AP has many overlapping rules concerning when to use digits vs. spelling out numbers. In general, use digits for numbers 10 and higher; spell out below 10. Exceptions include ages (always use digits) and percentages (always use digits and the percent sign: 4%). Textbook: 17:5 & following
People are referred to using the relative pronouns “who” or “whom”: the students who left. Institutions, objects and other nonhuman things use the relative pronouns “that” and “which”: the company that owns the building. Textbook: 16:2.C
Companies, unions, schools and other institutions are considered singular; they take singular pronouns and verbs: Kent State is reopening its admissions process. Textbook: 16:2.D01
AP has two important rules regarding the ellipsis (…). First, it generally has a blank space on either end. Second, it does not take the place of any other required punctuation; it’s in addition to it. “George went north, … but Sarah went south.” Textbook: 17:1.D
Unnecessary use of the word “that” bogs down the reader. Textbook: 18:1.A
If a direct quotation needs context to be understood, that context should be explained before (in the setup) or in the quote itself (through surgery). Do not add the explanation after the quote, like this: “It was nice,” he said in talking about the day he went to the park and saw a giraffe. Textbook:
When two or more sentence units are joined into one by using a FANBOYS conjunction, the conjunction must be preceded by a comma: John went outside, and he played baseball. Textbook: 16:1.D
Adjectives and adverbs that don’t make a significant difference in meaning are wordy and unneeded. Textbook: 18:2.E & following
Avoid using the full formal name of an institution on second reference; use a shortened version, pronoun or synonym instead. Textbook: 17:2.E