I’ve learned, especially when writing about living persons, that formal titles are a big deal. If you fail to properly capitalize an individual’s formal title when writing SEO content, that person may perceive it as an insult. You may also run into people insisting that you capitalize job titles that don’t actually qualify as formal. In those cases, just let them know that you’re adhering to the Associated Press Stylebook. Below are some guidelines on how to work with formal titles in AP style.

 

Capitalize Formal Titles Before Names

Formal titles in AP style should be capitalized when they immediately precede one or more names. For instance, people often ask, “Is president capitalized?”. The simple answer is, “yes”. See the formal titles examples below:

President Abraham Lincoln

Vice Presidents Al Gore and Dan Quayle

When a title stands alone or is offset from a name by commas, it should be lowercase.

The president was on vacation.

The lieutenant governor, Gavin Newsom, was serving in the governor’s absence.

If an individual does not presently or permanently hold a title, still capitalize it when including it before the person’s name. However, do not capitalize adjectives describing the status of the title.

former President Jimmy Carter

interim Mayor Todd Gloria

 

Formal Titles vs. Occupational Descriptions

Are job titles capitalized? The challenge is distinguishing between formal titles and occupational descriptions. A formal title is conferred upon an individual alongside a scope of authority. Examples include persons in the military, government officials, religious leaders and royalty. Formal titles may also denote a level of academic or professional achievement, as in the case of doctors.

Occupational descriptions, on the other hand, more generally describe what a person does for a living. Occupational descriptions are not capitalized even when positioned directly before an individual’s name.

astronaut Sally Ride

actor Ronald Reagan

professor Barack Obama

Notice that the AP Stylebook does not recognize professor as a formal title. Professor Emeritus, however, is a formal title and should be capitalized accordingly before a name.

For further guidance in determining whether a title is formal or occupational, you should also check whether it is capitalized in usage by the organization conferring it.

 

Formal Titles in Comma Constructions

If you remain unable to determine whether a title is a formal title or an occupational description, use a comma construction and set the title in lowercase apart from the individual’s name.

The department meeting was chaired by Jesse Andrews, coach of the lacrosse team.

Comma constructions should also be used for long bureaucratic titles.

Greg Eagles, deputy associate director of night basketball programs, opposed extending the three-point line.

If a title is unique to one person within an organization, use a comma construction along with the word the before the title.

Oscar Scolari, the chief operating officer, is second-in-command.

 

Formal Titles to Abbreviate

Most formal titles should be spelled out at all times. Specific exceptions include Dr., Rep., Sen., Gov., Lt. Gov. and certain ranks in the military. These AP style titles should be abbreviated only when used directly before a name.

 

Additional Guidelines for Formal Titles

Stories with U.S. datelines generally should not include U.S. before the titles of government officials. Include U.S., however, if the omission could cause confusion.

U.S. Sen. Diana Salazar was scheduled to meet with state Sen. Calvin Carson.

International stories should include U.S. before government titles for U.S. officials.

Titles of nobility sometimes serve as alternate names for individuals. In such cases, capitalize the full title.

The Earl of Sandwich ordered a salad.

 

Formal Titles Are Serious Business

Do you still have questions about how to use formal titles in AP style? Are you still unsure on some job titles and if they are capitalized or not? Let us know by commenting below, and don’t forget to check out our blog on how to use courtesy title in AP style. Click here if you’d like to freshen up on some more AP Style rules.

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As a firm believer in the value of higher education, I can appreciate people taking pride in their academic degrees. These credentials are hard-earned, representing significant investments of time, money and effort. It’s understandable for people to want to show them off in capital letters. As an SEO content writer following the Associated Press Stylebook, however, I capitalize according to the rules and not people’s egos. There are clear guidelines for capitalizing academic degrees in AP style.

If you’ve ever wondered if bachelor’s degree or master’s degree is capitalized, then keep reading to find out!

 

Academic Degrees to Capitalize in AP Style

So do you capitalize degrees? The following formal names of specific degrees should always be capitalized in AP style:

Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Science

Master of Arts

Master of Science

Master of Business Administration

As you can see, master’s degrees are capitalized when abbreviated. However, the forms bachelor’s degree, bachelor’s, master’s degree and master’s are acceptable as general terms.

In case it’s not obvious, I have a bachelor’s in writing.

As you can probably tell, I did not pursue a master’s degree.

Note that these are possessives and should contain apostrophes, whereas formal names of specific degrees are never possessive.

Associate degree is never possessive.

I collected a few dozen associate degrees before deciding to become a freelance writer.

 

When to Abbreviate Academic Degrees

When it is necessary to establish an individual’s academic credentials, AP style guidelines advise that you use a phrase instead of an abbreviation. When noting the credentials for several individuals, however, use AP style rules for abbreviations if writing out phrases for each person would render the text cumbersome. These abbreviations should be used only with full names, and they should be set off with commas.

Bringing together expertise across a range of trades and industries, the panel included Bella Andrews, B.A.; Matthew Song, M.S.; Lloyd Davis, LL.D.; and Phyllis Dreyfus, Ph.D.

Note that the abbreviations M.A. and M.S. include periods, but MBA does not.

If possession of an academic degree grants the title Dr. to an individual, do not use both the title and the abbreviation in the same reference.

Incorrect: Dr. Janet Chang, Ph.D.

Correct: Janet Chang, Ph.D.

Correct: Dr. Janet Chang

 

Capitalizing Doctoral Degrees

When referencing an individual with a Ph.D., say that he or she holds a doctorate, then name the area of specialty.

My former classmate, who holds a doctorate in comparative literature, now works as a campus security officer at our old high school.

Use Dr. as a formal title on first reference to individuals with degrees in medicine, optometry, dental surgery, osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine or veterinary medicine.

For individuals with doctoral degrees in other disciplines, you may use Dr. on first reference as necessary to establish credentials. If the individual’s area of specialty is not immediately clear from the context, take care to specify it within the first two references.

The team enlisted Dr. Abigail Preston, the leading historian on the subject.

If no area of specialty is specified, an individual with the title Dr. is generally assumed to be a physician. In articles involving multiple individuals with different doctoral degrees, however, you may need to specify if any are physicians.

Refrain from using Dr. to refer to individuals with honorary doctorates.

 

The Rules for Capitalizing Degrees Apply to Everyone

You don’t need a master’s degree to know the proper names for credentials. If you still have questions about capitalizing academic degrees in AP style (i.e. Should master’s degree be capitalized? Is bachelor’s degree capitalized?), ask away via the comments below! Click here if you’d like to freshen up on some more AP Style rules.

 

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Correctly capitalizing academic degrees in AP style is just one small piece of the puzzle when it comes to creating great content. If you’re a business owner putting your academic degree to work, you’ve probably realized the importance of having fantastic content on your website. Here at BKA Content, we have affordable small business SEO services that utilize expert blog writing to help your website get found online. Contact us today to see how our SEO writing/editing services can help!

As much as my therapist might advise against it, most people cannot resist making comparisons. We say that the grass is greener on the other side. We diet because we want to become healthier than we are presently. We study in order to become more educated, either compared to ourselves now or compared to our peers. Greener, healthier and more educated are all examples of comparative adjectives, which are used to draw comparisons between two persons, places or things. The concept is basic, yet even experienced writers sometimes have difficulty figuring out how to create the comparative form of an adjective. Reviewing a few helpful rules should help us navigate the most common situations involving comparative adjectives.

 

What is a Comparative Adjective?

As was mentioned above, a comparative adjective is primarily used to compare the differences between the two things that they are modifying. Another way of looking at it is that comparative adjectives are used when two nouns are compared in the same sentence.

 

Comparative Adjective Examples

Some common examples of comparative adjectives include the following:

• His boat is faster than mine.
• The ball flew higher than the catcher’s glove.
• This rock is smaller than the one by the river.
• Your bike is bigger than Fred’s.

 

Forming Comparative Adjectives

In some cases, we add an -er suffix to the end of the base adjective. In other cases, we insert the adverb more before the adjective. The proper procedure will depend on the adjective itself, and there are several rules and also exceptions concerning the correct comparative forms of different adjectives. Here are some comparative adjectives examples to help illustrate the point:

Adjective	Comparative Form
One syllable ending in -e: cute	Replace the -e with -er: cuter
One syllable ending in a consonant-vowel-consonant sequence: hot	Double the final consonant and add -er: hotter
One syllable ending in -y preceded by a consonant: dry	Change the y to an i and add -er: drier
One syllable ending in a different letter: green fast	Add -er: greener faster
Two syllables ending in -y healthy	Change the y to an i and add -er: healthier
Two or more syllables ending in a different letter: attractive beautiful	Insert more before the adjective: more attractive more beautiful
Any adjective derived from the present or past participle of a verb: tiring tired	Insert more before the adjective: more tiring more tired
Other cases: good/well bad/ill far old many/much/some little	Irregular comparatives: better worse farther/further older/elder more less

 

Exceptions to Comparative Adjective Rules

Several two-syllable adjectives can be made into comparatives using either -er or more. The comparative form of gentle, for example, can be either gentler or more gentle. Other such two-syllable words that can be modified in either manner include handsome, narrow, quiet, shallow and simple. If you’re unsure whether a two-syllable adjective is an exception, the safe route is to go with more.

 

Comparing in the Opposite Direction

The comparative adjective forms discussed above are used to indicate when one thing is greater in a certain quality compared to something else. To indicate the opposite, the simplest method is to insert the adverb less before the adjective:

This chair is less comfortable than the other one.

Generally, we do not use less with adjectives of only one syllable because doing so can make for awkward speech. Instead, consider using the comparative form of the opposite adjective to convey essentially the same idea:

Awkward: The new car is less fast than the old one.
Better: The new car is slower than the old one.

Another method is to employ a negative equative. Equatives compare two things equal in quality using an as … as … structure. The negative form of an equative adds not to indicate that the first item is less than equal to the second, which functionally achieves an effect similar to a comparative but in the opposite direction:

The new car is not as fast as the old one.

 

Avoid Empty Comparisons

You may come across cases where writers use comparative adjectives to describe only one thing without establishing a basis of comparison:

We use better materials.

This is an example of an empty comparison. The reader is not told what these materials are better than. Advertisers often use empty comparisons to make vague suggestions of significance without providing substantiating data.

In informal speech, people also phrase descriptions using empty comparisons in order to lessen their forcefulness:

He was an older gentleman.

In the above example, the writer may think it respectful to describe the gentleman’s age only in relative terms as older, as opposed to describing him in absolute terms as definitively old.

Always remember that comparative adjectives are meant for drawing comparisons between two persons, places or things. Although empty comparisons are common in informal contexts, they should generally be avoided in formal writing.

 

Feeling More Confident With Your Comparative Adjectives?

With all of the exceptions and irregular cases, comparative adjectives in the English language can be a frustrating area. Maybe that is precisely why my therapist says it is best not to compare. Is there a particular comparative adjective example not covered here that is just driving you crazy? Do you feel like you adequately know what a comparative adjective is now? Let us know by commenting below!

I often hear people declaring this or that to be the “stupidest thing.” In one instance, I recall a would-be grammarian retorting that the declaration itself was the “most stupid.” Unwarranted hyperbole aside, the reality is that it’s not that intuitive whether to use stupidest or most stupid. To determine how to handle stupid, we need to review superlative adjectives.

What Is a Superlative Adjective?

Superlative adjectives are typically used when trying to describe the lower or upper limits of an object’s quality. For instance, describing that an object was the biggest, smallest, slowest, longest, etc. Whenever you have a sentence where a single subject is compared to a group of other objects you typically find a superlative.

Superlative Adjectives Are for Comparing Three or More

We previously discussed comparative adjectives, which are one degree of comparison. Most adjectives have three degrees: positive, comparative and superlative. Positive is the basic form of an adjective used to describe a single noun, while comparatives are used for comparing two things. When dealing with groups of three or more things, we use the superlative to describe a quality that is greater in one than in every other of its kind.

Forming Superlative Adjectives

Some superlative adjectives are created by attaching an -est suffix to the positive form of the adjective. Other adjectives cannot be modified in this manner and instead require the adverb most inserted before the positive form. Here are some examples of forming these adjectives:

ADJECTIVE	SUPERLATIVE FORM
One syllable ending in -e: cute	Replace the -e with -est: cutest
One syllable ending in a consonant-vowel-consonant sequence: hot	Double the final consonant and add -est: hottest
One syllable ending in -y preceded by a consonant: dry	Change the y to an i and add -est: driest
One syllable ending in a different letter: dumb great	Add -est: dumbest greatest
Two syllables ending in -y pretty	Change the y to an i and add -est: prettiest
Two or more syllables ending in a different letter: attractive beautiful	Insert most before the adjective: most attractive most beautiful
Any adjective derived from the present or past participle of a verb: tiring tired	Insert most before the adjective: most tiring most tired
Other cases: good/well bad/ill far old many/much/some little	Irregular superlatives: best worst farthest/furthest oldest/eldest most least

There are a number of two-syllable adjectives that can be made into superlatives using either -est or most. In fact, stupid is one such example, as the superlative can be either stupidest or most stupid. Other examples include gentle, handsome, narrow, quiet, shallow and simple. Generally, these are adjectives that end in unstressed vowel sounds, but unfortunately this does not apply as a rule in every case. If you are unsure about a two-syllable adjective not covered in the chart above, the cautious approach is to use most.

Using Superlative Adjectives

Superlative adjectives can be placed in the attributive position before a noun, in the predicative position after a linking verb or in the postpositive position after the noun being modified. Here are some superlative examples:

Attributive: the biggest pumpkin
Predicative: That man is the most interesting.
Postpositive: the seat closest to the door

Superlatives may appear by themselves in the predicative position, with the basis of comparison usually understood from the context. To establish a specific domain, use a prepositional phrase beginning with in or of. Use in with a singular noun identifying a group, and use of with plural nouns:

the best bakery in Queens
the fastest of the rodents

As seen in the above examples, superlative adjectives are usually preceded by the definite article the. You may also use a different definite determiner, such as a possessive pronoun or a number, before a superlative:

my finest silverware
the five hottest actors in Hollywood

We can also omit the when comparing a noun to itself at different times:

Stella is most lucid in the morning.

In the above superlative example, the idea is that Stella is more lucid in the morning than at all other times of day.

Superlative Opposites

To describe something as being of a lesser degree compared to all other things of the same kind, insert the adverb least before the adjective:

the least qualified individual

We generally avoid using least with one-syllable adjectives because such constructions tend to sound metrically awkward. Instead, use the superlative form of an adjective that has the opposite meaning:

Awkward: the least good outcome
Better: the worst outcome

Alternatively, you may opt to use least good precisely in order to avoid the direct negativity of worst.

The Best Advice When It Comes to Superlative Adjectives

If you’re struggling to find the right superlative form of an adjective, consider whether you need it in the first place. In formal writing, hyperbolic language is usually frowned upon, so you should take care not to exaggerate with superlatives. If you still need help with superlative adjectives, feel free to comment below with any questions!

The first time I was assigned to write a piece involving a religious organization, I took extra care to research the proper religious titles for all individuals referenced. As I quickly discovered, there is a staggering variety of religious titles, most of them specific to different faiths and denominations. Fortunately, the Associated Press Stylebook addresses many of them in detail. Let’s review together how to properly use religious titles in AP style.

Religious Titles Before Names

Religious titles are formal titles. They should be capitalized when attached before names of individuals, and they should be lowercase when they stand alone. A religious title is appropriate on first reference before the name of a clergyman or clergywoman.

The program included a message from the Rev. Stephen Porter.

On second reference, use only the individual’s last name.

Attendees appreciated Porter’s brevity.

In cases where a figure has taken a religious name as part of a title, maintain usage of this name throughout.

Hotels were fully booked in advance of the visit by Pope Francis. The popularity of the pope was plainly evident, as a massive crowd gathered to receive Francis.

Priests and Ministers

Use of the Rev. is appropriate on first reference for most priests and ministers. Monsignor should be used when applicable for Roman Catholic priests.

The facility was graced with a visit by Monsignor Timothy Howard.

Avoid using the Rev. Dr. before a name unless reference to an individual’s earned doctoral degree is relevant. Do not include Dr. for honorary doctor of divinity degrees.

Avoid using such words as father, pastor and curate before individuals’ names. In direct quotations, however, capitalize these terms when used as titles before names.

“The church is very blessed to have Pastor Steve,” said one parishioner.

Bishops, Archbishops and Cardinals

On first reference, capitalize Bishop, Archbishop and Cardinal before names. On subsequent references, use either the individual’s last name or the title by itself in lowercase.

Later, Bishop Francisco Medina stopped by the school. A group of students presented a gift to the bishop. Medina accepted it gladly.

If appropriate in the context, substitute the Most Rev. as applicable to certain bishops and archbishops.

Opening remarks were given by the Most Rev. Robert W. McElroy, archbishop of San Diego.

Rabbis

Use Rabbi as a formal title, capitalized before a name, on first reference. Use only the rabbi’s last name on second reference.

Joining the discussion was Rabbi Ben Silverstein. Silverstein impressed the panel with his wisdom.

Nuns

Use Sister or, if applicable, Mother before the name of a nun. If the name is a religious name, use the title and name together in all references.

A man came asking for Sister Mary Eunice. Sister Mary Eunice insisted she did not know the man.

If the nun uses a surname, include the title on first reference. Use the surname on subsequent references.

The head nun was Sister Judy Martin. Martin was known to be a rigid disciplinarian.

Officeholders

For individuals who are not ordained clergy but hold offices in the church, use a comma construction to set a lowercase title apart from the name.

Felix Smith, the church treasurer, can answer questions about the budget.

If the position is accompanied by a formal title, however, and the title immediately precedes an individual’s name, then capitalize it.

Chief Financial Officer Gregory Griffin brings years of accounting experience to his position with the new megachurch.

AP Style Religious Titles: No Great Mystery

However inscrutable they may at first appear, religious titles are no great mystery. If you still need help using religious titles in AP style, leave us a comment below!

How to Use Courtesy Titles in AP Style

When I worked as a public school educator, students would address me, depending on their grade level, as Mr. Fung, Mr. Henry or Mr. F, that courtesy title Mr. being the lone essential constant. I understood it as a matter of respect and authority, without which the classroom dynamic would collapse.

On that front, I would find myself in a predicament whenever a new female colleague would visit the classroom. There being a greater selection of courtesy titles for women than for men, referring to her by the wrong title could prove an egregious gaffe. For instance, when do you use Ms., when do you use Mrs. and when do you use Miss? Perhaps recognizing some of the precariousness in this arena, many of the major writing style guides have shifted positions on courtesy titles over the years. If you follow the Associated Press Stylebook, you can relax. The most up-to-date rules for courtesy titles in AP style are quite simple to follow.

 

Avoid Courtesy Titles in Most Cases

AP style guidelines sidestep potential pitfalls by directing against the use of courtesy titles in nearly all cases. On first reference to an individual, use both the first and last name of the person. Regardless of the person’s gender, do not use a courtesy title.

Philanthropist John Johnson was invited to deliver the keynote.

In subsequent references, refer to the individual by last name only.

Johnson regretfully declined, citing a sore throat.

If a person’s gender is not readily apparent, a personal pronoun in a subsequent reference will suffice to clarify.

Late to the party was Taylor Park. His spin class had run long, delaying his arrival.

When discussing multiple individuals with the same last name, such as a husband and wife, continue referring to them by first and last name wherever necessary to avoid confusion when using courtesy titles in AP style.

I asked how their evening went. Thomas Wayne thought it could have been worse. Martha Wayne disagreed.

 

When to Use Courtesy Titles

There are two situations where it is appropriate to use courtesy titles in AP style. First, when directly quoting material, retain any courtesy titles found in the original speech or text.

“We all wish Mr. Johnson a speedy recovery,” the committee responded.

Second, although the general rule is to avoid courtesy titles, respect for a woman’s preference supersedes that directive. If a woman specifically requests to be referred to as Mrs., Miss or Ms., use first and last name on initial reference, then use the courtesy title in subsequent references.

Among the honorees was Serena Smith. Ms. Smith was recognized for conceiving and planning the event.

Because the above only applies when a woman specifically requests one courtesy title or another, there should never be any guesswork required on your part.

 

Use Abbreviated Forms of Courtesy Titles

When courtesy titles are appropriate, use the abbreviated forms.

Correct: Mr. Lee

Incorrect: Mister Lee

Note that Mr., Mrs. and Ms. all end in periods, but Miss does not.

 

Courtesy Titles AP Style: Keep It Simple

This is one AP style rule that is wonderfully straightforward. If you still have questions about how to use courtesy titles in AP style (i.e. “When to use Ms.”, “When to use Mrs.”,”When to use Miss”, etc.) don’t be afraid to ask. We would love to hear from you via the comments form below!

Reconnecting with an old friend, I asked how her life had changed since I last saw her.

“Well,” she said, “getting married often changes one’s outlook on life.”

Curious, I asked her, “Approximately how often do you need to get married for this change to take effect?”

We both erred that day. Her mistake was using often as a squinting modifier, which paved the way for my confusion.

 

Squinting Modifiers Are Two-Way Modifiers

A squinting modifier, also known as a two-way modifier, is an adverb or phrase that could feasibly modify either the words preceding it or those following it. Squinting modifiers are considered misplaced modifiers because their placement causes ambiguity.

Misplaced Modifier Example:

• Beating eggs rapidly produces an airy volume.

In the above case, the adverb rapidly could be modifying either the gerund phrase beating eggs or the verb produces. It isn’t clear which interpretation the writer intends, which is a problem because the two possible readings differ significantly in meaning. Are we to understand that beating eggs produces a rapid effect, or is the writer telling us that the beating must be done rapidly to produce the effect?

This confusion can be resolved by placing the modifier elsewhere in the sentence:

• Rapidly beating eggs produces an airy volume.

Most squinting modifiers can be fixed by moving them or by adding clarifying words or punctuation.

Squinting Modifier Examples:

• Squinting: Taking aspirin often helps with headaches.
• Better: Often, taking aspirin helps with headaches.

• Squinting: The shop that raised all that funding recently went out of business.
• Better: The shop that raised all that funding went out of business recently.

• Squinting: I told her this morning I would visit.
• Better: I told her this morning that I would visit.

Be especially careful when using the adverb only. This uniquely challenging modifier can create ambiguity almost no matter where it is placed.

 

How to Prevent Squinting Modifiers

Squinting modifiers are tricky because any ambiguity may be less apparent to the writer than to readers. As the writer, of course you know what you mean. Many ambiguities can also be clarified in speech through inflection, so if you are proofreading in your own voice, you may overlook squinting modifiers that would confuse other readers. Try taking a break between writing and proofreading. This will allow you to view the text with fresher eyes.

 

Why Are They Called Squinting Modifiers?

In case you’re wondering why an ambiguous modifier is described by a narrowing of the eyelids, it may be due to regional variations in the usage of squint.

Squint Definition

Nearly every dictionary I’ve consulted on this word has included among its meanings for the word squint as something relating to looking sideways, which fits well with squinting modifiers as modifiers that can attach to the words on either side of them. This definition of the word squint appears to be most prevalent in British English, where squint is also used to describe the cross-eyed condition strabismus.

 

Squinting Modifiers Are No Laughing Matter

I’ll admit to chuckling at the occasional unintentionally awkward construction, but a squinting modifier is not something you want slipping into your professional writing. The ambiguity will obscure your meaning and confuse your readers.

Have you come across any especially egregious squinting modifiers? Share them below!

Have you ever used “LOL” when responding to a text or message? If so, you have used a hyperbole without even realizing it.

In fact, it’s part of our culture to use hyperboles all the time. Let’s get into the meat of what exactly a hyperbole is.

 

What’s a Hyperbole?

What is a hyperbole? The term hyperbole derives from a Greek word meaning “excess”. A hyperbole is an exaggeration or overstatement used figuratively to emphasize a point or idea. It is also known as the opposite of an understatement.

What is a Hyperbole Used For In Writing?

This is a rhetorical device in speech (whether written or spoken) that can help to evoke feeling, emotion or strong impressions. Typically, it’s not meant to be taken literally. A hyperbole is used to over-exaggerate, add emphasis, or be humorous.

Hyperboles Are for Emphasis

There are many different kinds of hyperboles, and they can be used to convey many emotions including humor, anger, excitement, surprise and many more. The relay of these feelings all depends on the context in which it is used by the person speaking. One of the major uses of hyperboles is to add emphasis to your writing or speaking.

See some great examples of hyperboles that add emphasis below:

Hyperbole Example:

• After a long day of walking, my feet were killing me.

The writer here does not literally mean that her feet were actively causing her to die. She merely means that her feet ached from all the walking she did. She could simply have said as much, but the hyperbole more colorfully conveys her feeling of agony.

More Hyperbole Examples:

• She shot me a glare so icy that I had to turn on the heater.
• I must have aged a couple of decades over the course of that webinar.
• I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse!
• I will love you until the end of time.

In each of these hyperbole examples, the statements are not meant to be taken literally. They add both emphasis, with the first three invoking humor while the last one leans more towards romance.

 

Hyperbole Examples in Creative Writing

In creative writing, an effective hyperbole embellishes the storytelling in a way that grabs the reader’s attention. The illustrative wording of the hyperbole should seize the imagination with images or sensations that are obviously exaggerated yet emotionally stirring.

Note that the intention must never be to deceive. It should always be clear to the reader that your hyperbole is not to be taken literally. This may entail overstating to such a degree that the exaggeration becomes overtly absurd, which is why hyperboles are most often used for comic effect.

Hyperbole Literary Examples:

• “A day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer. There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb county.” – To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• “I was helpless. I did not know what in the world to do. I was quaking from head to foot, and could have hung my hat on my eyes, they stuck so out so far.” – Old Times on the Mississippi by Mark Twain

 

Hyperbole Examples in Advertising

Hyperboles are abundant in marketing, but the separation between hyperbolic puffery and false advertising can be a fine line, sometimes requiring a court’s judgment to discern. If you make an unsubstantiated claim about something that should be objectively verifiable, this could be grounds for legal action.

For example, marketing a suitcase as being so durable as to be able to survive a fall from the top of the Eiffel Tower could be ruled false advertising if the claim can be easily shown to be factually inaccurate.

 

Rules and regulations should not be your only consideration. Reliance on unverifiable subjective statements may not land you in legal trouble, but it may nevertheless prove counterproductive. If your ad copy consists only of broad superlative claims (e.g. “We’re the best!”) backed by no supporting data, savvy customers will see through the gimmicky language and question your credibility.

Here are some other hyperbole examples in advertising:

Examples of Hyperboles in Advertising:

• “The Best a Man Can Get” – Gillette
• “There Is No Finish Line” – Nike
• “Tastes So Good, Cats Ask For It By Name” – Meow Mix

 

Handle Hyperboles With Care

In other professional contexts, hyperboles are best used sparingly. The more formal the piece, the less appropriate hyperboles are. Scholarly articles and technical writing, which demands clarity and precision, should not include any. Even in less formal writing, exercise moderation when using hyperboles.

So to sum up, what is the hyperbole definition? It’s an exaggeration or overstatement that is used figuratively. What is a hyperbole used for? A hyperbole is used to emphasize a point and must stand out to be effective. If you overstate every point, readers may become desensitized to your exaggerations, and they will no longer know when to take seriously anything you say.

If you have any questions or perhaps a hyperbole you’d like to share, please comment below!

One of the more commonly misused and overused punctuation marks is the ellipsis. I’ve encountered far too many maddening late-night emails literally dotted with ellipses signifying either incoherent thought or implied mischief. Another writing pet peeve is the online use of “to be continued” hooks, which use ellipses to hang stories mid-sentence and keep audiences clicking through. If you’re wondering how to use ellipses properly in AP-style writing, read on.

 

Ellipses vs. Ellipsis

To begin with, even the terminology can be a bit tricky. Although typing an ellipsis may involve multiple keystrokes, the dots are actually collectively a single punctuation mark, and ellipsis is accordingly a singular noun. Instead of visualizing multiple dots, it may help to think of an ellipsis as a single “dot-dot-dot” mark.

The plural form of the noun is ellipses. Once again, when dealing with multiple ellipses, rather than visualizing more dots, consider them as several distinct “dot-dot-dot” marks. The precise number of dots per ellipsis should not vary. Each single dot in an ellipsis is called an ellipsis point, by the way, and is rendered using a period.

 

How Many Dots Does an Ellipsis Have?

Authorities agree that an ellipsis should consist of exactly three consecutive dots placed together on the same line, but the prescribed spacing varies from guide to guide. According to the AP Stylebook, which is used by most journalistic publications and by BKA for our SEO content, you should treat an ellipsis as a three-letter word consisting of three periods with no spaces in between. Spaces should only be inserted before or after the ellipsis as necessary to separate it from other words.

Read on to find some great ellipses examples:

Example:

• An ellipsis … consists of three periods.

If the ellipsis follows a grammatically complete sentence, place a period after the last word preceding the ellipsis, and insert a space between this period and the ellipsis.

Example:

• Ellipses can be tricky. … Use with care.

Apply the same punctuation sequence when the grammar preceding an ellipsis calls for a question mark, exclamation point, comma or colon.

Example:

• Where should the ellipsis go? … That was easy.

 

Condensing Quotes in Formal Writing

In formal writing, the primary function of an ellipsis is to indicate that something has been omitted for the purpose of condensing text. This enables you to efficiently quote material that may contain parts inconsequential to the immediate focus.

AP Style Quotes Ellipses Examples:

• Without ellipsis: “After much deliberation, I decided yesterday that it was time for me to retire from this sport, hopefully leaving me enough healthy years to pursue my passion for writing.”
• With ellipsis: “I decided … it was time for me to retire from this sport,” said the seven-time champion.

As illustrated in the example above, you should avoid using ellipses at the beginning or end of a direct quote.

If an omission includes the end of one paragraph and the beginning of another, use ellipses in both places:

Example:

• Regarding this morning’s incident, …

… Let us speak no further of it.

When condensing AP style quotes, be careful not to alter the original meaning. Even if a change is subtle and unintentional, any distortion is a serious issue.

Examples:

• Original: The life of Anne Hathaway, William Shakespeare’s wife, has been researched with great interest by generations of historians.
• Distorted: The life of Anne Hathaway … has been researched with great interest by generations of historians.

In the example above, the omission may mislead readers to believe that a different person named Anne Hathaway is being discussed.

 

Using Ellipses in Writing for Effect

Ellipses may also appear in literature and less formal writing to denote incomplete thoughts. In such cases, an ellipsis in writing may indicate a pause, a trailing off or something purposefully left unsaid.

Ellipses in Writing Examples:

• You wouldn’t expect the captain of a battleship to be so … cute.
• He’ll never be a pop idol, but …

Using ellipses to indicate incomplete thoughts should generally be avoided in formal writing. The effect such usage achieves is a sense of either uncertainty or indirectness. Neither is typically desirable in strong business or journalistic writing.

 

An AP-Only Approach to Ellipses

The AP Stylebook additionally covers a somewhat peculiar “special effects” case for ellipses. In gossip and show business columns, ellipses may be inserted to separate multiple items grouped into a single rambling paragraph.

Example:

• Sources will neither confirm nor deny that a “Lust for Life” sequel is in development. This may be because no one has asked. … Hackers managed to increase the governor’s social media following by 9,000 percent after hijacking his account to post adorable cat videos. … In this writer’s humble opinion, there are not nearly enough space-themed movies.

This usage is highly specialized and should be avoided outside the specified narrow context.

 

How to Use Ellipses: We Want to Hear From You!

I have outlined three uses for the three dots, but the key point is that when deciding when to use ellipses in formal writing, it should typically be used sparingly. If you have questions, comments or suggestions about how to use ellipses according to AP style, please send them along! Click here if you’d like to freshen up on some more AP Style rules.

When a popular television program resurrected a recently deceased character, I felt it set a dangerous precedent. If death was not the end, then what was to prevent the return of any dead villain? A friend argued, however, that other characters who had been gone longer were “more dead” and therefore would be much harder to resurrect. This was nonsense, I knew. For one thing, “more dead” is grammatically incorrect! To understand why, we need to review absolute adjectives.

 

Absolute Adjectives Are Not Gradable

Degree is a grammatical property of most adjectives. Previously, we covered two degrees of comparison: comparative adjectives and superlative adjectives. There are some adjectives, however, such as dead, that do not lend themselves to degrees. Known as absolute adjectives, these cannot be formed into comparatives or superlatives, and they also cannot be modified by intensifying adverbs such as very, extremely and rather.

 

The Logic of Absolute Adjectives

Some adjectives, such as perfect and ultimate, are already semantically superlative. In such cases, the adjective’s inherent meaning precludes the possibility of a comparative form and renders a superlative -est or most construction redundant. Superior and inferior, as inherently comparative adjectives, also fall into this category.

Similarly, ancient and enormous are adjectives that, by definition, indicate extremes. These are strong adjectives that inherently contain the idea of “very” within them. Ancient, for example, means very old. It would not be reasonable to say more ancient, just as it would not be reasonable to say more very old.

Then there are classifying adjectives that operate according to binary logic, dealing with statuses or conditions that can only be either true or false, with no degrees or grades in between. For example, something is either digital or not digital. It cannot be more digital, less digital or the most digital.

Below is a short list of some common absolute adjectives:

absolute	digital	gorgeous	ridiculous
alive	enormous	hilarious	superior
ancient	entire	horrible	terrible
awful	equal	huge	tiny
basic	excellent	incredible	true
brilliant	false	inferior	ultimate
chemical	favorite	nuclear	unique
complete	final	perfect	unknown
correct	furious	possible	whole
dead	gigantic	pregnant	wonderful

 

Modifying Absolute Adjectives

Absolute adjectives generally cannot be modified by adverbs of intensity. Some absolute adjectives, however, can be modified by adverbs of completeness, such as completely, utterly and almost:

* completely digital
* utterly ancient
* almost complete

In literary contexts, professional writers have toyed with grading and intensifying absolute adjectives, yielding such constructions as truer words and more equal. Such usage is also abundant in informal speech. Exercise discretion when considering whether such playing against conventional logic is appropriate to the context in which you are writing.

 

Making Sense of Absolute Adjectives

Working with absolute adjectives has less to do with following rules than with applying logic and sense. So what is an absolute adjective? If you’re not sure whether an adjective is absolute, simply consider whether it would make sense to compare or intensify it. If you’re still stuck, let us know below! If you’re looking for help on grammar rules, check out some of our other GrammarSpot posts.