In AP Style States names should be spelled out when they stand alone but abbreviated when paired with a city name. Certain states, however, are never abbreviated, and there are specific rules for formatting in datelines.
According to AP Style, you should not abbreviate the names of 50 states when standing alone within sentences. In this case, you should always spell out the whole word.
For example,
• He is applying for a job in Virginia.
• The University of Georgia is the oldest university in Georgia.
AP Style States in Datelines:
Mostly in datelines, the city is followed by the state in which that state is located whereas the city is written in capital letters. For example,
1. BOGOTA, Colombia, June 29
Abbreviations
A state name should be abbreviated when it is mentioned with the city. A comma should be placed between the city and the state, and another comma after the state name as well.
For example,
You should visit Miami, Fla., which is very close to my heart.
> Following are the abbreviations for each state.
- Alabama: Ala.
- Arizona: Ariz.
- Arkansas: Ark.
- California: Calif.
- Colorado: Colo.
- Connecticut: Conn.
- Delaware: Del.
- Florida: Fla.
- Georgia: Ga.
- Illinois: Ill.
- Indiana: Ind.
- Kansas: Kan.
- Kentucky: Ky.
- Louisiana: La.
- Maryland: Md.
- Massachusetts: Mass.
- Michigan: Mich.
- Minnesota: Minn.
- Mississippi: Miss
- Missouri: Mo.
- Montana: Mont.
- Nebraska: Neb.
- Nevada: Nev.
- New Hampshire: N.H.
- New Jersey: N.J.
- Mexico: N.M.
- New York: N.Y.
- North Carolina: N.C.
- North Dakota: N.D.
- Oklahoma: Okla.
- Oregon: Ore.
- Pennsylvania: Pa.
- Rhode Island: R.I.
- South Carolina: S.C.
- South Dakota: S.D.
- Tennessee: Tenn.
- Vermont: Vt.
- Virginia: Va.
- Washington: Wash.
- West Virginia: W.Va.
- Wisconsin: Wis.
- Wyoming: Wyo.
An Important Point:
The following eight states can never be abbreviated.
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Maine
- Ohio
- Texas
- Utah
I hope from the above discussion, you are now clear with AP Style states.
Check Out: How Do We Write United States In AP Style?
AP Style States That Are Never Abbreviated
In AP Style, eight states are exceptions to the rule and should never be abbreviated. These states are typically shorter and easily recognizable, which makes their full names manageable in text. The list includes:
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Maine
- Ohio
- Texas
- Utah
These states are not abbreviated because their names are short and don’t cause confusion when spelled out. For example:
- Correct: “She lives in Iowa and works for a local company.”
- Correct: “The Maine coast is known for its lighthouses.”
Abbreviating any of these states would be incorrect, even when paired with a city. For instance:
- Incorrect: “He’s from Tex. and moved to New York.”
- Incorrect: “She traveled to Ut. for the conference.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing State Names
Writing state names in AP Style can be tricky, especially with the rules surrounding abbreviations and exceptions. Here are some common mistakes to watch for:Using Postal Abbreviations Instead of AP Style
Postal abbreviations (e.g., “CA” for California, “NY” for New York) are sometimes confused with AP abbreviations. AP Style uses two-letter abbreviations but not those used by the U.S. Postal Service. For example:
- Incorrect (Postal): “She lives in CA.”
- Correct (AP): “She lives in Calif.“Remember, postal abbreviations are only used for addresses, not in regular text.
Abbreviating States That Should Not Be Abbreviated
As mentioned earlier, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, and Utah should never be abbreviated. A common mistake is to abbreviate these states in an effort to save space or make the writing appear more streamlined.
- Incorrect: “She’s traveling to Tex. for a meeting.”
- Correct: “She’s traveling to Texas for a meeting.”
Forgetting the Comma Between the City and State
When a city is paired with a state, always place a comma between them. This mistake often arises in casual writing or when someone tries to simplify the format.
- Incorrect: “I’m going to Miami Fla.”
- Correct: “I’m going to Miami, Fla.”Additionally, always place a comma after the state name. For example:
- Correct: “The event is taking place in Orlando, Fla., this weekend.”
Using the Abbreviation with a State That Should Be Fully Written Out
Another mistake is abbreviating states that AP Style requires to be fully written out. For instance, Georgia is never abbreviated when used alone, but some writers mistakenly abbreviate it as Ga. without following AP rules.
- Incorrect: “They moved to Ga. last year.”
- Correct: “They moved to Georgia last year.”
Abbreviating with Non-Standard Forms
Some abbreviations, such as using three-letter forms, are not appropriate for AP Style. Always use the approved two-letter abbreviations (e.g., Mass. for Massachusetts, not Mass or Massach.).
- Incorrect: “He’s from Massach.“
- Correct: “He’s from Mass.“
What Did You Learn?
Key points include never abbreviating certain states like Texas and Hawaii, avoiding postal abbreviations in regular text, and ensuring correct punctuation when pairing cities with states.