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Quizzes > English & Grammar

AP style quiz: test your grasp of stylebook basics

Quick, free AP style test with instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Siddhi KarnaniUpdated Aug 26, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for AP Style Quiz on a golden yellow background

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.

Choose the AP style for a time on the hour in the morning.
10 a.m. - Explanation: AP uses lowercase a.m./p.m. with periods; omit :00 on the hour.
10:00 am
10:00 A.M.
10 A.M.
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Select the correct AP style for a month with a specific date.
Jan. 5, 2025 - Explanation: Abbreviate Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. when used with a day; include comma before the year.
January 5, '25
Jan 5 2025
January 5th, 2025
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Pick the AP style for an age used as a modifier.
a 5 year old boy
a five-year-old boy
a five year old boy
a 5-year-old boy - Explanation: Ages are numerals; hyphenate when used as an adjective before a noun.
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Select the correct AP style for a street address with a number.
123 Main street
123 Main Street
123 Main St. - Explanation: Abbreviate Ave., Blvd. and St. with a numbered address; spell out otherwise.
123 Main Str.
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Choose the correct AP style for percent.
5 percent
five percent
5% - Explanation: Use the % sign with numerals in most cases.
Five %
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Choose the AP style for courtesy titles in news stories.
Always use Mr. or Ms. on first reference.
Use Mrs. for all married women on second reference.
Do not use Mr., Ms., Mrs. before a name except in limited cases. - Explanation: AP generally omits courtesy titles, using them only in specific contexts or direct quotations.
Use courtesy titles for people over 65 only.
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Select the correct AP style for capitalization of formal titles.
President Joe Biden met the senators; the president spoke later. - Explanation: Capitalize a formal title before a name; lowercase when it stands alone.
president Joe Biden met the senators; the President spoke later.
president Joe Biden met the Senators; the president spoke later.
President Joe Biden met the Senators; the President spoke later.
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Choose the AP style for a composition title.
She read To Kill a Mockingbird.
She read "To Kill a Mockingbird." - Explanation: Use quotation marks for books and place the period inside the closing quote.
She read "To Kill A Mockingbird".
She read 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.
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Pick the AP style for a state name in running text with a city.
He moved to Phoenix, Arizona. - Explanation: Spell out state names in the body of a story when paired with a city.
He moved to Phoenix, AZ.
He moved to Phoenix (Ariz.).
He moved to Phoenix, Ariz.
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Select the correct AP style for academic degrees in general references.
She has a Masters in biology.
She has an M.S in biology.
She has a master's degree in biology. - Explanation: Use a descriptive phrase with an apostrophe in bachelor's/master's; avoid abbreviations in most text.
She has a Master degree in biology.
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Choose the correct AP style for decades.
the 1990's; the 90's
the 1990s; the '90s - Explanation: Use figures for decades; add an apostrophe before shortened forms; no apostrophe before the s in full decades.
the nineteen-nineties; the 90s'
the 1990s; the 90s
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Pick the AP style for dimensions used as modifiers.
a six foot two player
a 6-foot-2 player - Explanation: Use numerals and hyphens when dimensions are used as adjectives before a noun.
a six-foot-two player
a 6 foot 2 player
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Pick the AP style for a range of years.
2019-2021
2019 to 2021 - Explanation: Use to instead of a hyphen for ranges in running text.
2019–2021
2019 through 2021
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Pick the AP style for racial and ethnic terms in news copy.
black and white
Black (capitalized) and white (lowercase) when referring to race. - Explanation: AP capitalizes Black in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense and uses lowercase white.
Black and White
black and White
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Select the AP style for plural proper nouns ending in s.
the Joneses - Explanation: Form the plural of a proper name ending in s by adding es; do not add an apostrophe for plurals.
the Jones
the Jones'
the Jones's
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Choose the correct AP style for possessives of singular proper names ending in s.
James book
James's book
James' book - Explanation: For singular proper names ending in s, add only an apostrophe.
Jameses' book
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Choose the AP style for datelines on stories.
City only; never include state or country
City, ST (postal)
City Name, State in Title Case only
CITY NAME, state or country as appropriate, in all caps for city. - Explanation: AP datelines use a city name in capital letters, followed by the state or country when needed.
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Select the AP style for state abbreviations in datelines (not postal).
Use AP state abbreviations (e.g., Fla., Miss., Calif.) in datelines. - Explanation: AP uses traditional abbreviations in datelines, not postal codes.
Always spell out states in datelines.
Never include states in datelines.
Use postal codes (e.g., FL, MS, CA) in datelines.
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Select the AP style for LGBTQ references.
Use LGBTQQIAAP by default for inclusivity.
Use LGBTQ on first reference if appropriate; spell out if unfamiliar to audience. - Explanation: AP permits LGBTQ; spell out when clarity requires.
Avoid the term LGBTQ entirely.
Always spell out lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer every time.
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Select the AP style for alumnus forms.
alum for any formal reference
alumni for any single graduate
alumnae for men only
alumnus (man), alumna (woman), alumni (group of men or mixed), alumnae (group of women) - Explanation: Use the correct Latin forms in AP.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand AP Style Fundamentals -

    Grasp the core principles outlined in the AP Stylebook to ensure consistency and clarity in your writing.

  2. Identify Common AP Style Errors -

    Spot and correct frequent issues such as numeral usage, abbreviations, and punctuation mistakes featured in AP style questions examples.

  3. Apply AP Stylebook Guidelines -

    Implement precise AP style rules in your writing, from headlines to datelines, to produce polished, professional copy.

  4. Evaluate Sentences for AP Compliance -

    Analyze sample sentences to determine the correct AP style usage and reinforce your decision-making skills.

  5. Strengthen Writing Precision -

    Boost your confidence by practicing with real AP style quiz items and refining your attention to detail.

  6. 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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.).

  4. 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."

  5. 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.

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