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AP Style Vocab

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Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
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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. compose
Create or put together
Named for Samuel Colt - it designates a make of weapon or ammunition developed for Colt handguns. The forms: a Colt .45-caliber revolver - .45 Colt ammunition
Is pronoun that is always a subject
The ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a firearm. It may be fixed to the firearm or detachable

2. fewer
Not compound subject; requires a verb that agrees with the nearer subject
Individual items;fewer than 10 applicants called. I had fewer than 50 $1 bills in my pocket
Abbreviate Ill. in datelines or stories. Postal code: IL
Equal to three teaspoons or one-half a fluid ounce. The metric equivalent is approximately 15 milliliters

3. gauge
When employed to indicate that something is in vogue - use quotation marks only if followed by a noun: It was the 'in' thing to do. Raccoon coats are in again.
The measure of the size of a shotgun. Gauge is expressed in terms of the number Per pound of round lead balls with a diameter equal to the size of the barrel. The bigger the number - the smaller the shotgun. The forms: a 12-gauge shotgun - a .410-gau
Abbreviation for the Latin id est or that is and is always followed by a comma
Saboteur

4. Academic Degrees

5. biennial
Every two years
No apostrophe
Capitalize them
Yep.

6. Manslaughter
Homicide without malice or premeditation
Action word lay - laid - laying
Capitalize them
Used to describe those who have entered the country illegally - it is the preferred term - rather than illegal alien or undocumented worker. Do not use the shortened term illegals

7. Colt
APT is acceptable on second reference. Headquarters is in Reston - Va.
A lightweight fully automatic gun firing handgun ammunition
Add s NO APOSTROPHES:1930s - ifs - buts - ands - low 20s - ABCs - Four VIPs
Named for Samuel Colt - it designates a make of weapon or ammunition developed for Colt handguns. The forms: a Colt .45-caliber revolver - .45 Colt ammunition

8. who
Proper tenses for impel
Is pronoun that is always a subject
Take over (v.) takeover (n. and adj)
Use figures except for noon and midnight

9. musket
The name for the worldwide association of the 22 national Anglican churches. Each national church is independent. A special position of honor is accorded to the archbishop of Canterbury - as the pre-eminent officer in the original Anglican body - the
Not compound subject; requires a verb that agrees with the nearer subject
A heavy - large-caliber shoulder firearm fired by means of a matchlock - a wheel lock - a flintlock or a percussion lock. Its ammunition is a musket ball
Tattletale

10. a.m. - p.m.
Acceptable on first reference for The Russian government's news agency that is officially ITAR-Tass. ITAR is an acronym for Information Telegraph Agency of Russia. Copy from other parts of the former Soviet Union should carry the logo of the local ag
Lowercase with periods. Avoid the redundant 10 a.m. this morning.
Tape recording (n.) tape-record (v.)
?

11. American Society of Composers - Authors and Publishers
Acceptable in all forms
A cannon or other weapon designed for defense against air attack. The form: a 105 mm anti-aircraft gun.
ASCAP is acceptable on second reference. Headquarters is in New York
Implausible

12. email

13. American Newspaper Publishers Association
Abbreviate St. in the names of saints - cities - and other places: St. Jude - St. Paul - Minn.; St. John's - Newfoundland; St. Lawrence Seaway
See Newspaper Association of America
The new term is kilohertz
Follow the guidelines in composition titles. Put quotation marks around show only if it is part of the formal name. The word show may be dropped when it would be cumbersome - such as in a set of listings. In text or listing - treat programs named aft

14. Idaho
Writing paper
Do no abbreviate in datelines or stories. Postal code: ID
The city in California stands alone in datelines
One who leaves a country emigrates from it

15. sacraments

16. Accommodate

17. Kelvin scale
A scale of temperature based on - but different from - the Celsius scale. It is used primarily in science to record very high and very low temperatures. The Kelvin scale starts at zero and indicates the total absence of heat (absolute zero). Zero on
Sanitarium - sanitariums
Abbreviate Ky. in datelines or stories. Postal code: KY
Handgun

18. sandbag (n.)
The city in California stands alone in datelines
Trademark for an electronic control device or stun gun. (Acronym for Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle)
The verbs: sandbagged - sandbagging. And: sandbagger
Preferred spelling for the capital of Nepal

19. howitzer
Singular criteria is the plural
State of reclining lie - lay - lain - lying
A cannon shorter than a gun of the same caliber employed to fire projectiles at relatively high angles at a target - such as opposing forces being a ridge. The form: a 105 mm howitzer
Acceptable in all references for severe acute respiratory syndrome - but it should be spelled out somewhere in the story

20. flier
A firearm that fires only once for each pull of the trigger. It reloads after each shot. The form: a semi-automatic rifle - a semi-automatic weapon - a semi-automatic pistol
An aviator or handbill; pass out those fliers
Used to describe those who have entered the country illegally - it is the preferred term - rather than illegal alien or undocumented worker. Do not use the shortened term illegals
Americorps

21. clip
A device used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a unit - ready for insertion into the magazine of a repeating firearm
To argue to the contrary
Teammate
Saboteur

22. kilocycles
The new term is kilohertz
Sandwich
A handgun that can be a single shot or a semi-automatic. It is measured in calibers. The form: a .45-caliber revolver
Add s NO APOSTROPHES:1930s - ifs - buts - ands - low 20s - ABCs - Four VIPs

23. teachers college
NOT teaspoonsful
No apostrophe
Use Saudi as the adjective in referring to the people or culture of Saudi Arabia. It's Saudi diplomacy - not Saudi Arabian diplomacy. For the Saudi monarchy - follow the syle on British and other monarchies. Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal wou
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

24. Safeway Inc.
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.
DO NOT PLACE IN QUOTES
Is possessive
Formerly Safeway Stores. Headquarters is in Pleasanton - Calif.

25. telecast (n.) televise (v.)
Telecast (n.) televise (v.)
The '90s - 1920s
Abbreviate Kan. in datelines or stories. Postal code: KS
Describes money - do not capitalize - city where a seat of government is located

26. complement
Noun and verb denoting completeness or supplementing something
The verbs: sandbagged - sandbagging. And: sandbagger
The projectile fired by a rifle - pistol or machine gun. Together with metal casing - primer and propellant - it forms a cartridge
Salable

27. wastebasket
Wastebasket
Acronym for improvised explosive device. IED is acceptable on second reference. Roadside bomb is preferable
A cannon or other weapon designed for defense against air attack. The form: a 105 mm anti-aircraft gun.
To flow in a continuous stream

28. whom
When someone is the object of a verb or preposition
Sacrilegious
Saudi Aramco is acceptable on second reference. (Formerly the Arabian American Oil Co.)
Means in a hopeful manner; never use

29. Keystone Kops
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
See Newspaper Association of America
Keystone Kops
A fully automatic gun that fires as long as the trigger is depressed. The form: a .50 caliber Browning machine gun.

30. American Petroleum Institute
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
APT is acceptable on second reference. Headquarters is in Reston - Va.
USE WITH GREAT CARE specify source of allegation avoid redundant uses ex. accused her of allegedly
Plural alumnae woman

31. ensure
DON'T USE IN PRINT
Salable
Take out (v.) take out (n. and adj)
Means to guarantee

32. Katmandu
Preferred spelling for the capital of Nepal
To make sure or give confidence
Legal term for slaying or killing
Never alright; sometimes all-right as a compound modifier

33. criterion
Contain - include all - or embrace
The collection of writings that constitute the Jewish civil and religious law
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
Singular criteria is the plural

34. illegal
Acceptable in all references to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Tape recording (n.) tape-record (v.)
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
Headquarters is in Mississauga - Ontario

35. refute

36. its; it's

37. courtesy titles

38. rebut
To argue to the contrary
Device used to launch a mortar shell; it is the shell - not the mortar - that is fired
The metric term for 1000 meters. (Abbrev.: km) A kilometer is equal to approximately 3 -281 feet - or five-eighths (0.62) of a mile. To convert to miles - multiply by 0.62 (5 kilometers x 0.62 equals 3.1 miles).
Teammate

39. Allege
Headquarters of this airline is in Madrid - Spain
Abbreviation for the Latin id est or that is and is always followed by a comma
USE WITH GREAT CARE specify source of allegation avoid redundant uses ex. accused her of allegedly
Abbreviate Ill. in datelines or stories. Postal code: IL

40. take off (v.) takeoff (n. and adj.)
Take off - takeoff
ASCAP is acceptable on second reference. Headquarters is in New York
A fundamental truth - law - doctrine or motivating force
Acceptable in all references for severe acute respiratory syndrome - but it should be spelled out somewhere in the story

41. Magnum
The projectile fired by a rifle - pistol or machine gun. Together with metal casing - primer and propellant - it forms a cartridge
Malicious - premeditated homicide; Do not describe as murder until person has been convicted
Extension of time or degree
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

42. Imax Corp.
Headquarters is in Minneapolis
Acronym for improvised explosive device. IED is acceptable on second reference. Roadside bomb is preferable
Take out (v.) take out (n. and adj)
Headquarters is in Mississauga - Ontario

43. kidnap - kidnapped - kidnapping - kidnapper
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
Use figures except for noon and midnight
Contraction for Who is NOT POSSESSIVE
Yep.

44. state names
An Israeli collective settlement. The plural is kibbutzim
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.
Add apostrophe s:p's and q's
Connotes success in argument and almost always implies an editorial judgement DON'T USE instead deny - dispute - rebut - or respond to

45. Inauguration Day
Spatial relationships
Most significant word is made plural: daughters-in-law - assistant attorneys general - major generals
Use alone in datelines on stories from the Republic of San Marino
Capitalize only when referring to the total collections of events

46. television program titles
Verb to gaze intently or steadily
The projectile fired by a rifle - pistol or machine gun. Together with metal casing - primer and propellant - it forms a cartridge
Follow the guidelines in composition titles. Put quotation marks around show only if it is part of the formal name. The word show may be dropped when it would be cumbersome - such as in a set of listings. In text or listing - treat programs named aft
No O

47. kibbutz
An Israeli collective settlement. The plural is kibbutzim
Proper name of some trains and buses
Device used to launch a mortar shell; it is the shell - not the mortar - that is fired
Proper tenses for impel

48. teamster
Lowercase use figures and $ sign
Spell out and capitalize first through ninth use figures for others Ave. Blvd. St. only ones allowed to be abbreviated when numbered address is present. Do Not abbreviate compass points if number is omitted
Capitalize teamster only if the intended meaning is that the individual is a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters - Chauffeurs - Warehousemen and Helpers of America
A scale of temperature based on - but different from - the Celsius scale. It is used primarily in science to record very high and very low temperatures. The Kelvin scale starts at zero and indicates the total absence of heat (absolute zero). Zero on

49. All right
Never alright; sometimes all-right as a compound modifier
Yep.
Proper name of some trains and buses
Proper tenses for impel

50. savings and loan association
Bulk or quantity; I had less than $50 in my pocket
Insurance
Take out (v.) take out (n. and adj)
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

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Test your basic knowledge |

AP Style Vocab

Search BasicVersity Tests

Browse BasicVersity

3d Computer Modeling

Actionscript

Adobe Flash

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator Shortcuts

Adobe Indesign Publishing

Adobe Photoshop CS 2 - CS 3

Adobe Photoshop CS 5

Adobe Photoshop CS 5 Keyboard Shortcuts

Adobe Photoshop Graphic Design

Adobe Photoshop Tools And Commands

Adobe Premiere Keyboard Shortcuts

Adobe Premiere Pro

After Effects Keyboard Shortcuts

Agile Development

Agile Scrum Methodology

Ajax

Android Programming

Animation

Asp.net Programming