AP Style Quiz
Test your knowledge with a series of 10-question quizzes. There are more than 200 AP Style questions in the following quizzes (last updated February 28, 2018).
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Test your knowledge with a series of 10-question quizzes. There are more than 200 AP Style questions in the following quizzes (last updated February 28, 2018).
Comments are closed.
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Thanks for letting us know, Callie. We’ll make that correction ASAP.
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When I completed quiz 9 it told me that I finished quiz 8 at the bottom.
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Hi, Abby. While “fliers” used to be correct when referring to “handbills” according to AP Style, the AP Stylebook editors made the change to “flyers” in 2017.
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I’m also confused. I selected “fliers,” but it marked it incorrect and said “flyers” was correct.
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Thank you for pointing out this error, Mariam! We have made the correction.
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Hi, you’re missing the word “are” in the sentence, “There more than 200 AP Style questions in the following quizzes (last updated November 1, 2017).” There should be an “are” after “There.”
🙂
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Great question, Nina. Our quizzes currently reflect AP style through 2016 but not the 2017 changes/additions. So the use of the singular “they” in instances such as “when an anonymous source’s gender must be shielded and other wording is overly awkward” (APStylebook.com) would not be reflected yet. We plan to update our quizzes soon, but in the meanwhile, be sure to check the 2017 AP Stylebook for “What’s New” and “Recent Changes.”
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Hi, I’m just learning AP style. Are the questions in this quiz current enough to reflect changes that have been made since they were first posted? I know there have been several (including the singular “they”).
Thanks so much for this great resource!
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Thank you for letting us know. We hope to have that problem resolved soon.
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The link is still not working for quiz 5. It takes you to quiz 6 as does the link for quiz 6.
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Thank you for letting us know. We have corrected the link.
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Hi there. AP Style Quiz 5 is linking to quiz 6. I’m not sure how I can open quiz 5. It’d be great to not miss out on anything. Thank you so much for the quizzes. They’ve been a great help!
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That rule applies to datelines, not copy in the body of the story. The first part of the “state names” entry says they “should be spelled out when used in the body of a story, whether standing alone or in conjunction with a city, town, village or military base.” This rule does not apply to datelines. Here’s that section of the “state names” entry:
“ABBREVIATIONS REQUIRED: Use the state abbreviations listed at the end of this section:
Permalink–In conjunction with the name of a city, town, village or military base in most datelines. See datelines for examples and exceptions for large cities.”
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The 2015 AP Stylebook makes the distinction between state names in running text (body of the story) and state names in datelines. The first part of the “state names” entry says they “should be spelled out when used in the body of a story, whether standing alone or in conjunction with a city, town, village or military base.” This rule does not apply to datelines. Here’s that section of the “state names” entry:
“ABBREVIATIONS REQUIRED: Use the state abbreviations listed at the end of this section:
Permalink–In conjunction with the name of a city, town, village or military base in most datelines. See datelines for examples and exceptions for large cities.”
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I was taking this quiz before I passed it over to a student as a resource and I think Selena is right. Minnesota should be abbreviated Minn. when used with a city name: Apple Valley, Minn., is his hometown. Note commas. I am planning to have this student point out any discrepancies in the quizzes. I’ll let you know what she finds! But thanks for a fun resource!
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I am not sure of the question number in quiz 1, but the question asked for the correct form of MN/Minn./Minnesota in conjunction with the city, Apple Valley. I chose Minn. and it was marked incorrect with the correct answer being Minnesota. AP Stylebook 2015 reference:
Permalink“Use the state abbreviations listed at the end of this section:
– In conjunction with the name of a city…” (p. 250).
Please let me know if I am overlooking something. I see I’m not the only one that identified this one 🙂
Thank you,
Teri
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The problem has been resolved. Thank you again for letting us know about it.
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We are definitely experiencing a problem with quiz results. Thank you for bringing it to our attention. We’ll resolve the problem ASAP.
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I’ve taken quizzes 1 & 2 at least twice and I don’t get any results back at the end. It just says Quizzin1, then a page of blank space.
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Hey guys! I just wanted to say congrats for being the first and best result that pops up when you type in “AP style quiz” on Google! You all rock!
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Shouldn’t states be abbreviated when they appear with a city? Every time I select the correct answer based on the AP style guide, it is marked as incorrect.
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Ah. That’s good to know. Thanks.
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That was AP style for state names until this year. Now the AP Stylebook says that state names “should be spelled out when used in the body of a story, whether standing alone or in conjunction with a city, town, village or military base.” This rule does not apply to datelines.
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Shouldn’t the questions for Quiz 1, Question 6 and Quiz 4, Question 3 abbreviate the state names? From what I can tell, AP Style says to abbreviate the state names when they are paired with cities (i.e., “Apple Valley, Minn.” and “Springfield, Ill.”) and you are suppose to spell them out completely when they are by themselves.
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Thanks. We’re happy to help!
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Hi, Becca. This example comes directly from the AP Stylebook. See the last paragraph in the “people, persons” entry: “People also is a collective noun that takes a plural verb when used to refer to a single race or nation: The American people are united. In this sense, the plural is peoples: The peoples of Africa speak many languages.”
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Bob, the only sentence of your comment should have a comma after “read.” Also, you never thank Platform for its awesomeness. No prob, Bob, I’ve gotcha there, too: Tracy, many thanks for your consideration of my grumpy friend here as well as the practice quizzes, which help me out practically all the time.
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In quiz 12 question 7 the people/peoples of Africa speak many different languages.
Peoples is incorrect. people’s, people and persons are the only alternatives according to the 2012 version of the AP stylebook.
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In Quiz 9 for decades, the notation is: Use Arabic figures to indicate decades of history. Use an apostrophe to indicate numerous that are left out; show plural by adding the letter s: the 1890s, the ’90s, the Gay 90s, the 1920s, the mid-1930s.
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In Quiz 9, the specific AP notation is: full time, full-time
Hyphenate when used as a compound modifier:
He works full time. She has a full-time job.
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The hyphenation here has to do with the compound modifier following a “to-be” verb. According to the online AP Stylebook, “But when a modifier that would be hyphenated before a noun occurs instead after a form of the verb to be, the hyphen usually must be retained to avoid confusion: The man is well-known. The woman is quick-witted. The children are soft-spoken. The play is second-rate.“
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Thank you for pointing out these errors, which now have been corrected. We always appreciate such feedback!
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Hi, Shamontiel. I just checked Quiz 3 to ensure that the correct answer given is “fliers,” which is AP style as you note. I don’t see a problem with the quiz question set up, and when I took the quiz, it said “fliers” was the correct answer. So, I’m not sure why you experienced the problem you did.
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I agree with Britney. AP Style Guide says, “Hyphenate when used as a compound modifier: He works full time. She has a full-time job.”
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In Quiz 6 and 8, we accidentally get the answers. For the last question about “President,” the word is listed twice. And information on the AP Stylebook is mentioned in the “character/reputation” question in Quiz 8. I love taking these quizzes, by the way. Just giving you some feedback. (You don’t have to approve this comment. Just for your eyes only.)
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I was very thrown off when the correct answer in Quiz 3 was “flyer” instead of “flier” because Merriam Webster has “flyer” as a variant of “flier.” In my 2007 AP Style Guide, it uses “Flyer” as the “proper name of some trains and buses.” But “flier” is a “handbill.” Now of course it’s 7 years old but one seems to be as correct as the other.
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These quizzes are wonderful. Does anyone have a quiz that is directed at media law?
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Hi, Britney. Per AP style, you hyphenate compound adjectives after a form of the “to be” verb, such as “is” in this sentence. Essentially, the compound adjective is modifying the subject of the sentence.
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I don’t understand why in Quiz 9 full time would be hyphenated?
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Thanks for the comment, Mike. We do plan to incorporate 2013 AP style changes in the next round of quizzes we add to site. Are there any you would specifically suggest that we cover?
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Great resource–thank you! Any plans to update it to include some of the changes in 2013 Style Guide?
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Thanks for making a great resource!
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Thank you, Patricia, for bringing this error to our attention. We’ve now corrected it in all of the quizzes.
Sincerely,
PermalinkTracy Sims
Faculty Editor
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Minor quibble…here’s the response I received after taking one of the quizzes: “Congratulations – you have completed AP Style Quiz 7. You scored 10 out of 10. Your performance have been rated as ‘Unbeatable.'”
Shouldn’t the word “have” in the last sentence be “has?”
Minor quibble! I’m very grateful for these quizzes because I use both AP and APA styles quite often!
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Thank you for your question. Only “street,” “boulevard” and “avenue” are abbreviated in numbered addresses. See the “addresses” entry in the AP Stylebook.
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Is there an error in the answer in Quiz 1, question 4? The question reads: “Let’s meet at 530 Watermelon Rd./Road. The answer given is Road. But if I’m reading correctly, under abbreviations and acronyms, as well as in addresses, it states the abbreviation should be used for numbered addresses?
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A helpful tool for teachers to use with Media & Publications students.
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these quizzes are very very informative !! Thanks so much
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Thank you so much! This is a great resource!
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Thank you. We have now made that AP style edit.
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The second sentence of your AP Style Quiz introduction should read “There are more than 175 AP Style questions in the following quizzes.”
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