AP style quiz: test your grasp of stylebook basics
Quick, free AP style test with instant results.
This AP style quiz helps you check how you handle punctuation, numbers, titles, and common terms. Answer quick, real-world questions, see your score at once, and learn the rules you missed. If you're prepping for competitions, try our FBLA journalism practice test; for mechanics, see the abbreviations quiz and comma practice quiz.
Study Outcomes
- Understand AP Style Fundamentals -
Grasp the core principles outlined in the AP Stylebook to ensure consistency and clarity in your writing.
- Identify Common AP Style Errors -
Spot and correct frequent issues such as numeral usage, abbreviations, and punctuation mistakes featured in AP style questions examples.
- Apply AP Stylebook Guidelines -
Implement precise AP style rules in your writing, from headlines to datelines, to produce polished, professional copy.
- Evaluate Sentences for AP Compliance -
Analyze sample sentences to determine the correct AP style usage and reinforce your decision-making skills.
- Strengthen Writing Precision -
Boost your confidence by practicing with real AP style quiz items and refining your attention to detail.
- Recognize Key AP Style Terminology -
Learn essential terms and jargon used in an Associated Press style quiz to navigate the Stylebook more efficiently.
Cheat Sheet
- Capitalizing Titles and Honorifics -
AP style capitalizes formal titles when they precede a name (e.g., President Joe Biden) but uses lowercase when they follow or stand alone. Use suffixes like Jr. and Sr. without commas (e.g., Martin Luther King Jr.) for clarity, a guideline from the AP Stylebook (2020). Try the mnemonic "Precede to upper, follow to lower" to remember this rule when you take the ap style quiz.
- Handling Numbers and Numerals -
Spell out numbers one through nine and use figures for 10 and above, according to Purdue OWL's AP style questions examples. Always spell out a number that begins a sentence (e.g., "Twenty students attended"). Remember "small words spelled, big numbers held" to master number use in your associated press style quiz.
- Formatting Dates, Times, and Addresses -
AP style uses figures without st, nd or th for dates (e.g., Aug. 3) and a.m./p.m. for times (e.g., 2:30 p.m.), per the University of Wisconsin - Madison Writing Center. Abbreviate months with six letters or fewer only when used with a date (e.g., Feb. 14) and always use figures and spell out street (e.g., 123 Main St.).
- Quoting Composition and Brand Names -
Put article, book, song, movie and painting titles in quotation marks (e.g., "To Kill a Mockingbird") rather than italics, as outlined in AP stylebook quizzes. Use trademark symbols sparingly and only on first reference if legally required. A handy trick: "If you can speak it, quote it."
- Using Abbreviations and Acronyms -
On first reference, spell out an organization's full name followed by its acronym in parentheses (e.g., World Health Organization (WHO)); use the acronym thereafter, per Poynter guidelines. Avoid periods in most acronyms (e.g., NASA, FBI). Recall "First spelled, then acronym, no dots follow" for smooth quiz prep.