The Associated Press (AP) style is a widely used guideline for writing and formatting news stories, and one of the key aspects of AP style is the way times are formatted. In AP style, times are written in a specific way to ensure clarity and consistency. For example, when writing about a specific time, AP style dictates that the time should be written in numerical form, with a space between the hour and the minutes, and using "a.m." or "p.m." to denote morning or afternoon. This means that instead of writing "8am" or "5pm", the correct AP style would be "8 a.m." or "5 p.m."
AP Style Times: General Guidelines
When writing about times in AP style, there are several general guidelines to keep in mind. Firstly, times should always be written in numerical form, with the exception of noon and midnight, which can be written out in words. For example, “The meeting will take place at 2 p.m.” is correct, while “The meeting will take place at two p.m.” is not. Additionally, when writing about times that are on the hour, the minutes should be omitted. For example, “The store opens at 9 a.m.” is correct, while “The store opens at 9:00 a.m.” is not.
Specific Time Formats
In AP style, there are specific formats for writing about different types of times. For example, when writing about a time range, the format should be “from X to Y”, with the times separated by a space. For example, “The store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.” is correct. When writing about a time that is not on the hour, the format should be “X:YX a.m./p.m.”, with a colon separating the hour and minutes. For example, “The meeting will take place at 2:30 p.m.” is correct.
| Time Format | Example |
|---|---|
| On the hour | 9 a.m. |
| Not on the hour | 2:30 p.m. |
| Time range | from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Noon and midnight | noon, midnight |
AP Style Times: Special Cases
There are several special cases to consider when writing about times in AP style. For example, when writing about times that are in a different time zone, the time zone should be included in the text. For example, “The meeting will take place at 2 p.m. EST” is correct. When writing about times that are during daylight saving time, the time should be adjusted accordingly. For example, “The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during standard time, and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. during daylight saving time” is correct.
Time Zones
In AP style, time zones are written out in words, with the exception of UTC, which can be abbreviated. For example, “The meeting will take place at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time” is correct, while “The meeting will take place at 2 p.m. EST” is not. The following time zones are commonly used in AP style:
- Eastern Standard Time (EST)
- Central Standard Time (CST)
- Mountain Standard Time (MST)
- Pacific Standard Time (PST)
- Alaska Standard Time (AKST)
- Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST)
What is the correct AP style format for writing about times that are on the hour?
+The correct AP style format for writing about times that are on the hour is to omit the minutes. For example, "The store opens at 9 a.m." is correct, while "The store opens at 9:00 a.m." is not.
How do I write about times that are in a different time zone in AP style?
+In AP style, times that are in a different time zone should include the time zone in the text. For example, "The meeting will take place at 2 p.m. EST" is correct. The time zone should be written out in words, with the exception of UTC, which can be abbreviated.
By following the guidelines outlined above, writers can ensure that their use of times is accurate and effective in AP style. Whether writing about times that are on the hour, not on the hour, or in a different time zone, AP style provides a clear and consistent way to format times. With practice and attention to detail, writers can master the AP style guidelines for writing about times and produce high-quality writing that is clear, concise, and effective.
