AP State Abbreviations Quiz
Quick quiz to check AP abbreviations for states. Instant results.
Use this quiz to practice AP state abbreviations and catch common AP style slips. You will see tricky city-state pairs, then get instant answers to help you learn fast. If you want more practice, try our state abbreviation test next, or switch it up with a US geography quiz to refresh map skills.
Study Outcomes
- Identify AP State Abbreviations -
Recall the official AP state abbreviations for all 50 states, mastering the two-letter forms required in news writing.
- Apply State Abbreviations in AP Style -
Integrate state abbreviations in AP style seamlessly into your writing to ensure consistency and professionalism in editorial copy.
- Differentiate Similar Abbreviations -
Distinguish between commonly confused AP abbreviations for states, reducing the risk of errors in headlines and articles.
- Boost Abbreviation Recall Speed -
Enhance your ability to quickly retrieve AP abbreviations for states during fast-paced reporting and editing tasks.
- Self-Assess Abbreviation Proficiency -
Use the free quiz to evaluate your knowledge of ap state abbreviations and identify areas for further practice.
Cheat Sheet
- AP vs. USPS Abbreviations -
AP style uses specific, often punctuated abbreviations (e.g., "Calif.," "Mass.") in text, while USPS two-letter codes (e.g., "CA," "MA") are reserved for mailing addresses and data tables. Remember: AP abbreviations carry periods and capitalize each word's first letter, whereas postal codes are uppercase with no periods or spaces. This distinction keeps your writing both precise and professional.
- Dateline and City Pairing -
In AP style, you only abbreviate a state when it follows a city name in a dateline or story text (e.g., "Seattle, Wash."), and you spell out the state when it stands alone in prose ("She moved to Washington last year."). This rule comes straight from the AP Stylebook and ensures clarity in location reporting. When in doubt, pair the city and state to decide if an abbreviation is appropriate.
- Memorize the Nine Unabbreviated States -
AP style never abbreviates Maine, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Idaho, Iowa, Hawaii, Alaska or (surprisingly) Michigan. A handy mnemonic - "MIAMI HIT" (Michigan, Iowa, Alaska, Maine, Idaho, Hawaii, Texas, Ohio, Utah) - can help you recall these nine quickly. Knowing which states always stay spelled out boosts both speed and accuracy in editing.
- Use Periods Wisely -
AP state abbreviations include periods after most letters (e.g., "N.D.," "S.C.", "Fla."), but the two-letter USPS codes never use them. Treat AP's version like U.S. abbreviations: "U.S." has periods, while "USPS" does not. Mastering this punctuation nuance shows attention to editorial detail.
- Address Formatting Tips -
When you're crafting a mailing address or listing states in a table, switch to USPS codes (e.g., "123 Main St., Dallas, TX 75201") and leave out periods entirely. Keep the code uppercase, with no spaces ("TX," not "T X"), to meet postal standards and avoid delivery hiccups. This consistency ensures both editorial correctness and practical precision.
