Journalistic standards dictate that clarity and consistency are paramount when identifying locations, and the Associated Press Stylebook provides the definitive framework for writing about streets. Following AP style for streets ensures that addresses are presented professionally, eliminating ambiguity for readers and creating a uniform standard across all publications. This approach prioritizes brevity and precision, using abbreviations only where explicitly allowed and always prioritizing readability.
Core Principles of AP Street Style
The foundation of AP style for streets lies in its rejection of courtesy titles and specific directional prefixes unless they are part of the official street name. Writers should never include titles such as "Mr.", "Mrs.", or "Dr." in the address line, focusing solely on the recipient and location. Furthermore, words like "North," "South," "East," and "West" are spelled out when they stand alone, but abbreviated to "N.", "S.", "E.", and "W." when they follow the street name, creating a distinct visual hierarchy that guides the eye.
Abbreviations and Numbering Rules
AP style mandates the use of specific abbreviations for certain street types to maintain compactness. The primary exceptions to the general rule of spelling out street types are "street," "avenue," and "boulevard," which may be abbreviated as "St.," "Ave.," and "Blvd." when necessary due to space constraints, such as in tables or addresses with multiple lines. All other designations, including "drive," "lane," "court," and "terrace," must be written out in full to ensure clarity. Street numbers are always figures, and the suffix like "Apt." or "Ste." for apartment or suite should also be abbreviated, separated from the number by a space without punctuation.
Directional and Named Streets
Handling directions and specific names requires careful attention to avoid common errors. When a street name itself incorporates a direction, such as "North Main Street," the directional word is part of the proper noun and should not be separated or abbreviated again. Conversely, when the direction is merely indicating location relative to a landmark, it is treated as a compass point and abbreviated. For example, "The office is north of Main Street" uses the abbreviated "N." in "Go N on Main St.," whereas "The event is on North Main Street" keeps "North" fully spelled as it is integral to the name.
Punctuation and Formatting Nuances
Punctuation in addresses follows a strict rhythm that AP style defines clearly. Commas are used to separate the street address from the city, and another comma separates the city from the state and zip code. There is no comma between the state and the zip code. When a street address breaks across lines, it should never split a number from its street name, and the break should occur after a preposition or conjunction, never in the middle of a directional abbreviation like "E."
For international addresses, the rules adapt to accommodate foreign naming conventions while retaining the core AP principles of clarity. The placement of postal codes and the hierarchy of locality versus region may differ, but the goal remains the same: to present the location in a way that is immediately understandable to a global audience. Consistency in formatting, whether writing about a local main street or a foreign avenue, reinforces the credibility of the publication and ensures the destination is unambiguous.
