crime in an attempt to remove the official from office. Do not use as a synonym for convicted or removed from office
The '90s - 1920s
Headquarters is in Seoul - South Korea

47. machine gun
DON'T USE children 15 and younger
Do NOT use teenaged
A handgun that can be a single shot or a semi-automatic. It is measured in calibers. The form: a .45-caliber revolver
A fully automatic gun that fires as long as the trigger is depressed. The form: a .50 caliber Browning machine gun.

48. kindergarten
Kindergarten
Take-home pay
Capitalize only when used before the name of royalty: King George VI. Continue in subsequent references that use the king's given name: King George - not George. Lowercase king when it stands alone. Capitalize in phrases such as strikeout king Nolan
Tail wind

49. Saint John

50. people
Preferred to persons as the plural
Titles when used before a full name; Junior and senior after individual's name
It means without preparation of advance thought
Capitalize building in Washington