The englishtalk style guide
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The englishtalk approach to style, writing conventions, etc.
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Contents
englishtalk conventions
- Addresses:
- Paul-Schäfer-Strasse (not Paul-Schäfer-Straße)
- 70173 Stuttgart, Germany (not D-70173 Stuttgart)
- Colons
- After the colon: lower case letter in the first word
- Email (not E-Mail or e-mail)
- UK: things are sent by email. US: things are sent via email.
- Etc without a dot afterwards. "Red, blue, green etc, including standard...."
- At end of list delete if preceded by "such as/for example ..... "
- For example:
- e.g. in formal documents
- eg, in more modern contexts
- Headers
- UK: First word only capitalized (so not First Word Only)
- US: Nearly All Words in Title Capitalized
- Mr/Mrs/Ms/Dr
- Mr. with dot after title only in formal titles and addresses
- In the middle of sentences write Mr Smith without dots
- Dear Mr Smith
- Per cent with gap, not percent
- P.S.
- Slash
- In most cases with just two words no gap between/after the slash and following word (so not like / this)
- If numbers and currencies are involved, sometimes with a gap for clarity, eg £54 / €81
- Tel: or Fax: (not Tel.: with added .)
- Versus: England vs Germany without dot after vs
Numbers/currency/dates
- £10.00: UK. $10.00 US. Or £10 / $10 in less formal context
- £100.00: UK. $100.00 US. Or £100 / $100 in less formal context
- £1000.00: UK. $1000.00 US. Or £1000 / $1000 in less formal context
- £10,000.00: UK. $10,000.00 US. Or £10,000 / $10,000 in less formal context
- 1000 - 9999 without a comma
- 10,000 + with comma
- £2 million or £2m in tight spaces
- % wherever possible, 98% of the time: without gap between number and %
- February 28, 2007
US vs UK differences at englishtalk
- Apart from: UK. Aside from: US.
- Asking someone to do something: UK:Ask them to do xxx. US: Have them do xxx.
- Email: UK: things are sent by email. US: things are sent via email.
- Telephone:
- UK: please ring on 0123 782136
- US: call at this number
- Weekend:
- UK: at the weekend
- US: on the weekend
- While in most documents. Whilst in very formal UK usage.
Words/spelling
- brackets:UK Parentesis: US. = (xxx)
- brackets:US = [xxx]
- car park: UK. Parking lot: US.
- colour: UK. Color: US.
- envisage: UK. Envision: US.
- estate car: UK. Station wagon: US.
- full stop: UK. Period: US.
- grey:UK. Gray: US.
- labour: UK. labor: US.
- metre: UK. meter: US.
- mobile phone: UK. cell phone: US.
- open day: UK. open house: US.
- saloon (car): UK. sedan: US.
- tyre: UK. tire: US.
