Sugar Creek CopyWriting Style Guide-Comprehensive

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Grammar, Style, & Punctuation Manual

This manual exists to establish the guidelines to be used in all Sugar Creek publications.

Resources Used for Punctuation and Grammar Guidelines: Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) Associated Press Stylebook (AP) The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style (CWMS)

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ABBREVIATIONS BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

Spell books of the Bible when they appear in text. Parenthetical references may be abbreviated using the general style. (See CWMS 111-114.)

DATES AND NUMERALS

Do not set dates in numeric form (10/12/02). Always spell months in running text (October 12, 2002).

STATES

Use the two-letter abbreviation for states in mailing addresses. In running text, it is preferable to spell out state names.

PERSONAL TITLES

Include periods with all initials given with names. Do not use periods when an individual is known by initials alone. Spell out civil or military titles when given with a surname. Civil or military titles may be abbreviated when given with a full name. (See CMS 14.4–7.)

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Examples: C.S. Lewis JFK (John Fitzgerald Kennedy) FDR (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) General Lee Captain Crunch Lt. Col. Bob Jones

ACADEMIC DEGREES Academic degrees are capitalized when following a person’s name. Terms such as doctorate, doctor’s degree, and bachelor’s degree are not capitalized when used in a general manner. (See CMS 7.26.)

In PBC promotions, please refer to the guest’s degrees as M. A., B.S., Ph.D. when following the full name.

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Examples: He has a doctorate in theology.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas.

John is pursuing a master of psychology.

ACCENTS See CMS chapter 9 for accents and characters in foreign languages.

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A.D. Set A.D. in small caps before the year figure.

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Grammar, Style, & Punctuation Manual ADDRESS Sugar Creek Baptist Church 13333 SW Freeway, Suite 200 Sugar Land, TX 77478

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ADJECTIVAL PHRASES An adjectival phrase following a noun should be set in commas when it is descriptive and not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Commas do not set off an essential adjectival phrase. (See CMS 5.41–43.)

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ADVERBIAL PHRASES See CMS 5.34–40.

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AFFECT/EFFECT Both words can be used as nouns and verbs. Consult the AP entry for clarification.

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AGES Always use figures except at the beginning of a sentence. See the AP entry for hyphenation guidelines.

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ALPHABETIZING When listing names in a document, alphabetize by last name.

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AM / PM Set in upper case.

Example: 7:30 AM 6:00 PM

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AMONG / BETWEEN Between usually refers to two items, and among refers to three or more. See the AP entry for exceptions.

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Examples: Mark and Kathy split the pizza between them.

H.R., Stephanie, and Josh were among the finalists.

APOSTLE / PROPHET Both are lowercased unless part of a proper name.

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Examples: the apostle Paul the prophet Jeremiah the Beloved Apostle

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Grammar, Style, & Punctuation Manual APOSTROPHE DECADES

Decades may be indicated with numerals and apostrophes. Do not use an apostrophe between the decade and the s. (See CMS 8.40.)

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Correct: the eighties, the ‘80s

Incorrect: the 80’s

PLURALS

Do not use an apostrophe to make a personal name plural.

Correct: The Tassanis went to Italy.

Incorrect: The Tassani’s went to Italy.

POSSESSIVES

Avoid using Sugar Creek in the possessive form.

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Add an apostrophe and s in most cases. Several exceptions apply. (See CMS 6.24–6.30.)

Examples: Texas’s Ross’s museum Xerxes’ army in Jesus’ name

ASSOCIATIONS AND CONFERENCES Capitalize names of associations and conferences. Do not capitalize the in text, even when it is a part of the official name. (See CMS 7.61.)

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Examples: American Association of Retired Persons the Southern Baptist Convention

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B.C.

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Set B.C. in small caps after the year figure.

BIBLE Always capitalize Bible. Never capitalize biblical.

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BIBLE FELLOWSHIP Bible Fellowship classes are adult Bible study groups taking place on Sundays at 9:45 and 11:15 AM. Classes are available for children, youth, and both single and married adults of all ages.

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BIBLE REFERENCES SCRIPTURE AFTER A BLOCK QUOTATION

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A Scripture reference may appear in parentheses after the closing period. See quotations for examples.

SCRIPTURE IN RUNNING TEXT

When Scripture is quoted in running text, place the Scripture reference in parentheses. If the reference appears at the end of a sentence, the period follows the closing parentheses.

BLOCK QUOTATIONS Quoted material greater than 10 typed lines or more than one paragraph is set apart from text with further indention. If quoting poetry, use block style for quotations of two or more lines. (See CMS for details and examples.)

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BOOKS OF THE BIBLE Capitalize books of the Bible. General terms such as book, letter, psalm, and epistle are usually lowercased. Spell out in text, but may be abbreviated in parenthetical references.

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Examples: Psalm 139 Job the book of Job

BROADCASTS Television and radio broadcasts are set in roman type and quotation marks unless the program is a continuing series. In that case, the titles are italicized. (See CMS 7.148.)

Example: Susan would like tapes of “Faith at Work” and “Winning Life’s Battles.” Are those messages included in the Spiritual Abundance series? (“Faith at Work” and “Winning Life’s Battles” are titles of messages. Spiritual Abundance is the title of an ongoing series.)

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BUSINESS HOURS Our business hours are 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Monday through Friday.

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CALENDAR AND DATE DESIGNATIONS Use numeric figures without st, nd, rd, or th with dates. When listing the month, day, and year, place a comma before the year. If only a month and year are listed, do not use a comma.

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Examples: The Fall Festival is October 31.

He graduated college in May 2002.

The events of September 11, 2001, shocked the world.

CAPITALIZATION AREAS WITHIN THE CHURCH

Capitalize buildings with proper names. Do not capitalize areas without proper names.

Examples: Christian Learning Center Chapel LYF Center gymnasium HEADLINES

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For title and subtitle capitalization, capitalize the first and last words, all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions. Articles and all prepositions are lowercase unless they are the first or last word of the title. See CMS 7.127.

RELIGIOUS TERMS

Consult chapter 3 of CWMS for guidelines concerning religious terms.

CAPTIONS See chapter 11 of CMS.

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CHURCH Church is lowercased in reference to a house of worship and the universal body of believers.

Capitalize church when it is a part of a formal name or denomination.

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CITING SCRIPTURE IN TEXT See quotations.

CLICHES To prevent the use of Christian jargon, see CWMS 96–98 for a list of clichés to avoid.

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COLON Use one space after a colon. See CMS for punctuation rules.

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COMMAS !

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1. Use a comma to separate independent clauses when they are joined by the conjunctions and, but, or, nor, for, so, while and yet.

The game was over, but the crowd refused to leave the stadium.

Jane was mad, and Tom was glad.

Janine chose apple pie, while Jill had chocolate cake.

BUT: I had my cake and ate it too.

She turned off the lights and shut the door.

coordinating

2. Use a comma to separate a series of three or more components in a list. Note that there is no comma before the and.

Marie, Ellen and Joanne sang at the concert.

It took him 10 minutes to buy pens, pencils, erasers and computer disks.

Note that the comma is needed before the and when the construction involves verbs.

I went home, took off my coat, and read the newspaper.

The Beatles sang rock music, the Temptations sang soul music, and Dottie West sang country music.

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3.

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Use a comma to separate two or more coordinate adjectives that modify the same noun. an expensive, red car a rusty, old nail

Note that we often say similar phrases in one breath, which would imply that the comma is not necessary.

However, the comma is needed to separate the adjectives.

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Use a comma to separate sharply contrasting phrases or words.

He was merely stupid, not mean.

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Use commas to set off a break in the sentence.

I'm not sure which is worse, going home or coming back.

He couldn't decide who was more interesting, Bill or Hillary.

Someone has to paint the fence, John.

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This rule applies to questions as well.

You're going to get it done, aren't you?

7. Use commas to set off all nonessential modifiers. A modifier is nonessential if it can be eliminated and a full sentence remains.

Jessica Smith, the class president, was late for graduation.

Mary Wilson, who wrote a book about her career, is worth at least $1 million.

8. Use commas to set off phrases that begin with the term which. Phrases that begin with the term that do not require commas.

Her watch, which is worth $600, was stolen last week.

I told her I didn't love her, which turned out to be a mistake.

Anything that you do should be your best effort.

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The lamp that sits on your table is ugly.

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Use commas to set off words used in a direct quote.

"It is up to you, Mayor Jones, to keep taxes down," Ed Smith said.

"You, my fellow Americans, are the key to this plan," the president said.

NOTE FOR EXAMPLES 7, 8 AND 9: YOU MUST INSERT A COMMA AFTER THE PHRASE AS WELL AS BEFORE IT.

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11. Avoid the comma splice. If two independent clauses need punctuation and are not joined by a conjunction, a comma is inappropriate, resulting in a run-on sentence.

INCORRECT: It is almost noon, we must leave now.

I flunked my exam, I was sad.

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Use a comma after an introductory phrase.

When he scored his 30th point of the night, the crowd went wild.

Running down the road, I tripped on a stick.

To get tickets, we'll have to wait in the line for at least three hours.

Her tuition paid, she concentrated on her other bills.

Yes, it's true that I will not seek re-election.

CORRECT: It is almost noon, so we must leave now.

It is almost noon; we must leave now.

I flunked my exam, which made me sad.

Because I flunked my exam, I was sad.

I flunked my exam, and I was sad.

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Punctuating however is tricky. Note the different uses.

However he did it, we didn't care.

However, we must keep trying.

We must keep trying, however.

She failed the exam; however, she didn't drop the course.

I will, however, take you to the store.

13. Be careful when combining descriptions with names. If the name represents the only person who fits the description, it is set off with a comma.

She introduced her husband, Dean. (Dean is her only husband) His dog, Sylvia, was very large. (Sylvia is his only dog) If more than one exists, no comma is used.

My brother Tim is an accountant, and my brother Joe is a teacher. (more than one brother) My brother Tim is an accountant, my brother Joe is a teacher, and my sister, Susan, is a nuclear physicist. (more than one brother, but only one sister) Her boyfriend Jerome had a sister, Zelda, while her boyfriend Martin had two

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sisters. (she has more than one boyfriend; Jerome has only one sister) 14. Use commas when necessary to keep sentences clear. Note that these sentences could also be rewritten.

Above, the mountains rose to beautiful heights.

For George, Harrison had been a great mentor.

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Observe AP style rules.

Years are set apart when part of a date: Dec. 24, 1993, marked his 30th birthday.

State names are set apart when with a city: Brewster, Mich., was the site of the Supremes' first concert.

City names are set apart when part of an address: His office is at 1928 Pajama St., Las Vegas.

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DASHES There are many types of dashes, but em and en dashes are most commonly used. An em dash is a long dash used in running text to indicate an abrupt break or change. An em dash is also used for attributing a quote to an author or composer.

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An en dash is shorter than an em dash but longer than a hyphen. The en dash is used between numbers and especially in Bible references. See CMS 5.105–5.119 for more details.

Examples of en dash: December 20–25 John 1:1–5 9:00–10:30 A.M.

Examples of em dash: I will tour Europe in the fall—if I win the lottery.

“A lot of people go to college for seven years.” —Chris Farley “Yeah, they’re called doctors.” —David Spade

To insert an em or en dash in your Microsoft Word document, go to the Insert menu, click on Symbol, select Special Characters, and insert the appropriate dash.

DATES Spell months and use numeric figures. Do not use th, st, or rd with a date.

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Correct: April 20

Incorrect: April 20th

DENOMINATIONS See U.S. denominations and associations of churches.

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DEPARTMENT NAMES Capitalize divisions of the ministry if the department has a proper name.

DIRECTIONS AND REGIONS Lowercase compass points when referring to a portion of a city or state. Capitalize such directions when referring to a particular region. See the AP entry for more examples.

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Examples: Andy is from west Texas.

We live in the south Houston area.

The students are ministering in Southeast Asia.

DISPLAY TYPE Use opening quotations with display type.

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Example: “Let me tell you a story,” Grandma said as she tucked me into bed.

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ELLIPSES Ellipsis points are used to indicate a suspension of thought or an omission of text from a quotation.

See CMS for examples of ellipsis points with other punctuation.

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E-MAIL The AP Internet Guide recommends e-mail.

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ET CETERA Avoid using et cetera and etc. in formal writing.

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EVERY DAY/EVERYDAY Every day refers to something that occurs day after day. Everyday is an adjective meaning common, usual, or ordinary.

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Examples: He exercises every day.

Exercise is a part of his everyday routine.

EVERY ONE / EVERYONE Everyone is a singular compound pronoun and always requires a singular verb. Use every one before an of phrase or when referring to items individually.

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Examples: Everyone (everybody) enjoyed the movie.

Every one (each single one) of my books was ruined in the flood.

EXTENSIONS See phone numbers. In copy, please abbreviate “extensions.”

Examples: 281.242.2858, Ext. 1045

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FAX

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Use fax for both the noun and verb forms.

FOREWORD A foreword is an introduction to a book. The foreword is not written by the book’s author, but by a friend, a colleague, or anther respected individual.

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GENDER-SPECIFIC LANGUAGE Substitute gender-specific language with neutral phrases. (See CWMS.)

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Instead of: man, mankind spokesman, chairman fireman housewife forefathers

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Use: humanity, people spokesperson, chairperson firefighter homemaker ancestors, precursors

Do not use his or her to accommodate both genders. The phrase is wordy and awkward when used repetitively.

GOD / GODLY God is capitalized in reference to Yahweh. Lowercase god in the pagan sense. Also lowercase godly, godless, godlike, godward, and godsend.

GOSPEL Gospel is lowercased when referring to a style of music or preaching. Gospel may be capitalized in specific reference to the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. (See CWMS.)

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Examples: gospel music gospel tent the Gospel of Christ

GOVERNMENTAL BODIES See AP for capitalization guidelines concerning governmental bodies, foreign bodies, generic equivalents, and nonspecific references.

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GRADE, GRADER Hyphenate noun forms of grader and adjectival forms of grade. When using numbers to indicate grade level, do not capitalize grade.

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Examples: A sixth-grader scored the winning run.

The fifth-grade choir will sing on Sunday.

She is in the seventh grade.

The camp is for fourth- and fifth-graders. (AP uses suspended hyphenation.)

Our festival is for students in grades 4 through 8.

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HEADLINES See capitalization.

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HEAVEN Lowercase heaven.

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HELL Lowercase hell.

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HONORABLE / REVEREND See titles of persons.

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HE / HIS Capitalize He and His in reference to Jesus Christ or God.

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HOTLINES Many of our ministry areas and special events have telephone hotlines that are always updated with the latest information. To find a specific hotline number, see the entry for that particular ministry.

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IMAG IMAG is short for image magnification. This is the nickname for the large screen televisions on either side of the choir loft.

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INTERNET / INTRANET Internet is capitalized. See the Internet Guide section of the AP manual for more computer terms.

Intranet refers to an organization’s private network, so intranet is lowercased.

ITALICS Use italics for prayers, unspoken thoughts, titles of continuing television and radio series, long musical compositions, paintings, drawings, statues, ships, aircraft, spacecraft, books, pamphlets, collections, periodicals, and newspapers. Avoid overusing italics for emphasis. (See CWMS 71–74 and CMS.)

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KING/KINGDOM Capitalize King in reference to God or Jesus, but lowercase kingdom.

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Examples: King of Kings King of Glory kingdom of God kingdom of heaven

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LAY / LIE Lay (lay, laid, laid, laying) means “to put” or “to place.”

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Examples: Please lay the books on the shelf.

I laid the boxes on the floor.

Lie (lie, lay, lain, lying) means “to recline” or “to stay.”

Examples: The desert lay before us.

His old dog lies around all day.

LINE BREAKS Carefully check line breaks in each paragraph. Allow no more than two consecutive lines to break with hyphens.

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If a line break occurs in the middle of a person’s name, do not hyphenate the name. Rewrap the text instead. If a middle initial is used, place the initial on the top line.

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Correct: Incorrect:

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Sugar Creek is located in the heart of Sugar Land, a booming suburb of Houston, Texas.

Sugar Creek is located in the heart of Sugar Land, a growing suburb of Houston, Texas.

LOVE & LEAD As a church, our purpose is not just to meet together with each other on our campus—it is to reach out to our community, share the love of God, and share the message of Jesus Christ. That’s what is meant by love and lead. The Love & Lead Ministry consists of five different ministry areas: • Life Change • Missions • Evangelism • Prayer • Pastoral Care

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MAGAZINES Magazine titles and articles are set in italics.

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MIDNIGHT Do not put 12 before midnight. It is redundant.

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MILITARY TITLES See titles of persons.

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MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Sugar Creek Baptist Church is to love and lead all people to life change in Christ.

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MONEY If the number is spelled, spell out the currency also. If numeric figures are used, use the $ symbol as well. (See CMS.)

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MONTHS Always spell out months in text, whether the month is used alone or in a date.

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MUSICAL WORKS Some titles of musical works are italicized, and others are set in quotation marks. For complete guidelines, read CMS 7.149–153.

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MUHAMMAD / MUSLIM Muslim and Muhammad are preferred to Moslem, Mohammad, and Mahomet.

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NOON Do not put 12 before Noon. This also is redundant. Noon is preferred over 12 o’clock.

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NUMBERS Follow the AP guidelines. Spell whole numbers less than 10, and use figures for 10 and above. See the AP entry for numerals. All references to age to grade level use numeric figures. Time is the exception. When beginning a sentence with a number, spell it out.

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ONLINE Online is always one word. See the AP Internet Guide for more computer terms.

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ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS Capitalize full and proper names of organizations, institutions, and major subdivisions. Lowercase internal elements of organization when the terms are generic and widely used. See AP for detailed examples.

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PARADISE Paradise is capitalized only in reference to the Garden of Eden. In other instances, paradise is lowercased.

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PASTOR In reference to Dr. Mark Hartman, pastor is the exception to the rule on religious titles. Capitalize Pastor when indicating the Pastor of Sugar Creek—Pastor Mark Hartman.

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Examples: On Friday evening, Pastor Mark Hartman will address the crowd.

The Pastor taught about forgiveness this morning.

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References to the Pastor include: Pastor (preferably the Pastor or our Pastor) Pastor Mark (for signatures on letters and e-mails only) Pastor Mark Hartman Dr. Mark Hartman, Pastor (for mailing use near the address only)

PERIOD Use one space after a period to separate sentences.

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PERIODICALS Titles of periodicals are set in italics.

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PERMISSIONS To ensure your legal protection, always secure permission to print or duplicate copyrighted material— this may even include hymn lyrics in some cases. Printing an item under copyright without permission is a crime.

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PHONE NUMBERS Use periods in telephone numbers. When an extension follows, use the following form: 281.242.2858, Ext. 1234. Spell out Extension in formal correspondence.

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PM

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Set in upper case without periods.

Examples 7:30 PM

PROPHECY/PROPHESY Prophecy is a noun, and prophesy is a verb. CWMS gives the following example: A false prophet may prophesy, but will his prophecy come to pass?

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PROPHET / APOSTLE See apostle / prophet.

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PSALM Capitalize all books of the Bible, but lowercase psalm when used as a general term to specify a different kind of document.

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Examples: the Psalms (Old Testament book) a psalm the psalmist Psalm 119 (not Psalms 119)

PUNCTUATION Consult the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) for punctuation guidelines.

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QUOTATIONS QUOTATIONS FROM SCRIPTURE

Use brackets to indicate a word that has been changed for the sake of clarity within the copy.

“Then [Jesus] said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe’” (John 20:27).

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Ellipsis points generally should not appear before or after a verse from Scripture. Ellipsis points should only be used if the quoted material is a fragment and may confuse the reader. Introductory words such as and, or, for, therefore, and but may be dropped from the quotation. (See CWMS 79–81.)

CITING SCRIPTURE IN TEXT

Place the Scripture reference in parentheses between the closing quotation marks and the period.

Jesus replied, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

CITING SCRIPTURE AFTER BLOCK QUOTATIONS

Two formats are recommended. Use either one, but be consistent within each document.

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12–13).

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

—Hebrews 4:12–13 CITING SOURCES

Refer to CMS for guidelines on citing sources. Mention messages, articles, songs, individuals, and other sources of information. An individual’s information is his own intellectual property. Do not use another’s property without permission and proper documentation.

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RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS Set call letters in all caps and use a hyphen to separate call letters from the type of station.

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Examples: KRMD-FM KSLA-TV

RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS, NAMES, AND TERMS See CWMS for correct titles, dates, and capitalization of religious holidays and terms.

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RESURRECTION Capitalize resurrection when indicating the event of Christ’s Resurrection. Lowercase resurrection in reference to someone once dead coming to life. See CWMS.

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Examples: the resurrection of Lazarus the Resurrection of Jesus The Resurrection is the most awesome moment in all of history.

REVEREND See titles of persons.

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ROMAN NUMERALS Use Roman numerals to indicate personal sequence and titles of wars.

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Examples: World War I World War II King George V Pope John XXIII

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SAINT / ST. Saint is generally abbreviated in place names (St. Louis). Spell saint when it is used before a person’s name.

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SATAN Capitalize names for Satan.

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Examples: Evil One the Devil Father of Lies Beelzebub

SCRIPTURE Scripture is capitalized when referring to the Bible. Lowercase scripture in reference to other religious works. Scriptural also is lowercased.

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SCRIPTURE VERSIONS If necessary, indicate Scripture version with a Bible reference by abbreviating the version and setting it in small caps. See CWMS for Scripture abbreviations.

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Example: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not” (1 Corinthians 13:4 KJV).

SERIAL COMMA Sugar Creek publications use serial commas. Place a comma before the conjunction in a list of items.

(See CMS 5.57.)

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Example: The boys would like to hunt, swim, and fish.

We support the ministry through prayer, gifts, and service.

SOCIAL TITLES See titles of persons.

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SONGS AND HYMNS Song titles are set in Roman type with quotations. When quoting lyrics from a song or hymn, give credit to the author and copyright holder. If the piece is under copyright, inquire about rights and permissions. If the work is under public domain, it’s fair use.

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SPACING Use one space after a period and one space after a colon.

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SUBTITLES AND SUBHEADS When listing a subtitle, no colon is needed if the designer specifies a type style or size different from that of the main title. Use headline capitalization.

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TELEPHONE NUMBERS See phone numbers.

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TIME OF DAY Use figures with AM or PM set in uppercase letters without spaces and periods. Also include :00 when listing specific times.

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TITLED/ENTITLED These words are not interchangeable. Titled refers to the name of a work. Entitled refers to something a person receives or deserves.

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Examples: The students are reading a novel titled The Scarlet Pimpernel.

He read from an article titled “Now or Never.”

Todd is entitled to a fifty percent discount because he is an employee.

This ticket entitles you to free admission.

TITLES OF PERSONS ACADEMIC

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Named academic professorships and fellowships are capitalized. (See CMS 7.22.)

Examples: Professor John Smith Marcy Nix, professor of music Alfred R. Wellman, Distinguished Service Professor MILITARY

Spell out civil or military titles when given with a surname. Civil or military titles may be abbreviated when given with a full name. (See CMS 14.4–7.)

Examples: General Lee Captain Crunch Lt. Col. Bob Jones WITH PERSONAL NAMES

Titles following a personal name or used in place of a name are generally lowercased. Titles used in place of names in direct address are capitalized.

Examples: Step down, Captain!

On our syllabus, Professor, you did not mention a term paper.

RELIGIOUS

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Like civil, military, and professional titles, religious titles are capitalized when they precede a personal name. (Pastor is the exception to the rule. See the pastor entry for details and examples.)

Examples: our Pastor the pope Pope John Paul II The titles Reverend and Honorable are spelled out if preceded by the.

SOCIAL

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Social titles such as Mr., Mrs., and Ms. are always abbreviated. Mr., Mrs., Ms., and Dr. are dropped if another title is mentioned.

Examples: Dr. David Murphy David Murphy, M.D.

TITLES OF WORKS Titles of published books, pamphlets, periodicals, and newspapers are set in italics. Titles of articles, chapters, short stories, and essays are set in roman type and enclosed in quotations. (See CMS chapter 7.)

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TOWARD Do not use towards.

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U

UNITED STATES Spell out United States when used as a noun. Use U.S. only as an adjective.

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U.S. DENOMINATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS OF CHURCHES A thorough guide for the spelling and capitalization for denominations and associations can be found in Appendix C of CWMS.

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USHERS Ushers work during worship services, special events, and concerts.

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VERSE REFERENCES Use either format: “For God so loved the world” (John 3:16).

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or . . .

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For God so loved the world —John 3:16

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WEB SITE According to the AP Internet guide, it is correct to use Web site, Web page, webcast, and webmaster.

Also, website is acceptable.

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WHO/WHOM Who is nominative. Use who where he, she, they, I, or we could be used instead.

Whom is objective. Use whom where him, her, them, me, or us could be used.

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Examples: Who is in charge of this meeting?

To whom were you referring?

(He is in charge of this meeting.)

(You were referring to him.)

WHO’S/WHOSE Who’s is a contraction for who is. Whose is the possessive of who.

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Examples: Who’s going out for lunch today?

Whose books are these?

I don’t know whose jacket this is.

WORD Capitalize word when referring to the Bible, the Word of God.

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WORD BREAKS Use a hyphen to break a word between syllables, and consult the dictionary for proper word division.

See CMS 6.43–6.58 for detailed guidelines, rules, and exceptions.

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YEARS Decades may be indicated with numerals and apostrophes. Do not use an apostrophe between the decade and the s. (See CMS 8.40.)

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Correct: the eighties, the ‘80s

Incorrect: the 80’s

To indicate inclusive years, use two prepositions or an en dash. Do not combine prepositions with en dashes.

Correct: 1923–1927 from 1923 to 1927

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Incorrect: from 1923–1927

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Z

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ZIP CODE Capitalize ZIP and lowercase code. Use five digits for the ZIP code without a comma after the state name.

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Sugar Land, TX 77478

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