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			{{Short description|Style guide for all Misplaced Pages articles}}
	{{Dablink|This is the main page of Misplaced Pages's Manual of Style. For the encyclopedia article about manuals of style, see ].}}
	{{pp-move-indef}}		{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
			{{MoS guideline|WP:MOS}}
	{{pp-template}}
			{{Style|expanded=all}}
	{{style-guideline|WP:MOS|WP:STYLE|MOS:}}
	{{MOS/R}}
	{{style}}
			This '''Manual of Style''' ('''MoS''' or '''MOS''') is the ] for all English Misplaced Pages ]<!-- Changing "articles" to "pages" (or any change broadening MOS's scope of applicability) would require a widely advertised RfC. --> (though ] apply across the entire project, not just to articles). This primary page is supported by further ], which are cross-referenced here and listed at ]. If any contradiction arises, this page has precedence.{{efn|name="CONLEVEL"|This is a matter of policy at {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Consensus|Level of consensus}}: "Consensus among a limited group of editors, at one place and time, cannot override community consensus on a wider scale. For instance, unless they can convince the broader community that such action is right, participants in a wikiproject cannot decide that a Misplaced Pages policy or guideline does not apply to articles within its scope." And: "Misplaced Pages has a higher standard of participation and consensus for changes to policies and guidelines than to other types of pages." Subordinate pages include ], ], and the ].}}
	The '''Manual of Style''' (often abbreviated '''MoS''' or '''MOS''') is a ] for Misplaced Pages articles, encouraging editors to follow consistent usage and formatting. This main page contains basic principles. Subpages with greater detail are linked in the menu to the right. If the Manual of Style does not specify a preferred usage, please discuss the issue on the ].
			{{Anchor|Clarity}}Editors should write articles using straightforward, succinct, and easily understood language. Editors should structure articles with consistent, reader-friendly layouts and formatting (which are detailed in this guide).
	==General principles{{anchor|Consistency}}==
			{{Anchor|Stability}}Where more than one style or format is acceptable under the MoS, one should be used consistently within an article and ] without good reason. ] over stylistic choices is unacceptable.{{efn|name="ew"|These matters have been addressed in rulings of ] in ], ], ], and ].}}
	The Manual of Style is a guide applicable to all Misplaced Pages articles. It presents Misplaced Pages's house style, and is intended to help editors produce articles with language, layout, and formatting that are consistent, clear, and precise. This helps make the whole encyclopedia easier and more intuitive to use.
			New content added to this page should directly address a persistently recurring style issue.
	===Internal consistency===
			{{TOC limit|3}}
	An overriding principle is that style and formatting should be consistent within a Misplaced Pages article, though not necessarily throughout Misplaced Pages as a whole. Consistency within an article promotes clarity and cohesion. Therefore, even where the Manual of Style permits alternative usages, be consistent within an article.
			==Retaining existing styles==
	===Stability of articles===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:VAR|MOS:STYLEVAR|MOS:STYLERET}}
			{{Redirect|MOS:VAR|a list of more specific derived and related rules|WP:VARS}}
			Sometimes the MoS provides more than one acceptable style or gives no specific guidance. When either of two styles is acceptable it is generally considered inappropriate for a Misplaced Pages editor to change from one style to another unless there is some substantial reason for the change.{{efn|name="ArbCom"|For the origin of this phrasing, see ] decisions in ], ], and ]}}
			Edit warring over style, or enforcing optional style in a ] fashion without prior consensus, ].{{efn|name="ew"}}{{efn|name="bot-like"|See ], and {{section link|Misplaced Pages:AutoWikiBrowser#Rules of use}}; bot-like editing that continues despite objections or that introduces errors may lead to a ] and to revocation of semi-automated tools privileges.}}
	The ] has ruled that editors should not change an article from one guideline-defined style to another without a substantial reason unrelated to mere choice of style, and that revert-warring over optional styles is unacceptable.<ref>], ], and ]</ref> Where there is disagreement over which style to use in an article, defer to the style used by the first major contributor.
			Unjustified changes from one acceptable, ] style in an article to a different style may generally be ]. Seek ] to avoid disputes over style.
	===Follow the sources===
	{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style (trademarks)|l1=Manual of Style: '''Trademarks'''|Misplaced Pages:No original research|l2=Misplaced Pages's policy on '''No original research'''}}
	Many points of usage, such as the treatment of proper names, can be decided by seeing what other writers do. Unless there is some clear reason to do otherwise, follow the usage of reliable secondary sources in English on the subject; the sources for the article itself should be reliable. If the sources can be shown to be unrepresentative of current English usage, follow current English usage instead—and consult more sources.
			If you believe an alternative style would be more appropriate for a particular article, seek ] by discussing this at the article's talk page or{{snd}}if it raises an issue of more general application or with the MoS itself{{snd}}at ]. If a discussion does not result in consensus for the change at the article, continue to use the already-established style there. If discussion fails to reach a consensus regarding which of two or more competing styles to use at all, then default to the style that was used in the first post-] version of the article in which one of the applicable styles appeared. (This fall-back position does not give ] to that particular style during consensus discussion, nor give the editor who imposed that earliest style ] in the discussion.)
	===Clarity===
	Writing should be clear and concise. ] works best: avoid jargon, vague phrases, and unnecessary complexity.
			{{crossref|pw=y|For retention of an article's established national variety of English (and potential reasons to change it), see {{section link||National varieties of English}}.}}
	== Article titles, headings, and sections ==
	{{Mergefrom|Misplaced Pages:Lead section|Misplaced Pages:Layout|discuss=Misplaced Pages talk:Manual of Style#Consolidation?|date=March 2010}}
	{{main|Misplaced Pages:Lead section|Misplaced Pages:Layout|Help:Section}}
			==Article titles, sections, and headings <span class="anchor" id="Article titles, headings, and sections"></span>==
	=== {{MOSR-link|Article titles}} ===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:AT}}
	{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Article titles|l1=Misplaced Pages's policy on '''Article titles'''}}
	This section contains a summary of the policy governing the titles of Misplaced Pages's articles. Its guidance applies to the titles of Misplaced Pages articles, not to the titles of external articles that are cited. The guidance here also applies to ], below.
	* Article titles should conform to Misplaced Pages's ], including ].
	* Titles should match the article contents, and should be neither too narrow nor too broad.
	* Titles should be ]s or ]s (]s): {{xt|Effects of the wild}}, not {{!xt|About the effects of the wild}}.
	* Titles should be short—preferably fewer than ten words.<ref> See and .</ref>
	* The initial letter of a title is capitalized (except in very rare cases, such as {{xt|eBay}}). Otherwise, capital letters are used only where they would be used in a normal sentence ({{xt|Funding of UNESCO projects}}, not {{!xt|Funding of UNESCO Projects}}).
	* Do not use {{!xt|''a''}}, {{!xt|''an''}}, or {{!xt|''the''}} as the first word ({{xt|Economy of the Second Empire}}, not {{!xt|The economy of the Second Empire}}), unless by convention it is an inseparable part of a name ({{xt|The Hague}}).
	* Avoid special characters such as the slash ({{!xt|/}}), plus sign ({{!xt|+}}), braces ({{!xt|<nowiki>{&nbsp;}</nowiki>}}), and square brackets ({{!xt|}}); use {{xt|''and''}} instead of an ampersand ({{!xt|&}}), unless the ampersand is an accepted part of a name ({{xt|Emerson, Lake & Palmer}}).
	* The final visible character of a title should not be a punctuation mark, unless the punctuation is part of a name ({{xt|]}}), or an abbreviation is used ({{xt|]}}), or a closing round bracket or quote mark is needed ({{xt|]}}).
	=== Section headings ===		===Article titles===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Article titles}}
	{{shortcut|WP:HEAD|WP:MOSHEAD|WP:Headings|MOS:HEAD}}
			A title should be a recognizable name or description of the topic, ] the criteria of being natural, sufficiently precise, concise, and consistent with those of related articles.
	* All of the guidance in ] immediately above applies to section headings, as well.
	* Headings provide an overview in the table of contents and allow readers to navigate through the text more easily.
	* Change a heading only after careful consideration. If a heading is changed, use an ] to avoid breaking section links to it within the same article and from other articles.
	* Section names should preferably be unique within a page; this applies even for the names of subsections. The disadvantages of duplication are that:
	** after editing, the display can arrive at the wrong section; see also below; and
	** the automatic edit summary on editing a section with a non-unique name is ambiguous.
	* Section names should not normally contain links, especially ones that link only part of the heading; they will cause ].
	* Section names should not explicitly refer to the subject of the article, or to higher-level headings, unless doing so is shorter or clearer. For example, {{xt|Early life}} is preferable to {{!xt|His early life}} when ''his'' refers to the subject of the article; headings can be assumed to be about the subject unless otherwise indicated.
	* Capitalize the first letter of the first word and any proper nouns in headings, but leave the rest in lower case ({{xt|Rules and regulations}}, not {{!xt|Rules and Regulations}}).
	* Spaced or unspaced multiple equal signs are the style markup for headings. The triple apostrophes (<code><nowiki>'''</nowiki></code>) that make words appear in boldface are not used in headings. The nesting hierarchy for headings is as follows:
	** the automatically generated top-level heading of a page is H1, which gives the article title;
	** primary headings are then <code><nowiki>==H2==</nowiki></code>, followed by <code><nowiki>===H3===</nowiki></code>, <code><nowiki>====H4====</nowiki></code>, and so on.
	* Spaces between the <code><nowiki>==</nowiki></code> and the heading text are optional (<code><nowiki>==H2==</nowiki></code> is equivalent to <code style="white-space: nowrap"><nowiki>== H2 ==</nowiki></code>). These extra spaces will not affect the appearance of the heading, except in the edit window. (Some common ], however, are programmed to remove them.) While editing, the spaces afford greater compatibility with browser spell checking software.
	* A blank line below the heading is optional; but do include one blank line ''above'' the heading, for readability in the edit window. (Only two or more blank lines above or below will add more white space in the public appearance of the page.)
			For formatting guidance see the {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Article titles|Article title format}} section, noting the following:
	=== Main article link ===
			*Capitalize the initial letter (except in rare cases, such as {{xt|eBay}}), but otherwise follow ]{{efn|name=Sentence case|1=Misplaced Pages uses ] for sentences, ], ], ], ], ] (in most cases), and entries in ] and similar templates, among other things. Any MoS guidance about the start of a sentence applies to items using sentence case.<!-- Please keep this footnote synced with the version at the MOS:CAPS page. -->}} ({{xt|Funding of UNESCO projects}}), not title case ({{!xt|Funding of UNESCO Projects}}), except where title case would be used in ordinary prose. See ].
	If the topic of a section is also covered in a dedicated article, then this should be marked by inserting {{tlp|main|Article name}} directly beneath the section heading.
			*To italicize, add {{tlx|italic title}} near the top of the article. For mixed situations, use, e.g., <code><nowiki>{{DISPLAYTITLE:</nowiki>{{zwsp}}<nowiki>Interpretations of ''2001: A Space Odyssey''}}</nowiki></code>, instead. Use of italics should conform to {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting|Italic type}}.
			*Do not use ] (''a'', ''an'', or ''the'') as the first word ({{xt|Economy of the Second Empire}}, not {{!xt|The economy of the Second Empire}}), unless it is an inseparable part of a name ({{xt|The Hague}}) or of the title of a work (''{{xt|A Clockwork Orange}}'', ''{{xt|The Simpsons}}'').
			*Normally use ]s or ]s: {{xt|Early life}}, not {{!xt|In early life}}.{{Efn|1=Phrases such as {{xt|In early life}} are acceptable (though not required) as section headings. They are also used frequently as part of longer article titles such as ], especially when a shorter construction ({{xtn|Caribbean piracy}}) may have ambiguity issues.}}
			*The final character should not be punctuation unless it is an inseparable part of a name ({{xt|]}}, {{xt|'']''}}) or an abbreviation ({{xt|]}}), or when a closing round bracket or quotation mark is required ({{xt|]}}).
			*Whenever quotation marks or apostrophes appear, add a ] for the same title using apostrophes.{{efn|name=curlyq|1=Curly quotation marks and apostrophes are deprecated on the English Misplaced Pages because straight quotation marks and apostrophes are easier to type reliably on most platforms.}}
			Subject both to the above and to ], the rest of the MoS, particularly {{section link||Punctuation}}, applies also to the title.
	=== Section management ===
	{{shortcut|MOS:SECTIONS}}
	* When linking to a section of an article, go to that section and leave an editor's note to inform others that the section's title is linked. List the names of the linking articles, so that if the title is altered, others can fix the links without having to perform exhaustive searches. For example:
	{{xt2|<code><nowiki> ==Evolutionary implications<!--This section is linked from ] and ]-->== </nowiki></code>}}
	* As well, consider a preemptive measure to minimize link corruption when the text of a heading changes: insert an {{tl|anchor}} with the old name, which will then still work as an alternative link to that section. For example:
	{{xt2|<code><nowiki> ==New section name{{anchor | Evolutionary implications}}<!-- This section is linked from ] and ] -->== </nowiki></code>}}
	* As explained in more detail at ], optional appendix sections containing the following information may appear after the body of the article, in the following order: (a) a list of books or other works created by the subject of the article; (b) a list of internal links to related Misplaced Pages articles; (c) notes and references; (d) a list of recommended relevant books, articles, or other publications that have not been used as sources; and (e) a list of recommended relevant websites that have not been used as sources and do not appear in the earlier appendix sections.
			{{crossref|pw=y|See also ], for cases where an article about a published work has a title that coincides with the work's title.}}
	== Capital letters ==
	{{Mergefrom|Manual of Style (capital letters)|discuss=Misplaced Pages talk:Manual of Style#Consolidation?|date=March 2010}}
			===Section organization===
	{{main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style (capital letters)}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:SO}}
	There are differences between the major varieties of English in the use of capitals (majuscule or uppercase letters). Where this is an issue, the rules and conventions of the cultural and linguistic context apply. As for spelling, maintain consistency within an article.
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Layout}}
			An article's content should begin with an introductory {{em|lead<!-- Do not add the word "lede" here. See footnotes at WP:LEAD for details. --> section}}{{snd}}a concise summary of the article{{snd}}which is never divided into sections {{crossref|pw=y|(see ])}}. The remainder of the article is typically divided into ].
	Do not use capital letters for emphasis on Misplaced Pages. Where wording alone cannot provide the emphasis, use italics.
			], images, and related content in the lead section must be right-aligned.
	:{|style="background:transparent"
	|-valign=top
	|''Incorrect'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|Contrary to popular belief, aardvarks are Not the same as anteaters.}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Incorrect'': ||{{!xt|Contrary to popular belief, aardvarks are NOT the same as anteaters.}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|Contrary to popular belief, aardvarks are ''not'' the same as anteaters.}}
	|}
			Certain standardized ] and ] that are not sections go at the very top of the article, before the content of the lead section, and in the following order:
	===Use of "The" mid-sentence===
			*A ], with the {{tlx|Short description}} template
	In general, do not capitalize the definite article in the middle of a sentence. However, there are idiomatic exceptions, including most titles of works of art, which should be quoted exactly. Common usage should be followed for particular cases. As usual, it is a good idea to ] of the article.
			*A ], most of the time with the {{tlx|Hatnote}} template {{crossref|pw=y|(see also {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Hatnote#Hatnote templates}})}}
	:{|style="background:transparent"
			*No-output templates that indicate the article's established date format and English-language variety, if any (e.g., {{tlx|Use dmy dates}}, {{tlx|Use Canadian English}})
	|-valign=top
			*Banner-type maintenance templates, ] and ] for article-wide issues that have been flagged (otherwise used at the top of a specific section, after any sectional hatnote such as {{tlx|main}})
	|''Incorrect''&nbsp;||''(generic)'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|There was an article about The United Kingdom in yesterday's newspaper.}}
			*An ], which is optional (except in special cases like {{tlx|Taxobox}} and {{tlx|Chembox}}, or a variant thereof, at applicable articles); usually also includes the first image
	|-valign=top
			*An introductory image, when an infobox is not used, or an additional image is desired for the lead section (for unusually long leads, a second image can be placed midway through the lead text)
	|''Correct'' ||''(generic)'': ||{{xt|There was an article about the United Kingdom in yesterday's newspaper.}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Incorrect''&nbsp;||''(title)'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|J.R.R. Tolkien wrote ''the Lord of the Rings''.}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Correct'' ||''(title)'': ||{{xt|J.R.R. Tolkien wrote ''The Lord of the Rings''.}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Correct'' ||''(title)'': ||{{xt|Homer wrote the ''Odyssey''.}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Incorrect'' ||''(exception)'': ||{{!xt|There are two seaside resorts in the Hague.}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Correct'' ||''(exception)'': ||{{xt|There are two seaside resorts in The Hague.}}
	|}
			In the ] skin, the ] is separate from the article content. In some older skins, a navigable table of contents appears automatically just after the lead if an article has at least four section headings.
	=== Titles of people <span id="Titles"/>===<!-- The preceding Span tag is the target for any existing links to this section that may use the misleading old section title (which suggests titles of *article pages*) -->
	* '''When used generically''', words such as ''president'', ''king'', and ''emperor'' are in lower case ({{xt|De Gaulle was a French president}}; {{xt|Louis XVI was a French king}}; {{xt|Three prime ministers attended the conference}}).
	* '''When used as parts of a title''' such words begin with a capital letter ({{xt|President Obama}}, not {{!xt|president Obama}}). Standard or commonly used names of an office are treated as proper nouns ({{xt|The British Prime Minister is David Cameron}}; {{xt|Hirohito was Emperor of Japan}}; {{xt|Louis XVI was King of France}}). Royal styles are capitalized ({{xt|Her Majesty}}; {{xt|His Highness}}); exceptions may apply for particular offices.
	* For the use of titles and honorifics in biographical articles, see ].
			If the topic of a section is covered in more detail in a dedicated article {{crossref|pw=y|(see ])}}, insert {{tlx|main|{{var|Article name}}}} or {{tlx|further|{{var|Article name}}}} immediately under the section heading.
	=== Religions, deities, philosophies, doctrines, and their adherents ===
	* '''Religions, sects, and churches''' and their followers (in noun or adjective form) start with a capital letter. Generally, ''the'' is not capitalized before such names ({{xt|the Shī‘a}}, not {{!xt|The Shī‘a}}). (However, see also the ] and ] for the Latter Day Saint movement.)
	* ''']s''' (scriptures) are capitalized but often not italicized ({{xt|the Bhagavad Gita}}, {{xt|the Qur’an}}, {{xt|the Talmud}}, {{xt|the Granth Sahib}}, {{xt|the Bible}}). When ''the'' is used, it is not capitalized. Some derived adjectives are capitalized by convention, some are not (normally {{xt|biblical}} but {{xt|Koranic}}, for example); if unsure, check a dictionary appropriate to the topic, and be consistent within an article.
	* ''']s for deities''', including ]s and titles, start with a capital letter ({{xt|God}}, {{xt|Allah}}, {{xt|the Lord}}, {{xt|the Supreme Being}}, {{xt|the Great Spirit}}, {{xt|the Horned One}}, {{xt|Bhagavan}}). The article ''the'' is not capitalized unless it is formally a part of the ]. The same is true when referring to major religious figures and figures from mythology by titles or terms of respect ({{xt|the Prophet}}, {{xt|the Messiah}}, {{xt|the Virgin}}). ]s denoting deities or religious figures are not capitalized ({{xt|the Romans worshipped many gods}}; {{xt|many Anglo-Saxons worshipped the god Wotan}}; {{xt|Jesus and Muhammad are both considered prophets in Islam}}; {{xt|biblical scholars dispute whether Mary was a virgin for her entire life}}; {{xt|her husband was her muse}}, but {{xt|the nine Muses}}).
	* ''']s and ] referring to figures of veneration''' are not capitalized in Misplaced Pages articles, even when they traditionally are in a religion's scriptures. They are left capitalized when directly quoting scriptures or any other texts that capitalize them.
	* '''Broad categories of mythical or legendary creatures''' do not start with uppercase capital letters ({{xt|elf}}, {{xt|fairy}}, {{xt|nymph}}, {{xt|unicorn}}, {{xt|angel}}), although in derived works of fantasy, such as the novels of J.R.R. Tolkien and real-time strategy video games, initial capitals are sometimes used to indicate that the beings are regarded as forming a culture or a race in their ]s. Names or titles of individual creatures are capitalized ({{xt|the Minotaur}}, {{xt|the Pegasus}}) as are those of groups whose name and membership are fixed ({{xt|the Magi or the Three Wise Men}}, {{xt|the Cherubim}}). As with terms for deities, generalized references are not capitalized ({{xt|the priests of this sect were called magi by some}}; {{xt|several wise men were consulted}}; {{xt|cherub-like}}).
	* '''Spiritual or religious events''' are likewise capitalized only when they are terms referring to specific incidents or periods ({{xt|the Great Flood}} and {{xt|the Exodus}}; but {{xt|annual flooding}} and {{xt|an exodus of refugees}}).
	* '''Philosophies, theories, movements, and doctrines''' do not begin with a capital letter unless the name derives from a proper noun ({{xt|capitalism versus Marxism}}) or has become a proper noun (lowercase {{xt|republican}} refers to a system of political thought; uppercase {{xt|Republican}} refers to one of several specific political parties or ideologies, such as the {{xt|US Republican Party}} or {{xt|Irish Republicanism}}). Use lower case for doctrinal topics or canonical religious ideas (as distinguished from specific events), even if they are capitalized by some religious adherents ({{xt|virgin birth}}, {{xt|original sin}}, {{xt|transubstantiation}}).
	* '''] or transcendent ideals''' are capitalized ({{xt|Truth}}, {{xt|the Good}}), but only within the context of philosophical doctrine; used more broadly, they are in lower case ({{xt|Superman represents American ideals of truth and justice}}). Use capitals for personifications represented in art ({{xt|The guidebook mentioned statues of Justice and Liberty}}).
			As explained in detail in {{slink|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Layout|Standard appendices and footers}}, several kinds of material (mostly optional) may appear after the main body of the article, in the following order:
	=== Calendar items ===
			*Books or other works created by the subject of the article, under a section heading "Works", "Publications", "Discography", "Filmography", etc. as appropriate (avoid "Bibliography", confusable with reference citations)
	* '''Months, days of the week, and holidays''' start with a capital letter ({{xt|June}}, {{xt|Monday}}; {{xt|the Fourth of July}} only for the US Independence Day, otherwise {{xt|July 4}} or {{xt|4 July}}).
			*Internal links to related English Misplaced Pages articles, with section heading "See also"
	* '''Seasons''' are in lowercase ({{xt|this summer was very hot}}; {{xt|the winter solstice occurs about December 22}}; {{xt|I have spring fever}}), except in personifications or in proper names for periods or events ({{xt|I think Spring is showing her colors}}; {{xt|Old Man Winter}}; {{xt|The team had great success on the Spring Circuit}}).
			*Notes and references, with a section heading "Notes" or "References" (usually the latter), or a separate section for each in this order {{crossref|pw=y|(see ])}}; avoid "Bibliography", confusable with the subject's works
			*Relevant books, articles, or other publications that have not been used as sources; use the section heading "Further reading"; be highly selective, as ]
			*Relevant ] websites that have not been used as sources and do not appear in the earlier appendices, using the heading "External links", which may be made a subsection of "Further reading" (or such links can be integrated directly into the "Further reading" list instead); ] also usually go at the top of this section when it is present (otherwise in the last section on the page)
			*The following final items never take section headings:
			**Internal links organized into ]
			**] metadata, if needed, using {{tlx|Authority control}} (distinguishes uses of the same name for two subjects, or multiple names for one subject)
			**], which should be the very last material in the article's source code if there are no stub templates
			**], if needed, which should follow the categories
			] have some additional layout considerations.
	=== Animals, plants, and other organisms ===
	{{main|Misplaced Pages:WikiProject Tree of Life#Article titles|Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (fauna)}}
	Scientific names for ''genera'' and ''species'' are italicized, with a capital initial letter for the genus but no capital for the species; for more detailed guidelines on titles with taxonomic terms, see ] ({{xt|The tulip tree is ''Liriodendron tulipifera''}}; {{xt|All modern humans are ''Homo sapiens''}}. Taxonomic groups higher than genus are given with an initial capital and are not in italics; for example, gulls are in the family Laridae, and we are in the family Hominidae.
			===Section headings<span class="anchor" id="Section management"></span>===
	Common (vernacular) names of flora and fauna should be written in lower case ({{xt|oak}}, {{xt|lion}}). There are some exceptions:
			{{Shortcut|MOS:HEAD|MOS:HEADINGS|MOS:SECTIONS|MOS:SECTIONHEAD}}
	# Where the vernacular name contains a proper noun, such as the name of a person or place, that proper noun should be capitalized ({{xt|The Amur tiger may have a range of over 500 square kilometres}}; {{xt|The Roosevelt elk is a subspecies of ''Cervus canadensis''}}).
			{{See also|Help:Section|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility#Headings|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Layout#Order of article elements|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters#Section headings}}
	# For particular groups of organisms, there are particular rules of capitalization based on current and historic usage among those who study the organisms; for example, official common names of ].
	# In a very few cases, a set of officially established common names is recognized only within a country or a geographic region. Those common names may be capitalized according to local custom, but not all editors will have access to the references needed to support these names; in such cases, using the general recommendation is also acceptable.
			Section headings should generally follow the guidance for ] (above), and should be presented in ] ({{xt|Funding of UNESCO projects in developing countries}}), not title case ({{!xt|Funding of UNESCO Projects in Developing Countries}}).{{efn|name=Sentence case}}
	A ] from an alternative capitalization should be created where it is used in an article title.
			{{shortcut|MOS:BLANKLINE}}
	In articles that cover two or more taxonomic groups, a consistent style of capitalization should be used for species names. This could involve the use of:
			{{Anchor|Blank line}}
	*scientific names throughout (often appropriate for specialist articles);
			The heading must be on its own line, with one blank line just before it; a blank line just ''after'' is optional and ignored (but do not use ''two'' blank lines, before or after, because that will add unwanted visible space).
	*] for common names of species throughout, and lower case for common names of groups of species ({{xt|the Golden Eagle is a relatively large eagle}}; see ]); or
	*lower-case initial letters for common names, which may work well for non-specialist articles that happen to refer to different taxonomic groups.
			{{Anchor|Section headings (technical best practice)}}For technical reasons, section headings should:
	=== Celestial bodies ===
			*{{Anchor|Section headings (necessary point 1)}}Be unique within a page, so that ]s lead to the right place.
	* When used generally, the words ''sun'', ''earth'', and ''moon'' do not take capitals ({{xt|The sun was peeking over the mountain top}}; {{xt|The greatest cobalt deposit on earth.}}), except for when the entities are personified ({{xt|Sol Invictus ("Unconquered Sun") was the Roman sun god}}) or when the term refers to the names of specific astronomical bodies ({{xt|The Moon orbits the Earth}}; but {{xt|Io is a moon of Jupiter}}).
			{{shortcut|MOS:NOSECTIONLINKS}}
	* '''Names of planets, moons, asteroids, comets, stars, constellations, and galaxies''' are proper nouns, and therefore capitalized ({{xt|The planet Mars can be seen tonight in the constellation Gemini, near the star Pollux}}; {{xt|Halley's Comet is the most famous of the periodic comets}}; {{xt|The Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy}}). The first letter of every word in such a name is capitalized ({{xt|Alpha Centauri}} and not {{!xt|Alpha centauri}}; {{xt|Milky Way}}, not {{!xt|Milky way}}).
			*{{Anchor|Section headings (necessary point 2)}}Not contain ]s, especially where only part of a heading is linked.
			*{{Anchor|Section headings (necessary point 3)}}Not contain images or ].
			*{{Anchor|Section headings (necessary point 4)}}Not contain <]> markup.
			*{{Anchor|Section headings (necessary point 5)}}Not contain citations or footnotes.
			*{{Anchor|Section headings (necessary point 6)}}Not misuse ] markup ("<code>;</code>") to create ].
			*{{Anchor|Section headings (necessary point 7)}}Not contain template transclusions.
			{{Anchor|Section headings (main technical reason)}}These technical restrictions are necessary to avoid technical complications and are not subject to override by local consensus.
	=== Directions and regions ===
	* '''Directions''' such as ''north'' do not take capitals, except as parts of names. The same is true for their related forms ({{xt|We took the northern road}}; but {{xt|It was referred to by locals as the Great North Road}}). Composite directions may or may not be hyphenated, depending on the general style adopted in the article ({{xt|Southeast Asia}} and {{xt|northwest}} in American English; but {{xt|South-East Asia}} and {{xt|north-west}} in British English).
	* '''Names of regions''' are capitalized, including informal conventional names ({{xt|Southern California}}; {{xt|the Western Desert}}; {{xt|Old Cow Hill}}); and similarly with persons referred to by place of origin or residence ({{xt|He was the only Southerner among many Northerners}}). If uncertain whether to capitalize, do not.
			{{anchor|1=SECTIONSTYLE|2=Section headings (styling best practice)}}As a matter of consistent style, section headings should:
	=== Institutions ===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:SECTIONSTYLE|MOS:NOBACKREF}}
	* '''Names of institutions''' ({{xt|the University of Sydney}}; {{xt|George Brown College}}) are proper nouns and require capitals. The word ''the'' at the start of a title is usually uncapitalized, but the institution's own usage should be followed ({{xt|a degree from the University of Sydney}}; but {{xt|football players at The Ohio State University}}).
			*{{Anchor|Section headings (style point 1)}}Not redundantly refer back to the subject of the article, e.g., {{xt|Early life}}, not {{!xt|Smith's early life}} or {{!xt|His early life}}.
	* '''Generic words''' for institutions (''university'', ''college'', ''hospital'', ''high school'') do not take capitals:
			*{{Anchor|Section headings (style point 2)}}Not refer to a higher-level heading, unless doing so is shorter or clearer.
	::{|style="background:transparent"
			*{{Anchor|Section headings (style point 3)}}Not be numbered or lettered as an outline.
	|-valign=top
			*{{Anchor|Section headings (style point 4)}}Not be phrased as a question, e.g., {{xt|Languages}}, not {{!xt|What languages are spoken in Mexico?}}.
	|''Incorrect''&nbsp;||''(generic)'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|The University offers programs in arts and sciences.}}
			*{{Anchor|Section headings (style point 5)}}Not use color or unusual fonts that might cause ].
	|-valign=top
			*{{Anchor|Section headings (style point 6)}}Not be wrapped in ], which may break their display and cause other accessibility issues.
	|''Correct'' ||''(generic)'': ||{{xt|The university offers&nbsp;...}}
	|-valign=top
			{{Anchor|Section headings (main styling reason)}}These are broadly accepted community preferences.
	|''Correct'' ||''(title)'': ||{{xt|The University of Delhi offers&nbsp;...}}
			{{Anchor|SECTIONCOMMENT|Section comment}}
	|}
			{{short|MOS:SECTIONCOMMENT}}
	* '''Political or geographical units''', such as cities, towns, and countries, follow the same rules: the names of specific cities, towns, countries, and the like are proper nouns and require capitals; but generic words for ''types'' of government bodies do not take capitals. Sometimes, the full official name of a body is not needed.
			An ] on the same line must be {{em|inside}} the <code>==&nbsp;==</code> markup:{{efn|1=A comment outside the <code><nowiki>==&nbsp;==</nowiki></code> but on the same line may cause the section-editing link to fail to appear at all; in other browsers, it may appear, but using it will cause the section heading to not automatically be added to the edit summary.}}
	::{|style="background:transparent"
			{{block indent|1=
	|-valign=top
			{{xt|1=<code><nowiki>==Implications<!--This comment works fine.-->== </nowiki></code>}}<br />
	|''Incorrect''&nbsp;||''(generic)'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|The City has a population of 55,967.}}
			{{xt|1=<code><nowiki>==<!--This comment works fine.-->Implications== </nowiki></code>}}<br />
	|-valign=top
			{{!xt|1=<code><nowiki>==Implications==<!--This comment causes problems.--> </nowiki></code>}}<br />
	|''Correct'' ||''(generic)'': ||{{xt|The city has&nbsp;...}}
			{{!xt|1=<code><nowiki><!--This comment breaks the heading completely.-->==Implications== </nowiki></code>}}
	|-valign=top
			}}
	|''Correct'' ||''(title)'': ||{{xt|The City of Smithville has&nbsp;...}}
			It is more usual practice to put such comments {{em|below}} the heading.
	|-valign=top
	|''Correct'' ||''(type unspecified)'': ||{{xt|Smithville has&nbsp;...}}
			{{Anchor|SECTIONANCHOR|Section anchor}}
			{{short|MOS:SECTIONANCHOR}}
			<section begin="heading links" />Before changing a heading, consider whether you might be breaking existing links to it.<section end="heading links" /> If there are many ],{{efn|name="many links"|1=To find out how many inlinks there are to the old section title and what articles have them, you can execute <span class=plainlinks></span>, changing {{smallcaps|article}} to the name of the article, and {{smallcaps|oldsection}} to the old section title. That advanced search does not search ], so also check the article's ] page for redirects to the old section title. If there are only a small number of links to the old section title, it may be better to just update them. }} create an ] with that title to ensure that these still work. Similarly, when linking to a section, leave an invisible comment at the heading of the target section, naming the linking articles, so that if the heading is later altered these can be fixed. For (a combined) example:
			{{block indent|1=
			{{xt|1=<code><nowiki>==Implications{{subst:</nowiki>]<nowiki>|Consequences}}==</nowiki><br /><nowiki><!-- Section linked from ], ]. --></nowiki></code>}}
			}}
			which will be saved in the article as:
			{{block indent|1=
			{{xt|1=<code>==Implications{{code|1={{Anchor|Consequences}}}}==<br /><nowiki><!-- Section linked from ], ]. --></nowiki></code>}}
			}}
			The advantage of using <code><nowiki>{{subst:Anchor}}</nowiki></code>, or simply inserting the <code><nowiki><span></nowiki></code> tags directly, is that when edits are made to the section in the future, the anchor will not be included in page history entries as part of the section name. When <code><nowiki>{{Anchor}}</nowiki></code> is used directly, that undesirable behavior ''does'' occur. Note: if electing to insert the span directly, do not abbreviate it by using a self-closing tag, as in <code><nowiki>==Implications<span id="Consequences" />==</nowiki></code>, since in HTML5 that XML-style syntax is valid only for certain tags, such as {{nowrap |<code>&lt;br /></code>}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T134423 |title=T134423 Deprecate nonstandard behavior of self-closed HTML tags in wikitext. |website=phabricator.wikimedia.org |access-date=2019-09-25}}</ref> See {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Linking|Avoiding broken section links}} for further discussion.
			====Heading-like material====
			The above guidance about sentence case, redundancy, images, and questions also applies to ] (and of table columns and rows). However, table headings can incorporate citations and may begin with, or be, numbers. Unlike page headings, table headers do not automatically generate link anchors. Aside from sentence case in glossaries, the heading advice also applies to the ''term'' entries in ]. If using ], terms will automatically have link anchors, but will not otherwise. Citations for description-list content go in the ''term'' or ''definition'' element, as needed.
			==National varieties of English==
			{{Shortcut|MOS:ENGVAR}}
			{{see also|Misplaced Pages:Article titles#National varieties of English|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Spelling}}
			National varieties of English (for example, ] or ]) differ in vocabulary (''elevator'' vs. ''lift''{{hairspace}}), spelling (''center'' vs. ''centre''), and occasionally grammar {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link||Plurals}}, below)}}. Articles such as ] and ] provide information about such differences. The English Misplaced Pages prefers no national variety over others.
			An article's date formatting ({{xt|{{#time: F j, Y}}}} vs. {{xt|{{#time: j F Y}}}}) is also related to national varieties of English{{snd}}see ] and especially ] and ].
			===Consistency within articles<span class="anchor" id="Internal consistency"></span>===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:ARTCON|MOS:CONSISTENT}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Consistency}}
			The conventions of a particular variety of English should be followed consistently within a given article. Exceptions include:
			*'''Quotations''' and '''titles of works''' (such as books, films, and music) should be given as they appear in sources. However, there are certain situations where this principle is not followed in order to maintain a level of typographic conformity across the encyclopedia: see {{section link||Typographic conformity}}.
			*'''Proper names''' use the subject's own spelling, e.g., {{xt|joint project of the United States Department of Defense and the Australian Defence Force}}; {{xt|International Labour Organization}}<!--This example is here because it uses -our and -ization at the same time; it is Oxford spelling.-->;
			*For articles about chemistry-related topics, the international standard spellings {{xt|aluminium}}, {{xt|sulfur}}, {{xt|caesium}} (and derivative terms) should be used regardless of the variety of English otherwise employed in the article. See {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (chemistry)|Element names}}.
			===Opportunities for commonality===
			{{shortcut|MOS:COMMONALITY}}
			For an international encyclopedia, using vocabulary common to all varieties of English is preferable.
			*Use universally accepted terms rather than those less widely distributed, especially in titles. For example, ] is preferred to the national varieties {{!xt|spectacles}} (]) and {{!xt|eyeglasses}} (]); ] is preferable to ] (]).
			*If a variant spelling appears in a title, make a ] page to accommodate the others, as with ] and ], so that all variants can be used in searches and linking.
			*Terms that differ between varieties of English, or that have divergent meanings, may be ] to prevent confusion, for example, {{xt|the trunk (American English) or boot (British English) of a car&nbsp;...}}.
			*Use a commonly understood word or phrase in preference to one that has a different meaning because of national differences (rather than {{!xt|alternate}}, use {{xt|alternative}} or {{xt|alternating}}, as appropriate), except in technical contexts where such substitution would be inappropriate ({{xt|alternate leaves}}; {{xt|alternate law}}).
			*When more than one variant spelling exists within a national variety of English, the most commonly used current variant should usually be preferred, except where the less common spelling has a specific usage in a specialized context, e.g., ''connexion'' in ].
			{{crossref|pw=y|For assistance with specific terms, see {{section link|Comparison of American and British English|Vocabulary}}, and ]; most dictionaries also indicate regional terms.}}
			===Strong national ties to a topic===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:TIES}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers#Strong national ties to a topic|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers#Unit choice and order}}
			An article on a topic that has strong ties to a particular English-speaking nation should use the (formal, not colloquial) English of that nation. For example:
			<!--
			Please DO NOT add more examples here. This is not a list of English dialects.
			ENGVAR is concerned with English varieties that exist in a codified, formal written register with their own style guides.
			-->
			{{Columns-list|colwidth=22em|
			*] (])
			*] (])
			*] (])
			*] (])
			*] (])
			*] (])
			*] (])
			*] (])
			*] (])
			*] (])
			*] (])
			}}
			For topics with strong ties to ] countries and other ], use ] orthography, largely indistinguishable from British English in encyclopedic writing (excepting Canada, which uses ]).
			===Retaining the existing variety===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:RETAIN}}
			{{See also|#Retaining existing styles|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers#Retaining the existing format|Misplaced Pages:Article titles#National varieties of English}}
			{{redirect|WP:RETAIN|the general editing policy|WP:PRESERVE}}
			When an English variety's ] has been established in an article, maintain it in the absence of consensus to the contrary. With few exceptions (e.g., when a topic has ] or the change reduces ambiguity), there is no valid reason for changing from one acceptable option to another.
			{{anchor|FPSR|FMC}}When no English variety has been established and discussion does not resolve the issue, use the variety found in the first post-] revision that introduced an identifiable variety. The established variety in a given article can be documented by placing the appropriate ] on its talk page.
			An article should not be edited or renamed simply to switch from one variety of English to another. {{tlxs|uw-engvar}} may be placed on an editor's talk page to explain this.
			==Capital letters==
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters}}
			Misplaced Pages article titles and section headings use sentence case, not title case; see ] and {{section link||Section headings}}. For capitalization of list items, see {{section link||Bulleted and numbered lists}}. Other points concerning capitalization are summarized below. Full information can be found at ]. The central point is that Misplaced Pages does not capitalize something unless it is consistently capitalized in a substantial majority of independent, ].
			===Capitalization of ''The''===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters#Capitalization of The}}
			Generally, do not capitalize the word ''the'' in mid-sentence: {{xt|throughout the United Kingdom}}, not {{!xt|throughout The United Kingdom}}. Conventional exceptions include certain proper names ({{xt|he visited The Hague}}) and most titles of creative works ({{xt|Tolkien wrote ''The Lord of the Rings''}}{{snd}}but be aware that ''the'' might not be part of the title itself, e.g., {{xt|Homer composed the ''Odyssey''}}).
			There are special considerations for: ] &middot;&nbsp;] &middot;&nbsp;] &middot;&nbsp;] &middot;&nbsp;].
			===Titles of works<span id="Capitalization-Titles"></span>===
			{{main|WP:Manual of Style/Titles of works}}
			The English-language titles of compositions (books and other print works, songs and other audio works, films and other visual media works, paintings and other artworks, etc.) are given in {{em|]}}, in which every word is given an initial capital except for certain less important words (as detailed at {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters|Composition titles}}). The first and last words in an English-language title are always capitalized.
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|''An Eye for an Eye''}}
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|''Worth the Fighting For''}}
			Capitalization in non-English language titles varies, even over time within the same language; generally, retain the style of the original for modern works, and follow the usage in current{{efn|name=recent}} English-language reliable sources for historical works. When written in the Latin alphabet, many of these items should also be in ], or enclosed in ].
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|{{lang|fr|Les Liaisons dangereuses}}}}
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|"{{lang|de|italics=no|Hymnus an den heiligen Geist}}"}}
			===Titles of people===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography#Titles of people}}
			*'''In generic use''', use lower case for words such as ''president'', ''king'', and ''emperor'' ({{xt|De Gaulle was a French president}}; {{xt|Louis XVI was a French king}}; {{xt|Three prime ministers attended the conference}}).
			*'''Directly before the person's name''', such words begin with a capital letter ({{xt|President Obama}}, not {{!xt|president Obama}}). Standard or commonly used names of an office are treated as proper names ({{xt|David Cameron was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom}}; {{xt|Hirohito was Emperor of Japan}}; {{xt|Louis XVI was King of France}}). Royal styles take capitals ({{xt|Her Majesty}}; {{xt|His Highness}}); exceptions may apply for particular offices.
			===Religions, deities, philosophies, doctrines===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters#Religions, deities, philosophies, doctrines, and their adherents}}
			{{see|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Religion}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Titles#Religious texts}}
			*'''Religions, sects, and churches''' and their followers (in noun or adjective form) start with a capital letter. Generally, "the" is not capitalized before such names ({{xt|the Unitarians}}, not {{!xt|The Unitarians}}).
			*''']s''' are capitalized, but often not italicized ({{xt|the Bhagavad Gita}}, {{xt|the Quran}}, {{xt|the Talmud}}, {{xt|the Granth Sahib}}, {{xt|the Bible}}). Do not capitalize "the" when using it in this way. Some derived adjectives are capitalized by convention, and some are not ({{xt|biblical}}, but {{xt|Quranic}}); if unsure, check a dictionary.
			*''']s for deities''', including proper names and titles, start with a capital letter ({{xt|God}}, {{xt|Allah}}, {{xt|the Lord}}, {{xt|the Supreme Being}}, {{xt|the Great Spirit}}, {{xt|the Horned One}}, {{xt|Bhagavan}}). Do not capitalize "the" in such cases or when referring to major religious figures or characters from mythology ({{xt|the Prophet}}, {{xt|the Messiah}}, {{xt|the Virgin}}). Common nouns for deities and religious figures are not capitalized ({{xt|many gods}}; {{xt|the god Woden}}; {{xt|saints and prophets}}).
			*'''Pronouns for figures of veneration or worship''' are not capitalized, even if capitalized in a religion's scriptures ({{xt|God and his will}}).
			*'''Broad categories of mythical or legendary beings''' start with lower-case letters ({{xt|elf}}, {{xt|fairy}}, {{xt|nymph}}, {{xt|unicorn}}, {{xt|angel}}), although in works of fantasy, such as the novels of ] and some video games, initial capitals are sometimes used to indicate that the beings form a culture or race in a ]. Capitalize the names or titles of individual creatures ({{xt|the Minotaur}}, {{xt|Pegasus}}) and of groups whose name and membership are fixed ({{xt|the Magi, or the Three Wise Men}}, {{xt|the Furies}}). Generalized references are not capitalized ({{xt|these priests}}; {{xt|several wise men}}; {{xt|cherub-like}}).
			*'''Spiritual or religious events''' are capitalized only when referring to specific incidents or periods ({{xt|the Great Flood}} and {{xt|the Exodus}}; but {{xt|annual flooding}} and {{xt|an exodus of refugees}}).
			*'''Philosophies, theories, movements, and doctrines''' use lower case unless the name derives from a proper name ({{xt|capitalism versus Marxism}}) or has become a proper name ({{xt|republican}}, a system of political thought; {{xt|Republican}}, a political party). Use lower case for doctrinal topics or canonical religious ideas (as opposed to specific events), even if they are capitalized by some religious adherents ({{xt|virgin birth}}, {{xt|original sin}}, {{xt|transubstantiation}}).
			*'''] or transcendent ideals''' are capitalized in the context of philosophical doctrine ({{xt|Truth}}, {{xt|the Good}}); used more broadly, they are in lower case ({{xt|Superman represents American ideals of truth and justice}}). Use capitals for personifications represented in art ({{xt|the guidebook mentioned statues of Justice and Liberty}}).
			*{{anchor|Eponyms|EPONYM|EPONYMS}}''']s''' are capitalized (], ], ], ], ], ]), except in idiomatic uses disconnected from the original context and usually lower-cased in sources (]; {{xt|complained of draconian workplace policies}}).{{efn|name=eponyms|1=There are some rare additional exceptions to capitalization of eponyms, in which a term has been strongly conventionalized in lower-case, i.e., is preferred that way in a majority of major English-language dictionaries. For example, {{xt|parkinsonian}} describes a patient exhibiting symptoms of ]. Linguistics/orthography use of the terms ], ], and ] ], and }}]] in typography always is.}} An entire phrase in which an eponym is an adjective ] except when the phrase is itself a proper name (e.g., the ]: ]).
			===Calendar items===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters#Calendar items}}
			*'''Months, days of the week, and holidays''' start with a capital letter ({{xt|June}}, {{xt|Monday}}; {{xt|the Fourth of July}} refers only to the US Independence Day{{snd}}otherwise {{xt|July 4}} or {{xt|4 July}}).
			*'''Seasons''' are in lower case ({{xt|her last summer}}; {{xt|the winter solstice}}; {{xt|spring fever}}), except in personifications or in proper names for periods or events ({{xt|Old Man Winter}}; {{xt|competed on the Spring Circuit}}).
			{{Anchor|People, animals, plants, and other organisms}}<!-- It is unlikely this was used much, and the phrase can simply be searched for and replaced. -->
			===Animals, plants, and other organisms===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:LIFE}}
			{{Hatnote|For more detail on capitalization, see {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters|Animals, plants, and other organisms}}; on italicization, {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting|Italic type}}. See also {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Lead section|Organisms}} for handling of first sentence. See ] and ] for article title guidelines.}}
			When using ''']''', capitalize and italicize the genus: {{xt|''Berberis''}}, {{xt|''Erithacus''}}. (Supergenus and subgenus, when applicable, are treated the same way.) Italicize but do not capitalize taxonomic ranks at the level of species and below: {{xt|''Berberis darwinii''}}, {{xt|''Erithacus rubecula superbus''}}, {{xt|''Acacia coriacea'' subsp. ''sericophylla''}}; no exception is made for proper names forming part of scientific names. Higher taxa (order, family, etc.) are capitalized in Latin ({{xt|Carnivora}}, {{xt|Felidae}}) but not in their English equivalents ({{xt|carnivorans}}, {{xt|felids}}); they are not italicized in either form, except for viruses, where all names accepted by the ] are italicized ({{xt|''Retroviridae''}}).
			''']''' and ''']''' names of plants are not italicized, and are capitalized (including the word ''Group'' in the name); cultivar names appear within single quotes ({{xt|''Malus domestica'' 'Red Delicious'}}), while cultivar groups do not ({{xt|''Cynara cardunculus'' Scolymus Group}}).
			'''English ]''' are given in lower case in article prose (]<!-- animal species -->, ]<!-- plant species -->, and ]<!-- bird subspecies -->) and in sentence case at the start of sentences and in other places where the first letter of the first word is capitalized.{{efn|name=Sentence case}} They are additionally capitalized where they contain proper names: ]<!-- eponym -->, ]<!-- typical geonym -->, and ]<!-- unusual but important illustrative case -->. This applies to species and subspecies, as in the previous examples, as well as to general names for groups or types of organism: ]<!-- cross-order ecological niche -->, ]<!-- plant family -->, ]<!-- animal family -->, ]<!-- species group -->, ]<!-- domestic type -->, ]<!-- domestic breed group but not a breed -->, ]<!-- domestic geographic landrace -->, ]<!-- hybrid/crossbreed/mongrel not recognized as a standardized breed -->. When the common name coincides with a scientific taxon, do not capitalize or italicize, except where addressing the organism taxonomically: {{xt|A lynx is any of the four medium-sized wild cat species within the genus ''Lynx''.}} Non-English vernacular names, when relevant to include, are handled like any other non-English terms: italicized as such, and capitalized only if the rules of the native language require it. Non-English names that have become English-assimilated are treated as English (], ]).
			''']''' should generally retain the capitalization used in the breed standards.{{efn|name=Standardized breeds|1=Breeds guideline added per a {{Diff2|881140543|RfC on capitalization of the names of standardized breeds|December 2018 RfC}}. "Standardized breed" lacks a perfectly clear meaning, but does encompass any breed subject to the ] or ] of a notable breeder/fancier organization. Various other groupings of domesticated animals are not standardized breeds: ancient historical varieties, breed groups, feral populations, landraces, and ]s or ] that no major organizations recognize as breeds. Many often are not ] anyway.}} Examples: ], ], ]. As with plant cultivars, this applies whether or not the included noun is a proper name, in contrast to how vernacular names of species are written. However, unlike cultivars, breeds are never put in single quotation marks, and their names are never part of a scientific name. A species term appended at the end for disambiguation ("cat", "hound", "horse", "swine", etc.) should not be capitalized, unless it is a part of the breed name itself and is consistently presented that way in the breed standards (rare cases include ] and ]).
			Create ] from alternative capitalization and spelling forms of article titles, and from alternative names, e.g., ], ], ] and '']'' should all redirect to ].
			===Celestial bodies===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters#Celestial bodies}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (astronomical objects)}}
			The words ''sun'', ''earth'', ''moon'', and ''solar system'' do not take capitals in general use ({{xt|The sun was over the mountain top}}; {{xt|The tribal people thought of the whole earth as their home}}). They are capitalized when the entity is personified ({{xt|Sol Invictus ('Unconquered Sun') was the Roman sun god}}) or when used as the name of a specific body in a scientific or astronomical context ({{xt|The Moon orbits the Earth}}; but {{xt|Io is a moon of Jupiter}}).
			Names of planets, moons, asteroids, comets, stars, constellations, and galaxies are proper names, and therefore capitalized ({{xt|The planet Mars is in the constellation Gemini, near the star Pollux}}). The first letter of every word in such a name is capitalized ({{xt|Alpha Centauri}} and not {{!xt|Alpha centauri}}; {{xt|Milky Way}}, not {{!xt|Milky way}}). Words such as ''comet'' and ''galaxy'' should be capitalized when they form part of a proper name, but not when they are used as a generic term ({{xt|Halley's Comet is the most famous of the comets}}; {{xt|The Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy}}).
			===Compass points<span class="anchor" id="Compass"></span>===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters#Compass points}}
			Do not capitalize '''directions''' such as ''north'' or their related forms ({{xt|We took the northern road}}) except when they are parts of proper names ({{xt|Great North Road}}, {{xt|Great Western Drive}}, {{xt|South Pole}}).
			Capitalize '''names of regions''' if they have attained proper-name status, including informal conventional names ({{xt|Southern California}}; {{xt|the Western Desert}}), and derived terms for people (e.g., a ''Southerner'' as someone from the ]). Do not capitalize descriptive names for regions that have not attained the status of proper names, such as {{xt|southern Poland}}.
			Composite directions may or may not be hyphenated, depending on the ] in the article. {{xt|Southeast Asia}} and {{xt|northwest}} are more common in American English; but {{xt|South-East Asia}} and {{xt|north-west}} in British English. In cases such as {{xt|north–south dialogue}} and {{xt|east–west orientation}}, use an en dash; see {{section link||En dashes: other uses}}.
			===Proper names versus generic terms<span id="Institutions"></span>===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters#Institutions|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters#Capitalization of ''The''}}
			Capitalize names of particular institutions ({{xt|the founding of the University of Delhi}}; {{xt|the history of Stanford University}}) but not generic words for institutions ({{xt|the high school is near the university}}). Do not capitalize ''the'' at the start of an institution's name, regardless of the institution's preferred style. There are rare exceptions, when a leading ''The'' is represented by a ''T'' in the organization's acronym: {{xt|The International Cat Association (TICA)}}.
			Treat political or geographic units similarly: {{xt|The city has a population of 55,000}}; {{xt|The two towns merged to become the City of Smithville}}. Do not mimic the style of local newspapers which refer to their municipality as ''the City'' or ''The City''; an exception is the ], referred to as {{xt|the City}} in a context that already makes the subject clear, as distinct from ] and ]. When in doubt, use the full name for ] reasons; users of text-to-speech systems usually cannot hear a difference between ''city'' and ''City''.
			==Ligatures==
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (use English)#Modified letters}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:LIG|MOS:LIGATURE}}
			] should be used in languages in which they are standard (hence {{xt|Moreau's last words were ''clin d'œil''}} is preferable to {{xt|Moreau's last words were ''clin d'oeil''}}) but not in English ({{xt|encyclopedia}} or {{xt|encyclopaedia}}, not {{!xt|encyclopædia}}), except in proper names ({{xt|Æthelstan}}, not {{!xt|Aethelstan}}).
			==Abbreviations<span class="anchor" id="Acronyms and abbreviations"></span><span class="anchor" id="Acronyms"></span><span class="anchor" id="Initialisms"></span><span class="anchor" id="Shortenings"></span>==
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Abbreviations}}
			{{see also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography#Initials}}
			Abbreviations are shortened forms of words or phrases. In strict analysis, they are distinct from ], which use an ] (e.g., ''won't'', see {{Section link||Contractions}}), and ]s. An initialism is formed from some or all of the initial letters of words in a phrase. Below, references to abbreviations should be taken to include acronyms, and the term ''acronym'' to apply also to initialisms.
			===Write first occurrences in full===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:1STOCC|MOS:1STABBR}}
			When an abbreviation will be used in an article, first introduce it using the full expression:
			{{Block indent|{{xt|an early local area network (LAN) developed by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC){{nbsp}}... DEC's later LAN products were{{nbsp}}...}}}}
			Do not use capitals in the full version merely because capitals are used in the abbreviation: {{!xt|an early Local Area Network (LAN)}}.
			Except in special circumstances, common abbreviations (such as {{xt|PhD}}, {{xt|DNA}}, {{xt|USSR}}) need not be expanded even on first use.
			===Plural forms===
			Pluralize ] by adding ''-s'' or ''-es'': {{xt|Three CD-ROMs and two BIOSes were released}}. Do not ]: {{!xt|Three CD-ROM's and two BIOS's were released}}.
			===Punctuation and spacing<span class="anchor" id="Periods (full stops) and spaces"></span><span class="anchor" id="Full stops and spaces"></span><span class="anchor" id="op.cit."></span>===
			An abbreviation may or may not be terminated with a full point (also called a ''period'' or ''full stop''). A consistent style should be maintained within an article. North American usage is typically to end all abbreviations with a period/point ({{xt|Dr. Smith of 42&nbsp;Drummond St.}}) but in common British and Australian usage, no period/point is used if the abbreviation (contraction) ends in the last letter of the unabbreviated form ({{xt|Dr Smith of 42&nbsp;Drummond St}}) unless confusion could result. This is also common practice in scientific writing. Regardless of punctuation, words that are abbreviated to more than one letter are spaced ({{xt|op.&nbsp;cit.}} not {{!xt|op.cit.}} or {{!xt|opcit}}). There are some exceptions: {{xt|PhD}} {{crossref|pw=y|(see above)}} for "Philosophiae Doctor"; {{xt|BVetMed}} for "Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine". In most situations, Misplaced Pages uses no such punctuation inside acronyms and initialisms: {{xt|GDP}}, not {{!xt|G.D.P.}}
			===US and U.S.<span class="anchor" id="US"></span><span class="anchor" id="U.S."></span><span class="anchor" id="USA"></span><span class="anchor" id="U.S.A."></span>===
			{{redirect|MOS:US|the use of the word "us"|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style#First-person pronouns}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:US|MOS:USA|MOS:NOTUSA}}
			{{xt|US}} is a commonly used abbreviation for {{xt|United States}}, although {{xtn|U.S.}} – with periods and without a space – remains common in North American publications, including in news journalism. Multiple American style guides, including '']'' (since 2010), now deprecate "U.S." and recommend "US".
			For ] reasons, use {{xt|US}} by default when abbreviating, but ] {{xtn|U.S.}} in American or Canadian English articles in which it is already established, unless there is a good reason to change it. Because use of periods for abbreviations and acronyms should be consistent within any given article, use {{xt|US}} in an article with other country abbreviations, and especially avoid constructions like {{!xt|the U.S. and the UK}}. In longer abbreviations that incorporate the country's initials ({{xt|USN}}, {{xt|USAF}}), never use periods. When the United States is mentioned with one or more other countries in the same sentence, {{xt|US}} (or {{xtn|U.S.}}) may be too informal, especially at the first mention or as a noun instead of an adjective ({{xt|France and the United States}}, not {{!xt|France and the US}}). Do not use the spaced {{!xt|U.&nbsp;S.}} or the archaic {{!xt|U.S.&nbsp;of&nbsp;A.}}, except when quoting. Do not use {{!xt|U.S.A.}} or {{!xt|USA}} except in a quotation, as part of a proper name ({{xt|Team USA}}), or in certain technical and formal uses (e.g., the ], ], and ]).
			===Circa===
			{{Hatnote|See also: {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers|Uncertain, incomplete, or approximate dates}} for examples.}}
			To indicate ''approximately'', the use of {{tlx|circa}}, showing as {{circa}}, is preferred over circa, c., ca., or approx.
			===Avoid unwarranted use===
			<span class="anchor" id="unwarranted abbreviations"></span>
			{{Hatnote|See also: {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers|Units of measurement}} for when to abbreviate units of measurement.}}
			Avoid abbreviations when they might confuse the reader, interrupt the flow, or appear informal. For example:
			*Do not use {{!xt|approx.}} for {{xt|approximate(ly)}} except in an infobox or table (in which case use {{tlx|abbr|approx.|approximately}} at first occurrence: {{xt|{{abbr|approx.|approximately}}}}).
			*Do not use the legalism {{!xt|Smith J}} for {{xt|Justice Smith}}. <!-- this might be better in ] -->
			===Do not invent===
			Avoid devising ], especially acronyms. For example, {{xtn|World Union of Billiards}} is good as a {{em|translation}} of {{xt|]}}, but neither it nor the reduction {{!xt|WUB}} is used by the organization or by independent sources; use the original name and its official abbreviation, {{xt|UMB}}.
			If it is necessary to abbreviate in a tight space, such as a ], use widely recognized abbreviations. For example, for {{xt|New Zealand gross national product}}, use {{xt|NZ}} and {{xt|GNP}}, with a link if the term has not already been written out in the article: {{xt|NZ&nbsp;]}}. Do not make up initialisms such as {{!xt|NZGNP}}.
			===HTML tags and templates===
			Either {{tag|abbr|o}} or {{tlx|abbr}} can be used for abbreviations and acronyms: {{tag|abbr|params=title="World Health Organization"|content=WHO|wrap=yes}} or {{tlx|abbr|WHO|World Health Organization}} will generate {{abbr|WHO|World Health Organization}}; ] over the rendered text causes a ] of the long form to pop up.
			===Ampersand===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:AMP|MOS:&}}
			{{redirects|WP:&|the use of "and" in titles|WP:AND}}
			In normal text and headings, use ''and'' instead of the ] (''&''): {{xt|January 1&nbsp;and&nbsp;2}}, not {{!xt|January 1&nbsp;&&nbsp;2}}. But retain an ampersand when it is a legitimate part of the style of a proper noun, the title of a work, or a trademark, such as in '']'' or ]. Elsewhere, ampersands may be used with consistency and discretion where space is extremely limited (e.g., tables and infoboxes). Quotations ], especially for consistency where different editions are quoted, as modern editions of old texts routinely replace ampersands with ''and'' (just as they replace other disused ]s, ], and abbreviations). Another frequent permissible but not required use is in short bibliographic references to works by multiple authors, e.g.: {{xt|<nowiki><ref>Lubbers & Scheepers (2002); Van Hiel & Mervielde (2002); Swyngedouw & Giles (2007); Van Hiel (2012).</ref></nowiki>}}.
			==Italics==
			{{Shortcut|MOS:IT|MOS:ITAL}}
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting#Italic type}}
			===Emphasis<span id="Do not use capitals for emphasis"></span>===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting#Emphasis}}
			Italics are used for emphasis, rather than ] or ]. But overuse diminishes its effect; consider rewriting instead.
			Use {{tag|em}} or {{tlx|em|...}} for emphasis. This allows ] to handle emphasis in a customized way, and helps reusers and translators.{{refn|{{cite web |last1=Ishida |first1=Richard |title=Using b and i elements |quote=the content of a <code>b</code> element may not always be bold, and that of an <code>i</code> element may not always be italic. |url=https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-b-and-i-tags |website=W3C Internationalization |publisher=] |date=2015 |access-date=1 September 2016}} }}
			*Correct: <code>{{mxt|<nowiki>The meerkat is <em>not</em> actually a cat.</nowiki>}}</code>
			*Correct: <code>{{mxt|<nowiki>The meerkat is {{em|not}} actually a cat.</nowiki>}}</code>
			===Titles<span id="Italics-Titles"></span>===
			{{/titles hatnote include|where=MOS#I-T}}
			{{shortcut|MOS:NOITALIC}}
			Use italics for the titles of works (such as books, films, television series, named exhibitions, computer games, music albums, and artworks). The titles of articles, chapters, songs, episodes, storylines, research papers and other short works instead take double quotation marks.
			Italics are not used for major religious works ({{xt|the Bible}}, {{xt|the Quran}}, {{xt|the Talmud}}).
			Many of these titles should also be in ].
			===Words as words===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting#Words as words}}
			{{for|the policy when a word or phrase itself may be an encyclopedic subject|WP:WORDISSUBJECT}}
			Use italics when {{em|mentioning}} a word or character {{crossref|pw=y|(see ])}} or a string of words up to one sentence ({{xt|the term ''panning'' is derived from ''panorama''}}; {{xt|the most common letter in English is ''e''}}). When a whole sentence is mentioned, double quotation marks may be used instead, with consistency ({{xt|The preposition in ''She sat on the chair'' is ''on''}}; or {{xt|The preposition in "She sat on the chair" is "on"}}). Quotation marks may also be used for shorter material to avoid confusion, such as when italics are already heavily used in the page for another purpose (e.g., for many non-English words and phrases). {{em|Mentioning}} (to discuss grammar, wording, punctuation, etc.) is different from {{em|quoting}} (in which something is usually expressed on behalf of a quoted source). Quotation is done with quotation marks, never italics, nor both at once {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link||Quotations}} for details).}}
			A closely related use of italics is when introducing or distinguishing terms: {{xt|The ''natural numbers'' are the integers greater than 0.}}
			===Non-English words <span class="anchor" id="Foreign words"></span> ===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting#Non-English terms}}
			Italics are indicated for non-English phrases and isolated non-English words that are not commonly used in everyday English. However, proper names (such as place names) in other languages are not usually italicized, nor are terms in non-Latin scripts. The {{tlx|lang}} template and its variants support all ] language codes, correctly identifying the language and automatically italicizing for you. Please use these templates rather than just manually italicizing non-English material. {{crossref|pw=y|(See {{section link|WP:Manual of Style/Accessibility#Other languages}} for more information.)}}
			===Scientific names===
			Use italics for the scientific names of plants, animals, and ] except viruses at the ] level and below (italicize {{xt|''Panthera leo''}} and {{xt|''Retroviridae''}}, but not {{xt|Felidae}}). The hybrid sign is not italicized ({{xt|''Rosa''&nbsp;×&nbsp;''damascena''}}), nor is the "connecting term" required in ] ({{xt|''Rosa gallica'' subsp. ''officinalis''}}).
			===Quotations in italics<span id="Italics and quotations"></span>===
			{{shortcut|MOS:NOITALQUOTE|MOS:ITALQUOTE}}{{See also|#Quotations}}
			<section begin="Quotations in italics body"/>Do not put quotations in italics. ] (or ]) alone are sufficient and the correct ways to denote quotations. Italics should only be used if the quoted material would otherwise call for italics.<section end="Quotations in italics body"/> (].)
			===Italics within quotations===
			<section begin="Italics within quotations body"/>Use italics within quotations to reproduce emphasis that exists in the source material or to indicate the use of non-English words. The emphasis is better done with {{tlx|em}}. If it is not clear that the source already included italics (or some other styling) for emphasis, or to indicate when emphasis was not used in the original text but was editorially added later, add the editorial note {{xt|}} or {{xt|}}, respectively, after the quotation.
			* For example: {{xt|"Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince: And {{em|flights of angels}} sing thee to thy rest." .}}<section end="Italics within quotations body"/>
			===Effect on nearby punctuation===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:ITALPUNCT}}
			Italicize only the elements of the sentence affected by the emphasis. Do not italicize surrounding punctuation.
			*{{em|Incorrect:}} {{!xt|What are we to make of {{em|that?}}}} (The question mark applies to the whole sentence, not just to the emphasized ''that'', so it should not be italicized.)
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|What are we to make of {{em|that}}?}}
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|Four of Patrick White's most famous novels are ''A Fringe of Leaves'', ''The Aunt's Story'', ''Voss'', and ''The Tree of Man''.}} (The commas, the period, and the word ''and'' are not italicized.)
			==Quotations==
			{{See|Misplaced Pages:Do not include the full text of lengthy primary sources}}
			{{for|the essay|Misplaced Pages:Quotations}}
			{{Redirects here|MOS:QUOTE|the section on quotation characters|MOS:CURLY}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:QUOT|MOS:QUOTE|MOS:QUOTATIONS}}
			] may be used to illustrate a point, establish context, or attribute a point of view or idea. While quotations are an indispensable part of Misplaced Pages, excessive use of them is incompatible with an encyclopedic writing style and may be ], so most of the content should be in the editor's own words. Consider paraphrasing quotations into plain and concise text when appropriate (while being aware that ] can still violate copyright). ] unless the material would be italicized for some other reason.
			Per ], direct quotations {{em|must}} be accompanied by an ] from a ] that supports the material. This is especially important in articles that are about or contain material about ] (BLPs).
			===Original wording===
			<span class="anchor" id="Principle of minimal change"></span><span class="anchor" id="Minimal change"></span><span class="anchor" id="PMC"></span><span class="anchor" id="PLC"></span><span class="anchor" id="MINIMALCHANGE"></span><span class="anchor" id="MINCHANGE"></span><span class="anchor" id="LEASTCHANGE"></span>
			{{Redirect|WP:PMC|closure of requested moves by page movers|Misplaced Pages:Requested moves/Closing instructions#Closure by a page mover}}
			{{Redirect|WP:PLC|inclusion guidelines for organizations|Misplaced Pages:Notability (organizations and companies)|the handling of the abbreviation "plc" in article titles|Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (companies)}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:PMC|MOS:SIC|MOS:TYPOFIX|WP:QUOTETYPO}}
			Quotations must be ] attributed, and the wording of the quoted text must be faithfully reproduced. This is referred to as the {{strong|principle of minimal change}}. Where there is good reason to change the wording, bracket the changed text; for example, {{!xt|"Ocyrhoe told him his fate"}} might be quoted as {{xt|"Ocyrhoe told his fate"}}. If there is a significant error in the original, follow it with {{tlx|sic}} (producing {{xt|{{sic}}}}{{hsp}}) to show that the error was not made by Misplaced Pages. <!-- IF EDITING THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE, PLEASE UPDATE THE DOCUMENTATION AT ] ACCORDINGLY --> However, insignificant spelling and typographic errors should simply be silently corrected (for example, correct {{!xt|basicly}} to {{xt|basically}}). When applied to linked titles appearing between {{tag|ref}} tags, title parameters in citation templates, or similar text that is linked, the syntax of the template may be adjusted to {{tlx|sic|2=nolink=y}} (producing {{sic|nolink=y}} in the resulting linked text). For the sake of accuracy and indexing, the titles of referenced sources should not be corrected for spelling, but minor typographic adjustments (like changing ] to straight) may be made silently. Inline citations in the quoted text, to sources not used in the Misplaced Pages article, should be silently removed.
			Use ] to indicate omissions from quoted text. Legitimate omissions include extraneous, irrelevant, or parenthetical words, and unintelligible speech ({{!xt|umm}} and {{!xt|hmm}}), but do not omit text where doing so would remove important context or alter the meaning of the text. Vulgarities and obscenities should be shown exactly as they appear in the quoted source; Wikipedians should ] ({{!xt|G-d d--m it!}}), but if the text being quoted {{em|itself}} does so, copy the text verbatim and use {{tlx|sic}} to indicate that the text is quoted as shown in the source.
			In direct quotations, retain dialectal and archaic spellings, including capitalization (but not archaic glyphs and ligatures, as detailed below in {{slink||Typographic conformity}}).
			===Point of view<span class="anchor" id="Quotation point of view"></span>===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:QUOTEPOV}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Neutral point of view#Attributing and specifying biased statements|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Words to watch#Expressions of doubt}}
			Quotation should be used, with attribution, to present emotive opinions that cannot be expressed in Misplaced Pages's own voice, but never to present cultural norms as simply opinional:
			*Acceptable: {{xt|Siskel and Ebert called the film "unforgettable".}}
			*Unacceptable: {{!xt|The site is considered "sacred" by the religion's scriptures.}}
			Concise opinions that are not overly emotive can often be reported with attribution instead of direct quotation. Use of quotation marks around simple descriptive terms can ] regarding the material being quoted; sarcasm or ] such as ''supposedly'' or ''so-called'', might be inferred.
			*Permissible: {{xt|Siskel and Ebert called the film interesting.}}
			*Unnecessary and may imply doubt: {{!xt|Siskel and Ebert called the film "interesting".}}
			*Should be quoted: {{xt|Siskel and Ebert called the film "interesting but heart-wrenching".}}
			===Typographic conformity===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:CONFORM}}
			A quotation is not a ] and, in most cases, it is not a requirement that the original formatting be preserved. Formatting and other purely typographical elements of quoted text{{efn|"Quoted text" for typographic conformity and many other purposes includes titles of works, names of organizations, and other strings that are, in essence, quoted. Example: things like "Mexican-American War" are routinely corrected to "Mexican–American War" on Misplaced Pages, including in titles of cited sources. This has no effect on searching for the works we have cited, since all major search engines disregard punctuation marks.}} should be adapted to English Misplaced Pages's conventions without comment, provided that doing so will not change or obscure meaning or intent of the text. These are alterations which make no difference when the text is read aloud, for example:
			*Normalize dashes and hyphens: see {{Section link||Dashes}}. Use the style chosen for the article: unspaced ] or spaced ].
			*Convert apostrophes and quotation marks to Misplaced Pages's style:
			**These should be straight, not curly or slanted. See {{section link||Quotation marks}}.
			**When quoting a quotation that itself contains a quotation, alternate between using double and single quotes for each quotation. See {{section link||For a quotation within a quotation}} for details.
			*When quoting text from non-English languages, the outer punctuation should follow ]. If there are nested quotations, follow the rules for correct punctuation in that language. If there are multiple styles for a language, the one used by the Misplaced Pages for that language is preferred unless the punctuation itself is under discussion.
			*:{{xt|The cynical response "{{lang|fr|italic=unset|L'auteur aurait dû demander&nbsp;: «&nbsp;à quoi sert-il d'écrire ceci&nbsp;?&nbsp;» mais ne l'a pas fait}}" was all he wrote.}}
			*Remove spaces before punctuation such as periods and colons.
			*Generally preserve bold and italics {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link||Italics}})}}, but most other styling should be altered. {{!xt|{{Underline|Underlining}}}}, {{!xt|spac&nbsp;ing}} within words, {{!xt|1=co<span style="color:Goldenrod;">lor</span>s}}, {{!xt|ALL CAPS}}, {{Smallcaps|{{!xt|small caps}}}}, etc. should generally be normalized to plain text. If it {{em|clearly}} indicates emphasis, use italic {{em|emphasis}} ({{tlx|em}}) or, in an already-italic passage, boldface (with {{tlx|strong}}). For titles of books, articles, poems, and so forth, use italics or quotation marks following ]. Italics can also be added to mark up ] (with the {{tlx|lang}} template), for an ], and to indicate a ] usage.
			*Expand an abbreviation (not already used in the content before the quotation) as a square-bracketed change, or explain it using {{tlx|abbr}}.
			*Normalize archaic glyphs and ligatures in English that are unnecessary to the meaning. Examples include '']''→''ae'', '']''→''oe'', '']''→''s'', and '']''→''the''. {{crossref|pw=y|(See also {{section link||Ampersand}}.)}}
			{{crossref|pw=y|See {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Titles#Typographic conformity}} for special considerations in normalizing the typography of titles of works.}}
			However, national varieties should not be changed, as these may involve changes in vocabulary. For example, a quotation from a British source should retain British spelling, even in an article that otherwise uses American spelling. {{crossref|pw=y|(See {{section link||Consistency within articles}}.)}} Numbers also usually ].
			Direct quotation should not be used to preserve the formatting preferred by an external publisher (especially when the material would otherwise be unchanged), as this tends to have the effect of ]:
			*{{em|Acceptable}}: {{xt|The animal is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.}}
			*{{em|Unacceptable}}: {{!xt|The animal is listed as "Endangered" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.}}
			Italics can be used to mark a particular usage as a ] (a case of "]"), especially when it is unfamiliar or should not be reworded by a non-expert:
			*{{em|Permissible}}: {{xt|The animal is listed as ''critically endangered'' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.}}
			When quoting a complete sentence, it is usually recommended to keep the first word capitalized. However, if the quoted passage has been integrated into the surrounding sentence (for example, with an introduction such as "{{var|X}} said that"), the original capital letter may be lower-cased.
			*{{xt|LaVesque's report stated: "The equipment was selected for its low price. This is the primary reason for criticism of the program."}}
			*{{xt|LaVesque's report said that "the equipment was selected for its low price".}}
			*{{xt|The program was criticized primarily because "the equipment was selected for its low price", according to LaVesque.}}
			It is normally unnecessary to explicitly note changes in capitalization. However, for more precision, the altered letter may be put inside square brackets: {{nobr|"The" → "he".}}
			*{{xt|The program was criticized primarily because {{nobr|"he}} equipment was selected for its low price", according to LaVesque.}}
			===Attribution===
			The reader must be able to determine the source of any quotation, at the very least via a footnote. The source must be named {{em|in article text}} if the quotation is an opinion {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{Section link|Misplaced Pages:Neutral point of view|Attributing and specifying biased statements}})}}. When attributing a quotation, avoid ].
			===Quotations within quotations===
			See {{section link||For a quotation within a quotation}}.
			===Linking===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:LINKQUOTE|MOS:LWQ}}
			Be conservative when linking within quotations; link only to targets that correspond to the meaning clearly intended by the quote's author. Where possible, link from text outside of the quotation instead – either before it or soon after. (If quoting ], add an editorial note, {{xt|}} or {{xt|}}, as appropriate, to avoid ambiguity as to whether the link was made by the original author.)
			===Block quotations<span class="anchor" id="Block quotations"></span><span class="anchor" id="Block quotes"></span>===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:BQ|MOS:BLOCKQUOTE}}
			Format a long quote (more than about forty words or a few hundred characters, or consisting of more than one paragraph, regardless of length) as a ], indented on both sides. Block quotations should be enclosed in {{tlx|blockquote}}.
			Do not enclose block quotations in quotation marks (and especially avoid large, decorative quotation marks; those provided by the {{tlx|cquote}} template have been disabled in mainspace). Block quotations using a colored background are also discouraged.
			Use {{tnull|blockquote}} and so on only for actual quotations; ] is done differently.
			It is conventional to precede a block quotation with an introductory sentence (or sentence fragment) and append the source citation to that line. Alternatively, the {{tnull|blockquote}} template provides parameters for attribution and citation which will appear below the quotation. {{crossref|pw=y|(For use of dashes with attributions, see {{section link||Other uses for em dashes}}.)}} This below-quotation attribution style is intended for famous quotations and is unusual in articles because it may strike an inappropriate tone. A quotation with no cited source should be flagged with {{tlx|quote without source}}, or deleted.
			Line breaks and indentation inside a {{tnull|blockquote}} or {{tag|blockquote|o}} are generally ignored; use {{xtag|poem}} or {{tlx|poem quote}} for poetry, lyrics, and similar material:
			<syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext">
			{{blockquote|<poem>
			What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
			Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
			</poem>}}
			</syntaxhighlight>
			This gives:
			{{xt|{{blockquote|<poem>
			What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
			Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
			</poem>}}}}
			Or quote such material inline, with line breaks indicated by <code><nowiki>{{nbsp}}/</nowiki></code>, and paragraph or stanza breaks by <code><nowiki>{{nbsp}}//</nowiki></code>.
			{{Shortcut|MOS:PQ|MOS:PULLQUOTE}}
			{{Anchor|Pull quotes|Pull quote|Pull quotations|nocquote|reason=The old name of Template:Pull_quote was Template:Cquote, and "nocquote" was historically used to refer to this MOS section, which now has its own shortcuts.}}
			]s do not belong in Misplaced Pages articles. These are the ] of "pulling" material already in the article to reuse it in attention-grabbing decorative quotations. This unencyclopedic approach is a form of ], produces ] and ], and may ] not supported in the material.
			===Non-English quotations <span class="anchor" id="Foreign-language quotations"></span> ===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:FOREIGNQUOTE|MOS:QUOTEFOREIGN}}
			Quotations from non-English language sources should appear with a translation into English, preferably a modern{{efn|name=recent}} one. Quotations that are translations should be explicitly distinguished from those that are not. Indicate the original source of a translation (if it is available, and not first published within Misplaced Pages), and the original language (if that is not clear from the context).
			If the original, untranslated text is available, provide a reference for it or include it, as appropriate.
			When editors themselves translate text into English, care must always be taken to include the original text, {{em|in italics}} (except for non-Latin-based writing systems, and best done with the {{tlx|lang}} template which both italicizes as appropriate and provides language metadata); and to use actual and (if at all possible) common English words in the translation. Unless you are certain of your competency to translate something, see ] for assistance.
			==Punctuation==
			{{Shortcut|MOS:PUNCT}}
			{{For|a brief guide to how some punctuation marks are used in Misplaced Pages for special purposes, e.g., ]|Help:Punctuation}}
			===Apostrophes===
			{{anchor|Foreign characters that resemble apostrophes|reason=Old subheading that was merged in.}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:'|MOS:APOSTROPHE}}
			*Use straight apostrophes ({{big|{{mxt|'}}}}), not curly apostrophes ({{big|{{!mxt|’}}}}).{{efn|name=curlyq}} Do not use accent marks or backticks ({{big|{{!mxt|`}}}}) as apostrophes.
			*Templates such as {{tlx|'}} and {{tlx|'s}} are helpful when an apostrophe (or single quote) appears at the beginning or end of text in italics or bold, because italics and bold are themselves indicated by sequences of single quotes. Example: {{xt|''Dynasty''{{'s}} first season}} (markup: {{nobreak|<code><nowiki>''Dynasty''{{'s}} first season</nowiki></code>}}).
			*Letters resembling apostrophes, such as the ] ({{xt|&nbsp;{{big|{{okina}}}}&nbsp;}}{{snd}}''markup:'' {{tlx|okina}}), ] ({{xt|&nbsp;{{big|{{saltillo}}}}&nbsp;}}{{snd}}''markup:'' {{tlx|saltillo}}), ] ({{xt|&nbsp;{{big|{{ayin}}}}&nbsp;}}{{snd}}''markup:'' {{tlx|ayin}}) and Arabic ] ({{xt|&nbsp;{{big|{{hamza}}}}&nbsp;}}{{snd}}''markup:''{{tlx|hamza}}), should be represented by those templates or by their ] values.
			**Templates cannot be used in article titles; if necessary, use the corresponding Unicode character directly. Per ], also make a redirect from the ASCII form to aid searches. Forms without apostrophe-like characters are sometimes preferred by ] (e.g. ] but not ]).
			*:{{crossref|pw=y|See also {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Hawaii-related articles|Orthography, spelling and formatting}}}}
			*For ] romanizations of Mandarin Chinese, use {{tlx|wg-apos}}.
			*For languages with ] and the like, use {{tlx|hamza}}.
			*For the Cyrillic ], when indicated at all, use {{tlx|softsign}} or {{tlx|hamza}}.
			*For usage of the possessive apostrophe, see {{section link||Possessives}}.
			*For further treatment of apostrophe usage (possessive, elision, formation of certain plurals, non-English language issues) see the article ].
			===Quotation marks===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:QUOTEMARKS|MOS:SPEECHMARKS|MOS:"}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style#Quotations}}
			In the material below, the term ''quotation'' includes conventional uses of quotation marks such as for titles of songs, chapters, episodes, and so on. Quotation marks are also used in other contexts, such as in ].
			====Quotation characters====
			{{Shortcut|MOS:CURLY|MOS:CQ|MOS:STRAIGHT}}
			*Use {{xt|{{big|<b>"</b>}}straight{{big|<b>"</b>}}}} quotation marks, not {{!xt|{{big|<b>“</b>}}curly{{big|<b>”</b>}}}} ones. (For single-apostrophe quotes: {{xt|{{big|<b>'</b>}}straight{{big|<b>'</b>}}}}, not {{!xt|{{big|<b>‘</b>}}curly{{big|<b>’</b>}}}}.){{efn|name=curlyq}}
			*Do not use accent marks, backticks ({{!xt|{{big|'''`'''}}text{{big|'''´'''}}}}), low-high ({{!xt|„&nbsp;“}}) or ] ({{!xt|«&nbsp;»}}) marks as quotation marks (except when such marks are {{em|internal}} to quoted non-English text{{snd}}see {{slink||Typographic conformity}}). The symbols {{!xt|′}} and {{!xt|″}} seen in edit window dropdowns are ] and double prime: these are used to designate ], and not as apostrophes or quote marks.
			*Quotation marks and apostrophes in imported material ] if necessary to comply with the above.
			====Double or single<span id="Double or single quotation marks"></span><span id="Single quotation marks"></span>====
			{{Shortcut|MOS:DOUBLE|MOS:SINGLE|MOS:SIMPLEGLOSS}}
			Most quotations take double quotation marks ({{xt|Bob said: "Jim ate the apple."}}).{{efn|1=Double quotation marks are preferred to single because they are immediately distinguishable from apostrophes:
			*{{!xt|She wrote that 'Cleanthes' differs from the others', but neither opinion may represent Hume's'}} (slows the reader down).
			*{{xt|She wrote that "Cleanthes' differs from the others', but neither opinion may represent Hume's"}} (clearer).
			}}
			Exceptions:
			*Plant cultivars take single quotation marks ({{xt|''Malus domestica'' 'Golden Delicious'}}; see ]).
			*] that translate or define unfamiliar terms take single quotes; simple glosses require no comma before the definition ({{xt|Turkic {{lang|trk|qazaq}} 'freebooter' is the root of ''Cossack''; ''republic'' comes from Latin {{lang|la|res publica}}, loosely meaning 'public affair'.}}). The {{tl|Gloss}} template can be used for this; e.g. {{tlx|lang|es|casa}} {{tlx|gloss|house}} yields: {{lang|es|casa}} {{gloss|house}}.
			====For a quotation within a quotation====
			{{Shortcut|MOS:QWQ|MOS:QINQ}}
			Use single quotes:
			*{{xt|Darwin wrote in his introduction that "the maxim 'de minimis lex non curat' does not apply to science".}}
			For deeper nesting, alternate between single and double quotes:
			*{{xt|He said, "That book asserts, 'Confucius said "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.{{" ' "}}}}
			For quote marks in immediate succession, add a sliver of space by using {{nowrap|{{tl|" '}}}}, {{nowrap|{{tl|' "}}}}, or (as in the example just given) {{nowrap|{{tl|" ' "}}}}:
			*{{xt|He announced, "The answer was 'Yes!{{' "}}}} Markup: <code>He announced, "The answer was 'Yes!{{tl|' "}}</code>
			*{{!xt|He announced, "The answer was 'Yes!'"}} (simply jamming things together looks awful in most fonts)
			*{{!xt|He announced, "The answer was 'Yes!'{{nbsp}}"}} (a regular space is too much)
			====Article openings<span id="Quotation marks in article openings"></span>====
			{{Shortcut|MOS:BOLDQUOTE}}
			In the bolded text typically appearing at the opening of an article:
			*Any quotation marks that are part of the title should be in bold just like the rest of the title.
			**From '']'': {{xt|'''''"A" Is for Alibi''''' is a mystery novel&nbsp;...}}
			*Quotation marks ''not'' part of the article title should not be bolded.
			**From ]: {{xt|"'''Jabberwocky'''" is a nonsense poem&nbsp;...}}
			**From ]: {{xt|'''George Herman''' "'''Babe'''" '''Ruth''' was an American baseball player&nbsp;...}} {{crossref|pw=y|(See also {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography|Nicknames}}.)}}
			====Punctuation before quotations====
			{{Shortcut|MOS:QUOTEPUNCT}}
			If a non-quoted but otherwise identical construction would work grammatically without a comma, using a comma before a quotation embedded within a sentence is optional:
			*{{xt|The report stated "There was a 45% reduction in transmission rate."}} (] the non-quotation {{xt|The report stated there was a 45% reduction in transmission rate.}})
			*{{xt|The report stated, "There was a 45% reduction in transmission rate."}}
			The comma-free approach is often used with partial quotations:
			*{{xt|The report observed "a 45% reduction in transmission rate".}}
			A comma is required when it would be present in the same construction if none of the material were a quotation:
			*{{xt|In Margaret Mead's view, "we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities" to enrich our culture.}}
			Do not insert a comma if it would confuse or alter the meaning:
			*{{xt|Caitlyn Jenner expressed concerns about children "who are coming to terms with being true to who they are".}} (Accurate quote of a statement about {{em|some}} children{{snd}}specifically those children "who are coming to terms{{nbsp}}...")
			*{{!xt|Caitlyn Jenner expressed concerns about children, "who are coming to terms with being true to who they are".}} (Changes the meaning to imply Jenner was expressing concern about {{em|all}} children, while separately observing that children, in general, "are coming to terms{{nbsp}}...")
			It is clearer to use a colon to introduce a quotation if it forms a complete sentence, and this should always be done for multi-sentence quotations:
			*{{xt|The report stated: "There was a 45% reduction in transmission rate."}}
			*{{xt|In a letter to his son, Albert Einstein wrote: "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."}}
			No additional punctuation is necessary for an explicit ] scenario:
			*{{xt|The message was unintelligible except for the fragments "help soon" and "how much longer before".}}
			====Names and titles<span class="anchor" id="Quotation marks-Titles"></span><span id="Quotation marks with names and titles"></span>====
			{{/titles hatnote include|where=MOS#P-QM-N&T}}
			Quotation marks should be used for the following names and titles:
			{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
			*Articles and chapters (books and periodicals italicized)
			*Short stories (books and periodicals italicized)
			*Sections of musical pieces (pieces italicized)
			*Individual strips from comics and webcomics (comics italicized)
			*Poems (long or epic poems italicized)
			*Songs (albums, song cycles, operas, operettas, and oratorios italicized)
			*Individual episodes of television and radio series and ] (series title italicized){{efn|1="Series title italicized" is using ''series'' to mean the entire show as a whole. A season (also called a ''series'' in British English) with its own title uses quotation marks for that title, as a sub-work.}}
			}}
			{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|The Beatles wrote "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" for their album ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''.}}
			Do not use quotation marks or italics for:
			{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
			*Ancient writings
			*Concert tours
			*Locations
			*Myths and epics
			*Prayers
			}}
			Many, but not all, of the above items should also be in ].
			====Punctuation inside or outside<span class="anchor" id="LP"></span><span class="anchor" id="LQ"></span><span class="anchor" id="TQ"></span><span class="anchor" id="logical quotes"></span><span id="Punctuation inside or outside quotation marks"></span>====
			{{Shortcut|MOS:LQ|MOS:LQUOTE|MOS:INOROUT|MOS:LOGICAL}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Logical quotation on Misplaced Pages}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style#Effect on nearby punctuation|label 1=Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style § Italics: Effect on nearby punctuation}}<!-- Another kind of punctuation "in or out". -->
			<!-- EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: Changes to this section may escalate into heated dispute. Please consider raising any proposed changes for discussion and consensus-building on the talk page before editing. -->
			Use the ] style in all articles, regardless of the variety of English in which they are written. Include terminal punctuation within the quotation marks only if it was present in the original material, and otherwise place it after the closing quotation mark. For the most part, this means treating periods and commas in the same way as question marks: keep them inside the quotation marks if they apply only to the quoted material and outside if they apply to the whole sentence. Examples are given below.
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|Did Darla say, "Here I am"?}} (question mark applies to whole sentence)
			*{{em|Incorrect:}} {{!xt|Did Darla say, "Here I am?"}} (incorrect to apply the question mark to the quotation)
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|Darla said, "Where am I?"}} (question mark applies to quoted material only)
			If the quotation is a single word or a sentence fragment, place the terminal punctuation outside the closing quotation mark. When quoting a full sentence, the end of which coincides with the end of the sentence containing it, place terminal punctuation inside the closing quotation mark.
			*{{xt|Miller wanted, he said, "to create something timeless".}}
			*{{xt|Miller said: "I wanted to create something timeless."}}
			If the quoted sentence is followed by a ] that should be preceded by a comma, omit the ] (period), and do not replace it with a comma {{em|inside}} the quotation.{{efn|This is the principal way in which logical quotation differs from typical British news punctuation practice, in which many publishers permit such a change to the quoted material, which is antithetical to the accuracy purpose of logical punctuation.}} Other terminal punctuation, such as a question mark or exclamation mark, may be retained.
			*{{xt|Livingston then said, "It is done", and turned to the people.}}
			*{{xt|Livingston then exclaimed, "It is done!", and turned to the people.}}
			If the quoted sentence is followed by a clause identifying the speaker, use a comma outside the quotation mark instead of a full stop inside it, but retain any other terminal punctuation, such as a question mark.
			*{{xt|"There is no strife, no prejudice, no national conflict in outer space as yet", said Kennedy.}}
			*{{xt|By asking "Who are you?", da Gama prompts Adamastor to tell his story.}}
			Do not follow quoted words or fragments with commas inside the quotation marks, except where a longer quotation has been broken up and the comma is part of the full quotation.
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|"I began to change, opening the way to confidence and courage", said Turner.}}
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|"I began to change," said Turner, "opening the way to confidence and courage."}}
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|"I began to change, opening the way", said Turner, "to confidence and courage."}}
			*{{em|Incorrect:}} {{!xt|"I began to change, opening the way," said Turner, "to confidence and courage."}}
			==== Quotation marks and external links ====
			External links to article titles should have the title in quotes inside the link. The ] and ] citation templates do this automatically, and untemplated references should do the same.
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|{{cite news |last1=Kiefer |first1=Francine |title=Clinton: The Early Years |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/1998/0529/052998.us.us.3.html |work=] |date=May 29, 1998 |ref=none}}}} (Using {{tl|cite news}})
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt| Kiefer, Francine (May 29, 1998). . '']''.}} (Untemplated)
			*{{em|Incorrect:}} {{!xt| Kiefer, Francine (May 29, 1998). "". '']''.}} (Untemplated)
			==== Quotation marks and internal links ====
			Internal links (wikilinks) accompanied by quotation marks should usually have the quotes outside the link. This applies to titles of works in quotation marks (songs, episodes, etc.)
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|Play it, Sam. Play "]".}} (Using <code><nowiki>"]"</nowiki></code>.)
			*{{em|Incorrect:}} {{!xt|Play it, Sam. Play ].}} (Using <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>.)
			However, quotation marks are needed inside wikilinks when the quotation mark is part of the link, or where the linked display text includes quotation marks indicating slang, nicknames, common names, or similar usage.
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|The term ''soccer'' comes from ] slang, which was prevalent at the ] in England from about 1875....}}
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|A Cockney accent ] after a vowel.}}
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|The ] was established in Moscow in 1923.}}
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|President Suharto's ] administration received U.S. support for its economic policies.}}
			*{{em|Correct:}} {{xt|Japan's ] began in 1991.}}
			===Brackets and parentheses===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:B&P|MOS:BRACKET|MOS:PAREN}}
			{{Redirect|MOS:PAREN|use of parentheses (round brackets) in article titles|WP:Article titles#Parenthetical disambiguation|deprecated inline parenthetical citations|WP:Citing sources#Parenthetical referencing}}
			This section applies to both round brackets {{xt|(&nbsp;)}}, often called ], and square brackets {{xt|}}.
			If a sentence contains a bracketed phrase, place the sentence punctuation outside the brackets {{xt|(as shown here).}} However, where one or more sentences are wholly inside brackets, place their punctuation inside the brackets. There should be no space next to the inner side of a bracket. An opening bracket should usually be preceded by a space. This may not be the case if it is preceded by an opening quotation mark, another opening bracket, or a portion of a word:
			*{{xt|He rose to address the meeting: "(Ahem)&nbsp;... Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!"}}
			*{{xt|Only the royal characters in the play ( Hamlet and his family) habitually speak in blank verse.}}
			*{{xt|We journeyed on the Inter.}}
			*{{xt|Most people are right-handed. (Some people are left-handed, but that does not make right-handed people "better" than left-handed people.)}}
			There should be a space after a closing bracket, except where a punctuation mark follows (though a spaced dash would still be spaced after a closing bracket) and in unusual cases similar to those listed for opening brackets.
			Avoid adjacent sets of brackets. Either put the parenthetical phrases in one set separated by semicolons, or rewrite:
			*{{em|Avoid}}: {{!xt|Nikifor Grigoriev ({{circa|1885}}&nbsp;– 1919) (also known as Matvii Hryhoriiv) was a Ukrainian insurgent leader.}}
			*{{em|Better}}: {{xt|Nikifor Grigoriev ({{circa|1885}}&nbsp;– 1919; also known as Matvii Hryhoriiv) was a Ukrainian insurgent leader.}}
			*{{em|Better}}: {{xt|Nikifor Grigoriev ({{circa|1885}}&nbsp;– 1919) was a Ukrainian insurgent leader. He was also known as Matvii Hryhoriiv.}}
			Square brackets are used to indicate editorial replacements and insertions within quotations, though this should never alter the intended meaning. They serve three main purposes:
			*To clarify: {{xt|She attended school}}, where this was the intended meaning, but the type of school was unstated in the original sentence.
			*To reduce the size of a quotation: {{xt|X contains Y, and under certain circumstances, X may contain Z as well}} may be reduced to {{xt|X contains Y }}. When an ellipsis ({{xt|...}}) is used to indicate that material is removed from a direct quotation, it should not normally be bracketed. {{crossref|pw=y|(See {{section link||Ellipses}} for an exceptional case.)}}
			*To make the grammar work: Referring to someone's statement {{xt|"I hate to do laundry"}}, one could properly write {{xt|She "hate to do laundry"}}.
			If a sentence includes subsidiary material enclosed in square or round brackets, it must still carry terminal punctuation {{em|after}} those brackets, regardless of any punctuation within the brackets. {{Block indent|{{xt|She refused all requests (except for basics such as food, medicine, etc.).}}}} However, if the entire sentence is within brackets, the closing punctuation falls within the brackets. {{xt|(This sentence is an example.)}}
			====Brackets and linking====
			Square brackets inside of links must be ]:
			{| class="wikitable"
			| He said, "<code>{{mxt|<nowiki>]</nowiki>}}</code> answered." ||
			He said, "] answered."
			|-
			| He said, "<code>{{mxt|<nowiki>]</nowiki>}}</code> answered." ||
			He said, "] answered."
			|-
			| <code>{{mxt|<nowiki></nowiki>}}</code> ||
			|-
			| <code>{{mxt|<nowiki></nowiki>}}</code> ||
	|}		|}
			The {{xtag|nowiki}} markup can also be used: {{tag|nowiki|content=}} or {{tag|nowiki|content=}}.
	== Acronyms and abbreviations ==
	{{Mergefrom|Manual of Style (abbreviations)|discuss=Misplaced Pages talk:Manual of Style#Consolidation?|date=March 2010}}
			If a URL itself contains square brackets, the wiki-text should use the ] form <code><nowiki>https://</nowiki>example.com/foo.php?query={{bxt|%5B}}xxx{{bxt|%5D}}yyy</code>, rather than&nbsp;...<code>query={{!bxt|&#91;}}xxx{{!bxt|&#93;}}yyy</code>. This will avoid truncation of the link after <code>xxx</code>.
	{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style (abbreviations)|Misplaced Pages:Edit summary legend}}
			===Ellipses<span class="anchor" id="Ellipsis"></span><span class="anchor" id="Ellipses"></span><span class="anchor" id="..."></span><span class="anchor" id="Ellipsis style"></span><span class="anchor" id="Ellipsis function and implementation"></span>===
	;Write out both the full version and the ] at first occurrence
			{{Shortcut|MOS:ELLIPSIS|MOS:ELLIPSES|MOS:DOTDOTDOT|MOS:…}}
	:When introducing a new name or term in an article, use the full name or term on its first occurrence, followed by the abbreviated form in round brackets. This clears the way for later use of the abbreviation alone ({{xt|the New Democratic Party (NDP) won the 1990 Ontario election with a significant majority}}, at the first mention of the New Democratic Party; and {{xt|the NDP quickly became unpopular with the voters}}, at a subsequent mention).
			Use an '']'' (plural ''ellipses'') if material is omitted in the course of a quotation, unless square brackets are used to ] the quotation {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link||Brackets and parentheses}}, and the points below)}}.
	:Do not apply initial capitals in a full term that is a common noun just because capitals are used in the abbreviation.
	::{|style="background:transparent"
			*Misplaced Pages's style for an ellipsis is three unspaced dots ({{xt|<code>...</code>}}); do not use the precomposed ellipsis character ({{!xt|<code>…</code>}})<!-- Possibly we should explain the precomposed character in terms of its code point or something --> or three dots separated by spaces {{nobr|({{!xt|<code>. . .</code>}})}}
	|-valign=top
			*Generally, use a non-breaking space before an ellipsis, and a regular space after it: {{nobr|{{xt|<code>"Alpha, Bravo,<nowiki>{{nbsp}}</nowiki>... Zulu"</code>}}}}
	|''Incorrect''&nbsp;||''(not a name/proper noun)'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|We used Digital Scanning (DS) technology}}
			**But where an ellipsis is immediately followed by any of <code>. ? ! : ; , ) ] }</code> or by a closing quotation mark (single or double), use a non-breaking space before the ellipsis, and no space after it:
	|-valign=top
			**: {{xt|<code><nowiki>Jones wrote: "These stories amaze me. The facts suffer so frightfully{{nbsp}}...".</nowiki></code>}}
	|''Correct'': ||&nbsp; ||{{xt|We used digital scanning (DS) technology}}
			**: {{xt|<code><nowiki>"But what of the other cities? London, Paris{{nbsp}}...?"</nowiki></code>}} (Place terminal punctuation after an ellipsis only if it is textually important, as is often the case with exclamation marks and question marks but rarely with periods.)
	|-valign=top
			**Or, if the ellipsis immediately follows a quotation mark, use no space before the ellipsis, and a non-breaking space after it:
	|''Correct'': ||''(name/proper noun)'': ||{{xt|produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)}}
			**: {{xt|<code><nowiki>He continued to pursue Smith ("...{{nbsp}}to the ends of the earth", he had sworn) until his own death.</nowiki></code>}}
			; {{visible anchor|Pause or suspension of speech}}
			: Three dots are occasionally used to represent a pause in or suspense of speech, in which case the punctuation is retained in its original form: {{xt|Virginia's startled reply was "Could he&nbsp;...? No, I can't believe it!"}}. When it indicates an incomplete word, no space is used between the word fragment(s) and the ellipsis: {{xt|The garbled transmission ended with "We are stranded near San L...o", interpreted as a reference to either San Leandro or San Lorenzo.}}
			; {{Anchor|Ellipses with square brackets}}With square brackets
			:Square brackets may be placed around an ellipsis that indicates omitted text to distinguish it from an ellipsis that is part of the quoted text: {{xt|She retorted: "How do I feel? How do you {{em|think}} I&nbsp;... This is too much!&nbsp; Take me home!"}}. In this example, the first ellipsis is part of the quoted text and the second ellipsis (in square brackets) indicates omitted text.
			===Commas===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:COMMA|MOS:,}}
			<ul><!--Do not convert this to a wikimarkup list; that approach cannot handle embedded tables.-->
			<li>
			A pair of ]s can bracket an ], ], or ] (as can brackets or dashes, though with greater interruption of the sentence). For example:
			{| role="presentation" style="background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
			|-
			| {{em|Correct:}}
			| {{xt|John Smith, Janet Cooper's son, is a well-known playwright.}}
			|-
			| {{em|Correct:}}
			| {{xt|Janet Cooper's son John Smith is a well-known playwright.}} (when Janet has multiple sons)
			|-
			| {{em|Correct:}}
			| {{xt|Janet Cooper's son, John Smith, is a well-known playwright.}} (when Janet has only one son)
	|}		|}
			Always use a ''pair'' of commas for this, unless another punctuation mark takes the place of the second comma:
	:If the full term is already in round brackets, use a comma and ''or'' to indicate the abbreviation.
	::{|style="background:transparent"		{| role="presentation" style="background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
			|-
	|-valign=top
			| {{em|Incorrect:}}
	|''Correct'' ||&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;||{{xt|They first debated the issue in 1992 (at a convention of the New Democratic Party, or NDP)}}
			| {{!xt|The newest member, John Smith was blunt.}}<!-- There's actually a way to parse this such that it would be acceptable in some styles, but WP articles don't use such styles. -->
			|-
			| {{em|Correct:}}
			| {{xt|Blunt comments came from the newest member, John Smith.}}
			|-
			| {{em|Correct:}}
			| {{xt|The newest member, John Smith{{snd}}a retired teacher{{snd}}was blunt.}}
	|}		|}
			</li>
	;Plural and possessive forms
	:], like other nouns, become plurals by adding {{xt|-s}} or {{xt|-es}} ({{xt|they produced three CD-ROMs in the first year}}; {{xt|the laptops were produced with three different BIOSes in 2006}}). As with other nouns, no apostrophe is used unless the form is a possessive.
	;Periods (full stops) and spaces
	:The letters in an acronym or an initialism are generally not separated by full stops (periods) or blank spaces ({{xt|GNP}}, {{xt|NORAD}}, {{xt|OBE}}, {{xt|GmbH}}). Periods and spaces that were traditionally required have now dropped out of usage ({{xt|PhD}} is now preferred over {{!xt|Ph.D.}} and {{!xt|Ph.&nbsp;D.}}). Full stops are not used in units of measurement; see ] for more information.
	:Abbreviations formed by truncation ({{xt|Hon.}} for {{xt|Honorable}}), compression ({{xt|cmte.}} for {{xt|committee}}), or contraction ({{xt|Dr.}} for {{xt|Doctor}}) may or may not be closed with a period; a consistent style should be maintained within an article. A period is more usual in North American usage ({{xt|Dr. Smith of 42 St. Joseph St.}}); ''no full stop'' is commonly preferred in British and other usage ({{xt|Dr Smith of 42 St Joseph St}}, although one or other ''St'' might take a period, in such a case). British and some other authorities prefer to drop the stop from truncated and compressed abbreviations generally ({{xt|XYZ Corp}}; {{xt|ABC Ltd}}), a practice favored in science writing. Regardless of punctuation, any separate words in such abbreviations are spaced ({{xt|op. cit.}} or {{xt|op cit}}; not {{!xt|op.cit.}} or {{!xt|opcit}}).
	:;US and U.S.
	::In ], {{xt|U.S.}} (with periods) is more accepted as the standard abbreviation for {{xt|United States}}; {{xt|US}} (without periods) is more accepted in most other national forms of English. In longer abbreviations incorporating the country's initials ({{xt|USN}}, {{xt|USAF}}), periods are not used. When the United States is mentioned with one or more other countries in the same sentence, {{xt|U.S.}} or {{xt|US}} may be too informal, especially at the first mention ({{xt|France and the United States}}, not {{!xt|France and the U.S.}}). For consistency in an article, if the abbreviated form for the United States appears alongside other abbreviated country names, avoid periods throughout; never add full stops to the other abbreviations ({{xt|the US, the UK, and the PRC}}, not {{!xt|the U.S., the U.K., and the P.R.C.}}). Do not use the spaced {{!xt|U.&nbsp;S.}}, nor the archaic {{!xt|U.S.&nbsp;of&nbsp;A.}}, except when quoting. Do not use {{!xt|U.S.A.}} or {{!xt|USA}}, except in a quotation or as part of a proper name ({{xt|Team USA}}).
	;Do not use unwarranted abbreviations
	:Avoid abbreviations when they might confuse the reader, interrupt the flow, or appear informal or lazy. For example, do not use {{!xt|approx.}} for {{xt|approximate}} or {{xt|approximately}}, except to reduce the width of an infobox or a table of data, or in a technical passage in which the term occurs many times.
	::''See also ] for when to abbreviate units of measurement.''
	;Do not invent abbreviations or acronyms
	:Generally avoid ] new abbreviations, especially acronyms ({{xt|World Union of Billiards}} is good as a ''translation'' of {{xt|Union Mondiale de Billard}}, but neither it nor the reduction {{!xt|WUB}} is used by the organization; so use the original name and its official abbreviation, {{xt|UMB}}). If in a wide table of data it is necessary to abbreviate a heading, use widely recognized initialisms (for {{xt|United States gross national product}} use {{xt|US}} and {{xt|GNP}} spaced together, with a link to appropriate articles if the terms are not already explained: {{xt|US&nbsp;]}}; do not use the made-up initialism {{!xt|USGNP}}).
	;HTML elements
	:] that Misplaced Pages runs on does not support the ] <code>&lt;acronym&gt;</code> (see ]). The <code>&lt;abbr&gt;</code> element can be used instead: <code><nowiki><abbr title="HyperText Markup Language">HTML</abbr></nowiki></code> generates {{xt|1=<abbr title="HyperText Markup Language">HTML</abbr>}}.
			<li>
	== Italics ==
			Don't let other punctuation distract you from the need for a comma, especially when the comma collides with a bracket or parenthesis:
	{{further|]}}
	; Emphasis
	: Italics may be used ''sparingly'' to emphasize words in sentences (whereas boldface is normally not used for this purpose). Generally, the more highlighting in an article, the less its effectiveness.
	:Use italics when introducing terms, or distinguishing among them ({{xt|The ''enamel organ'' is composed of the ''outer'' enamel epithelium, ''inner'' enamel epithelium, stellate reticulum, and stratum intermedium}}).
	; Titles
	{{main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style (titles)}}
	: Use italics for the titles of works of literature and art, such as books, paintings, films (feature-length), television series, and musical albums. The titles of articles, chapters, songs, television episodes, short films, and other short works are not italicized, but are enclosed in double quotation marks.
	:Italics are not used for major revered religious works ({{xt|the Bible}}, {{xt|the Qur'an}}, {{xt|the Talmud}}).
	; <span id="Words as words" /><!--This span creates a #-link target that is used elsewhere-->Words as words
	: Use italics when ''mentioning'' a word or letter (see ]) or a string of words up to one full sentence ({{xt|the term ''panning'' is derived from ''panorama'', a word coined in 1787}}; {{xt|the most commonly used letter in English is ''e''}}). When a whole sentence is mentioned, quotation marks may be used instead, with consistency ({{xt|The preposition in ''She sat on the chair'' is ''on''}}; or {{xt|The preposition in "She sat on the chair" is "on"}}). ''Mentioning'' (to discuss such features as grammar, wording, and punctuation) is different from ''quoting'' (in which something is usually expressed on behalf of a quoted source).
	; Foreign words
	: Use italics for phrases in other languages and for isolated ] that are not common in everyday English. Proper names (such as place names) in other languages, however, are not usually italicized.
	; <span id="Italics and quotations" /><!--This span creates a #-link target that is used elsewhere in this page.-->Quotations in italics
	: For quotations, use only quotation marks (for short quotations) or block quoting (for long ones), not italics. (See ] below.) This means that (1) a quotation is not italicized inside quotation marks or a block quote just because it is a quotation, and (2) italics are no substitute for proper quotation formatting.
	; Italics within quotations
	: Use italics within quotations if they are already in the source material. When adding italics on Misplaced Pages, add an editorial note {{xt|}} after the quotation.
	: {{xt2|"Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince: And ''flights of angels'' sing thee to thy rest" .}}
			{| role="presentation" style="background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	: If the source has used italics (or some other styling) for emphasis and this is not otherwise evident, the editorial note {{xt|}} should appear after the quotation.
	; Effect on nearby punctuation
	: Italicize only the elements of the sentence affected by the emphasis. Do not italicize surrounding punctuation.
	::{|style="background:transparent"
	|-		|-
			| {{em|Correct:}}
	|valign=top|''Incorrect'':&nbsp; &nbsp;
			| {{xt|Burke and Wills, fed by locals (on beans, fish, and ''ngardu''), survived for a few months.}}
	|colspan=2|{{!xt|What are we to make of ''that?''}}
	|-		|-
			| {{em|Incorrect:}}
	|valign=top rowspan=2|''Correct'':
			| {{!xt|Burke and Wills, fed by locals (on beans, fish, and ''ngardu'') survived for a few months.}}
	|colspan=2|{{xt|What are we to make of ''that''?}}
			|}
			</li>
			<li>{{anchor|fewer commas}}
			Modern{{efn|name=recent}} writing uses fewer commas; there are usually ways to simplify a sentence so that fewer are needed.
			{| role="presentation" style="background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	|-		|-
			| {{em|Clear}}:
	|&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
			| {{xt|Schubert's heroes included Mozart, Beethoven, and Joseph and Michael Haydn.}}
	|(Note the difference between {{!xt|''?''}} and {{xt|?}}. The question mark applies to the whole sentence, not just to the emphasized {{xt|that}}.)
	|-		|-
			| {{em|Awkward}}:
	|valign=top rowspan=2|''Correct'':
			| {{!xt|Mozart was, along with the Haydns, both Joseph and Michael, and also Beethoven, one of Schubert's heroes.}}
	|colspan=2|{{xt|Four of Patrick White's most famous novels are ''A Fringe of Leaves'', ''The Aunt's Story'', ''Voss'', and ''The Tree of Man''.}}
			|}
			</li>
			{{Shortcut|MOS:GEOCOMMA}}
			<li>{{anchor|Geographical references}}
			In geographical references that include multiple levels of subordinate divisions (e.g., city, state/province, country), a comma separates each element and follows the last element unless followed by terminal punctuation or a closing parenthesis. The last element is treated as ].
			{| role="presentation" style="background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	|-		|-
			| {{em|Correct:}}
	|
			| {{xt|He traveled through North Carolina before staying in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the night.}}<!-- About a 10-hour drive if he started in Virginia Beach and passed through Winston-Salem. -->
	|(The commas, period, and the word ''and'' are not italicized.)
			|-
			| {{em|Incorrect:}}
			| {{!xt|He traveled through North Carolina before staying in Chattanooga, Tennessee for the night.}}
	|}		|}
	; Italicized links
			Also include commas when the geographical element is used as a disambiguator:
	: The italics markup must be outside the link markup, or the link will not work; however, internal italicization can be used in ].
	::{|style="background:transparent"
			{| role="presentation" style="background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	|-valign=top
			|-
	|''Incorrect'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|<code><nowiki>The opera ] is his best.</nowiki></code>}}
			| {{em|Correct:}}
	|-valign=top
			| {{xt|Hantratty received a PhD from the University of California, Irvine, in 1977.}}
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|<code><nowiki>The opera '']'' is his best.</nowiki></code>}}
			|-
	|-valign=top
			| {{em|Incorrect:}}
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|<code><nowiki>The ] was a submarine.</nowiki></code>}}
			| {{!xt|Hantratty received a PhD from the University of California, Irvine in 1977.}}
	|}		|}
			</li>
			{{shortcut|MOS:DATECOMMA}}
	== Non-breaking spaces ==
			<li>{{anchor|Date commas}}
	{{Mergefrom|Don't use line breaks|discuss=Misplaced Pages talk:Manual of Style#Consolidation?|date=March 2010}}
			] in month–day–year format require a comma after the day, as well as after the year, unless followed by other punctuation. The last element is treated as ].
	{{see also|Misplaced Pages:Line break handling|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style (dates and numbers)#Non-breaking spaces}}
	*A ] (also known as a ''hard space'') is recommended to prevent the end-of-line displacement of elements that could be awkward at the beginning of a new line:
	**in many compound expressions in which figures and abbreviations or symbols are separated by a space ({{xt|17&nbsp;kg}}, {{xt|AD&nbsp;565}}, {{xt|2:50&nbsp;pm}} written as <code>17&amp;nbsp;kg</code>, <code>AD&amp;nbsp;565</code>, <code>2:50&amp;nbsp;pm</code>), including scientific names of species where the genus is abbreviated ({{xt|''C.&nbsp;elegans''}});
	**in other places where visually grouping elements as one unit helps the reader make the correct interpretation more immediately ({{xt|£11&nbsp;billion}}, {{xt|5°&nbsp;24′&nbsp;21.12″&nbsp;N}}, {{xt|Boeing&nbsp;747}}, and the first two elements in {{xt|7&nbsp;World Trade Center}}).
	* A hard space can be produced with the HTML code <code>&amp;nbsp;</code> instead of the space bar: <code>19&amp;nbsp;kg</code> yields a non-breaking {{xt|19&nbsp;kg}}.
	* Hard spaces can also be produced by using the {{tl|nowrap}} template: <code><nowiki>{{nowrap|8 sq ft}}</nowiki></code> produces a non-breaking {{xt|{{nowrap|8 sq ft}}}}. This is especially useful for short constructions requiring two or more hard spaces, as in the preceding example. Template <code>{{tlf|nowrap}}</code> has the disadvantage that if the enclosed text starts or ends with a space, these spaces are forced outside in the resulting HTML, and unpredicted breaks may occur. If <code>&amp;nbsp;</code> occurs right before <code>{{tlf|nowrap}}</code>, or at the start of text within <code>{{tlf|nowrap}}</code>, some browsers allow a break at that point.
	* Unlike normal spaces, multiple hard spaces are not compressed by browsers into a single space.
			{| role="presentation" style="background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	== Quotations ==
			|-
	{{shortcut|WP:MOSQUOTE|MOS:QUOTE}}
			| {{em|Correct:}}
	{{see also|#Italics and quotations|#Quotation marks|l1=Italics and quotations|l2=Quotation marks}}
			| {{xt|He set October 1, 2011, as the deadline for Patterson to meet his demands.}}
	; Minimal change
			|-
	:Preserve the original text, spelling, and punctuation. Where there is a good reason to make a change, insert an explanation within square brackets (for example, {{xt|}} replacing ''him'', where the context explaining ''him'' is omitted in the quotation). If there is a significant error in the original statement, use {{xt|]'']}}, or the template {{tl|sic}} (which produces {{xt|{{sic}}}}), to show that the error was not made in transcription. Trivial spelling or typographical errors should be silently corrected (for example, correct {{!xt|ommission}} to {{xt|omission}}, {{!xt|harasssment}} to {{xt|harassment}})—unless the slip is textually important.
			| {{em|Incorrect:}}
			| {{!xt|He set October 1, 2011 as the deadline for Patterson to meet his demands.}}
			|}
			</li>
			{{shortcut|MOS:QUOTECOMMA}}
	:Use ] to indicate omissions from quoted text. Legitimate omissions include extraneous, irrelevant, or parenthetical words, and unintelligible or guttural speech ({{!xt|umm}}, and {{!xt|hmm}}). Do not omit text where doing so would remove essential context or alter the meaning of the text. When quoting a vulgarity or obscenity, it should appear exactly as it does in the cited source; words should never be ] by replacing letters with dashes, asterisks, or other symbols. In carrying over such an alteration from a quoted source, {{xt|]'']}} may be used to indicate that the transcription is exact.
			<li>{{anchor|Quotation commas}}
			Place quotation marks by following {{Section link||Punctuation inside or outside}}. This is known as "logical quotation".
			{| role="presentation" style="background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	; Allowable typographical changes
			|-
	:Although the requirement of minimal change is strict, a few purely typographical elements of quoted text should be conformed to English Misplaced Pages's conventions without comment. This practice of conforming typographical styling to a publication's own "house style" is universal. Allowable typographical alterations include these:
			| {{em|Correct:}}
	:*Styling of dashes—use the style chosen for the article: unspaced em dash or spaced en dash. (See ], below.)
			| {{xt|She said, "The weather changes too often", and made other complaints.}}
	:*Styling of apostrophes and quotation marks: they should all be straight, not curly. ''See'' ] below. In quoting foreign-language text, replace foreign typographical elements such as ] ({{!xt|«&nbsp;»}}) with their English-language equivalents. Replace guillemets with straight quotation marks, and so on.
			|-
	:*Spaces before punctuation such as periods and colons: these should be removed as alien to modern English-language publishing.
			| {{em|Incorrect:}}
	:*Some text styling should be altered. Of course the typeface will be automatically standardized; but generally preserve bold and italics (see ], above). Where the source is an old typewritten document such as an academic dissertation, ] is almost certainly used to represent italics, and should be changed to italics as it would be by any book publisher.
			| {{!xt|She said, "The weather changes too often," and made other complaints.}}
	:*When quoting from early modern sources, disused glyphs and ligatures should be normalized to modern usage when doing so will not change or obscure the meaning of the text. Examples of such changes include the following: æ→ae, œ→oe,ſ→s, and y<sup>e</sup>→the. Also, see ], below.
			|}
	:*If an entire sentence is quoted in such a way that it becomes a grammatical part of the larger sentence, the first letter loses its capitalization ({{xt|It turned out to be true that "a penny saved is a penny earned"}}).
			</li>
			<li>
	; Quotations within quotations
			A comma may be included before a quotation embedded within a sentence {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link||Quotation marks}})}}.
	: When a quotation includes another quotation (and so on), start with double quote marks outermost, and, working inward, alternate single with double quote marks ({{xt|"She disputed his statement that 'Voltaire never said "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.{{" ' "}}}}, with three levels of quotation). Adjacent quote marks, as at the end of that last example, can be difficult to read ({{!xt|"'"}}) unless ] apart slightly with ]; the {{tl|" '}}, {{tl|' "}} and {{tl|" ' "}} templates will accomplish this; the example above is achieved by typing this: <code><nowiki>... your right to say it.{{"&nbsp;'&nbsp;"}}</nowiki></code>.
			</li>
	; Attribution
	: The author of a quote of a full sentence or more should be named; this is done in the main text and not in a footnote. However, attribution is unnecessary with quotations that are clearly from the person discussed in the article or section. When preceding a quotation with its attribution, ].
	; Linking
	: As much as possible, avoid linking from within quotes, which may clutter the quotation, violate the principle of leaving quotations unchanged, and mislead or confuse the reader.
	; Block quotations{{anchor|nocquote}}
	: Format a long quote (more than four lines, or consisting of more than one paragraph, regardless of number of lines) as a ], which Wikimedia's software will indent from both margins. Do not enclose block quotations in quotation marks (and especially avoid decorative quotation marks in normal use, such as those provided by the {{tl|cquote}} template, which are reserved for ]s). Block quotations can be enclosed between a pair of <code>&lt;blockquote&gt;...&lt;/blockquote&gt;</code> HTML tags; or use {{tl|quotation}} or {{tl|quote}}.
	Misplaced Pages's ] software does not render multiple paragraphs inside a <code>&lt;blockquote&gt;</code> simply by spacing the paragraphs apart with blank lines. A ] is to enclose each block-quoted paragraph in its own <code>&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;</code> element:
	<source lang="html4strict">
	<blockquote>
	<p>And bring us a lot of horilka, but not of that fancy kind with raisins,
	or with any other such things—bring us horilka of the purest kind, give us that
	demon drink that makes us merry, playful and wild!</p>
			</ul>
	<p>—], '']''</p>
	</blockquote>
	</source>
	This will result in the following, indented on both sides (it may also be in a smaller font, depending on browser software):
	{{xt2|<blockquote>
	<p>And bring us a lot of horilka, but not of that fancy kind with raisins,
	or with any other such things—bring us horilka of the purest kind, give us that
	demon drink that makes us merry, playful and wild!</p>
			====Serial commas<span class="anchor" id="Serial comma"></span><span class="anchor" id="Oxford comma"></span><span class="anchor" id="Oxford commas"></span><span class="anchor" id="Harvard comma"></span><span class="anchor" id="Harvard commas"></span>====
	<p>—], '']''</p>
			{{Shortcut|WP:OCOMMA|MOS:SERIAL|MOS:OXFORD|MOS:HARVARD}}
	</blockquote>}}
			{{Redirect|MOS:OXFORD|Oxford spelling|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Spelling#British English with "-ize" (Oxford spelling)}}
			A ] (sometimes also known as an ''Oxford comma'' or ''Harvard comma'') is a comma used immediately before a conjunction (''and'', ''or'', ''nor'') in a list of three or more items.
	The {{tl|quote}} template provides the same semantic HTML formatting, as well as a workaround for the paragraph spacing bug and a pre-formatted attribution line:
	<source lang="html4strict">
	{{quote|And bring us a lot of horilka, but not of that fancy kind with raisins,
	or with any other such things—bring us horilka of the purest kind, give us that
	demon drink that makes us merry, playful and wild!|]|'']''}}
	</source>
	This will result in:
	{{xt2|{{quote|And bring us a lot of horilka, but not of that fancy kind with raisins,
	or with any other such things—bring us horilka of the purest kind, give us that
	demon drink that makes us merry, playful and wild!|]|'']''}}}}
			{{Block indent|{{xt|ham, chips, and eggs}}{{spnd}}serial comma}}
	== Punctuation ==
			{{Block indent|{{xt|ham, chips and eggs}}{{spnd}}no serial comma}}
	{{shortcut|WP:PUNC|WP:PUNCT}}
			Editors may use either convention so long as each article is internally consistent. Serial commas are more helpful when article text is complex, such as a list with multi-word items (especially if one contains its own "''and''"{{--)}} or a series of probably unfamiliar terms.
	=== Apostrophes ===
	* Consistent use of the straight (or ''typewriter'') apostrophe ({{xt|&nbsp;<big>'</big>&nbsp;}}) is recommended, as opposed to the curly (or ''typographic'') apostrophe ({{!xt|&nbsp;<big>’</big>&nbsp;}}). For details and reasons, see ], below.
	* To prevent apostrophes from being misinterpreted as Wiki markup, use the templates {{tl|'}}, {{tl|`}}, and {{tl|'s}}, or use <code>&lt;nowiki&gt;</code> tags.
	* Foreign characters that resemble apostrophes, such as transliterated Arabic ] ({{xt|&nbsp;<big>ʿ</big>&nbsp;}}) and ] ({{xt|&nbsp;<big>ʾ</big>&nbsp;}}), are represented by their correct Unicode characters (that is, U+02BF <small>MODIFIER LETTER LEFT HALF RING</small> and U+02BE <small>MODIFIER LETTER RIGHT HALF RING</small> respectively), despite possible display problems. If this is not feasible, use a straight apostrophe instead.
	* For usage of the possessive apostrophe, see the summary of usage issues at ], below.
	* For a thorough treatment of all uses of the apostrophe (possessive, elision, formation of certain plurals, specific foreign-language issues) see the article ].
			However, there are cases in which either omitting or including the serial comma results in ambiguity:
	=== {{MOSR-link|Quotation marks}} {{anchor|Quotation marks}}===
	{{see also|#Quotations|l1=Quotations}}
	The term ''quotation'' in the material below also includes other uses of quotation marks such as those for titles of songs, chapters, episodes, unattributable aphorisms, ], "]" passages, and constructed examples.
	; Double or single
	Enclose quotations with double quotation marks ({{xt|Bob said, "Jim ate the apple."}}). Enclose quotations within quotations with single quotation marks ({{xt|Bob said, "Did Jim say 'I ate the apple' after he left?"}}).
			{{Block indent|{{!xt|The author thanked her friends, Sinéad O'Connor and Bob Marley}}{{spnd}}which may list either four or more people (the friends and the two people named) or two people (O'Connor and Marley, who are the friends).}}
	Misplaced Pages prefers double quotation marks because some search engines cannot find quotations within single quotation marks, like {{!xt|'I ate the apple'}}. (] will only find such an expression if the search string is also within single quotation marks.) In addition, double quotation marks are harder to confuse with apostrophes.
			{{Block indent|{{!xt|The author thanked a friend, Sinéad O'Connor, and Bob Marley}}{{spnd}}which may list either two people (O'Connor, who is the friend, and Marley) or three people (the first being the friend, the second O'Connor, and the third Marley).}}
	; Article openings
	: When the title of an article appearing in the lead paragraph requires quotation marks (for example, the title of a song or poem), the quotation marks should not be in boldface, as they are not part of the title:
	::{|style="background:transparent"
	|''Correct'': || {{xt|"'''Jabberwocky'''" is a nonsense poem by Lewis Carroll.}}
	|}
	; Block quotes
	: As already noted ], we use quotation marks or block quotes (not both) to distinguish long quotations from other text. Multiparagraph quotations are always block-quoted. The quotations must be precise and exactly as in the source (except for certain ''allowable typographical changes'', also noted above). The source should be cited clearly and precisely to enable readers to locate the text in question, and to quote it accurately themselves from Misplaced Pages.
	; Quotation characters
	: Do not use ] and ]s or backticks ({{!xt|<big>'''`'''</big>text<big>'''´'''</big>}}) as quotation marks (or as apostrophes).
	: There have traditionally been two styles concerning the look of the quotation marks (that is, the ], displayed with emphasis here, for clarity):
	:* ] or straight style: {{xt|<big>'''"'''</big>text<big>'''"'''</big>, <big><b>'</b></big>text<big><b>'</b></big>.}} '''Recommended.'''
	:* ] or curly style: {{!xt|<big>'''“'''</big>text<big>'''”'''</big>, <big>'''‘'''</big>text<big>'''’'''</big>.}} '''Not recommended.'''
	: The exclusive use of straight quotation marks and apostrophes (see ]) is recommended. They are easier to type in reliably, and to edit. Mixed use interferes with some searches, such as those using the browser's search facility (a search for {{xt|Alzheimer's disease}} could fail to find {{!xt|Alzheimer’s disease}} and vice versa). Furthermore, HTML elements (such as <code><nowiki><ref name="xxx"/></nowiki></code>) may not always work if curly quotation marks are used.
	: Whenever quotation marks or apostrophes appear in article titles, make a redirect from the same title but using the alternative glyphs.
			In such cases of ambiguity, clarify one of four ways:
	====Punctuation inside or outside====
			*Add or remove the serial comma.
	{{shortcut|WP:LQ|MOS:LQ}}{{Anchor|LP|LQ|TQ}}
			*Use separate sentences, bullet lists, or some other structural change to clarify.
	<!--EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: Discussions on this guideline may escalate into heated debate. Please consider raising any proposed changes for discussion on the talk page before editing.-->
			*Recast the sentence ("friends" case):
			**To list two people: {{xt|The author thanked her friends Sinéad O'Connor and Bob Marley.}}
			***Clearer: {{xt|The author thanked two friends – Sinéad O'Connor and Bob Marley.}}
			**To list several people:
			**: {{xt|The author thanked Sinéad O'Connor, Bob Marley and her friends}} or
			**: {{xt|The author thanked Sinéad O'Connor, Bob Marley, and her friends}}.
			***But not: {{!xt|The author thanked Bob Marley, Sinéad O'Connor and her friends}}{{spnd}}introduces ambiguity about ''her''.
			*Recast the sentence ("friend" case):
			**To list two people: {{xt|The author thanked Bob Marley and her friend, Sinéad O'Connor.}}
			***Or be more specific when possible (the commas here set off non-restrictive ]): {{xt|The author thanked her childhood friend, Sinéad O'Connor, and her mentor, Bob Marley.}}
			**To list three people: {{xt|The author thanked Bob Marley, Sinéad O'Connor, and a friend.}}
			***Clarity with gender-specific terms such as ''mother'' can be tricky; {{!xt|The author thanked her mother, Kim Thayil, and Sinéad O'Connor}} is unclear because readers may not know ] is male and wouldn't be the same person as the mother.
			***Clearer: {{xt|The author thanked Kim Thayil, Sinéad O'Connor, and her own mother}} or {{xt|The author thanked her mother and musicians Kim Thayil and Sinéad O'Connor}}.
			===Colons===
	On Misplaced Pages, place all ]s inside the quotation marks if they are part of the quoted material and outside if they are not. This practice is sometimes referred to as ]. It is used on Misplaced Pages in accordance with the principle of minimal change. This punctuation system does not require placing final periods and commas outside the quotation marks all the time but rather maintaining their original positions in (or absence from) the quoted material.
			{{Shortcut|MOS:COLON}}
			{{For|the "colon trick" (for linking to a category, image, or interwiki link without adding the page to the category, displaying the image, or adding the interwiki link)|Help:Colon trick}}
			A ] ({{xt|:}}) introduces something that demonstrates, explains, or modifies what has come before, or is a list of items that has just been introduced. The items in such a list may be separated by commas, or if they are more complex and perhaps themselves contain commas, the items should be separated by semicolons or arranged in a bulleted list.
	::{|style="background:transparent"
	|rowspan=2 valign=top|''Correct'': || {{xt|Arthur said, "The situation is deplorable and unacceptable."}}
			{{Block indent|{{xt|We visited several tourist attractions: the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which I thought could fall at any moment; the Bridge of Sighs; the supposed birthplace of Petrarch, or at least the first known house in which he lived; and so many more.}}}}
			A colon may also be used to introduce ] enclosed within quotation marks. {{crossref|pw=y|(See {{section link||Quotation marks}}.)}}
			In most cases, a colon works best with a complete grammatical sentence before it. When what follows the colon is also a complete sentence, start it with a capital letter, but otherwise do not capitalize after a colon except where doing so is needed for another reason, such as for a proper name. When a colon is being used as a separator in an article title, section heading, or list item, editors may choose whether to capitalize what follows, taking into consideration ] and ].
			Except in technical usage ({{xt|a 3:1 ratio}}), no sentence should contain multiple colons, no space should precede a colon, and a space (but never a hyphen or dash) should follow the colon.
			===Semicolons===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:SEMICOLON|MOS:COMMASPLICE|MOS:;}}
			{{for|usage in marking up description (definition) lists|Help:List#Description lists}}
			A ] ({{xt|;}}) is sometimes an alternative to a full stop (period), enabling related material to be kept in the same sentence; it marks a more decisive division in a sentence than a comma. If the semicolon separates clauses, normally each clause must be independent (meaning that it could stand on its own as a sentence). In many cases, only a comma or only a semicolon will be correct in a given sentence.
			{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	|-		|-
			| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Correct:}}
	|
			| {{xt|Though he had been here before, I did not recognize him.}}
	:(The period is known to be in the source.)
	|-		|-
			| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Incorrect:}}
	|rowspan=2 valign=top|''Correct'': || {{xt|Arthur said that the situation was "deplorable".}}
			| {{!xt|Though he had been here before; I did not recognize him.}}
			|}
			Above, "Though he had been here before" cannot stand on its own as a sentence, and therefore is not an independent clause.
			{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	|-		|-
			| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Correct:}}
	|
			| {{xt|Oranges are an acidic fruit; bananas are classified as alkaline.}}
	:(The period is either known not to be in the source, its presence in the source is uncertain, or its coverage within the quotation is considered unnecessary.)
	|-		|-
			| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Incorrect:}}
	|rowspan=2 valign=top|''Correct'': || {{xt|Martha asked, "Are you coming?"}}
			| {{!xt|Oranges are an acidic fruit, bananas are classified as alkaline.}}
			|}
			This incorrect use of a comma between two independent clauses is known as a ]; however, in certain kinds of cases, a comma may be used where a semicolon would seem to be called for:
			{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	|-		|-
			| {{em|Accepted}}: || {{xt|"Life is short, art is long."}} (two brief clauses in an ]; see '']'')
	|
	:(The question mark belongs inside because the quoted text itself was a question.)
	|-		|-
			| {{em|Accepted}}: || {{xt|"I have studied it, you have not."}} (reporting brisk conversation, such as this reply of ]'s)
	|rowspan=2 valign=top|''Correct'': || {{xt|Did Martha say, "Come with me"?}}
			|}
			A sentence may contain several semicolons, especially when the clauses are parallel in construction and meaning; multiple unrelated semicolons are often signs that the sentence should be divided into shorter sentences or otherwise refashioned.
			{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	|-		|-
			| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Unwieldy}}:
	|
			| {{!xt|Oranges are an acidic fruit; bananas are classified as alkaline; pears are close to neutral; these distinctions are rarely discussed.}}
	:(The very quote is being questioned, so the question mark belongs outside; any punctuation at the end of the original quote is omitted.)
			|-
			| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Better}}:
			| {{xt|Oranges are an acidic fruit, bananas are alkaline, and pears are close to neutral; these distinctions are rarely discussed.}}
	|}		|}
	: When quoting a sentence fragment that ends in a period, some judgment is required: if the fragment communicates a complete sentence, the period can be placed inside. The period should be omitted if the quotation is in the middle of a sentence.
			Semicolons are used in addition to commas to separate items in a listing, when commas alone would result in confusion.
	::{|style="background:transparent"
	|''Correct'': || {{xt|Martha said, "Come with me", and they did.}}
			{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
			|-
			| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Confusing}}:
			| {{!xt|Sales offices are located in Boston, Massachusetts, San Francisco, California, Singapore, and Millbank, London, England.}}
			|-
			| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Clear}}:
			| {{xt|Sales offices are located in Boston, Massachusetts; San Francisco, California; Singapore; and Millbank, London, England.}}
	|}		|}
	: If the sequence of juxtaposed punctuation marks seems distracting or untidy, try an acceptable alternative.
			====Semicolon before "however"====
	::{|style="background:transparent"
			{{Shortcut|MOS:HOWEVER}}
	|''Correct'': || {{xt|Martha said, "Come with me" (and they did).}}
			The meaning of a sentence containing a trailing clause that starts with the word ''however'' depends on the punctuation preceding that word. A common error is to use the wrong punctuation, thereby changing the meaning to one not intended.
			When the word ''however'' is an adverb meaning "nevertheless", it should be preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma. Example:
			{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
			|-
			| || {{xt|It was obvious they could not convert these people; however, they tried.}}
			|-
			| {{em|Meaning}}: || {{xt|It was obvious they could not convert these people; nevertheless, they tried.}}
	|}		|}
			When the word ''however'' is a conjunction meaning "in whatever manner", or "regardless of how", it may be preceded by a comma but not by a semicolon, and should not be followed by punctuation. Example:
	=== Brackets and parentheses ===
	These rules apply to both round brackets (&nbsp;{{xt|(&nbsp;)}}&nbsp;), often called ], and square brackets (&nbsp;{{xt|}}&nbsp;).
			{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	If a sentence contains a bracketed phrase, place the sentence punctuation outside the brackets {{xt|(as shown here).}} However, where one or more sentences are wholly inside brackets, place their punctuation inside the brackets (see ] below). There should be no space next to the inner side of a bracket. An opening bracket should be preceded by a space, except in unusual cases; for example, when it is preceded by an opening quotation mark, another opening bracket, or a portion of a word:
			|-
	:{{xt2|He rose to address the meeting: "(Ahem)&nbsp;... Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!"}}
			| || {{xt|It was obvious they could not convert these people, however they tried.}}
	:{{xt2|Only the royal characters in the play ( Hamlet and his family) habitually speak in blank verse.}}
			|-
	:{{xt2|We journeyed on the Inter.}}
			| {{em|Meaning}}: || {{xt|It was obvious they could not convert these people, regardless of how they tried.}}
	There should be a space after a closing bracket, except perhaps where a punctuation mark other than an apostrophe or a dash follows, and in unusual cases similar to those listed for opening brackets.
			|}
			In the first case, the clause that starts with "however" cannot be swapped with the first clause; in the second case this can be done without change of meaning:
	If sets of brackets are nested, use different types for adjacent levels of nesting; for two levels, it is customary to have square brackets appear within round brackets. This is often a sign of excessively convoluted expression; it is often better to recast, linking the thoughts with commas, semicolons, colons, or dashes.
			{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	Avoid adjacent sets of brackets. Either put the parenthetic phrases in one set separated by commas, or rewrite the sentence:
			|-
	:{|style="background:transparent"
			| || {{xt|However they tried, it was obvious they could not convert these people.}}
	|-valign=top
			|-
	|''Incorrect'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|Nikifor Grigoriev (c. 1885–1919) (also known as Matviy Hryhoriyiv) was a Ukrainian insurgent leader.}}
			| {{em|Meaning}}: || {{xt|Regardless of how they tried, it was obvious they could not convert these people.}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|Nikifor Grigoriev (c. 1885–1919), also known as Matviy Hryhoriyiv, was a Ukrainian insurgent leader.}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|Nikifor Grigoriev (c. 1885–1919) was a Ukrainian insurgent leader. He was also known as Matviy Hryhoriyiv.}}
	|}		|}
	Square brackets are used to indicate editorial replacements and insertions within quotations, though this should never alter the intended meaning. They serve three main purposes:
	* To clarify. ({{xt|She attended school}}, where this was the intended meaning, but the type of school was unstated in the original sentence.)
	* To reduce the size of a quotation. ({{xt|X contains Y, and under certain circumstances, X may contain Z as well}} may be reduced to {{xt|X contains Y }}.) When an ellipsis (...) is used to indicate that material is removed from a direct quotation, it should not normally be bracketed (see ], below).
	* To make the grammar work. (Referring to someone's statement {{xt|"I hate to do laundry"}}, one could properly write: {{xt|She "hate to do laundry"}}.)
			If the two clauses cannot be swapped, a semicolon is required.
	==== Sentences and brackets ====
	* If any sentence includes material that is enclosed in square or round brackets, it still must end—with a period, or a question or exclamation mark—''after'' those brackets. This principle applies no matter what punctuation is used within the brackets:
	::{{xt|She refused all requests (except for basics such as food, medicine, etc.).}}
	* However, if the entire sentence is within brackets, the closing punctuation falls within the brackets. (This sentence is an example.) This does not apply to matter that is added (or modified editorially) at the beginning of a sentence for clarity, which is usually in square brackets:
	::{{xt|" already told me that", he objected.}}
	:That is preferable to this, which is potentially ambiguous:
	::{{!xt|"He already told me that", he objected.}}
	:But even here consider an addition rather than a replacement of text:
	::{{xt|"He already told me that", he objected.}}
	* A sentence that occurs within brackets in the course of another sentence does not generally have its first word capitalized just because it starts a sentence. The enclosed sentence may have a question mark or exclamation mark added, but not a period. See the indented example above, and also:
	::{{xt|Alexander then conquered (who would have believed it?) most of the known world.}}
	::{{xt|Clare demanded that he drive (she knew he hated driving) to the supermarket.}}
	:It is often clearer to separate the thoughts into separate sentences or clauses:
	::{{xt|Alexander then conquered most of the known world. Who would have believed it?}}
	::{{xt|Clare demanded that he drive to the supermarket; she knew he hated driving.}}
			A sentence or clause can also contain the word ''however'' in the middle, if it is an adverb meaning "although" that could have been placed at the beginning but does not start a new clause in mid-sentence. In this use, the word may be enclosed between commas. Example:
	==== Brackets and linking====
	If the text of a link needs to contain one or more square brackets, "escape" these using {{tag|nowiki}} tags or the appropriate ].
			{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	{| class="wikitable"
			|-
	| style="width:50%;" | <pre style="margin:0px; white-space:normal;">He said "I spoke to ] that morning."</pre> ||
			| || {{xt|He did not know, however, that the venue had been changed at the last minute.}}
	He said "I spoke to ] that morning."
	|-		|-
			| {{em|Meaning}}: || {{xt|However, he did not know that the venue had been changed at the last minute.}}
	| <pre style="margin:0px; white-space:normal;">*Branwen, Gwern (2009). &lt;/nowiki&gt; Chinese start caring about copyright].</pre> ||
	*Branwen, Gwern (2009). </nowiki> Chinese start caring about copyright].
	|}		|}
	If a URL itself contains square brackets, the wiki-text should use the url-encoded form: {{xt|1=<code>something.php?query=%5Bxxx%5Dxxx&whatever=else</code>}} rather than {{!xt|1=<code>query=bar</code>}} to avoid truncating the link text after "xxx". Of course, this issue only arises for external links as MediaWiki software forbids square brackets in page titles.
	=== Ellipses ===		===Hyphens===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:HYPHEN}}
	{{shortcut|WP:ELLIPSES|WP:ELLIPSIS|MOS:ELLIPSIS}}
	An ] (plural ''ellipses'') is an omission of material from quoted text; or some other omission, perhaps of the end of a sentence, often used in a printed record of conversation. The ellipsis is represented by '''ellipsis points''': a set of three dots.
	; Style
	: Ellipsis points, or ''ellipses'', have traditionally been implemented in three ways:
	:* ''Three unspaced periods'' ({{xt|...}}). This is the easiest way, and gives a predictable appearance in HTML. '''Recommended.'''
	:* ''Pre-composed ellipsis character'' ({{!xt|…}}); generated with the <code>&amp;hellip;</code> character entity, or as a literal "…". This is harder to input and edit, and too small in some fonts. '''Not recommended.'''
	:* ''Three spaced periods'' ({{!xt|.&nbsp;.&nbsp;.}}). This is an older style that is unnecessarily wide and requires non-breaking spaces to keep it from breaking at the end of a line. '''Not recommended.'''
	; Function and implementation
	: Use an ellipsis if material is omitted in the course of a quotation, unless square brackets are used to gloss the quotation (see ], and points below).
	:* Put a space on each side of an ellipsis, except that there should be no space between an ellipsis and:
	:** a quotation mark directly following the ellipsis
	:** any (round, square, curly, etc.) bracket, where the ellipsis is on the inside
	:** sentence-final punctuation, or a colon, semicolon, or comma (all rare), directly following the ellipsis
	:* ] after an ellipsis is shown only if it is textually important (as is often the case with exclamation marks and question marks, and rarely with periods).
	:* Use non-breaking spaces (<code>&amp;nbsp;</code>) only as needed to prevent improper line breaks, for example:
	:** To keep a quotation mark from being separated from the start of the quotation ({{xt|"...<code>&amp;nbsp;</code>we are still worried"}}).
	:** To keep the ellipsis from wrapping to the next line ({{xt|"France, Germany,<code>&amp;nbsp;</code>... and Belgium but not the USSR"}}).
	; Pause or suspension of speech
	: Three periods (loosely also called ''ellipsis points'') are occasionally used to represent a pause in or suspense of speech, in which case the punctuation is retained in its original form ({{xt|Virginia's startled reply was: "Could he&nbsp;...? No, I cannot believe it!"}}). Avoid this usage on Misplaced Pages, except in direct quotations.
	; With square brackets
	: An ellipsis does not normally need square brackets around it, because its function is usually obvious—especially if the guidelines above are followed. Square brackets, however, may optionally be used for precision, to make it clear that the ellipsis is not itself quoted; this is usually only necessary if the quoted passage also uses three periods in it to indicate a pause or suspension. The ellipsis should follow exactly the principles given above, but with square brackets inserted immediately before and after it ({{xt|Her long rant continued: "How do I feel? How do you ''think'' I&nbsp;... look, this has gone far enough!&nbsp; I want to go home!"}}).
			]s ({{xt|-}}) indicate conjunction. There are three main uses:
	=== Commas ===
			{{multiple image
	{{shortcut|WP:COMMA}}
			| direction = horizontal
	]s are the most frequently used marks in punctuation. They can also be the most difficult to use well. Some important points are made in the ] section below. Other points:
			| total_width = 400
			| caption_align = center
			| image1 = Globe Toters-A Birla Preschool,Indore (cropped).jpg
			| image2 = Peuters_in_het_tehuis_zitten_met_zijn_allen_op_de_po,_Bestanddeelnr_252-0385.jpg
			| image3 = Graduates 2014 IMG 2779 (14083168633).jpg
			| caption1 = Four-year-old children
			| caption2 = Four year-old children
			| caption3 = Four-year old children
			}}
			{{multiple image
			| direction = horizontal
			| total_width = 400
			| caption_align = center
			| image1 = Haring 03.jpg
			| image2 = Great white Dyer island 2010-07.jpg
			| caption1 = A man {{nobr|eating fish}}
			| caption2 = A man-eating fish
			}}
			{{multiple image
			| direction = horizontal
			| total_width = 400
			| caption_align = center
			| image1 = Catalina_Island_Rescue_DVIDS1091019.jpg
			| image2 = Kintín al ataque (5189220934).jpg
			| caption1 = Officials help {{nobr|dog-bite victim}}.
			| caption2 = Officials help {{nobr|dog bite victim}}.
			}}
			]
			# In hyphenated personal names ({{xt|John Lennard-Jones}}, {{xt|Omar al-Bashir}}).
	* Pairs of commas are often used to delimit parenthetic material, forming a parenthetical remark. This interrupts the sentence less than a parenthetical remark in (round) brackets or dashes. Do not be fooled by other punctuation, which can mask the need for a comma, especially when it collides with a bracket or parenthesis, as in this example:
			# To link ]es with their main terms in certain constructions ({{xt|quasi-scientific}}, {{xt|pseudo-Apollodorus}}, {{xt|ultra-nationalistic}}).
			#*A hyphen may be used to distinguish between ]s ({{xt|re-dress}} means ''dress again'', but {{xt|redress}} means ''remedy'' or ''set right'').
			#*There is a clear trend to join both elements in all varieties of English ({{xt|subsection}}, {{xt|nonlinear}}). Hyphenation clarifies when the letters brought into contact are the same ({{xt|non-negotiable}}, {{xt|sub-basement}}) or are vowels ({{xt|pre-industrial}}), or where a word is uncommon ({{xt|co-proposed}}, {{xt|re-target}}) or may be misread ({{xt|sub-era}}, not {{!xt|subera}}). Some words of these sorts are nevertheless common without the hyphen (e.g., {{xt|cooperation}} is more frequently attested than {{xtg|co-operation}} in contemporary English).{{efn|name=recent}}
			# To link related terms in ]s:{{Efn|1=Specifically, compound ]s, which are modifiers of a noun that occur within the ]. {{crossref|pw=y|(See {{section link|English compound#Hyphenated compound modifiers}}.)}}}}
			#*Hyphens can aid ease of reading (that is, they can be {{xt|ease-of-reading}} aids) and are particularly useful in long noun phrases: {{xt|gas-phase reaction dynamics}}. But never insert a hyphen into a proper name ({{xt|Middle Eastern cuisine}}, not {{!xt|Middle-Eastern cuisine}}).
			#*A hyphen can help to disambiguate (some {{xt|short-story writers}} are quite tall; {{xt|a government-monitoring program}} is a program that monitors the government, whereas {{xt|a government monitoring program}} is a government program that monitors).
			#*Compounds that are hyphenated when used {{em|]}} (adjectives before the nouns they qualify: {{xt|a light-blue handbag}}, {{xt|a 34-year-old woman}}) or {{em|]ly}} (as a noun: {{xt|she is a 34-year-old}}) are usually not hyphenated when used {{em|]}} (descriptive phrase separated from the noun: {{xt|the handbag was light blue}}, {{xt|the woman is 34 years old}}). Where there would otherwise be a loss of clarity, however, a hyphen may be used in the predicative form as well ({{xt|hand-fed turkeys}}, {{xt|the turkeys were hand-fed}}). Awkward attributive hyphenation can sometimes be avoided with a simple rewording: {{xt|Hawaiian-native species}} → {{xt|native Hawaiian species}}.
			#*Avoid using a hyphen after a standard ''{{nowrap|-ly}}'' adverb ({{xt|a newly available home}}, {{xt|a wholly owned subsidiary}}) unless part of a larger compound ({{xt|a slowly-but-surely strategy}}). In rare cases, a hyphen can improve clarity if a rewritten alternative is awkward, but rewording is usually preferable: {{!xt|The idea was clearly stated enough}} can be disambiguated as {{xt|The idea clearly was stated often enough}} or {{xt|The idea was stated with enough clarity}}.
			#*A few words ending in ''{{nowrap|-ly}}'' function as both adjectives and adverbs ({{xt|a kindly-looking teacher}}; {{xt|a kindly provided facility}}). Some such dual-purpose words (like {{xt|early}}, {{xt|only}}, {{xt|northerly}}) are not standard ''{{nowrap|-ly}}'' adverbs, because they are not formed by addition of ''{{nowrap|-ly}}'' to an independent current-English adjective. These need careful treatment: {{xt|Early flowering plants appeared around 130&nbsp;million years ago}}, but {{xt|Early-flowering plants risk damage from winter frosts}}; {{xt|only child actors}} (no adult actors) but {{xt|only-child actors}} (actors without siblings).
			#*A hyphen is normally used when the adverb ''well'' precedes a participle used attributively ({{xt|a well-meaning gesture}}; but normally {{xt|a very well managed firm}}, because ''well'' itself is modified) and even predicatively, if ''well'' is necessary to, or alters, the sense of the adjective rather than simply intensifying it ({{xt|the gesture was well-meaning}}, {{xt|the child was well-behaved}}, but {{xt|the floor was well polished}}).
			#*In some cases, such as {{xt|diode–transistor logic}}, the independent status of the linked elements requires an en dash instead of a hyphen. {{crossref|pw=y|See {{Section link||Dashes}}.}}
			#*{{shortcut|MOS:SUSPENDED|MOS:HANGING}}Use a ''']''' (also called a ''hanging hyphen'') when two compound modifiers are separated ({{xt|two- and three-digit numbers}}; {{xt|a ten-car or -truck convoy}}; {{xt|sloping right- or leftward}}).
			#*Values and units used as compound modifiers are hyphenated only where the unit is given as a whole word; when using the unit symbol, separate it from the number with a ] (<code>&amp;nbsp;</code>).
			<div class="block-indent" style="padding-left: 5em; padding-right: 0; overflow: hidden;"><!--The underlying code adapted from {{block indent}} which doesn't work around wikitables.-->
	:{|style="background:transparent"
			{| style="background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	|-valign=top
			|-
	|''Incorrect'': ||{{!xt|Burke and Wills, fed by local Aborigines (on beans, fish, and "ngardu") survived for a few months.}}
			| {{em|Incorrect:}} || {{!xt|9-mm gap}}
	|-valign=top
			|-
	|''Correct'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{xt|Burke and Wills, fed by local Aborigines (on beans, fish, and "ngardu"), survived for a few months.}}
			| {{em|Correct:}} || {{xt|9&nbsp;mm gap}} (markup: <code>9&amp;nbsp;mm gap</code>)
	|}
			|-
	* Modern practice is against excessive use of commas; there are usually ways to simplify a sentence so that fewer are needed.
			| {{em|Incorrect:}}&nbsp; &nbsp; || {{!xt|9&nbsp;millimetre gap}}
	:{|style="background:transparent"
			|-
	|-valign=top
			| {{em|Correct:}} || {{xt|9-millimetre gap}}
	|''Awkward'': ||{{!xt|Mozart was, along with the Haydns, both Joseph and Michael, and also Beethoven, one of Schubert's heroes.}}
			|-
	|-valign=top
			| {{em|Correct:}} || {{xt|12-hour shift}}
	|''Much better'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{xt|Schubert's heroes included Mozart, Beethoven, and Joseph and Michael Haydn.}}
			|-
			| {{em|Correct:}} || {{xt|12&nbsp;h shift}} (markup: <code>12&amp;nbsp;h shift</code>)
	|}		|}
			</div>
			'''Multi-word hyphenated items:''' It is often possible to avoid multi-word hyphenated modifiers by rewording ({{xt|a four-CD soundtrack album}} may be easier to read as {{xt|a soundtrack album of four CDs}}). This is particularly important where converted units are involved ({{xt|the 6-hectare-limit (14.8-acre-limit) rule}} might be possible as {{xt|the rule imposing a limit of six hectares (14.8 acres)}}, and the ungainly {{!xt|4.9-mile (7.9&nbsp;km) -long tributary}} as simply {{xt|4.9-mile (7.9&nbsp;km) tributary}}).
	==== Serial commas ====
	{{shortcut|MOS:SERIAL}}
	A ] (also known as an ''Oxford comma'' or a ''Harvard comma'') is a comma used immediately before a conjunction in a list of three or more items: the phrase {{xt|ham, chips, and eggs}} includes a serial comma, while the variant {{xt|ham, chips and eggs}} omits it. Editors may use either convention on Misplaced Pages so long as each article is consistent within itself. However, there are some times when the serial comma can create or remove confusion:
			For optional hyphenation of compound '''points of the compass''' such as ''southwest/south-west'', see {{section link||Compass points}}.
	Sometimes omitting the comma can lead to an ambiguous sentence, as in this example:
	{{!xt|The author thanked her parents, Sinéad O'Connor and President Obama}}, which may list either four people (the two parents and the two people named) or two people (O'Connor and Obama, who are the parents).
			Do not use a capital letter after a hyphen except for a proper name following the hyphen: {{xt|Graeco-Roman}} and {{xt|Mediterranean-style}}, but not {{!xt|Gandhi-Like}}. In titles of published works, when given in ], follow the capitalization rule for each part independently ({{xt|''The Out-of-Towners''}}), unless reliable sources consistently do otherwise in a particular case ({{xt|''The History of Middle-earth''}}).
	Including the comma can also cause ambiguity, as in this example:
	{{!xt|The author thanked her mother, Sinéad O'Connor, and President Obama}}, which may list either two people (O'Connor, who is the mother, and Obama) or three people (the first being the mother, the second O'Connor, and the third Obama).
			Hyphenation rules in other languages may be different. Thus, in French a place name such as {{xt|Trois-Rivières}} ('Three Rivers') is hyphenated, when it would not be in English. Follow reliable sources in such cases.
	In such cases of ambiguity, there are three ways to clarify:
	* Use or omit the serial comma to avoid ambiguity.
	* Recast the sentence.
	* Format the list, such as with paragraph breaks and numbered paragraphs.
			'''Spacing:''' A hyphen is never followed or preceded by a space, except when hanging {{crossref|pw=y|(see above)}} or when used to display parts of words independently, such as {{xt|the prefix sub-}}{{nbsp}}and {{xt|the suffix{{nbsp}}-less}}.
	Recasting example one:
	* To list four people: {{xt|The author thanked President Obama, Sinéad O'Connor, and her parents.}}
	* To list two people (the commas here set off non-restrictive ]): {{xt|The author thanked her father, President Obama, and her mother, Sinéad O'Connor.}}
	** Clearer (but more wordy): {{xt|The author thanked her father and her mother, who are President Obama and Sinéad O'Connor respectively.}}
			'''Image filenames and redirects:''' Image filenames are not part of the encyclopedic content; they are tools. They are most useful if they can be readily typed, so they usually use hyphens instead of dashes. Similarly, article titles with dashes should also have a corresponding redirect from a copy of the title with hyphens: for example, {{xt|]}} redirects to {{xt|]}}.
	Recasting example two:
	* To list two people: {{xt|The author thanked President Obama and her mother, Sinéad O'Connor.}}
	* To list three people: {{xt|The author thanked her mother, President Obama, and Sinéad O'Connor.}}
	*:The clarity of the last example depends on the reader's knowing that Obama is male and cannot be a mother. If we change the example slightly, we are back to an ambiguous statement: {{xt|The author thanked her mother, Irish President Mary McAleese, and Sinéad O'Connor.}}
	** Clearer: {{xt|The author thanked President Obama, Sinéad O'Connor, and her mother}}; or {{xt|The author thanked President Mary McAleese, Sinéad O'Connor, and her mother}}.
			'''Non-breaking:''' A ] ({{tlx|nbhyph}}) will {{em|not}} be used as a point of line-wrap.
	=== Colons ===
	A ] ({{xt|:}}) informs the reader that what comes after it demonstrates, explains, or modifies what has come before, or is a list of items that has just been introduced. The items in such a list may be separated by commas; or, if they are more complex and perhaps themselves contain commas, the items should be separated by semicolons:
			{{Shortcut|MOS:SHY|MOS:SOFTHYPHEN}}
	: {{xt|We visited several tourist attractions: the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which I thought could fall at any moment; the Bridge of Sighs; the supposed birthplace of Petrarch, or at least the first known house in which he lived; and so many more.}}
			{{Anchor|shy}}
			'''Soft hyphens:''' Use ]s to mark locations where a word will be broken and hyphenated {{em|if necessary}} at the end of a line of text, usually in ] or narrow spaces (such as captions, narrow table columns, or text adjacent to a very wide image), for example: {{tlx|shy|Penn|syl|va|nia and Mass|a|chu|setts style themselves com|mon|wealths.}}. Use sparingly to avoid making wikitext difficult to read and edit. For more information, see ].
			'''Encoding''': The hyphen is represented by the {{small|ASCII/UNICODE ]}} character, which is entered by the hyphen or minus key on all standard keyboards. Do not use the {{small|]}} character.
	A colon may also be used to introduce ] enclosed within quotation marks (see ]).
			Hyphenation involves many subtleties that cannot be covered here; the rules and examples presented above illustrate the broad principles.
	In most cases a colon works best with a complete grammatical sentence before it. There are exceptions, such as when the colon introduces items set off in new lines like the very next colon here. Examples:
	:{|style="background:transparent"
	|-valign=top
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|He attempted it in two years: 1941 and 1943.}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Incorrect'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|The years he attempted it included: 1941 and 1943.}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Correct (special case)'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{xt|Spanish, Portuguese, French: these, with a few others, are the West Romance languages.}}
	|}
			=== Dashes<span id="Em dashes"></span><span id="Unspaced em dash"></span><span id="En dashes"></span><span id="Spaced en dash"></span> ===
	Sometimes, more in American than British usage, the word following a colon is capitalized, if that word effectively begins a new grammatical sentence, and especially if the colon serves to introduce more than one sentence:
			{{redirect|WP:DASH|the overview of Misplaced Pages discussions|Misplaced Pages:Dashboard}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:DASH|MOS:EMDASH|MOS:ENDASH}}
			Two forms of dash are used on Misplaced Pages: ''']''' ({{xt|–}}) and ''']''' ({{xt|—}}). To enter them, click on them in the ], or on a Windows keyboard enter them manually as:
	: {{xt|The argument is easily stated: We have been given only three tickets. There are four of us here: you, the twins, and me. The twins are inseparable. Therefore, you or I will have to stay home.}}
			*<code>&amp;ndash;</code> or <code>&amp;mdash;</code>
			*{{tlx|endash}} or {{tlx|emdash}}
			On a Mac keyboard the en dash is entered as opt-hyphen, and the em dash as shift-opt-hyphen.
			Do not use a double hyphen (<code>--</code>) to stand in for a dash. {{crossref|pw=y|(See also: ].)}}
			Sources use dashes in varying ways. For consistency and clarity, Misplaced Pages adopts the following principles.
	No sentence should contain more than one colon. There should never be a hyphen or a dash immediately following a colon.
	===Semicolons===		====In article titles====
			In ], do not use a hyphen ({{xt|-}}) as a substitute for an en dash, for example in '']'' (since ''eye'' does not modify ''hand''). Nonetheless, to aid searching and linking, provide a redirect with hyphens replacing the en dash(es), as in '']''. Similarly, provide ] for categories containing dashes. When an en dash is being used as a separator in an article title or section heading, editors may choose whether to capitalize what follows, taking into consideration ] and ].
	A ] ({{xt|;}}) is sometimes an alternative to a full stop (period), enabling related material to be kept in the same sentence; it marks a more decisive division in a sentence than a comma. If the semicolon separates clauses, normally each clause must be independent (meaning that it could stand on its own as a sentence); often, only a comma or only a semicolon will be correct in a given sentence.
			====In running text====
	:{|style="background:transparent"
			{{Anchor|DASHVAR}}
	|-valign=top
			Dashes are often used to mark divisions within a sentence: in pairs (parenthetical dashes, instead of parentheses or pairs of commas) or singly (perhaps instead of a colon). They may also indicate an abrupt stop or interruption in reporting quoted speech. In all such cases, either unspaced em dashes or spaced en dashes can be used, with consistency maintained throughout a given article:
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|Though he had been here before, I did not recognize him.}}
			*An em dash is <em>unspaced</em> on both sides:
	|-valign=top
			{{Block indent|{{xt|Another "planet" was detected—but it was later found to be a moon of Saturn.}}}}
	|''Incorrect'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|Though he had been here before; I did not recognize him.}}
			*An en dash is <em>spaced</em> on both sides:
	|}
			{{Block indent|{{xt|Another "planet" was detected{{snd}}but it was later found to be a moon of Saturn.}}}}
			Ideally, an en dash should be preceded by a non-breaking space; this prevents the dash from appearing at the beginning of a line. The {{tlx|snd}} template may be used for this:
			{{Block indent|{{mxt|<nowiki>Another "planet" was detected{{snd}}but it was later found to be a moon of Saturn.</nowiki>}}}}
			Do not insert any spaces where an en dash should be unspaced {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link||Other uses for en dashes}})}}.
			Dashes can clarify a sentence's structure when commas, parentheses, or both are also being used.
	Above, "Though he had been here before" cannot stand on its own as a sentence, and therefore is not an independent clause.
			*{{xt|The book summarizes works of some major philosophers in chronological order: Descartes, Locke, Hume{{snd}}but not his ''Treatise'' (deemed too complex for the target audience){{snd}}and Kant.}}
			<span class="anchor" id="Spare the dash"></span>{{Shortcut|MOS:SPARETHEDASH|MOS:NOTRIPLEDASH}}
	:{|style="background:transparent"
			Use dashes sparingly. More than two in a single sentence makes the structure unclear; it takes time for the reader to see which dashes form a pair, if any.
	|-valign=top
			*{{xt|The birds{{snd}}at least the ones Darwin collected{{snd}}had red and blue feathers.}}
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|Oranges are an acid fruit; bananas are classified as alkaline.}}
			*{{xt|"We have run aground at{{snd}}", was the final, incomplete message received from the ship.}}
	|-valign=top
			*Avoid: {{!xt|First{{snd}}at a marshy site leveled with landfill{{snd}}came the workshop{{snd}}then administrative and other buildings.}}
	|''Incorrect'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|Oranges are an acid fruit, bananas are classified as alkaline.}}
			*Better: {{xt|First{{snd}}at a marshy site leveled with landfill{{snd}}came the workshop; administrative and other buildings were erected later.}}
	|}
			=====In ranges that might otherwise be expressed with ''to'' or ''through''<span id="Ranges"></span><span id="Number ranges"></span>=====
	This incorrect use of a comma between two independent clauses is known as a ]; however, in very rare cases, a comma may be used where a semicolon would seem to be called for:
			{{Shortcut|MOS:ENTO|MOS:ENFROM|MOS:RANGE|MOS:RANGES}}
			{{Hatnote|This section is about ranges of numbers, dates, or times. For other ranges, such as ranges of physical locations, see {{section link||In compounds when the connection might otherwise be expressed with to, versus, and, or between}}.}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers#Ranges}}
			For ranges between numbers, dates, or times, use an en dash:
	:{|style="background:transparent"
			*{{xt|pp.&nbsp;7–19}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|64–75%}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|Henry&nbsp;VIII reigned 1509–1547}}{{efn|name="date range"|A change from a general preference for two digits, to a general preference for four digits, on the right side of ''year–year'' ranges was implemented in July 2016 per ]. For more information see {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers#Ranges}}.}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Accepted'': ||{{xt|"Life is short, art is long."}} (citing a brief ]; see ])
	|-valign=top
	|''Accepted'': ||{{xt|"I have studied it, you have not."}} (reporting brisk conversation, like this reply of ]'s)
	|}
			Do not change hyphens to dashes in filenames, ]s, or templates such as {{tlx|Bibleverse}} (which formats verse ranges into URLs), even if a range is embedded in them.
	A semicolon does not force a capital letter in the word that follows it.
			Do not mix en dashes with ''between'' or ''from''.
	A sentence may contain several semicolons, especially when the clauses are parallel; multiple unrelated semicolons are often signs that the sentence should be divided into shorter sentences, or otherwise refashioned.
			*{{xt|450–500 people}}
			*{{xt|between 450 and 500 people}}, not {{!xt|between 450–500 people}}
			*{{xt|from 450 to 500 people}}, not {{!xt|from 450–500 people}}
			*{{xt|from 1961 to 1964}}, not {{!xt|from 1961–1964}}
			*{{xt|between the 1961–1962 and 1967–1968 seasons, ticket sales dropped substantially}} (or {{xt|between the 1961–62 and 1967–68 seasons}})
			The en dash in a range is always unspaced, except when either or both elements of the range include at least one space, hyphen, or en dash; in such cases, {{tl|snd}} between them will provide the proper formatting.
	:{|style="background:transparent"
			*{{nobr| {{xt|July 23, 1790{{snd}}December 1, 1791}}}} (not {{nobr| {{!xt|July 23, 1790–December 1, 1791}}}})
	|-valign=top
			*{{nobr| {{xt|14 May{{snd}}2 August 2011}}}} (not {{nobr| {{!xt|14 May–2 August 2011}}}})
	|''Unwieldy'': ||{{!xt|Oranges are an acid fruit; bananas are classified as alkaline; pears are close to neutral; these distinctions are rarely discussed.}}
			*{{nobr| {{xt|1–17 September}}}} (and note in this case that the second element of the range is ''17'' not ''17{{nbsp}}September'');&nbsp;&nbsp; {{nobr| {{xt|February–October 2009}}}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{nobr| {{xt|1492{{snd}}7 April 1556}}}}
	|-valign=top
			*{{nobr| {{xt|Christmas Day{{snd}}New Year's Eve}}}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{nobr| {{xt|Christmas 2001{{snd}}Easter 2002}}}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{nobr| {{xt|10:30 pm Tuesday{{snd}}1:25 am Wednesday}}}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{nobr| {{xt|6:00 p.m.{{snd}}9:30 p.m.}}}} (but {{nobr| {{xt|6:00–9:30 p.m.}}}})
	|''One better way'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{xt|Oranges are an acid fruit, bananas are alkaline, and pears are close to neutral; these distinctions are rarely discussed.}}
			*{{xt|wavelengths in the range {{nobr| 28 mm{{snd}}17&nbsp;m.}}}}
	|}
			*{{nobr| {{xt|pages 5-7{{snd}}5-9}}}}<!-- The three elements of this range are each hyphenated. Example: the range is three pages "5-7", "5-8", and "5-9". -->
			If negative values are involved, an unspaced en dash might be confusing:
	=== Hyphens ===
			*{{xt|−10 to 10}}, not {{!xt|−10–10}} (though {{xt|−10{{snd}}10}} might work in a table consistently formatted with {{var|x}}–{{var|y}} constructions)
	{{shortcut|WP:HYPHEN}}
	Hyphens ({{xt|-}}) indicate conjunction. There are three main uses.
			=====In compounds when the connection might otherwise be expressed with ''to'', ''versus'', ''and'', or ''between''<span class="anchor" id="ENBETWEEN"></span>=====
	# To distinguish between '''homographs''' ({{xt|re-dress}} means ''dress again'', but {{xt|redress}} means ''remedy'' or ''set right'').
			{{Shortcut|MOS:ENBETWEEN}}
	# To link certain '''prefixes''' with their main word ({{xt|non-linear}}, {{xt|sub-section}}, {{xt|super-achiever}}).
	#* There is a clear trend to join both elements in all varieties of English ({{xt|subsection}}, {{xt|nonlinear}}), particularly in American English. British English tends to hyphenate when the letters brought into contact are the same ({{xt|non-negotiable}}, {{xt|sub-basement}}) or are vowels ({{xt|pre-industrial}}), or where a word is uncommon ({{xt|co-proposed}}, {{xt|re-target}}) or may be misread ({{xt|sub-era}}, not {{!xt|subera}}). American English reflects the same factors, but tends to close up without a hyphen when possible. Consult a good dictionary, and see ].
			Here, the relationship is thought of as parallel, symmetric, equal, oppositional, or at least involving {{em|separate or independent elements}}. The components may be nouns, adjectives, verbs, or any other independent part of speech. Often, if the components are reversed there would be little change of meaning.
	# To link related terms in '''compound adjectives and adverbs''':
			*{{xt|boyfriend–girlfriend problems}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|the Paris–Montpellier route}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|a New York–Los Angeles flight}}
	#* A hyphen can help with ease of reading ({{xt|face-to-face discussion}}, {{xt|hard-boiled egg}}); a hyphen is particularly useful in long ] (]s) where non-experts are part of the readership, such as in Misplaced Pages's scientific articles: {{xt|gas-phase reaction dynamics}}.
			*{{xt|iron–cobalt interactions}}; the components are parallel and reversible; iron and cobalt retain their identity
	#* A hyphen can help to disambiguate ({{xt|little-celebrated paintings}}, not a reference to little paintings).
			*Wrong: {{!xt|an iron–roof shed}}; ''iron'' modifies ''roof'', so use a hyphen: {{xt|an iron-roof shed}}
	#* Many compound adjectives that are hyphenated when used attributively (before the noun they qualify: {{xt|a light-blue handbag}}), are not hyphenated when used predicatively (after the noun: {{xt|the handbag was light blue}}); this attributive hyphenation also occurs in proper names, such as {{xt|Great Black-backed Gull}}. Where there would be a loss of clarity, the hyphen may be used in the predicative case too ({{xt|hand-fed turkeys}}, {{xt|the turkeys were hand-fed}}).
			*Wrong: {{!xt|a singer–songwriter}}; not separate persons, so use a hyphen: {{xt|a singer-songwriter}}
	#* A hyphen is not used after a standard ''-ly'' adverb ({{xt|a newly available home}}, {{xt|a wholly owned subsidiary}}) unless part of a larger compound ({{xt|a slowly-but-surely strategy}}). A few words ending in {{xt|-ly}} function as both adjectives and adverbs ({{xt|a kindly-looking teacher}}; {{xt|a kindly provided facility}}). Some such dual-purpose words (like {{xt|early}}, {{xt|only}}, {{xt|northerly}}) are not standard {{xt|-ly}} adverbs, since they are not formed by addition of {{xt|-ly}} to an independent current-English adjective. These need careful treatment: {{xt|Early flowering plants evolved along with sexual reproduction}}, but {{xt|Early-flowering plants risk damage from winter frosts}}; {{xt|northerly-situated islands}}.
			*{{xt|red–green colorblind}}; red and green are separate independent colors, not mixed
	#* A hyphen is normally used when the adverb ''well'' precedes a participle used attributively ({{xt|a well-meaning gesture}}; but normally {{xt|a very well managed firm}}, since ''well'' itself is modified); and even predicatively, if {{xt|well}} is necessary to, or alters, the sense of the adjective rather than simply intensifying it ({{xt|the gesture was well-meaning}}, {{xt|the child was well-behaved}}, but {{xt|the floor was well polished}}).
			*Wrong: {{!xt|blue–green algae}}; a blended, intermediate color, so use a hyphen: {{xt|blue-green algae}}
	#* In some cases, like {{xt|diode–transistor logic}}, the independent status of the linked elements requires an en dash instead of a hyphen. See ] below.
			*{{xt|a 51–30 win}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|a 12–0 perfect season}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|a 22–17 majority vote}};<ref>{{cite web |title=Hyphens, En Dashes, Em Dashes |url=https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/qanda/data/faq/topics/HyphensEnDashesEmDashes/faq0013.html |website=www.chicagomanualofstyle.org |publisher=Chicago Manual of Style |access-date=9 March 2022}}</ref> but prefer spelling out when using words instead of numerals: {{xt|a six-to-two majority decision}}, not with the awkward {{!xt|six–two}};&nbsp;&nbsp;avoid confusingly reversed order: {{!xt|a 17–22 majority vote}}{{efn|1=It is not logically possible to have a "{{!xt|12–35 victory}}", except in a game where a lower score is better. Otherwise, use a construction like {{xt|Clovis beat Portales, 35–12}}, or {{xt|Jameson lost the election, 2345 votes to 6789, to Garcia}}, with parties, result, and number order in logical agreement.}}
	#* A ''hanging hyphen'' is used when two compound adjectives are separated ({{xt|two- and three-digit numbers}}, {{xt|a ten-car or -truck convoy}}, {{xt|sloping right- or leftward}}, but better is {{xt|sloping rightward or leftward}}).
			*{{xt|a 50–50 joint venture}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|a 60–40 split}};&nbsp;&nbsp; avoid using a slash (stroke) here, which indicates division
	#* Values and units used as compound adjectives are hyphenated only where the unit is given as a whole word. Where hyphens are not used, values and units are always separated by a non-breaking space (<code>&amp;nbsp;</code>).
			*{{xt|the Uganda–Tanzania War}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|the Roman–Syrian War}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|the east–west runway}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|the Lincoln–Douglas debates}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|a carbon–carbon bond}}
	:::{|style="background:transparent"
			*{{xt|diode–transistor logic}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|the analog–digital distinction}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|push–pull output}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|on–off switch}}
	|-valign=top
			*{{xt|a pro-establishment–anti-intellectual alliance}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|Singapore–Sumatra–Java shipping lanes}}
	|''Incorrect'': ||{{!xt|9-mm gap}}
			*{{xt|the ballerina's rapid walk–dance transitions}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|a male–female height ratio of 1.14}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|9&nbsp;mm gap}} (entered as <code>9&amp;nbsp;mm gap</code>)
			Generally, use a hyphen in compounded proper names of single entities.
	|-valign=top
			*]; Bissau is its capital, and this name distinguishes the country from neighboring ]
	|''Incorrect'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|9&nbsp;millimetre gap}}
			*{{xt|Wilkes-Barre}}, a single city named after two people, but {{xt|Minneapolis–Saint Paul}}, an area encompassing two cities
	|-valign=top
			*{{xt|John Lennard-Jones}}, an individual named after two families
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|9-millimetre gap}}
	|-valign=top
			{{Anchor|Anglo-|Dual nationalities}}
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|12-hour shift}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:DUALNATIONALITIES}}
	|-valign=top
			Use an en dash between the names of nations or nationalities when referring to an association between them. For people and things identifying with multiple nationalities, use a hyphen when using the combination adjectivally and a space when they are used as nouns, with the first used attributively to modify the second.
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|12&nbsp;h shift}}
			*{{xt|an Italian–Swiss border crossing}};&nbsp;&nbsp; but {{xt|an Italian-Swiss newspaper}} for {{xt|Italian-speaking Swiss}}
	|}
			*{{xt|France–Britain rivalry}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|French–British rivalry}}
			*{{xt|an Indian-American scientist}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|was especially popular with Indian Americans}}
			*Wrong: {{!xt|Franco–British rivalry}}; ''Franco-'' is a {{em|combining form}}, not an independent word, so use a hyphen: {{xt|Franco-British rivalry}}
			A slash or some other alternative may occasionally be better to express a ratio, especially in technical contexts {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link||Slashes}})}}.
			*{{xt|the protein–fat ratio}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|the protein/fat ratio}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|the protein-to-fat ratio}}
			*Colons are often used for strictly numeric ratios, to avoid confusion with subtraction and division: {{xt|a 3:1 ratio}};&nbsp;&nbsp;{{xt|a three-to-one ratio}} {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers|Ratios}})}}.
			Use an en dash for the names of two or more entities in an attributive compound.
			*{{xt|the Seifert–van Kampen theorem}};&nbsp;&nbsp; {{xt|the Alpher–Bethe–Gamow theory}}
			*{{xt|the Seeliger–Donker-Voet scheme}} (developed by Seeliger and Donker-Voet)
			*{{xt|Comet Hale–Bopp}} or just {{xt|Hale–Bopp}} (discovered by Hale and Bopp)
			Do not use an en dash for hyphenated personal names, even when they are used as adjectives:
			*{{xt|Lennard-Jones potential}} with a hyphen: named after John Lennard-Jones
			Do not use spaces around the en dash in any of the compounds above.
			=====Instead of a hyphen, use an en dash when applying a prefix or suffix to a compound that itself includes a space, dash or hyphen<span class="anchor" id="En dash across open compounds"></span>=====
			{{Shortcut|MOS:AFFIXDASH|MOS:PREFIXDASH|MOS:SUFFIXDASH}}
			<!-- This list of examples only includes compounds that have a space or dash in them, but this should also apply when a compound includes a hyphen. Such examples should be included, if they exist. -->
			*{{xt|ex–prime minister Thatcher}} (consider recasting: {{xt|former prime minister Thatcher}})
			*{{xt|pre–World War II aircraft}} (consider recasting: {{xt|aircraft from before World War II}})
			*{{xt|]}}
			*{{xt|]}}
			*{{xt|]}}
			*{{xt|]}}
			*{{xt|Turks and Caicos–based company}}
			*{{xt|a Rodgers and Hammerstein–esque musical number}}
			The form of category names follows the corresponding main articles, e.g., {{cat|Trans–New Guinea languages}}.
			However, the principle is not extended when compounding other words in category names, e.g., {{cat |Tennis-related lists}} and {{cat |Table tennis-related lists}} both use hyphens.
			{{Anchor|To separate items in certain lists}}<!-- Old section name, may be linked-to. -->
	'''Multi-hyphenated items:''' It is often possible to avoid multi-word hyphenated adjectives by rewording ({{xt|a four-CD soundtrack album}} may be easier to read as {{xt|a soundtrack album of four CDs}}). This is particularly important where converted units are involved ({{xt|the 6-hectare-limit (14.8-acre-limit) rule}} might be possible as {{xt|the rule imposing a limit of 6 hectares (14.8 acres)}}, and the ungainly {{!xt|4.9-mile (7.9&nbsp;km) -long tributary}} as simply {{xt|4.9-mile (7.9&nbsp;km) tributary}}).
			=====To separate parts of an item in a list=====
	'''Spacing:''' A hyphen is never followed or preceded by a space, except when hanging (see above) or when used to display parts of words independently, such as the prefix {{xt|sub-}} and the suffix {{xt|-less}}.
			{{Shortcut|MOS:LISTDASH}}
			Spaced en dashes are sometimes used between parts of list items. For example:
	'''Minus signs:''' Do not use a hyphen ({{xt|-}}) as a minus sign ({{xt|&minus;}}), except in code (see ]); the correct character for general use is U+2212 MINUS SIGN (entered as {{code|&minus;}}).
			*{{xt|James Galway{{snd}}flute; Anne-Sophie Mutter{{snd}}violin; Maurizio Pollini{{snd}}piano.}}
			or
			*{{xt|"The Future" – 7:21}}
			*{{xt|"Ain't No Cure for Love" – 6:17}}
			*{{xt|"Bird on the Wire" – 6:14}}
			Editors may choose whether to capitalize what follows, taking into consideration ] and ].
	'''Image filenames and redirects:''' A hyphen is used only to mark conjunction, not disjunction (for which en dashes are used: see below). An exception is in image filenames, where the ability to type the URL becomes more important (see the section on dashes below). Article titles with dashes should have a corresponding redirect from the title with hyphens: for example, {{xt|]}} redirects to {{xt|]}}, as the latter title, while correct, is harder to search for.
			====Other uses for en dashes<span id="En dashes: other uses"></span>====
	Hyphenation involves many subtleties that cannot be covered here; the rules and examples presented above illustrate the broad principles that inform current usage.
			The ] (–) has several common functions beyond its use in lists and running text. It is used to <em>join</em> components less strongly than a hyphen would {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link||Hyphens}})}}; conversely, it may also <em>separate</em> components less strongly than a slash would {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{Section link||Slashes}})}}. Consider the relationship that exists between two components when deciding what punctuation to place between them.
	=== Dashes ===		====Other uses for em dashes====
			An ] em dash may be used when attributing the source of a passage, such as a ] or poem. This dash should not be fully spaced: however, for reasons related to ] and ], it is best to place a ] between the dash and the name.{{efn|name=hairspace|The ] should be done as {{mxt|{{tl|hair space}}}} because the actual Unicode character ({{hair space}}) is almost invisible, the meaning of the numerical HTML entity ({{!mxt|&amp;#8202;}}) is relatively obscure, and the named HTML entity "{{!mxt|&amp;hairsp;}}" is not standard and unsupported in some browsers.}} Most of Misplaced Pages's quotation templates provide this formatting automatically.
	{{shortcut|MOS:DASH|WP:DASH}}
	Two kinds of dashes are used on Misplaced Pages: en dashes and em dashes. The article on ] shows common input methods for these punctuation marks.
			For example, {{mxt|{{tlp|in5}}—{{tl|hair space}}Charlotte Brontë}} will produce:
	Dashes should never be used in the filenames of images (use hyphens instead). Where used in an article's title, there should be a redirect from the version with a hyphen.
			{{in5}}—{{hair space}}Charlotte Brontë
	==== En dashes ====
	{{shortcut|MOS:ENDASH|WP:ENDASH}}
	]es ({{xt|–}}) have three distinct roles.
	#To indicate '''disjunction'''. There are three uses.
	#* To stand for ''to'' or ''through'' in ranges ({{xt|pp. 211–19}}, {{xt|64–75%}}, {{xt|the 1939–45 war}}). Ranges expressed using prepositions ({{xt|from 450 to 500 people}} or {{xt|between 450 and 500 people}}) should not use dashes (not {{!xt|from 450&ndash;500 people}} or {{!xt|between 450&ndash;500 people}}). Number ranges must be spelled out if they involve a negative value or might be misconstrued as a subtraction ({{xt|&minus;10 to 10}}, not {{!xt|&minus;10&ndash;10}}).
	#* To stand for ''to'' or ''versus'' ({{xt|male–female ratio}}, {{xt|4–3 win}}, {{xt|Lincoln–Douglas debate}}, {{xt|France–Germany border}}).
	#* To stand for ''and'' between independent elements ({{xt|diode–transistor logic}}, {{xt|Michelson–Morley experiment}}). An en dash is not used for a hyphenated name ({{xt|Lennard-Jones potential}}, named after {{xt|John Lennard-Jones}}) or an element that lacks lexical independence (the prefix {{xt|Sino-}} in {{xt|Sino-Japanese trade}}).
	# In '''lists''', to separate distinct information within points—for example, in articles about music albums, en dashes are used between track titles and durations, and between musicians and their instruments. In this role, en dashes are always spaced.
	# As a '''stylistic alternative to em dashes''' (]).
	;Spacing
	Disjunctive en dashes are unspaced, except when there is a space within either one or both of the items ({{xt|the New York – Sydney flight}}; {{xt|the New Zealand – South Africa grand final}}; {{xt|June 3, 1888 – August 18, 1940}}, but {{xt|June–August 1940}}). Exceptions are occasionally made where the item involves a spaced surname ({{xt|Seifert–van Kampen theorem}}). Use a non-breaking space before a spaced en dash.
	; En dashes in page names
	When ], a hyphen is not used as a substitute for an en dash that properly belongs in the title, for example in {{xt|]}}. However, editors should provide a ] page to such an article, using a hyphen in place of the en dash ({{xt|]}}), to allow the name to be typed easily when searching Misplaced Pages. See also ]. The names of a page and its associated talk page should match exactly.
	; Minus signs
	Do not use an en dash for negative signs and subtraction operators: use the correct Unicode character for the minus sign (U+2212 <small>MINUS SIGN</small>, HTML {{xt|<nowiki>&amp;minus;</nowiki>}}); see also ]. Negative signs ({{xt|&minus;8&nbsp;°C}}) are unspaced; subtraction operators ({{xt|42&nbsp;&minus;&nbsp;4&nbsp;{{=}}&nbsp;38}}) are spaced.
	==== Em dashes ====		====Other dashes====
	{{shortcut|MOS:EMDASH|WP:EMDASH}}		{{Shortcut|MOS:NEGATIVE}}
	]es ({{xt|—}}) indicate interruption in a sentence. They are used in two roles.
	# '''Parenthetical''' ({{xt|Misplaced Pages—one of the most popular web sites—has the information you need}}). A pair of em dashes for such interpolations is more arresting than a pair of commas, and less disruptive than round brackets.
	# '''As a sharp break''' in the flow of a sentence—sharper than is provided by a colon or a semicolon.
			Do not use ] or other substitutes, such as two hyphens ({{!xt|--}}), for em or en dashes.
	*In both roles, em dashes are useful where there are already several commas; em dashes can clarify the structure, sometimes removing ambiguity.
	*Use em dashes sparingly. They are visually striking, so two in a paragraph is often a good limit. Ensure there is no ambiguity if using multiple "sharp break" or parenthetical em dashes in the same area of the text.
	*Do not space em dashes.
	*Do not use an em dash for a minus sign.
			For a negative sign or subtraction operator use {{Unichar|2212|MINUS SIGN|nlink=Plus and minus signs#Minus sign|html=}}, which can also be generated by clicking on the {{Code|−}} following the {{Code|±}} in the {{xt|Insert}} toolbar beneath the edit window. Do not use {{Unichar|2212}} inside a {{tag|math|o}} tag, as the character gives a syntax error; instead use a normal hyphen {{Unichar|002D}}.
	; Spaced en dashes as an alternative to em dashes
	:Spaced en dashes – such as here – can replace unspaced em dashes in all of the ways discussed above. Several major publishers use spaced en dashes to the complete exclusion of em dashes. Use one style consistently throughout an article.
			===Slashes (strokes)<span class="anchor" id="Slashes"></span>===
	==== Other dashes ====
			{{redirect|WP:SLASH|information on subpages, which contain a slash in their titles|WP:SUB}}
	Do not use substitutes for em or en dashes, such as the combination of two hyphens ({{!xt|--}}). These were ] approximations.
			{{Shortcut|MOS:SLASH|MOS:STROKE|MOS:/}}
			Generally, avoid joining two words with a ], also called a forward slash, stroke or solidus ({{xt|&nbsp;/&nbsp;}}), because it suggests that the words are related without specifying how. Replace with clearer wording.
	=== Slashes ===
	{{shortcut|WP:SLASH|MOS:SLASH}}
	Generally avoid joining two words by a ], also known as a forward slash or ''solidus'' ({{xt|&nbsp;/&nbsp;}}). It suggests that the two are related, but does not specify how. It is often also unclear how the construct would be read aloud. Replace with clearer wording.
	An example: {{!xt|The parent/instructor must be present at all times.}} Must both be present? (Then write {{xt|the parent and the instructor}}.) Must at least one be present? (Then write {{xt|the parent or the instructor}}.) Are they the same person? (Use a hyphen: {{xt|the parent-instructor}}.)		An example: {{!xt|The parent/instructor must be present at all times.}} Must both be present? (Then write {{xt|the parent and the instructor}}.) Must at least one be present? (Then write {{xt|the parent or the instructor}}.) Are they the same person? (Use a hyphen: {{xt|the parent-instructor}}.)
	In circumstances involving a distinction or disjunction, the en dash (see above) is usually preferable to the slash: {{xt|the digital–analog distinction}}.		In circumstances involving a distinction or disjunction, the en dash {{crossref|pw=y|(see above)}} is usually preferable to the slash: {{xt|the digital–analog distinction}}.
	An unspaced slash may be used:		An unspaced slash may be used:
	* to indicate ] ] ({{xt|''ribald'' is pronounced {{IPA|/ˈrɪbəld/}}}})		*to indicate ] ] ({{xt|''rivet'' is pronounced {{IPA|/ˈrɪvət/}}}});
			*in a fraction (<code>7/8</code>, but see other techniques at {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers|Fractions and ratios}});
	* to separate the numerator and denominator in a fraction ({{xt|7/8}} or {{xt|{{frac|7|8}}}})
	* to indicate regular defined yearly periods that do not coincide with calendar years ({{xt|the 2009/10 academic year}}, {{xt|the 2010/11 hockey season}}; see ])		*to indicate regular defined yearly periods that do not coincide with calendar years (e.g., {{xt|the 2009/2010 fiscal year}}), if that is the convention used in reliable sources (see {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers|Long periods of time}} for further explanation);
			*to express a ratio, in a form in which a slash is conventionally used (e.g., {{xt|the price-to-earnings ratio, or P/E ratio for short}});
	* where a slash occurs in a phrase widely used outside Misplaced Pages, and a different construction would be inaccurate, unfamiliar, or ambiguous
			*in an expression or abbreviation widely used outside Misplaced Pages (e.g., {{xt|n/a}} or {{xt|N/A}} for ''not applicable'').
	A spaced slash may be used:		A spaced slash may be used:
	* to separate run-in lines when quoting poetry or song ({{xt|To be or not to be: that is the question:&nbsp;/ Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer&nbsp;/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune}}), or rarely when quoting prose, where careful marking of a paragraph break is textually important		*to separate run-on lines in quoted poetry or song ({{xt|To be or not to be: that is the question:&nbsp;/ Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer&nbsp;/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune}}), or rarely in quoted prose, where careful marking of a paragraph break is textually important;
	* to separate items that include at least one internal space ({{xt|the NY&nbsp;31 east&nbsp;/ NY&nbsp;370 exit}}), where for some reason use of a slash is unavoidable		*to separate items that include at least one internal space ({{xt|the NY&nbsp;31 east&nbsp;/ NY&nbsp;370 exit}}), where for some reason use of a slash is unavoidable.
	Spaced slashes should be coded with a leading non-breaking space and a trailing normal space, as in <code>x&amp;nbsp;/ y</code> (which renders as {{xt|x&nbsp;/ y}}), to prevent improper line breaks.		To avoid awkward linebreaks, code spaced slashes (and fraction slashes) with a non-breaking space on the left and a normal space on the right, as in: <code>My mama told me&amp;nbsp;/ You better shop around</code>. For short constructions, both spaces should be non-breaking: {{nobr|<code>x&amp;nbsp;/&amp;nbsp;y</code>}}. On the other hand, if two long words are connected by an unspaced slash, an {{tl|wbr}} added after the slash will allow a linebreak at that point.
	Do not use the ] character ({{!xt|&nbsp;\&nbsp;}}) in place of a slash.		Do not use the ] character ({{!xt|&nbsp;\&nbsp;}}) in place of a slash.
	Prefer the division operator ({{xt|&nbsp;÷&nbsp;}}) to ({{xt|&nbsp;/&nbsp;}}) when representing elementary arithmetic in general prose: {{xt|{{nowrap|10 ÷ 2 {{=}} 5}}}}. In more advanced mathematical formulas, a ] or slash is preferred: <math>\textstyle\frac{x^n}{n!}</math> or {{xt|''x''<sup>''n''</sup>/''n''!}}. (See ] and ].)		Prefer the division operator ({{xt|&nbsp;÷&nbsp;}}) to slash or fraction slash when representing elementary arithmetic in general text: {{xt|{{nowrap|10 ÷ 2 {{=}} 5}}}}. In more advanced mathematical formulas, a ] or slash is preferred: <math>\textstyle\frac{x^n}{n!}</math> or {{xt|{{var|x}}<sup>{{var|n}}</sup>/{{var|n}}!}} {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers|Common mathematical symbols}} and ])}}.
	==== And/or ====		====And/or====
	{{shortcut|MOS:ANDOR}}		{{Shortcut|MOS:ANDOR}}
	The construct '']'' is awkward. In general, where it is important to mark an ], use {{xt|x or y, or both}}, rather than {{!xt|x and/or y}}. For an ], use {{xt|either x or y}}, and optionally add {{xt|but not both}}, if it is necessary to stress the exclusivity.
	Where more than two possibilities are presented, from which a combination is to be selected, it is even less desirable to use {{xt|and/or}}. With two possibilities, at least the intention is clear; but with more than two it may not be<!-- (see ''The Cambridge Guide to English Usage'', 2004, p. 38)-->. Instead of {{!xt|x, y, and/or z}}, use an appropriate alternative, such as {{xt|one or more of x, y, and z}}; {{xt|some or all of x, y, and z}}.		Avoid writing {{!xt|and/or}} unless other constructions would be lengthy or awkward. Instead of {{!xt|Most had trauma and/or smoke inhalation}}, write simply {{xt|trauma or smoke inhalation}} (which would normally be interpreted as an ] to imply ''or both''); or, for emphasis or precision or both, write {{xt|trauma or smoke inhalation or both}}. Where more than two possibilities are present, instead of {{!xt|x, y, and/or{{nbsp}}z}} write {{xt|one or more of x, y, and{{nbsp}}z}} or {{xt|some or all of x, y, and{{nbsp}}z}}.
			=== Symbols ===
	Sometimes ''or'' is ambiguous in another way: {{!xt|Wild dogs, or dingoes, inhabit this stretch of land}}. Are wild dogs and dingoes the same or different? For one case write: {{xt|wild dogs (dingoes) inhabit&nbsp;...}} (meaning dingoes ''are'' wild dogs); for the other case write: {{xt|either wild dogs or dingoes inhabit&nbsp;...}}.
			Unicode symbols are preferred over composed ] symbols for improved readability and accessibility. Be mindful of presentations that may require ASCII, like ]. Keys for these symbols can be found at the bottom of the ].
			{| class="wikitable"
	=== Number signs ===
			|+ Symbol
	{{shortcut|MOS:NUMBERSIGN|MOS:HASH|MOS:POUND|MOS:NUMERO}}
			|-
	* Avoid using the # symbol (known as the ], hash sign, or pound sign) when referring to numbers or rankings. Instead use the word "number", or the abbreviation "No." For example:
			! Composed <br> ASCII symbol !! Preferred <br> replacement
	:{|style="background:transparent"
			|-
	|-valign=top
			| {{code|
	|''Incorrect'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|Her album reached #1 in the UK album charts.}}
			-->}} || →
	|-valign=top
			|-
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|Her album reached No. 1 in the UK album charts.}}
			| {{code|<--}} || ←
			|-
			| {{code|<--> }} or {{code|<->}}|| ↔
			|-
			| {{code|^}}|| ↑
			|-
			| <code> >= </code> || ≥
			|-
			| <code>&lt;=</code>|| ≤
			|-
			| <code>~=</code> || ≈
	|}		|}
			===Number (pound, hash) sign and numero<span class="anchor" id="Number signs"></span><span class="anchor" id="Number sign"></span>===
	*Similarly, the symbol ] should also be avoided.
			{{Shortcut|MOS:NUMBERSIGN|MOS:NUMERO|MOS:HASH|MOS:POUND}}
			{{For|pound sterling and other currency symbols|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers#Currencies and monetary values}}
			{{see also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers}}
			Avoid using the ] symbol (known as the ], hash sign, pound sign, or octothorpe) when referring to numbers or rankings. Instead write {{xt|number}}, {{xt|No.}} or {{xt|Nos.}}; do not use the symbol ]. For example:
	===Terminal punctuation===
			{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	{{Shortcut|MOS:FULLSTOP|MOS:EXCLAMATION}}
			|-
	* ] (also called "full stops"), ]s, and ]s are terminal punctuation,<ref>{{cite book |title=Webster's New World English Grammar Handbook|edition= 2nd|last1=Loberger|first1=Gordon|last2=Shoup|first2=Kate|year=2009|publisher=Wiley Publishing|location=Hoboken, NJ|isbn=9780470410806|ref=Lob09}}</ref> the only punctuation marks used to end sentences in English.
			| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Incorrect:}}
	* In some contexts, no terminal punctuation is necessary. In such cases, the sentence often does not start with a capital letter. See ], ], and ], above.
			| {{!xt|Her album reached #1 in the UK albums chart.}}
	* For the use of three periods in succession, see ], above.
			|-
	* Clusters of question marks, exclamation marks, or a combination of them (such as the ]) are highly informal, and inappropriate in Misplaced Pages articles.
			| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Correct:}}
	* The exclamation mark is used with restraint. It is an expression of surprise or emotion that is generally unsuited to a scholarly or encyclopedic ].
			| {{xt|Her album reached number one in the UK albums chart.}}
	* Question marks and exclamation marks may sometimes be used in the middle of a sentence:
			|-
	**{{xt|Why me? she wondered.}}
			| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Correct:}}
	**{{xt|The Homeric question is not ''Did Homer write the Iliad?'' but ''How did the Iliad come into being?'', as we have now come to realize.}}
			| {{xt|Her album reached {{Abbr|No.|Number}} 1 in the UK albums chart.}}
	**{{xt|The door flew open with a BANG! that made them jump.}}
			|-
	* The number of spaces following the terminal punctuation of a sentence makes no difference on Misplaced Pages because web browsers condense any number of spaces to just one. (See ].) However, editors may use any spacing style they are comfortable with in Misplaced Pages. Multiple spacing styles may coexist in the same article, and adding or removing a double space is sometimes used as a ].
			| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Correct:}}
			| {{xt|Her albums ''Foo'' and ''Bar'' reached {{abbr|Nos.|Numbers}} 1 and 3.}}
			|-
			| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Correct:}}
			| {{xt|Her albums ''Foo'' and ''Bar'' reached numbers one and three in the UK albums chart.}}
			|}
			An exception is issue numbers of comic books, which unlike for other periodicals are conventionally given in general text in the form {{xt|#1}}, unless a volume is also given, in which case write {{xt|volume two, number seven}} or {{xt|{{Abbr|Vol.|Volume}} 2, {{Abbr|No.|Number}} 7}}. Another exception are periodical publications carrying both, issue ''and'' number designations (typically one being a year-relative and the other an absolute value); they should be given in the form {{xt|2 #143}} in citations, or be spelt out as
	=== Punctuation and inline citations ===
			{{xt|{{Abbr|Iss.|Issue}} 2, {{Abbr|No.|Number}} 143}} in text. When using the ], write {{xt|<code><nowiki>{{abbr|Vol.|Volume}}</nowiki></code>}}, {{xt|<code><nowiki>{{abbr|Iss.|Issue}}</nowiki></code>}}, {{xt|<code><nowiki>{{abbr|No.|Number}}</nowiki></code>}}, or {{xt|<code><nowiki>{{abbr|Nos.|Numbers}}</nowiki></code>}}, at first occurrence.
	{{see also|WP:REFPUNCT}}
	{{shortcut|WP:PAIC|MOS:PAIC}}
	Inline citations are generally placed ''after'' any punctuation such as a comma or period, with no intervening space:
	{{xt2|The Sun's diameter is about 1,400,000 kilometres,<code>&lt;ref&gt;</code>Miller, E: <nowiki>' 'The Sun' '</nowiki>, page 23. Academic Press, 2005.<code>&lt;/ref&gt;</code> which dwarfs that of the Moon.<code>&lt;ref&gt;</code>Brown, R: "Size of the Moon", <nowiki>' 'Scientific American' '</nowiki>, 51(78):46<code>&lt;/ref&gt;</code>}}
			===Terminal punctuation<span id="Punctuation at the end of a sentence"></span>===
	This will yield:
			{{redirect|MOS:PERIOD|periods of time|MOS:DATERANGE}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:FULLSTOP|MOS:EXCLAMATION|MOS:PERIOD}}
			*Exclamation and question marks have almost no application in encyclopedic writing.
			*For the use of three periods in succession, see {{section link||Ellipses}}.
			*In some contexts, no terminal punctuation is necessary. In such cases, the sentence often does not start with a capital letter. See {{section link||Quotations}} and {{section link||Quotation marks}}.
			*]s in captions or lists should in most cases not end with a period. See {{section link||Formatting of captions}} and {{section link||Bulleted and numbered lists}}.
			===Spacing<span id="Spaces following terminal punctuation"></span>===
	The Sun's diameter is about 1,400,000 kilometres,<sup id="nbFoot01a" class="reference">]]</sup> which dwarfs that of the Moon.<sup id="nbFoot02a" class="reference">]]</sup>
			{{Shortcut|MOS:DOUBLESPACE|MOS:PUNCTSPACE}}
			In normal text, never put a space before a comma, semicolon, colon, period/full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark (even in quoted material; see {{section link||Typographic conformity}}).
	and in the '''Notes''' section below:
	<ol class="references">
	<li id="noteFoot01a"
	><b>]</b> Miller, E: ''The Sun'', page 23. Academic Press, 2005.</li>
	<li id="noteFoot02a"
	><b>]</b> Brown, R: "Size of the Moon", ''Scientific American'', 51(78):46.</li>
	</ol>
			Some editors place two spaces after a period/full stop ({{crossref|pw=y|see ]}}); these are condensed to one space when the page is rendered, so it does not affect what readers see.
	See ] for more about citations.
			===Consecutive punctuation marks===
	=== Punctuation after formulae ===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:CONSECUTIVE}}
	A sentence that ends with a formula should have terminal punctuation (period, exclamation mark, or question mark) after the formula. Within a sentence, other punctuation (such as comma or colon) is used after a formula just as it would be if the text were not a formula. See ].
			Where a word or phrase that includes terminal punctuation ends a sentence, do not add a second terminal punctuation mark. If a quoted phrase or title ends in a question mark or exclamation mark, it may confuse readers as to the nature of the article sentence containing it, and so is usually better reworded to be mid-sentence. Where such a word or phrase occurs mid-sentence, new terminal punctuation (usually a period) must be added at the end.
	=== Spacing ===
	{{shortcut|MOS:PUNCTSPACE}}
	In normal prose, never place a space before commas, semicolons, colons, or terminal punctuation, but place a space after them.
			{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	==Geographical items==
			|-
	{{see also|Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (geographic names)}}
			| {{em|Incorrect:}} || {{!xt|Slovak returned to the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1985 after growing tired of What Is This?.}}
	Places should generally be referred to consistently using the same name as in the title of their article (see ]). Exceptions are made if there is a widely accepted historical English name appropriate to the given context. In cases where such a historical name is used, it should be followed by the modern name in round brackets on the first occurrence of the name in applicable sections of the article. This resembles linking; it should not be done to the detriment of style. On the other hand, it is probably better to provide such a variant too often than too rarely. If more than one historical name is applicable for a given context, the other names should be added after the modern English name, that is: "historical name (modern name, other historical names)".
			|-
			| {{em|Acceptable}}: || {{xt|Slovak returned to the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1985 after growing tired of What Is This?}}
			|-
			| {{em|Better}}: || {{xt|Slovak, having grown tired of What Is This?, returned to the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1985.}}
			|-
			| {{em|Incorrect:}} || {{!xt|He made several films with Sammy Davis Jr..}}
			|-
			| {{em|Correct:}} || {{xt|He made several films with Sammy Davis Jr.}}
			|}
			===Punctuation and footnotes===
	== Chronological items ==
			{{Shortcut|MOS:CITEPUNCT|MOS:PUNCTFOOT|MOS:REFPUNCT|MOS:PUNCTREF|MOS:REFSPACE|MOS:PF}}
	{{see also|WP:MOSNUM#Chronological items}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Citing sources}}
			'''Reference tags''' ({{tag|ref}}) are used to create '']'' (also called ''endnotes'' or simply ''notes''), as ] and sometimes ]. All reference tags should <em>immediately</em> follow the text to which the footnote applies, with no intervening space.{{efn|In unusual cases where a lack of spacing could create confusion, such as when a citation is immediately preceded by other superscripted text, a ] can be inserted between a {{tag|ref}} tag and the content preceding it.}} Apart from the exceptions listed below, references are placed <em>after</em> adjacent punctuation, not before. Adjacent reference tags should have no space between them, nor should there be any between tags and ].
			When reference tags are used, a ] must be added, and this is usually placed in the ] section, near the end of the article in the ].
	=== Precise language ===
	Avoid statements that will age quickly, except on pages concerning ] which are frequently brought up to date. Avoid {{!xt|recently}}, {{!xt|soon}}, and {{!xt|now}} (unless their meaning is fixed by the context). Avoid relative terms like {{!xt|currently}} (usually redundant), {{!xt|in modern times}}, {{!xt|is now considered}}, and {{!xt|is soon to be superseded}}. Instead, use either:
	* more precise and absolute expressions ({{xt|since the start of 2005}}; {{xt|during the 1990s}}; {{xt|is expected to be superseded by 2008}}); or
	* an {{xt|as of}} phrase ({{xt|as of August 2007}}), which signals the time-dependence of the statement, and alerts later editors to update the statement (see ]); or simply use {{xt|at}} instead: {{xt|The population was over 21,000,000 (at December 2008)}}.
			*<em>Example</em>: ]s have a reduced ],{{Dummy ref|10}} and they also have smaller wing bones than flying birds of similar size.{{Dummy ref|11}}{{Dummy ref|12}}
	=== Times ===
	Context determines whether the ] or ] is used; in both, colons separate hours, minutes, and seconds ({{xt|1:38:09 pm}} and {{xt|13:38:09}}).
	* '''12-hour clock times''' should end with dotted or undotted lower-case {{xt|a.m.}} or {{xt|p.m.}}, or {{xt|am}} or {{xt|pm}}, which are spaced ({{xt|2:30&nbsp;p.m.}} or {{xt|2:30&nbsp;pm}}, not {{!xt|2:30p.m.}} or {{!xt|2:30pm}}). A hard space (see ]) is advisable: <code>2:30&amp;nbsp;pm</code>. Use {{xt|noon}} and {{xt|midnight}} rather than {{!xt|12&nbsp;pm}} and {{!xt|12&nbsp;am}}; whether {{xt|midnight}} refers to the start or the end of a date will need to be specified unless this is clear from the context.
	* '''24-hour clock times''' have no a.m., p.m., noon, or midnight suffix. Use discretion as to whether the hour has a leading zero ({{xt|08:15}} or {{xt|8:15}}). {{xt|00:00}} refers to midnight at the start of a date, {{xt|12:00}} to noon, and {{xt|24:00}} to midnight at the end of a date.
			'''Exceptions''': Reference tags are placed <em>before</em> dashes, not after. If a footnote applies only to material within parentheses, the tags belong just before the closing parenthesis.
	=== Dates ===
			*<em>Example</em>: Paris is not the capital city of England{{snd}}the capital of which is London{{Dummy ref|10}}{{snd}}but that of France.{{Dummy ref|11}}
	* Misplaced Pages does not add ordinal suffixes (such as {{!xt|-nd}}) or ''the'', or put a comma between month and year.
			*<em>Example</em>: Kim Jong-un (Korean: {{lang|ko|김정은}}; Hanja: {{lang|ko-Hani|金正恩}}{{Dummy ref|10}}) is the ].{{Dummy ref|11}}
	::{|style="background:transparent"
	|-valign=top
	|''Incorrect'':&nbsp; &nbsp;||{{!xt|February 14th, 14th February, the 14th of February}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|14 February, February 14}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Incorrect'': ||{{!xt|October, 1976; October of 1976}}
	|-valign=top
	|''Correct'': ||{{xt|October 1976}}
	|}
	* For guidance on which of the two standard formats to use (day before month or month before day), see ].
	* Dates are not normally linked.<ref>The use of ] for dates is now deprecated, per ]. This refers to the system by which a date containing day, month and year can be surrounded by double square brackets to permit logged-in users to select a ] for date formats.</ref>
	* Date ranges are preferably given with minimal repetition, using an unspaced en dash where the range involves numerals alone ({{xt|5–7 January 1979}}; {{xt|January 5–7, 2002}}) or a spaced en dash where either opening or closing date has internal spaces ({{xt|5 January&nbsp;– 18 February 1979}}; {{xt|January 5&nbsp;– February 18, 1979}}).
	* Rarely, a night may be expressed in terms of the two contiguous dates using a slash ({{xt|the bombing raids of the night of 30/31 May 1942}}).
	* Yearless dates ({{xt|5 March}}, {{xt|March 5}}) are inappropriate unless the year is obvious from the context. There is no such ambiguity with recurring dates, such as {{xt|January 1 is New Year's Day}}.
	* Dates in the format YYYY-MM-DD (like {{xt|1976-05-13}}) are uncommon in English prose and are generally not used in article prose. However, they may be useful in long lists, references, and tables for conciseness and ease of comparison.
			===Punctuation after formulae===
	=== Longer periods ===
			Sentences should place punctuation after mathematical formulae as if they were normal body text. See {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Mathematics|Punctuation after formulae}}.
	* Write '''months''' as whole words ({{xt|February}}, not {{!xt|2}}), except in the YYYY-MM-DD format (as in {{xt|2000-04-01}}). Use abbreviations such as {{xt|Feb}} only where space is extremely limited, such as in tables and infoboxes. Do not insert ''of'' between a month and a year ({{xt|April 2000}}, not {{!xt|April of 2000}}).
	* '''Seasons as dates'''. As the seasons are reversed in the northern and southern hemispheres&mdash;and areas near the equator tend to have just ] and ]s&mdash;neutral wording ({{xt|in early 1990}}, {{xt|in the second quarter of 2003}}, {{xt|around September}}) is usually preferable to a "seasonal" reference ({{!xt|summer 1918}}, {{!xt|spring 1995}}). Even when the season reference is unambiguous (for instance when a particular location is clearly involved) a date or month may be preferable to a season name, unless there is a logical connection ({{xt|the autumn harvest}}). Season names are preferable, however, when they refer to a phase of the natural yearly cycle ({{xt|migration to higher latitudes typically starts in mid-spring}}).
	* Season names are not normally capitalized; for exceptions see ], above.
	* '''Years'''
	** Years are normally expressed in digits; a comma is not used in four-digit years ({{xt|1988}}, not {{!xt|1,988}}).
	** Avoid inserting the words {{xt|the year}} before the digits ({{xt|1995}}, not {{!xt|the year 1995}}), unless the meaning would otherwise be unclear.
	** Years are numbered according to the western calendar eras based on the ] year of the conception or birth of Jesus.
	***] are the traditional ways of referring to these eras. However, ] are becoming more common in academic and some religious writing. No preference is given to either style.
	****Do not use CE or AD unless the date would be ambiguous without it ({{xt|The Norman Conquest took place in 1066}}; not {{!xt|1066&nbsp;CE}} or {{!xt|AD&nbsp;1066}}).
	****BCE and CE or BC and AD are written in upper case, spaced, and without periods (full stops).
	****Use either the BC–AD or the BCE–CE notation, but not both in the same article. {{xt|AD}} may appear before or after a year ({{xt|AD&nbsp;106}}, {{xt|106&nbsp;AD}}); the other abbreviations appear after ({{xt|106&nbsp;CE}}, {{xt|3700&nbsp;BCE}}, {{xt|3700&nbsp;BC}}).
	*** '''Uncalibrated (bce) radiocarbon dates:''' Do not give ] (represented by the lower-case {{xt|bce}} unit, occasionally {{xt|bc}} or {{xt|b.c.}} in some sources), except in directly quoted material, and even then include a footnote, a square-bracketed editor's note (such as {{xt|... 1360 bce }}), or other indication to the reader what the calibrated date is, or at least that the date is uncalibrated. Calibrated and uncalibrated dates can diverge surprisingly widely, and the average reader does not recognize the distinction between {{xt|bce}} and {{xt|BCE}}–{{xt|BC}}.
	*** Year ranges, like all ranges, are separated by an en dash: do not use a hyphen or slash ({{xt|2005–06}} for a 24-month period, not {{!xt|2005-06}} or {{!xt|2005/06}}. A closing CE–AD year is normally written with two digits ({{xt|1881–86}}) unless it is in a different century from that of the opening year ({{xt|1881–1986}}). The full closing year is acceptable, but abbreviating it to a single digit ({{!xt|1881–6}}) or three digits ({{!xt|1881–886}}) is not. A closing BCE–BC year is given in full ({{xt|2590–2550&nbsp;BCE}}). While one era signifier at the end of a date range still requires an unspaced en dash ({{xt|12–5&nbsp;BC}}), a spaced en dash is required when a signifier is used after the opening and closing years ({{xt|5 BC&nbsp;–&nbsp;29&nbsp;AD}}).
	*** A slash may be used to indicate regular defined yearly periods that do not coincide with calendar years ({{xt|the financial year 1993/94}}).
	*** Abbreviations indicating long periods of time ago—such as {{xt|BP}} (]), as well as various ]-based units such as {{xt|ka}} (kiloannum) and {{xt|kya}} (thousand years ago), {{xt|Ma}} (megaannum), and {{xt|Mya}} (million years ago), and {{xt|Ga}} (gigaannum or billion years ago)—are given as full words and wikilinked on first occurrence.
	*** To indicate {{xt|around}}, {{xt|approximately}}, or {{xt|about}}, the abbreviations {{xt|c.}} and {{xt|ca.}} are preferred over {{xt|circa}}, {{xt|approximately}}, or {{xt|approx.}}, and are spaced ({{xt|{{c.|1291}}}}). Use a question mark instead ({{xt|1291?}}) ''only'' if the date is in fact questioned rather than approximate. (The question mark may mistakenly be understood as a sign that editors have simply not checked the date.)
	* '''Decades''' contain no apostrophe ({{xt|the 1980s}}, not {{!xt|the 1980's}}); the two-digit form is used only where the century is clear ({{xt|the '80s}} or {{xt|the 80s}}).
	* '''Centuries and millennia''' are written using ordinal numbers, without superscripts and without Roman numerals: {{xt|the second millennium}}, {{xt|the 19th century}}, {{xt|a 19th-century book}} (see also ] below).
	== Numbers ==		==Dates and time==
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers#Chronological items}}
	{{see also|WP:MOSNUM#Numbers}}
	<span id="Spelling out numbers" /><!--This span preserved an old heading name so that #-links still have valid targets.-->
			Dates should be ] only when they are germane and topical to the subject, as discussed at {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Linking|Chronological items}}. For ranges of dates and times, see {{section link||Other uses for en dashes}}.
	=== Numbers as figures or words ===
	{{see also|WP:MOSNUM#Numbers as figures or words}}
	*Generally, for both ] and ] in the running text of an article:
	**Render single-digit whole numbers from zero to nine as words.
	**Render numbers greater than nine as figures or, with consistency within each article, render numbers over nine that take two words or fewer to say as words ({{xt|about five million people}}; {{xt|16}} or {{xt|sixteen}}; {{xt|84}} or {{xt|eighty-four}}; {{xt|200}} or {{xt|two&nbsp;hundred}}; but {{xt|3.75}}, {{xt|544}}, {{xt|21&nbsp;million}}). Words may be preferable for approximations.
	*Use figures in ]s and ]es and in places where space is limited. Numbers within a table's explanatory text and comments should be consistent with the general rule above.
	*Show precise mathematical quantities, measurements, stock prices, etc., as figures.
	*Render comparable quantities, mentioned together, either all as words or all as figures ({{xt|5 cats and 32 dogs}}, or {{xt|five cats and thirty-two dogs}}; but not {{!xt|five cats and 32 dogs}}).
	*Render differently (with words or figures) adjacent quantities that are not comparable ({{xt|thirty-six 6.4-inch rifled guns}}; not {{!xt|36 6.4-inch rifled guns}}).
	*Render as words numbers that begin sentences. However, it is often better to recast the sentence so that it does not start with a number.
	*Do not use words for the numerical elements of dates and times, except where words are customary ({{xt|Seventh of March Speech}}).
	*Show centuries in figures ({{xt|the 5th century CE}}; {{xt|19th-century painting}}).
	*Use words for simple fractions; but use the numerical fraction form in a percentage, with an abbreviated unit, or mixed with whole numbers ({{xt|an eighth of a millimetre}}, but {{xt|{{frac|1|8}}&nbsp;mm}}; {{xt|{{frac|1|1|4}} slices}}). Use figures for decimal fractions ({{xt|0.025}}).
	*Write proper names, idioms, and formal numerical designations in compliance with common usage, case by case ({{xt|Chanel No.&nbsp;5}}, {{xt|4&nbsp;Main Street}}, {{xt|1-Naphthylamine}}, {{xt|Channel&nbsp;6}}). Do this even where it would cause a figure to open a sentence, although this can usually be avoided by rewording. Most proper names that include numbers use words ({{xt|Fourth Amendment}}; {{xt|Seventeenth Judicial District}}; {{xt|Seven Years' War}}), but the proper names of military units usually do not ({{xt|1st Indian Cavalry Division}}; {{xt|10th Air Base Wing}}).
	=== Large numbers ===		===Time of day===
			{{Main|MOS:TIME}}
	{{see also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style (dates and numbers)#Large numbers|Order of magnitude|Long and short scales}}
	* Use ] to break the sequence every three places: {{xt|2,900,000}}.
	* Because large rounded numbers are generally assumed to be approximations, ''about'' or similar qualifications are not normally needed.
	* Avoid over-precise values where they are unlikely to be stable or accurate, or where the precision is unnecessary in the context ({{xt|The speed of light in a vacuum is 299,792,458 metres per second}}; but perhaps not {{!xt|The distance from the Earth to the Sun is 149,014,769 kilometres}}, since that distance varies; and not {{!xt|The population of Cape Town is 2,968,790}}, also variable, and unlikely to be accurate or useful).
	* In scientific contexts ] is preferred ({{xt|6.02&nbsp;× 10<sup>23</sup>}}).
	* Where values in the millions occur a number of times through an article, upper-case {{xt|M}} may be used for ''million'', unspaced, and after using the full word at the first occurrence ({{xt|She bequeathed her fortune of £100&nbsp;million unequally: her daughter received £70M, her husband £18M, and her three sons just £4M each}}).
	* ] is understood as 10<sup>9</sup>. After the first occurrence in an article, ''billion'' may be abbreviated to unspaced {{xt|bn}} ({{xt|$35bn}}).
			Times of day are normally expressed in figures rather than words. Context determines whether the ] or the ] format is more appropriate.
	=== Decimal points ===
			*Twelve-hour clock times are written in one of two forms: {{xt|11:15&nbsp;a.m.}} and {{xt|2:30&nbsp;p.m.}}, or {{xt|11:15&nbsp;am}} and {{xt|2:30&nbsp;pm}} (wherein the spaces should be ]). Use {{xt|noon}} and {{xt|midnight}} rather than {{!xt|12&nbsp;pm}} and {{!xt|12&nbsp;am}}; it may need to be specified whether ''midnight'' refers to the start or end of a date.
	* Use a ] between the integral and the fractional parts of a decimal number, not a comma or a raised dot ({{xt|6.57}}, not {{!xt|6,57}} or {{!xt|6·57}}).
			*Twenty-four-hour clock times are written in the form {{xt|08:15}} and {{xt|22:55}}, with no suffix. Midnight written as {{xt|00:00}} begins the day; {{xt|24:00}} ends it.
	* The number of decimal places should be consistent with others in the same context ({{xt|The response rates were 41.0 and 47.4 percent, respectively}}; not {{!xt|The response rates were 41 and 47.4 percent, respectively}}), except for some rare cases in which the measurements were taken with unequal precision.
	* Use a leading zero for numbers between negative one and positive one ({{xt|0.02}}, not {{!xt|.02}}), except in certain customary usages, such as sports ] and terms such as {{xt|.22 caliber}}.
			===Dates<span id="Choice of format"></span><span id="Days"></span>===
	=== Percentages ===
			{{Main|MOS:DATEFORMAT}}
	* Generally, use either {{xt|percent}} or {{xt|per cent}} to indicate percentages in the body of an article.
	* The percentage symbol (%) is preferred in scientific or technical articles, in complex listings, and in articles where many percentages are reported.
	* Do not put a space before the symbol ({{xt|71%}}, not {{!xt|71 %}}).
	* In tables and infoboxes, use the percentage symbol, not the words ({{xt|71%}}, not {{!xt|percent}} or {{!xt|per cent}}).
	* For ranges, use one percentage symbol, not two ({{xt|22–28%}}, not {{!xt|22%–28%}}).
			Full dates are formatted {{xt|{{nobr|10 June 1921}}}} or {{xt|{{nobr|June 10, 1921}}}}; or where the year is omitted, use {{xt|{{nobr|10 June}}}} or {{xt|{{nobr|June 10}}}}.
	=== Currencies ===
			*The dates in the ''text'' of any one article should all have the same format (day-first or month-first).
	{{see also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style (dates and numbers)#Currencies}}
			**For date formats in citations, see {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Citing sources|Citation style}}.
	*In non-country-specific articles, express amounts of money in United States dollars; you may also add conversions to euros, pounds sterling, or both.
			**Dates in quotations and titles are always left as-is.
	*In country-specific articles, use the currency of the country, together with approximate conversions to U.S. dollars, euros, pounds, or a combination of these: for example, {{xt|Since 2001 the grant has been 10,000,000 ] (approx. US$1.4M, €1.0M, or £800k as of August 2009)}}.
			**If a numerical format is required (e.g., for conciseness in lists and tables), use the YYYY-MM-DD format: {{xt|{{nobr|2005-04-03}}}}.
	*Generally, use the full name of a currency on its first appearance ({{xt|52 ]s}}); subsequent occurrences can use the currency sign (just {{xt|$88}}).
			*Articles on topics with strong ties to a particular English-speaking country should generally use the more common date format for that country (month-first for the US, except in military usage; day-first for most others; articles related to Canada may use either consistently). Otherwise, do not change an article from one date format to the other without good reason.
	*Most currency signs are placed ''before'' the number; they are unspaced ({{xt|$123}}), except for alphabetic signs ({{xt|R&nbsp;75}}).
			===Months===
	== Units of measurement ==
			{{Main|MOS:MONTH}}
	{{main|WP:Manual of Style (dates and numbers)#Units of measurement}}
			*For month and year, write {{xt|June 1921}}, with no comma.
	The use of units of measurement is guided by the following principles:
			*Abbreviations for months, such as {{xt|Feb}}, are used only where space is extremely limited. Such abbreviations should use three letters only, and should not be followed by a period (full point) except at the end of a sentence.
	* Avoid ambiguity: Aim to write so you cannot be misunderstood.
	* Familiarity: The less readers have to look up definitions, the easier it is to be understood.
	* International scope: Misplaced Pages is not country-specific; apart from some regional or historical topics, use the units in most widespread use worldwide for the type of measurement in question.
	In instances where these principles appear to conflict with one another, consult other editors on the article's talk page and try to reach consensus.
			===Seasons===
	===Which units to use and how to present them===
			{{Main|MOS:SEASON}}
	When different parts of the English-speaking world use different units for the same measurement, the "primary" unit should be followed by a conversion in round brackets. This will enable readers from all over the world to understand the measurement: for example, {{xt|the Mississippi River is {{convert|2320|mi|km|0}} long}}; {{xt|the Murray River is {{convert|2375|km|mi|0}} long}}. (See {{sectionlink|Unit conversions}} below.)
			*Avoid ambiguous references to ], which are different in the southern and northern hemispheres.
			*Names of seasons may be used when there is a logical connection to the event being described ({{xt|the autumn harvest}}) or when referring to a phase of a natural yearly cycle ({{xt|migration typically starts in mid-spring}}). Otherwise, neutral wording is usually preferable ({{xt|He was elected in November 1992}}, not {{!xt|He was elected in the fall of 1992}}).
			*Journals and other publications that are issued seasonally (e.g., "Summer 2005") should be dated as such in citations {{crossref|pw=y|(for more information, see {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Citing sources|Seasonal publication dates and differing calendar systems}})}}.
			===Years and longer periods===
	Apply the following guidelines when choosing the "primary" unit for a measurement:
			{{Main|MOS:DECADE|MOS:CENTURY|MOS:ERA}}
	*Except in the cases mentioned below, put the units first that are in the most widespread use in the world. Usually, these are ] (SI) units and ]; but there are ] for some measurements, such as years for long periods of time or the use of feet in describing the altitude of aircraft.
			*Do not use ''the year'' before the digits ({{xt|1995}}, not {{!xt|the year 1995}}), unless the meaning would otherwise be unclear.
	**With topics strongly associated with places, times or people, put the units most appropriate to them first. For example, in US articles, they usually are ], and for the UK, they usually are metric units for most measurements, but ] for some measurements such as road distances and personal heights and weights (see, for example, ] and the under "Metric").
			*Decades are written in the format {{xt|the 1980s}}, with no apostrophe. Use the two-digit form ('80s) only with an established social or cultural meaning. Avoid forms such as {{!xt|the 1700s}} that could refer to ten or a hundred years.
	** If editors cannot agree on the sequence of units, put the source value first and the converted value second. If the choice of units is arbitrary, use SI units as the main unit, with converted units in round brackets.
			*Years are denoted by ] or, equivalently, ]. Use only one system within an article, and do not change from one system to the other without good reason. The abbreviations are written without periods, and with a ], as in {{xt|5&nbsp;BC}}. Omit AD or CE unless omitting it would cause ambiguity.
	** Avoid inconsistent usage. Write {{xt|a 600 metre (2000 ft) hill with a 650 metre (2,100 ft) hill}}, not {{!xt|a 2,000 foot (610 m) hill with a 650 metre (2,100 ft) hill.}}
	** Nominal and defined values should be given in the original units first, even if this makes the article inconsistent: for example, {{xt|When the Republic of Ireland adopted the metric system, the road speed limit in built-up areas was changed from {{convert|30|mph|km/h|0}} to {{convert|50|km/h|mph|0}}.}} (The focus is on the change of units, not on the 3.6% increase.)
	** Avoid ambiguous unit names ({{xt|]}} or {{xt|]}} rather than just {{!xt|]}}). Only in the rarest of instances should ambiguous units be used, such as in direct quotations, to preserve the accuracy of the quotation.
	* In scientific articles, use the units employed in the current ] on that topic. This will usually be ], but not always; for example, ] are often used in relativistic and quantum physics, and ] should be quoted in its most common unit of {{xt|(km/s)/Mpc}} rather than its SI unit of {{!xt|s<sup>−1</sup>}}.
	* Some disciplines use units not approved by the ] (BIPM), or write them differently from BIPM-prescribed format. When a ''clear majority'' of the sources relevant to those disciplines use such units, articles should follow this (using {{xt|]}} in automotive articles for example; and not {{!xt|cm<sup>3</sup>}}). Such non-standard units are always linked on first use.
	* Use familiar units rather than obscure units; do not write over the heads of the readership (for example, a general-interest topic such as black holes would be best served by having mass expressed in solar masses, but it might be appropriate to use Planck units in an article on the mathematics of black hole evaporation).
			More information on all the above topics can be found at {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers|Chronological items}}, including the handling of dates expressed in different calendars, and times corresponding to different time zones.
	===Unit conversions===
	{{shortcut|MOS:CONVERSIONS}}
	* Generally, conversions to and from metric units and ] or ] units should be provided, except:
	** articles on scientific topics where there is consensus among the contributors not to convert the metric units, in which case the first occurrence of each unit should be linked;
	** where units are part of the topic, such as ] in naval articles, and only the first use of a unit needs conversion and linking;
	** where inserting a conversion would make a common expression awkward ({{xt|The four-minute mile}}).
	* In the main text, give the main units as words and use unit symbols or abbreviations for conversions in round brackets; for example, {{xt|a pipe 100&nbsp;millimetres (4&nbsp;in) in diameter and 16&nbsp;kilometres (10&nbsp;mi) long}} or {{xt|a pipe 4&nbsp;inches (100&nbsp;mm) in diameter and 10&nbsp;miles (16&nbsp;km) long}}. However, where there is consensus to do so, the main units may also be abbreviated in the main text after the first occurrence.
	* Converted values should use a level of precision similar to that of the source value, so {{xt|the Moon is 380,000 kilometres (240,000&nbsp;mi) from Earth}}, not {{!xt|(236,121&nbsp;mi)}}. However, small numbers may need to be converted to a greater level of precision where rounding would cause a significant distortion, so {{xt|one mile (1.6&nbsp;km)}}, not {{!xt|one mile (2&nbsp;km)}}.
	* ] can be used to convert and format many common units, including {{t1|convert}}, which includes non-breaking spaces.
	* In a direct quotation:
	** conversions required for units cited within direct quotations should appear within square brackets in the quote;
	** if the text contains an obscure use of units ({{xt|five million board feet of lumber}}), annotate it with a footnote that provides standard modern units, rather than changing the text of the quotation.
	* Measurements should be accompanied by a proper citation of the source using a method described at ].
	* Where ] or ] for values and units, identify both the source and the original units.
	===Clarify ambiguous units===		===Current===
			{{Main|MOS:CURRENT}}
	* Some different units share the same name. These examples show the need to be specific.
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:As of|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Words to watch#Relative time references}}
	** Use {{xt|]}} or {{xt|]}} rather than just {{!xt|gallon}}.
	** Use {{xt|]}} or {{xt|]}} rather than {{!xt|mile}} in nautical and aeronautical contexts.
	** Use {{xt|]}} or {{xt|]}} rather than just {{!xt|ton}} (the metric unit—the ]—is also known as {{xt|metric ton}}).
			Terms such as "current", "now", and "recent"{{efn|name=recent}} should be avoided. What is current today may not be tomorrow; situations change over time. Instead, use date- and time-specific text. To help keep information updated use {{tlx|As of}}, which will allow editors to catalog and update dated statements.
	=== Unnecessary vagueness ===
	Use accurate measurements whenever possible.
			{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
	{| class="wikitable"
	|-		|-
			| {{em|Incorrect:}} || {{!xt|He is the current ambassador to&nbsp;...}}
	! Vague || Precise
	|-		|-
	|{{!xt|The wallaby is small.}} || {{xt|The average male wallaby is 1.6&nbsp;metres (63&nbsp;in) from head to tail.}}		| {{em|Correct:}} || {{xt|As of March 2011, he is the ambassador to&nbsp;...}}
	|-
	|{{!xt|''Prochlorococcus marinus'' is a tiny cyanobacterium.}} || {{xt|The cyanobacterium ''Prochlorococcus marinus'' is 0.5 to 0.8&nbsp;micrometres across.}}
	|-
	|{{!xt|The large oil spill stretched a long way down the Alaskan coast.}} || {{xt|The oil spill that drifted down the Alaskan coast was 3 statute miles (5&nbsp;km) long and 1,000&nbsp;feet (300&nbsp;m) wide.}}
	|}		|}
			==Numbers<span id="Spelling out numbers"></span>==
	=== Unit symbols and abbreviations ===
	{{main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style (dates and numbers)#Unit names and symbols}}		{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers#Numbers}}
			*Integers from zero to nine are spelled out in words. Integers greater than nine {{em|expressible in one or two words}} may be expressed either in numerals or in words. Other numbers are given in numerals or in forms such as {{xt|21{{nbsp}}million}}. See {{section link|MOS:NUM|Numbers as figures or words}}.
	* Non-breaking spaces are used between values and unit symbols; see the ] section above. (When values and spelled out units form a compound adjective, they are separated by a hyphen; see the ] section above.)
			*In general, in numbers with five or more digits to the left of the decimal point, use commas to group those digits. Numbers with four digits are at the editor's discretion: {{xt|12,345}}, but either {{xt|1,000}} or {{xt|1000}}. See {{section link|MOS:NUM|Grouping of digits}}.
	* Standard abbreviations and symbols for units are undotted (do not carry periods). Examples: {{xt|m}} for metre (meter) and {{xt|kg}} for kilogram (not {{!xt|m.}} or {{!xt|kg.}}); {{xt|in}} for inch (not {{!xt|in.}},&nbsp; or&nbsp;{{!xt|&Prime;}}); {{xt|ft}} for foot (not {{!xt|ft.}}; or&nbsp;{{!xt|&prime;}}); and {{xt|lb}} for pound (not {{!xt|lb.}} or&nbsp;{{!xt|#}}).
			*In general, use decimals rather than fractions for measurements, but fractions are sometimes used with ] and ] units. Keep articles internally consistent.
	* The ] is {{xt|°}}. Using any other symbol (such as ] {{!xt|º}} or "] above" {{!xt|˚}}) for this purpose is incorrect.
			*] (e.g., {{xt|{{val|5.8|e=7|u=kg}}}}) is preferred in scientific contexts. Markup: <code><nowiki>{{val|5.8|e=7|u=kg}}</nowiki></code>.
	* Do not append an -''s'' for the plurals of unit symbols ({{xt|kg}}, {{xt|km}}, {{xt|in}}, {{xt|lb}}, not {{!xt|kgs}}, {{!xt|kms}}, {{!xt|ins}}, {{!xt|lbs}}). A lowercase {{xt|s}} is the SI symbol for second; thus, {{!xt|kgs}} can be confused with {{xt|kg&nbsp;s}}, which means "kilogram-second".
			*Write out "million" and "billion" on the first use. After that, unspaced "M" can be used for millions and "bn" for billions: {{xt|70M}} and {{xt|25bn}}. See {{section link|MOS:NUM|Numbers as figures or words}} for similar words.
	* Temperatures are always accompanied by {{xt|°C}} for ], {{xt|°F}} for ], or {{xt|K}} (''but not'' {{!xt|°K}}) for ]. Further, a space—preferably a non-breaking space (<code>&amp;nbsp;</code>)—always separates the value and temperature symbol ({{xt|35&nbsp;°C}}; {{xt|62&nbsp;°F}}; {{xt|5,000&nbsp;K}}).
			*Write {{xt|3%}}, {{xt|three percent}}, or {{xt|three per cent}}, but not {{!xt|3{{nbsp}}%}} (with a space) or {{!xt|three{{nbsp}}%}}. "Percent" is American usage, and "per cent" is British usage {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link||National varieties of English}})}}. In ranges of percentages written with an en dash, write only a single percent sign: {{xt|3–14%}}.
	* In most cases, a space—preferably a non-breaking space (<code>&amp;nbsp;</code>)—separates numeric values and unit symbols ({{xt|25 kg}}, not {{!xt|25kg}}). The exceptions are the percent symbol ({{xt|%}}) and the symbols for degrees, minutes and seconds of plane angle ({{xt|a 25% share}}; {{xt|the coordinate is 5°&nbsp;24′&nbsp;21.12″&nbsp;N}}; {{xt|the pathways meet at a 90° angle}}).
			*Indicate uncertainties as e.g., {{xt|{{val|1.534|0.35|e=23|u=m}}}}. Markup: <code><nowiki>{{val|1.534|0.35|e=23|u=m}}</nowiki></code>. See {{section link|MOS:NUM|Uncertainty and rounding}} for other formats.
	* Squared and cubic metric-symbols are always expressed with a superscript exponent ({{xt|5&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>}}, {{xt|2&nbsp;cm<sup>3</sup>}}); squared imperial and US unit abbreviations may be rendered with {{xt|sq}}, and cubic with {{xt|cu}} ({{xt|15&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi}}, {{xt|3&nbsp;cu&nbsp;ft}}).
	** Do not use the Unicode characters {{!xt|²}} and {{!xt|³}}, but rather write <code><nowiki><sup>2</sup></nowiki></code> and <code><nowiki><sup>3</sup></nowiki></code> to produce the superscripts {{xt|<sup>2</sup>}} and {{xt|<sup>3</sup>}}. The superscripted 2 and 3 are easier to read, especially on small displays, and ensure that exponents are properly aligned (compare {{!xt|wⁱx²y³z⁽ⁿ⁺⁶⁾}} to {{xt|w<sup>i</sup>x<sup>2</sup>y<sup>3</sup>z<sup>(n + 6)</sup>}}).
	* In tables and infoboxes, use symbols and abbreviations for units, not words.
	* Ranges are preferably formatted with one rather than two unit signifiers ({{xt|5.9–6.3&nbsp;kg}}, not {{!xt|5.9&nbsp;kg – 6.3&nbsp;kg}}).
			==Currencies==
	== Common mathematical symbols ==
	{{see also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style (mathematics)}}		{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers#Currencies and monetary values}}
			*Use the full abbreviation on first use ({{xt|US$}} for the US dollar and {{xt|A$}} for the Australian dollar), {{em|unless the currency is already clear from context}}. For example, the government of the United States always spends money in American dollars, and never in Canadian or Australian dollars.
	*For a negative sign or subtraction operator, use a minus sign ({{xt|−}}), input by clicking on it in the insert box beneath the edit window or by typing <code>&amp;minus;</code>.
			*Use only one symbol with ranges, as in {{xt|$250–300}}.
	* For a multiplication sign between numbers, use {{xt|×}}, which is input by clicking on it in the edit toolbox under the edit window or by typing <code>&amp;times;</code>. However, the unspaced letter {{xt|x}} is accepted as a substitute for ''by'' in such terms as {{xt|4x4}}.
			*In articles that are not specific to a country, express amounts of money in ], ], or ]. Do not link the names or symbols of currencies that are commonly known to English-speakers ({{xt|$}}, {{xt|€}}, {{xt|£}}), unless there is a particular reason to do so; do not use potentially ambiguous currency symbols, unless the meaning is clear in the context.
	* ] is indicated using a superscript, {{xt|''a<sup>n''</sup>}} (typed as <code><nowiki>a<sup>n</sup></nowiki></code>). ] can be spaced or unspaced, depending on circumstances.
			*In country-specific articles, use the currency of the country. On first occurrence, consider including conversion to US dollars, euros, or pounds sterling, at a rate appropriate to the context. For example, {{xt|Since 2001 the grant has been 10,000,000 ] (€1.0M as of August 2009)}}. Wording such as "approx." is not appropriate for simple rounding-off of the converted amount.
	** In many programming languages, the subtraction, multiplication and exponentiation are respectively represented by the ] <code>-</code>, the ] <code>*</code>, and the ] or double asterisk <code>^</code> or <code>**</code>, and exponential notation is denoted by ]. Do ''not'' use these unless writing code.
			*Generally, use the full name of a currency, and link it on its first appearance if English-speakers are likely to be unfamiliar with it ({{xt|52 ]s}}); subsequent occurrences can use the currency sign (just {{xt|88 Rs}}).
	* Symbols for ]s and ]s are spaced on both sides:
			*Most currency symbols are placed {{em|before}} the number, and unspaced {{nobr|({{xt|$123}} not {{!xt|$ 123}}).}}
	** plus, minus, and plus-or-minus (as binary operators): {{xt|+}}, {{xt|−}}, {{xt|±}} (as in {{xt|5&nbsp;−&nbsp;3}});
	** multiplication and division: {{xt|×}}, {{xt|÷}};
	** equals, does not equal, equals approximately: {{xt|{{=}}}}, {{xt|≠}}, {{xt|≈}};
	** is less than, is less than or equal to, is greater than, is greater than or equal to: {{xt|<}}, {{xt|≤}}, {{xt|>}}, {{xt|≥}}.
	* Symbols for ]s are closed-up to their operand:
	** positive, negative, and positive-or-negative signs: {{xt|+}}, {{xt|−}}, {{xt|±}} (as in {{xt|−3}});
	** other unary operators, such as the exclamation mark as a ] sign (as in {{xt|5!}}).
			==Units of measurement==
	== Simple tabulation ==
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers#Units of measurement}}
	Lines that start with blank spaces in the editing window are displayed boxed and in a fixed-width font, for simple tabulation. Lines that contain only a blank space insert a blank line into the table. For a complete guide to constructing tables, see ].
			*The main unit in which a quantity is expressed should generally be an ] unit or ]. However,
			**Scientific articles may also use specialist units appropriate for the branch of science in question.
			**In non-scientific articles with strong ties to the United States, the main unit is generally a U.S. customary unit ({{xt|22 pounds (10 kg)}}).
			**In non-scientific articles with strong ties to the United Kingdom, although the main unit is generally a metric unit ({{xt|10 kilograms (22 lb)}}), imperial units are still used as the main units in some contexts ({{xt|7 miles (11 km) by road}}).
			*Where English-speaking countries use different units for the same measurement, provide a conversion in parentheses. Examples: {{xt|the Mississippi River is {{convert|2320|mi|km|0}} long}}; {{xt|the Murray River is {{convert|2375|km|mi|0}} long}}. See {{tlx|convert}}.
			*In a direct quotation, always retain the source's units. Any conversion should follow in square brackets (or, an obscure use of units can be explained in the article text or a ]).
			*Where space is limited (such as tables, infoboxes, parenthetical notes, and mathematical formulas) unit symbols are preferred. In prose, unit names should be given in full if used only a few times but symbols may be used when a unit (especially one with a long name) is used repeatedly after spelling out the first use (e.g., {{xt|Up to 15 kilograms of filler is used for a batch of 250{{nbsp}}kg}}), except for unit names that are hardly ever spelled out ({{xt|°C}} rather than {{!xt|degrees Celsius}}).
			*Most unit names are not capitalized (see {{section link||National varieties of English}} for spelling differences).
			*Use "per" when writing out a unit, rather than a slash: {{xt|metre per second}}, not {{!xt|metre/second}}.
			*Units unfamiliar to general readers should be presented as a name–symbol pair on first use, linking the unit name ({{xt|Energies were originally 2.3 ]s (MeV), but were eventually 6{{nbsp}}MeV}}).
			*For ranges, see {{section link||En dashes: other uses}}, and MOS:NUM, at {{section link|nopage=y|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers|Date ranges|Percentages|Unit names and symbols|Formatting of monetary values}}.
			*Unit symbols are preceded by figures, not by spelled-out numbers. Values and unit symbols are separated by a ]. For example, {{xt|5&nbsp;min}}. The percent sign and units of degrees, minutes, and seconds {{em|for angles and coordinates}} are unspaced.
			==Common mathematical symbols==
	== Grammar ==
			{{Shortcut|MOS:COMMONMATH}}
	=== Possessives ===
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Mathematics|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers#Common mathematical symbols}}
	''For the apostrophe character, see ] above. For thorough treatment of the English possessive see ].''
			*For a negative sign or subtraction operator, use a minus sign ({{xt|−}}, Unicode character U+2212 <small>MINUS SIGN</small>). Input by clicking on it in the insert box beneath the edit window or by typing <code>&amp;minus;</code>.
			*For multiplication, use a multiplication sign ({{unichar|d7|MULTIPLICATION SIGN}}) or a dot ({{unichar|22c5|DOT OPERATOR}}), which are input by clicking on them in the edit toolbox under the edit window or by entering <code>&amp;times;</code> or <code>&amp;sdot;</code>. Care should be taken not to confuse the dot operator (in the "Math and logic" section of the edit toolbox) with an interpunct (in the "Insert" section of the edit toolbox) or a bullet. The letter {{xt|x}} should not be used to indicate multiplication, but it is used (unspaced) as the substitute for "by" in terms such as {{xt|]}}.
			*] is indicated by a superscript, {{xt|''a''<sup>''n''</sup>}} (typed as <code><nowiki>''a''<sup>''n''</sup></nowiki></code>.
			*Do not use programming language notation outside computer program text. In most programming languages, subtraction, multiplication, and exponentiation are represented by the ] <code>-</code>, the ] <code>*</code>, and either the ] <code>^</code> or the double asterisk <code>**</code> respectively; ] is replaced by ].
			*Symbols for ]s and ] are usually spaced on both sides:
			**plus, minus, and plus-or-minus (as binary operators): {{xt|+}}, {{xt|−}}, {{xt|±}} (as in {{xt|5&nbsp;−&nbsp;3}});
			**multiplication and division: {{xt|×}}, {{xt|÷}};
			**equals, does not equal, equals approximately: {{xt|{{=}}}}, {{xt|≠}}, {{xt|≈}};
			**is less than, is less than or equal to, is greater than, is greater than or equal to: {{xt|<}}, {{xt|≤}}, {{xt|>}}, {{xt|≥}}.
			*Symbols for ]s are closed-up to their operand:
			**positive, negative, and positive-or-negative signs: {{xt|+}}, {{xt|−}}, {{xt|±}} (as in {{xt|−3}});
			**other unary operators, such as the exclamation mark as a ] sign (as in {{xt|5!}}).
			*Variables are italicized, but digits and punctuation are not; only ''x'' and ''y'' are italicized in {{xt|2(5''x''&nbsp;+&nbsp;''y'')<sup>2</sup>}}.
			*{{tlx|math}} can be used to style formulas to distinguish them from surrounding text. For single variables, {{tlx|mvar}} is handy.
			==Grammar and usage ==
	;Nouns
			{{short|MOS:GRAMMAR}}
	*For the possessive of most singular nouns, add '''s'' ({{xt|my daughter's achievement}}, {{xt|my niece's wedding}}, {{xt|Cortez's men}}, {{xt|the boss's wife}}, {{xt|Glass's books}}, {{xt|Illinois's largest employer}}, {{xt|Descartes's philosophy}}, {{xt|Verreaux's eagle}}). Exception: abstract nouns ending with an /s/ sound, when followed by ''sake'' ({{xt|for goodness' sake}}, {{xt|for his conscience' sake}}).
			{{clear|right}}
	*For the possessive of singular nouns ending with just one ''s'' (sounded as /s/ or /z/), there are three practices:
	*# Add '''s'': {{xt|James's house}}, {{xt|Sam Hodges's son}}, {{xt|Jan Hus's life}}, {{xt|Vilnius's location}}, {{xt|Brahms's music}}, {{xt|Dickens's novels}}, {{xt|Morris's works}}, {{xt|the bus's old route}}.
	*# Add just an apostrophe: {{xt|James' house}}, {{xt|Sam Hodges' son}}, {{xt|Jan Hus' life}}, {{xt|Vilnius' location}}, {{xt|Brahms' music}}, {{xt|Dickens' novels}}, {{xt|Morris' works}}, {{xt|the bus' old route}}.
	*# Add either '''s'' or just an apostrophe, according to how the possessive is pronounced:
	*#* Add only an apostrophe if the possessive is pronounced the same way as the non-possessive name: {{xt|Sam Hodges' son}}, {{xt|Moses' leadership}};
	*#* Add '''s'' if the possessive has an additional {{IPA-en|<s>ɪ</s>z|}} at the end: {{xt|Jan Hus's life}}, {{xt|Morris's works}}.
	*#* Some possessives have two possible pronunciations: {{xt|James's house}} or {{xt|James' house}}, {{xt|Brahms's music}} or {{xt|Brahms' music}}, {{xt|Vilnius's location}} or {{xt|Vilnius' location}}, {{xt|Dickens's novels}} or {{xt|Dickens' novels}}.
	* Whichever of the above three options is chosen, it must be applied consistently within an article. When using the third option, if there is disagreement over the pronunciation of a possessive, the choice should be discussed and then that possessive adopted consistently in an article. (Possessives of certain classical and biblical names may have traditional pronunciations which may be deemed as taking precedence: {{xt|Jesus' answer}} and {{xt|Xerxes' expeditions}}, but {{xt|Zeus's anger}}; and in some cases—particularly possessives of inanimate objects—rewording may be an option: {{xt|the location of Vilnius}}, {{xt|the old bus route}}, {{xt|the moons of Mars}}.)
	*For a normal plural noun, ending with a pronounced ''s'', form the possessive by adding just an apostrophe ({{xt|my sons' wives}}, {{xt|my nieces' weddings}}).
	*For a plural noun ''not'' ending with a pronounced ''s'', add '''s'' ({{xt|women's careers}}, {{xt|people's habits}}; {{xt|The two Dumas's careers were controversial}}, but where rewording is an option, this may be better: {{xt|The career of each Dumas was controversial}}).
	*Official names (of companies, organizations, or places) should not be altered ({{xt|]}} should therefore ''not'' be rendered as {{!xt|St Thomas's Hospital}}, even for consistency).
	;Pronouns
	*The possessive ''its'' ({{xt|the dog chased its tail}}) has no apostrophe. (''It's'' is the short form of ''it is'' or ''it has'': {{xt|it's a nice day}}, {{xt|it's been a nice day}}.) ''Hers'', ''ours'', ''yours'', ''theirs'', and ''whose'' likewise lack apostrophes. Possessives of non-personal pronouns such as ''everyone'', ''nobody'', and ''anyone else'' are formed as if they were nouns ({{xt|everyone's mother}}, {{xt|nobody's hat}}, {{xt|anyone else's opinion}}).
	=== First-person pronouns ===		===Possessives===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:POSS|MOS:'S}}
	Misplaced Pages articles must not be based on one person's opinions or experiences, so the pronoun ''I'' is never used, except when it appears in a quotation. For similar reasons, avoid the pronoun ''we''; a sentence such as {{!xt|We should note that some critics have argued in favor of the proposal}} sounds more personal than encyclopedic.
			{{For|the apostrophe character|#Apostrophes}}
			{{For|thorough treatment of the English possessive|Apostrophe}}
			====Singular nouns====
	It is however acceptable to use ''we'' in figures of speech in which it is not meant as a literal reference to the author's personal viewpoint. For example:
			For the possessive of singular nouns, including proper names and words ending in ''s'', add ''&apos;s'' ({{xt|my daughter's achievement}}, {{xt|my niece's wedding}}, {{xt|Cortez's men}}, {{xt|the boss's office}}, {{xt|Illinois's largest employer}}, {{xt|the US's partners}}, {{xt|Descartes's philosophy}}, {{xt|Verreaux's eagle}}). Exception: abstract nouns ending with an /s/ sound when followed by ''sake'' ({{xt|for goodness' sake}}, {{xt|for his conscience' sake}}). If a name ending in ''s'' or ''z'' would be difficult to pronounce with ''&apos;s'' added ({{xt|Jesus's teachings}}), consider rewording ({{xt|the teachings of Jesus}}).<!--From googling around, this bit about "s or z" is (a) something on which there's split opinion, and (b) part of a larger set of rules on similar edge cases. See https://data.grammarbook.com/blog/apostrophes/apostrophes-with-names-ending-in-s-ch-or-z/ . So I'm not sure why we're discussing just this one.-->
	* In historical articles to mean the modern world as a whole: {{xt|The text of ''De re publica'' has come down to us with substantial sections missing.}}
	* The author's ''we'' found in scientific writing. Albert Einstein wrote: "We are thus led also to a definition of "time" in physics." When one writes "Throughout the proof of this theorem we assume that the function ''&fnof;'' is uniformly continuous.", it means that the proof is valid in cases in which that assumption is true. Often such things can be rephrased to avoid the first-person pronoun; for example, "Throughout the proof of this theorem it is assumed that the function ''&fnof;'' is uniformly continuous."
			====Plural nouns====
	=== Second-person pronouns ===
	{{shortcut|WP:YOU}}		{{Shortcut|MOS:PLURALNOUN}}
			*For a normal plural noun ending with a pronounced ''s'', form the possessive by adding just an apostrophe ({{xt|my sons' wives}}, {{xt|my nieces' weddings}}).
	Use of the second person ''you'', which is often ambiguous and contrary to the tone of an encyclopedia, is discouraged. Instead, refer to the subject of the sentence or use the ], for example:
			*For a plural noun {{em|not}} ending with a pronounced ''s'', add ''<nowiki />'s'' ({{xt|women's careers}}, {{xt|people's habits}}, {{xt|mice's whiskers}}; {{xt|The two Dumas's careers were controversial}}, but where rewording is an option, this may be better: {{xt|The career of each Dumas was controversial}}).
	{| class="wikitable"
	! Do not use:
	| {{!xt|When you move past "Go", you collect $200.}}
	|-
	!Use:
	| {{xt|When a player moves past "Go", that player collects $200.}}
	|-
	! Use:
	| {{xt|Players passing "Go" collect $200.}}
	|}
			====Official names====
	=== {{MOSR-link|Gender-neutral language}} {{anchor|Gender-neutral language}} ===
			Official names (of companies, organizations, or places) should not be altered. ({{xt|]}} should therefore {{em|not}} be rendered as {{!xt|St Thomas's Hospital}} or {{!xt|St. Thomas Hospital}}, even for consistency.)
	{{seealso|Misplaced Pages:Gender-neutral language}}
	Use ] where this can be done with clarity and precision. This does not apply to direct quotations or the titles of works (''{{xt|The Ascent of Man}}''), which should not be altered; nor where all referents are of one gender, such as in an all-female school ({{xt|When any student breaks that rule, she loses privileges}}).
	=== Contested vocabulary ===		===Pronouns===
			{{shortcut|MOS:PRONOUN}}
	Avoid words and phrases that give the impression of straining for formality, that are unnecessarily regional, or that are not widely accepted. See ] and ]; see also ] below and ] above.
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Writing better articles#Use of pronouns}}
			====First-person pronouns<span class="anchor" id="First-person pronouns"></span>====
	=== Contractions === <!-- section ''Possessives'' above links here -->
			{{Shortcut|MOS:I|MOS:OUR|MOS:PERSON|MOS:WE}}
	{{shortcut|WP:CONTRACTION}}
	In general, the use of ]—such as ''don't'', ''can't'', ''won't'', ''they'd'', ''should've'', ''it's''—is informal and should be avoided.
			To maintain an objective and impersonal encyclopedic voice, an article should never refer to its editors or readers using ''I'', ''my'', ''we'', ''us'', ''our'', or similar words: {{!xt|We note that some believe that bats are bugs}}. But some of these words are acceptable in certain figurative uses. For example:
	=== Instructional and presumptuous language ===
			*In historical articles to mean the modern world as a whole: {{xt|Only portions of ''De re publica'' have come down to us.}}
	{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Words to watch#Editorializing}}
			*The ] found in scientific writing ({{xt|We construct {{mvar|S}} as follows}}), though ] may be preferable ({{xt|{{mvar|S}} is constructed as follows}}).{{efn|name=passive|1={{anchor|passive|Passive|PASSIVE}}The ] is inappropriate for some forms of writing, but it is widely used in encyclopedia articles, because the passive voice avoids inappropriate first- and second-person constructions as well as tone problems. The most common uses of encyclopedic passive are to keep the focus on the subject instead of performing a ] shift to dwelling on a non-notable party. Contrast {{xt|The break-in was reported to police the next morning}}, versus {{!xt|Assistant manager Peggy Plimpton-Chan reported the break-in to police the next morning}}.}}
	{{shortcut|MOS:NOTED}}
	Avoid such phrases as ''remember that'' and ''note that'', which ] in an unencyclopedic tone. Similarly, phrases such as ''of course'', ''naturally'', ''obviously'', ''clearly'', and ''actually'' can make presumptions about readers' knowledge, and call into question the reason for including the information in the first place. We do not need to ''tell'' our readers that something is ironic, surprising, unexpected, amusing, coincidental, etc. Doing so inappropriately presents an editorial ]. Simply state the sourced facts and allow readers to draw their own conclusions.
			====Second-person pronouns<span class="anchor" id="Second-person pronouns"></span>====
	=== Subset terms ===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:YOU|MOS:BAIT|MOS:PEDAGOGY|MOS:SOCRATIC}}
	A ''subset term'' identifies a set of members of a larger class. Common subset terms are ''including'', ''among'', and ''et cetera'' (''etc.''). Do not use two subset terms (so avoid constructions like these: {{!xt|Among the most well-known members of the fraternity include&nbsp;...}}; {{!xt|The elements in stars include hydrogen, helium and iron, etc.}}). Do not use ''including'' to introduce a complete list, where ''comprising'', ''consisting of'', or ''composed of'' would be correct. <!--(Yes, ''comprising'' belongs in this list; it means "to include or contain" and does not need an additional preposition. ''Comprised of'' is not standard English.)-->
			{{redirect|WP:YOU|"Misplaced Pages is not about {{em|you}}"|WP:NOTYOU|"A picture of you"|WP:APoY}}
			Avoid addressing the reader using ''you'' or ''your'', which sets an inappropriate tone {{crossref|pw=y|(see also {{section link||Instructional and presumptuous language}})}}.
	=== Plurals ===
			*Use a noun or a third-person pronoun: instead of {{!xt|When you move past "Go", you collect $200}}, use {{xt|A player passing "Go" collects $200}}, or {{xt|When a player passes "Go", they collect $200}}.
	{{shortcut|WP:PLURALS}}
			*If a person cannot be specified, or when implying "anyone" as a subject, the impersonal pronoun '']'' may be used: {{xt|a sense that one is being watched}}. Other constructions may be preferable if the pronoun ''one'' seems stilted: {{xt|a person's sense of being watched}}.
	{{see also|English plurals}}
			*The ] may sometimes be used instead:{{efn|name=passive}} {{xt|Impurities are removed before bottling}}.
	{{for|the page title guideline|WP:SINGULAR}}
			*Do not bait links, e.g., "{{!xt|Click here for more information}}"; let the browser's normal highlighting invite a click. ("{{!xt|Click here}}" also makes no sense to someone reading on paper.)
	Use the appropriate plural; allow for cases (such as '']'' or '']'') in which a foreign word has been assimilated into English and normally takes an ''s'' or ''es'' plural, not its original plural.
			*Likewise, "See:&nbsp;..." or "Consider&nbsp;..." (in reference to arguments, principles, facts, etc.) are milder second-person baits, common in academic writing (]). This interactive personality is inconsistent with an encyclopedia's passive presentation of objective matter.
			**"See" and the like can be used to internally cross-reference other Misplaced Pages material. Do not italicize words like "see". Such a cross-reference should be parenthetical, so the article text stands alone if the parenthetical is removed. {{tlx|Crossref}} can be used for this: {{tlx|Crossref|(see <nowiki>]</nowiki>)}}, {{tlx|Crossref|(See <nowiki>]</nowiki> for details.)}} It is usually better to rewrite the material to integrate these links contextually rather than use ].
			*Do not address the reader with the ] by asking and answering questions. {{!xt|Did ] write ]? Then who wrote Bacon?}}
			====Third-person pronouns====
	Many words, like ''army'', ''company'', ''crowd'', ''fleet'', ''government'', ''majority'', ''mess'', ''number'', ''pack'', and ''party'' may refer either to a single entity or to the members that compose it. In ], such words are commonly treated as singular or plural according to context. Names of towns and countries take plural verbs when they refer to sports teams but singular verbs when they refer to the actual place (or to the club as a business enterprise): in ''] are playing ] tonight'', the word ''England'' refers to a ] team, but in ''England is the most populous country of the United Kingdom'', it refers to the country. In ], these words (and ''the United States'', for historical reasons) are almost invariably treated as singular. See ].
			Refer to a person with pronouns (and other gendered words) that reflect their latest self-identification in recent reliable sources. ] are appropriate in reference to anyone who uses those, as replacements for ]s, and in generic reference to persons of unknown gender.
			{{crossref|pw=y|(For considerably more detail, see {{section link|WP:Manual of Style/Biography#Gender identity}}.)}}
	===Ampersand===
	{{shortcut|WP:&}}
	The ] (&) represents the word ''and''. In running prose, including dates that occur within running prose, ''and'' should be used instead. For example, "January 1 & 2" is not acceptable, but "January 1 ''and'' 2" is. Retain ampersands in titles of works or organizations, such as '']'' or ]. Ampersands may be used with consistency and discretion in tables, infoboxes, and similar contexts where space is limited. Modern editions of old texts routinely replace ampersands with ''and'' (just as they replace other disused glyphs and ]), so an article's quotations may be cautiously modified, especially for consistency in quotations where different editions are used. (For similar allowable modifications see ], above.)
			{{shortcut|MOS:SHIPPRONOUN|MOS:SHE4SHIPS}}
	=== National varieties of English ===
			Ships (military or private-sector) may be referred to by either ] pronouns (''it'', ''its'') or feminine pronouns (''she'', ''her''). Both usages are acceptable, but each article should be internally consistent and exclusively employ only one style.{{efn|As usual, direct quotations should not be altered in such a regard, and have no effect on determination of consistency within Wikipedian-authored content.}} As with all optional styles, articles ] be changed from one style to another without clear and substantial reason.{{efn|name=debates|See ] – an index of recurrent debates about this subject, from 2004 though 2022.}} Try to avoid close, successive uses of the same referent for a ship, by using different referents in rotation; for example, ''it'' or ''she'', ''the ship'', and the ship's name. The ''she/her'' optional style does not apply to other vessel/vehicle types, such as trains.{{efn|See {{section link|Misplaced Pages talk:Manual of Style/Archive 167#WP:SHE for steam locomotives as well as ships}} – concluded with a strong consensus against the practice.}}
	{{shortcut|WP:ENGVAR|WP:AmE|WP:BrE}}
	{{see also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style (spelling)}}
	The English Misplaced Pages does not prefer any major national variety of the language. Within the English Misplaced Pages no variety is considered more correct than another. Editors should understand that the differences between the varieties are largely superficial. Cultural clashes over spelling and grammar can be avoided by using the following four guidelines. (The accepted style of punctuation is covered in the ], above.)
			{{crossref|pw=y|(See the next section, "Plurals", for singular ''it'' or plural ''they'' in reference to organizations and other collective nouns.)}}
	==== Consistency within articles ====
	:''See also ]''
	Each article should consistently use the same conventions of spelling, grammar, and punctuation. For example, these should not be used in the same article: ''center'' and ''centre''; ''color'' and ''colour''; em dash and spaced en dash (see ]). The exceptions are as follows:
	* quotations (retain the original variety of the quotation even if it differs from that of the article; though the precise styling of punctuation marks such as dashes, ellipses, apostrophes, and quotation marks should be made consistent with the surrounding article);
	* proper names (use the original spelling, for example '']'' and '']'');
	* book titles (again, use the original spelling&mdash;if there are multiple editions which spell a given title differently, use the one consulted); and
	* explicit comparisons of varieties of English.
			===Plurals===
	==== Strong national ties to a topic ====
	{{Shortcut|MOS:TIES|WP:TIES}}		{{Shortcut|MOS:PLURALS|MOS:SINGULAR}}
			{{See also|English plurals|Collective noun}}
	An article on a topic that has strong ties to a particular English-speaking nation uses the English of that nation. For example:
			{{for|the article title guideline|Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (plurals)}}
	* ] (]) or Tolkien's '']'' (which uses another variant of British English)
	* ] (])
	* ] (British or ])
	* ] (])
	* ], B.C. (])
	* ] (])
			Use the appropriate plural; allow for cases (such as '']'' or '']'') in which a word is now listed in major English dictionaries, and normally takes an ''s'' or ''es'' plural, not its original plural: {{xt|two excursuses}}, not {{!xt|two {{lang|la|excursūs}}}} as in Latin; {{xt|three hanifs}}, not {{!xt|three {{lang|ar-Latn|hunafa}}}} as in Arabic.
	In a biographical or critical article, it may be best to use the subject's own variety of English (where there is a definite preference), especially if the author's writings are quoted in the article. For example, avoid American English commentary on quotations from Tolkien's very British prose.
			Some ]s{{snd}}such as ''team'' (and proper names of them), ''army'', ''company'', ''crowd'', ''fleet'', ''government'', ''majority'', ''mess'', ''number'', ''pack'', and ''party''{{snd}}may refer either to a single entity or to the members that compose it. In British English, such words are sometimes treated as singular, but more often treated as plural, according to context (but singular is not actually {{Em|incorrect}}). In North American English, these words are almost invariably treated as singular; the major exception is that when a sports team is referred to by its short name, plural verbs are commonly used, e.g. {{xt|the ] are playing the Lakers tonight}}.
	==== Retaining the existing variety ====
	{{shortcut|WP:RETAIN}}
	When an article has evolved sufficiently for it to be clear which variety it employs, the whole article should continue to conform to that variety, unless there are reasons for changing it based on strong national ties to the topic. When an article has not yet evolved to that point, the variety chosen by the first major contributor should be adopted. Where an article that is not a ] shows no signs of which variety it is written in, the first person to make an edit that disambiguates the variety is equivalent to the ''first major contributor''.
			Names of towns and countries usually take singular verbs (even when grammatically plural: {{xt|the United States is in North America}}, {{xt|the Netherlands is also known as Holland}}), but exceptionally in British English, typically when used to refer to a sports team named after a town or country or when discussing actions of a government, plural is used. For example, in {{xt|] are playing ] tomorrow}}, ''England'' refers to a ] team; but in {{xt|England is in the Northern hemisphere}}, it refers to the country. See also {{section link||National varieties of English}} including {{section link||Opportunities for commonality}}.
	==== Opportunities for commonality====
	{{shortcut|WP:COMMONALITY|WP:VNE}}
	Misplaced Pages tries to find words that are common to all varieties of English.
	* Universally used terms are often preferable to less widely distributed terms, especially in article names. For example, {{xt|]}} is preferred to the national varieties {{xt|aeroplane}} (]) and {{xt|airplane}} (]).
	* If one variant spelling appears in an article name, ] pages are made to accommodate the other variants, as with ] and ], so that all variants can be used in searches and in linking.
	* Terms that are uncommon in some varieties of English, or that have divergent meanings, may be glossed to prevent confusion. Insisting on a single term or a single usage as the only correct option does not serve the purposes of an international encyclopedia.
	* Use a commonly understood word or phrase in preference to one that has a different meaning because of national differences. For example, use {{xt|alternative}} rather than {{!xt|alternate}}, since ''alternate'' may mean only "alternating" to a speaker of British English.
			===Verb tense<span class="anchor" id="Tense"></span><span class="anchor" id="TENSE"></span><span class="anchor" id="VERBTENSE"></span>===
	Articles such as ] and ] provide information on the differences between these major varieties of the language.
			{{Shortcut|MOS:TENSE|MOS:VERB|MOS:ISWAS|MOS:WAS|MOS:COMPNOW}}
			{{redirect|MOS:PRESENT|text=For the guideline on words such as "currently", "soon", and "recently", see {{slink|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers#Statements likely to become outdated}}}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography#Tense|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Words to watch#Relative time references|Misplaced Pages:Writing better articles#Tense in fiction}}
			By default, write articles in the ], including those covering works of fiction {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Writing better articles|Tense in fiction}})}} and products or works that have been discontinued. Generally, use past tense only for past events, and for subjects that are dead or no longer meaningfully exist. Use ] for articles about periodicals no longer produced, with common-sense exceptions.<!-- RfC that resulted in preceding sentence at https://en.wikipedia.org/Special:Permalink/974747679#RfC:_Should_"is"_or_"was"_be_used_to_describe_periodical_publications_that_are_no_longer_being_published? -->
	=== Identity ===
			*{{xt|The PDP-10 is a mainframe computer family manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation from 1966 into the 1980s.}}
	{{shortcut|MOS:IDENTITY}}
			*{{xt|''Earth: Final Conflict'' is a Canadian science fiction television series that ran for five seasons between October 6, 1997, and May 20, 2002.}}
	* Disputes over how to refer to a person or group are addressed by policies such as ], ], and ] where the term appears in the title of an article. When there is no dispute, the term most commonly used for a person will be the one that person uses for himself or herself, and the most common terms for a group will be those that the group most commonly uses for itself. Misplaced Pages should use them too. (See for example the article ], which demonstrates that most Jews prefer that term to "Jewish person".)
			*{{xt|The Gordon Riots of 1780 were several days of rioting in London motivated by anti-Catholic sentiment.}}
	* Any person whose gender might be questioned should be referred to using the gendered nouns, pronouns, and possessive adjectives that reflect that person's ''latest'' expressed gender self-identification. This applies when referring to any phase of that person's life. Nevertheless, avoid confusing or seemingly logically impossible text that could result from pronoun usage (for example: {{!xt|She fathered her first child}}).<!-- Note: some related points are under discussion at WT:BLP#Titillating_sources. Any policy changes might have an effect here. -->
			*{{xt|The Beatles were an English rock band that formed in Liverpool in 1960.}}
	* Use specific terminology. For example, often it is more appropriate for people from Ethiopia (a country in Africa) to be described as ''Ethiopian'', not carelessly (with the risk of ]) as ''African''.
			*{{xt|Barack Obama is a former president of the United States}} (not {{!xt|Barack Obama was a president of the United States}}).
	* The term '']'' (never to be confused with '']'' or '']'') refers to people and things of ethnic Arab origin. The term ''Arabic'' refers to the ] or ], and related concepts ({{xt|Not all Arab people write or converse in Arabic}}).
			*{{xt|Jumbo Comics was an adventure anthology comic book published by Fiction House from 1938 to 1953.}}
	* As always in a direct quotation, use the original text, even if the quoted text is inconsistent with the preceding guidelines.
			*{{xt|''A Prairie Home Companion'' is a radio show that aired live from 1974 to 2016}} (not {{!xt|''A Prairie Home Companion'' was a radio show}}).
			*{{xt|''Flappy Bird'' is a mobile game developed by Vietnamese video game artist and programmer Dong Nguyen}} (not {{!xt|''Flappy Bird'' was a mobile game}}).
			Tense can be used to distinguish between current and former status of a subject: {{xt|Dún Aonghasa {{strong|is}} the ruin of a prehistoric Irish cliff fort. Its original shape {{strong|was}} presumably oval or D-shaped, but parts of the cliff and fort have since collapsed into the sea.}} (Emphasis added to distinguish the different tense usages; Dún Aonghasa is a structure that was later damaged by an event.)
	=== Foreign terms ===
	{{seealso|Misplaced Pages:Interlanguage links}}
	Foreign words should be used sparingly.
	; No common usage in English
	: Use italics for phrases in other languages and for isolated foreign words that are not current in English.
	; Common usage in English
	: ]s and borrowed phrases that have common usage in English—Gestapo, samurai, vice versa, esprit de corps—do not require italics. A rule of thumb is not to italicize words that appear unitalicized in major English-language dictionaries.
	; Spelling and romanization
	{{seealso|Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (use English)}}
			Always use present tense for verbs that describe genres, types, and classes, even if the subject of the description (e.g. program, library, device) no longer exists, is discontinued, is unsupported or is unmaintained. Present tense is also used for discontinued ].
	Names not originally in a ]—such as Greek, Chinese, or Cyrillic scripts—must be ] into characters generally intelligible to English-speakers. Do not use a systematically ] or otherwise romanized name if there is a common English form of the name, such as ''Tchaikovsky'' or ''Chiang Kai-shek''.
			==Vocabulary<span class="anchor" id="VOCAB"></span><span class="anchor" id="VOCABULARY"></span>==
	The use of ]s (accent marks) on foreign words is neither encouraged nor discouraged; their usage depends on whether they appear in ] in English and on the constraints imposed by specialized Misplaced Pages guidelines. Place ] at alternative titles, such as those without diacritics.
			===Contractions===
			{{shortcut|MOS:CONTRACTIONS}}
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Abbreviations#Contractions}}
			Avoid ], which have little place in formal writing. For example, write {{xt|''do not''}} instead of {{!xt|''don't''}}. Use of {{xt|o'clock}} is an exception. Contracted titles such as {{!xt|Dr.}} and {{!xt|St}} generally should not be used but may apply in some contexts (e.g., quoted material, place names, titles of works).
	Spell a name consistently in the title and within the article (covered in ]), unless there is a good reason to use an alternative, such as may be given in ]. For foreign names, phrases, and words generally, adopt the spellings most commonly used in English-language references for the article, unless those spellings are idiosyncratic or obsolete. If a foreign term does not appear in the article's references, adopt the spelling most commonly used in other ] (for example ]). If a term appears rarely in English, an available alternative may be better.
			===Gender-neutral language===
	Sometimes the usage will be influenced by other guidelines such as ], above, which may lead to different choices in different articles.
			{{Redirect|MOS:GENDER|the style guideline regarding pronoun usage for individuals whose gender might be questioned|MOS:GENDERID}}
			{{for-multi|an essay with suggestions and sample usage|Misplaced Pages:Gender-neutral language|an essay about not assuming the pronouns of other editors|Misplaced Pages:Editors' pronouns}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Writing about women}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:GNL|MOS:S/HE}}
			Use ] – avoiding the ], for example – if this can be done with clarity and precision. This does not apply to direct quotations or the titles of works (''{{xt|The Ascent of Man}}''), which should not be altered, or to wording about one-gender contexts, such as an all-female school ({{xt|When any student breaks that rule, she loses privileges}}).
	== Images ==
	{{Mergefrom|Captions|Alternative text for images|Manual of Style (icons)|discuss=Misplaced Pages talk:Manual of Style#Consolidation?|date=March 2010}}
			References to space programs, past, present and future, should use gender-neutral phrasing: {{xt|human spaceflight}}, {{xt|robotic probe}}, {{xt|uncrewed mission}}, {{xt|crewed spacecraft}}, {{xt|piloted}}, {{xt|unpiloted}}, {{xt|astronaut}}, {{xt|cosmonaut}}, not {{!xt|manned}} or {{!xt|unmanned}}. Direct quotations and proper nouns that use gendered words should not be changed, like {{xt|Manned Maneuvering Unit}}.
	{{shortcut|MOS:IMAGES}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:SHIP}}
	{{see|Misplaced Pages:Picture tutorial|Misplaced Pages:Accessibility#Images|Misplaced Pages:Image use policy|Misplaced Pages:Layout#Images}}
			Ships may be referred to using either neuter forms ("it", "its") or feminine forms ("she", "her", "hers"). Either usage is acceptable, but each article should be internally consistent and employ one or the other exclusively. As with all optional styles, articles should not be changed from one style to another unless there is a substantial reason to do so. See {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Military history|Pronouns}}.
			===Contested vocabulary===
	* Start an article with a right-aligned lead image or ].
			Avoid words and phrases that give the impression of straining for formality, that are unnecessarily regional, or that are not widely accepted. See ]; see also {{section link||Identity}}.
	*Images should be inside the major section containing the content to which they relate (within the section defined by the most recent level 2 heading)
	* Avoid sandwiching text between two images that face each other.
	* Use captions to explain the relevance of the image to the article (see ], below).
	* See ] for how to group images and avoid "stack-ups".
	* It is often preferable to place images of faces so that the face or eyes look toward the text. Multiple images in the same article can be staggered right-and-left (for example: ). However, images should not be reversed simply to resolve a conflict between these guidelines; doing so misinforms the reader for the sake of our layout preferences. An image should be reversed or substantially altered only if this clearly assists the reader (for example, cropping a work of art to focus on a detail discussed in the text). Any such alteration must be noted in the caption.
	*The thumbnail option may be used ("<code>]</code>"), or another size may be fixed. The default thumbnail width is 220&nbsp;pixels; users can adjust this in their ]. An option such as "<code>|300]|</code>" resizes the image to the specified width in pixels, and "<code>]=1.2</code>" (or "<code>|]|upright=1.2</code>" for ]) resizes an image to approximately the given multiple of a user's preferred width. An image should generally be no more than 500&nbsp;pixels tall and 400&nbsp;pixels ("<code>upright=1.8</code>") wide, so it can be comfortably displayed next to the text on the smallest monitors in common use; an image can be wider if it uses the "<code>]</code>" or "<code>]</code>" options to stand alone. The {{tl|Wide image}} and {{tl|Tall image}} templates display images that would otherwise be unreasonably wide or tall. Examples where adjusting the size may be appropriate include, but are not limited to, the following:
	**Lead images, which should usually be no wider than "<code>300px</code>" ("<code>upright=1.35</code>").
	**Images in which detail is relatively unimportant (for example, a national flag), and which may need smaller sizes than usual.
	**Images containing important detail (for example, a map, diagram, or chart), and which may need larger sizes than usual.
	**Images in which a small region is relevant, but cropping to that region would reduce the coherence of the image.
	* Use {{]}} to link to more images on Commons, wherever possible. The use of ] should be in keeping with ].
	*] takes the place of an image for text-only readers, including those using ]s. Images should have an ] added to the '''{{para|alt}}''' parameter. See ] for more information.
			===Instructional and presumptuous language===
	=== Avoid entering textual information as images ===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:INSTRUCT||MOS:NOTE|MOS:NOTETHAT|MOS:NOTED|MOS:PRESUME|MOS:QUESTION}}
	Textual information should be entered as text rather than as an image, unless there is a good editorial reason for doing otherwise. True text may be colored and decorated with ] tags and templates, but text in images cannot be. Images are not searchable, are slower to download, and are unlikely to be read as text by devices for the visually impaired. Even if some of these problems can be worked around, as by including a caption or alt text, editors should still consider whether an image of text really adds anything useful. Any important textual information in an image should also appear in the image's alt text, caption, or other nearby text.
			{{redirect|MOS:NOTE|footnotes|Help:Footnotes|hatnotes|Misplaced Pages:Hatnote|musical notes|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Music#Images and notation}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Words to watch#Editorializing|Misplaced Pages:Writing better articles#Information style and tone|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Self-references to avoid#Note that&nbsp;...}}
			Avoid phrases such as {{!xt|remember that}} and {{!xt|note that}}, which ] in an ] and lean toward ]. They are a subtle form of ], "breaking the ]". Similarly, phrases such as {{!xt|of course}}, {{!xt|naturally}}, {{!xt|obviously}}, {{!xt|clearly}}, and {{!xt|actually}} make presumptions about readers' knowledge, may ], and may call into question the reason for including the information in the first place. Do not {{em|tell}} readers that something is interesting, ironic, surprising, unexpected, amusing, coincidental, etc. Simply present sourced facts neutrally and let readers draw their own conclusions. Such constructions can usually just be deleted, leaving behind proper sentences with a more academic and less pushy tone: {{!xt|Note that this was naturally subject to controversy in more conservative newspapers.}} becomes {{xt|This was subject to controversy in more conservative newspapers.}}
	=== Captions ===
			Similar variants which indirectly instruct readers, such as {{!xt|It should be noted that}} or {{!xt|It is important to note that}}, may be rewritten by leaving out those words: {{!xt|It is important to note that the colloquial dialect of Portuñol is similar to but different from Mirandese}} becomes just {{xt|The colloquial dialect of Portuñol is similar to but different from Mirandese}}.
	{{shortcut|MOS:CAPTIONS}}
	{{see|Misplaced Pages:Captions}}
	Photographs and other graphics should always have captions, unless they are "self-captioning" (such as reproductions of album or book covers) or when they are unambiguous depictions of the subject of the article. For example, in a biography article, a caption is not mandatory for a portrait of the subject pictured alone, but might contain the name of the subject and additional information relevant to the image, such as the year or the subject's age.
	==== Formatting of captions ====
	* Captions normally start with a capital letter.
	* Most captions are not complete sentences, but merely ] (]s, sentence fragments) that should not end with a period. If a complete sentence occurs in a caption, that sentence and any sentence fragments in that caption should end with a period.
	* Captions should not be italicized, except for words that are conventionally italicized.
	* Captions should be succinct; more information about the image can be included on its description page, or in the main text.
			Avoid rhetorical questions, especially ]. Use a heading of {{xt|Active listening}} and text such as {{xt|The term ''active listening'', coined in&nbsp;...}}, not {{!xt|What is ''active listening''?}}
	== Bulleted and numbered lists ==
	{{Mergefrom|Embedded list|discuss=Misplaced Pages talk:Manual of Style#Consolidation?|date=March 2010}}
	{{see also|Help:List|Misplaced Pages:Lists}}
	* Do not use lists if a passage reads easily using plain paragraphs.
	* Do not leave blank lines between items in a bulleted or numbered list unless there is a reason to do so, since this causes the Wiki software to interpret each item as beginning a new list.
	* Use numbers rather than bullets only if:
	** a need to refer to the elements by number may arise;
	** the sequence of the items is critical; or
	** the numbering has some independent meaning, for example in a listing of musical tracks.
	* Use the same grammatical form for all elements in a list, and do not mix the use of sentences and sentence fragments as elements.
	** When the elements are complete sentences, they are formatted using sentence case and a final period.
	** When the elements are sentence fragments, they are typically introduced by a lead fragment ending with a colon. When these elements are titles of works, they retain the original capitalization of the title. Other elements are formatted consistently in either sentence case or lower case. Each element should end with a semicolon, with a period instead for the last element. Alternatively (especially when the elements are short), no final punctuation is used at all.
			For issues in the use of ]s{{snd}}e.g., {{xt|{{crossref|(see also ]}})}}{{snd}}see {{sectionlink||Second-person pronouns}}.
	== Links ==
	=== Wikilinks ===
	{{main|Misplaced Pages:Linking}}
	{{seealso|Misplaced Pages:Guide to layout|Help:Contents/Links}}
	'''Make ] only where they are relevant to the context:''' It is not useful and can be very distracting to mark all possible words as hyperlinks. Links should add to the user's experience; they should not detract from it by making the article harder to read. A high density of links can draw attention away from the high-value links that you would like your readers to follow up. Redundant links clutter the page and make future maintenance harder. (An example of a redundant link: {{!xt|the tallest people on ]}})
			===Subset terms===
	'''Check links:''' After linking, ensure that the destination is the intended one; many dictionary words lead to disambiguation pages and not to complete articles on a concept. An anchor into a targeted page—the label after a pound sign (also called "hash sign": #) in a URL—will get readers to the relevant area within that page.
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Please clarify|Misplaced Pages:Vagueness}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:SUBSET}}
			A ''subset term'' identifies a set of members of a larger class. Common subset terms are ''including'', ''among'', and ''etc.'' Avoid redundant subset terms (e.g., mis-constructions like {{!xt|{{strong|Among}} the most well-known members of the fraternity are {{strong|included}} two members of the Onassis family}} or {{!xt|The elements in stars {{strong|include}} hydrogen, helium, {{strong|etc.}}}}). The word ''including'' does not introduce a complete list; instead, use ''consisting of'', or ''composed of''.
	'''Initial capitalization:''' Misplaced Pages's ] software does not require that wikilinks begin with an upper-case character. Only capitalize the first letter where this is naturally called for, or when specifically referring to the linked article by its name: {{xt|]s are often ], but ]s only rarely (see ]).}}
			===Identity===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:IDENTITY|MOS:ID}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography#Child named for parent or predecessor|Misplaced Pages:Verifiability#Self-published or questionable sources as sources on themselves}}
			When there is a discrepancy between the term most commonly used by reliable sources for a person or group and the term that person or group uses for themselves, use the term that is most commonly used by recent{{efn|name=recent|In MoS's own wording, "recent", "current", "modern", and "contemporary" in reference to sources and usage should usually be interpreted as referring to reliable material published within the last forty years or so. In the consideration of name changes of persons and organizations, focus on sources from the last few years. For broader English-language usage matters, about forty years is typical. While style guides with fewer than five years in print have not been in publication long enough to have had as much real-world impact as those from around 2000–2015 (on which MoS is primarily based), the corpora used for ] are updated through 2022, and we frequently ] what they indicate from the late 20th century and onward.}} reliable sources. If it is unclear which is most used, use the term that the person or group uses.
			Disputes over how to refer to a person or group are addressed by Misplaced Pages ], such as those on ], and ] (and ] when the term appears in the title of an article).
			Use specific terminology. For example, it is often more appropriate for people or things from Ethiopia (a country in Africa) to be described as ''Ethiopian'', not carelessly (with the risk of ]) as ''African''.
			====Gender identity<span class="anchor" id="GENDERID"></span>====
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography#Gender identity}}
			] to any person whose gender might be questioned, and any living transgender or non-binary person. In summary:
			*Use gendered words only if they reflect the person's latest self-identification as reported in recent sources.
			*If the person is living and was not notable yet when a former name was in use, that name should not be included in any Misplaced Pages page, even in quotations, as a privacy matter. Exception: Do not expunge or replace names in source citations (whether as authors or mentioned in work titles).
			*Former names under which a living person was notable should be introduced with "born" or "formerly" in the lead sentence of their main biographical article. Name and gender matters should be explained at first appearance in that article, without overemphasis. In articles on works or other activities of such a person, use their current name by default, and give another name associated with that context in a parenthetical or footnote, only if they were notable under that name. In other articles, do not go into detail about such a person's name or gender except when directly relevant to the context.
			*Avoid confusing constructions by rewriting. Paraphrase, elide, or use square brackets to replace portions of quotations as needed to avoid confusion, former names, and mismatching gendered words.
			{{crossref|pw=y|For examples and finer points, see {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography#Gender identity}}.}}
			===Non-English terms <span class="anchor" id="Foreign terms"></span> ===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:NON-ENG|WP:!EN|MOS:FOREIGN}}
			{{See also|WP:Manual of Style/Accessibility#Other languages|WP:Manual of Style/Lead section#Foreign language|:Category:Misplaced Pages Manual of Style (regional)|Help:Interlanguage links}}
			==== Terms without common usage in English <span class="anchor" id="No common usage in English"></span> ====
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting#Non-English-language terms}}
			Non-English terms should be used sparingly. In general, ] for phrases and words that are not current in English. This is best done with the {{tlx|lang}} template using the appropriate ], e.g., {{tlx|lang|es|casa}}. There are alternatives to the {{tnull|lang}} template which also provide additional information about a non-English word or phrase, such as a link to the language name; {{crossref|pw=y|see ]}}. As Misplaced Pages does not apply italics to names of people, places, or organizations, the alternative template {{tlx|langr}} can be used to apply the language markup without italicizing.{{efn|This has the benefit of helping screen readers pronounce the name correctly. Such a proper name may be italicized when contrasting it with a conventional English form: {{xt|Munich ({{langx|de|München|link=no}})}}.}} Templates like {{tlx|lang}} automatically italicize text written using the Latin alphabet, so specifying italics is unnecessary.
			Text written in non-Latin scripts such as Greek, Cyrillic, and Chinese should not be italicized or put in bold, as the difference in script is already sufficient to visually distinguish the text. Generally, any non-Latin text should include an appropriate romanization.
			====Terms with common usage in English====
			{{anchor|Common usage in English|reason=Old section name, surely has incoming links.}}
			]s and borrowed phrases that have common usage in English{{snd}}{{xt|Gestapo}}, {{xt|samurai}}, {{xt|vice versa}}{{snd}}do not require italics. A rule of thumb is to not italicize words that appear unitalicized in major general-purpose English dictionaries.
			==== Spelling and romanization ====
			{{Shortcut|MOS:Ñ|MOS:NOTLATIN|MOS:ROMANIZATION|MOS:ROMANISATION|MOS:DIACRITICS}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (use English-language sources)#Modified letters|Misplaced Pages:Romanization|:Category:Romanization}}
			Names and terms originally written using a non-]—such as the ], the ], or ]—must be ] for English-language use. If a particular romanization of the subject's name is ] in English ({{xt|Tchaikovsky}}, {{xt|Chiang Kai-shek}}), that form should be used. Otherwise, the romanization of names should adhere to a particular widely used system for the language in question ({{xt|Aleksandr Tymoczko}}, {{xt|Wang Yanhong}}).
			The use of ]s in non-English words is neither encouraged nor discouraged. Use generally depends on whether they appear in reliable English-language sources, though with some additional constraints imposed by site guidelines. Provide ] from alternative forms that include or exclude diacritics.
			Proper names in languages written using the ] can include letters with diacritics, ], and other characters that are not commonly used in contemporary English. Misplaced Pages normally retains these special characters, except where there is a well-established English spelling that replaces them with English standard letters. Examples:
			* The name of the article on Hungarian mathematician ] is spelt with the ], and the alternative spellings ''Paul Erdos'' and ''Paul Erdös'' redirect to that article.
			* Similarly, the name of the article on the Nordic god {{langr|non|]}} is so spelt, with redirects from the ligature-free form {{langr|non|]}} and the Swedish spelling {{langr|sv|]}}.
			* However, the region of Spain named {{lang|es|Aragón}} in Spanish and {{lang|ca|Aragó}} in Catalan is given as ], without the accent, as this is the established English name. Non-English forms with diacritics appear in the article's lead section.
			Use of diacritics is determined on a topic-by-topic basis; a ] cannot prohibit or require the use of diacritics within a given class of articles.{{efn|1=See the near-unanimous ], repeated ] at ] of an anti-diacritics "wikiproject", the policy {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Consensus#Levels of consensus}}, and the ]'s standardized ].}}
			Spell a name consistently in the title and the text of an article. {{crossref|pw=y|(Relevant policy: ]; see also ].)}} For a non-English name, phrase, or word, adopt the spelling most commonly used in English-language ], including but not limited to those already cited in the article.{{efn|name=GScholar|1=Reputable English-language encyclopedias and dictionaries in the aggregate are often helpful in ] of a place name, loanwords, etc. It may also help (]) to compare search results from the ] journal index, for topics likely to be covered in peer-reviewed academic papers.}} For punctuation of compounded forms, see relevant guidelines in {{section link||Punctuation}}.
			]s in non-English languages should generally not be italicized, unless another reason applies; such as with ], e.g., ]; or when being compared to other names for the same subject in a ] manner, e.g., {{xt|'''Nuremberg''' ({{langx|de|Nürnberg}})}}. When non-English text should not be italicized, it can still be properly tagged by using the {{tlx|lang}} template with the {{para|italic|unset}} parameter: {{tlx|lang|de|Nürnberg|italic{{=}}unset}}.
			Sometimes usage will be influenced by other guidelines, such as {{section link||National varieties of English}}, which may lead to different choices in different articles.
			====Other non-English concerns<span class="anchor" id="Other concerns"></span>====
			*For non-English vernacular names of species, see {{section link||Animals, plants, and other organisms}}.
			*For handling of quotations in languages other than English, see {{section link||Non-English quotations}}.
			*For non-English characters that resemble single quotation marks and apostrophes, see {{section link||Apostrophes}}.
			*For actual non-English quotation characters, see {{section link||Quotation characters}}.
			*For the capitalization in the titles of non-English language works, see {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Titles of works#Translations}}.
			*For linear and ]es and their particular uses of small-caps (and italics and single quotes), see {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters#All caps and small caps}}.
			===Technical language<span id="JARGON"></span>===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:JARGON}}
			{{redirect|Misplaced Pages:Jargon|an explanation of jargon used on Misplaced Pages|Misplaced Pages:Glossary}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:What Misplaced Pages is not#Misplaced Pages is not a manual, guidebook, textbook, or scientific journal|Misplaced Pages:Make technical articles understandable}}
			Some topics are necessarily technical: however, editors should seek to write articles accessible to the greatest possible number of readers. Minimize the use of ], and adequately explain its meaning when it is used. Overly technical material can be tagged with {{tlx|Technical}} or {{tlx|Technical-statement}}, so that it can be addressed by other editors. For topics that require a more technical approach, the creation of a separate introductory article (like ]) may be a solution.
			Excessive ''wikilinking'' (linking within Misplaced Pages) can result from trying too hard to avoid putting explanations in parenthetical statements, like the one that appeared earlier in this sentence. Do not introduce specialized words solely to teach them to the reader when more widely understood alternatives will do.
			When the concepts underlying the jargon used in an article are too complex to explain concisely in a parenthetical, ]. For example, consider adding a brief background section with {{tlx|main}} tags pointing to articles with a fuller treatment of the prerequisite material. This approach is practical only when the prerequisite concepts are central to the exposition of the article's main topic and when such prerequisites are not too numerous. Short articles, such as ], generally do not have such sections.
			{{crossref|pw=y|For italicization and other markup of introduced terms, see: {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting#Words as words}}.}}
			===Geographical items===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:GEO|MOS:PLACE}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (geographic names)|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Abbreviations#Special considerations}}
			<section begin="MOS:GEO" />'''Geographical''' or '''place names''' are the nouns used to refer to specific places and geographic features. These names often give rise to conflict, because the same places are called different things by different peoples speaking different languages. Many place names have a historical context that should be preserved, but common sense should prevail. There can be few places that have not been parts of more than one culture or have had only one name. As proper nouns, all such place names (but not terms for types of places) ].
			A place should generally be referred to consistently by the same name as in the title of its article {{crossref|pw=y|(see ])}}. An exception may be made when there is a widely accepted historical English name appropriate to the given context. In cases where such a historical name is used, it should be followed by the modern{{efn|name=recent}} name in round brackets (parentheses) on the first occurrence of the name in applicable sections of the article. This resembles linking; it should not be done to the detriment of style. On the other hand, it is probably better to provide such a variant too often than too rarely. If more than one historical name is applicable for a given context, the other names should be added after the modern English name, that is: "historical name (modern name, other historical names)".
			This is an English-language encyclopedia, so established English names are preferred if they exist, and spellings in non-English alphabets should always be transcribed into the Roman alphabet. In general, other articles should refer to places by the names which are used in the articles on those places, according to the rules described at ]. If a different name is appropriate in a given historical or other context, then that may be used instead, although it is normal to follow the first occurrence of such a name with the standard modern name in parentheses.
			At the start of an article, provide notable equivalent names from other languages, including transcriptions where necessary:
			:'''Cologne''' ({{langx|de|Köln|link=no}}, IPA: {{IPA|}}) is the&nbsp;...
			:'''Mount Fuji''' ({{lang|ja|富士山}} {{translit|ja|Fuji-san}}, IPA: {{IPA|}}) is the&nbsp;...
			Names in languages with no particular present-day or historical ties to the place in question (English excepted, of course) should {{em|not}} be listed as alternatives.
			Avoid anachronism. An article about ] should say he lived in ], not in ], because the latter entity did not yet exist in Serra's time. The Romans invaded ], not ], and ] was the president of the ], not of the ]. To be clear, you may sometimes need to mention the current name of the area (for example "in what is now France"), especially if no English name exists for that area in the relevant historical period.<section end="MOS:GEO" />
			==Media files==
			{{See also|Help:Creation and usage of media files}}
			===Images===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:IM}}
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Images}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility#Images|Misplaced Pages:Image use policy|Help:Picture tutorial}}
			*Each image should be inside the level{{nbs}}2 section to which it relates, within the section defined by the most recent <code>==Heading==</code> delimited by two equal signs, or at the top of the lead section. Do not place images immediately above section headings.
			*Avoid ] horizontally between two images that face each other, and between an image and an infobox or similar.
			*It is often preferable to place images of people so they "look" toward the text. Do not achieve this by reversing the image.<!-- Can create a false presentation e.g., by reversing the location of scars or other features. -->
			*Any ] should comply with {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Image use policy|Image galleries}}. Consider ] instead.
			*Avoid referring to images as being to the left, the right, above or below, because image placement varies with platform, and is meaningless to people using screen readers; instead, use captions to identify images.
			*An image's {{para|alt}} text takes the image's place for those who are unable to see the image. See ].
			===Other media===
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Videos}}
			Style guidelines for still images are generally also applicable to equivalent questions regarding the use of audio and video media.
			===Avoid using images to display text<span id="Avoid entering textual information as images"></span>===
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility#Text}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:TEXTASIMAGES}}
			Textual information should always be transmitted <em>as text</em>, rather than in an image. True text can be easily searched, selected, copied, and manipulated by readers; its presentation can also be adjusted using ]. These tasks are generally difficult or impossible with text presented in an image: images are slower to download, and generally cannot be searched or processed by ]s used by the visually impaired. Any important textual information in an image should be provided somewhere as text, generally either in the image's caption or alt text.
			For entering textual information as audio, see ].
			===Captions===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:CAPTION}}
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Captions}}
			Photographs and other graphics should have captions, unless they are unambiguous depictions of the subject of the article or when they are "self-captioning" images (such as reproductions of album or book covers). In a biography article no caption is necessary for a portrait of the subject pictured alone, but one might be used to give the year, the subject's age, or other circumstances of the portrait along with the name of the subject.
			====Formatting of captions====
			*Captions normally start with a capital letter.{{efn|name=Sentence case}}
			*Most captions are not complete sentences but merely ]s which should not end with a period. However, if any complete sentence occurs in a caption, then every sentence and every sentence fragment in that caption should end with a period.
			*The text of captions should not be specially formatted, except in ways that would apply if it occurred in the main text (e.g., italics for the Latin name of a species).
			*Captions should be succinct; more information can be included on its description page, or in the main text.
			*Captions for technical charts and diagrams may need to be substantially longer than usual; they should fully describe all elements of the image and indicate its significance.
			==Bulleted and numbered lists==
			{{Shortcut|MOS:LISTBULLET|MOS:LISTNUMBERED}}
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Lists|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Embedded lists}}
			{{further information|Help:List}}
			*Do not use lists if a passage is read easily as plain paragraphs.
			*Use proper wiki markup- or template-based list code {{crossref|pw=y|(see ] and ])}}.
			*Do not leave blank lines between items in a bulleted or numbered list unless there is a reason to do so, since this causes the Wiki software to interpret each item as beginning a new list.
			**Indents (such as this) are permitted if the elements are ].
			*Use numbers rather than bullets only if:
			**a need to refer to the elements by number may arise;
			**the sequence of the items is critical; or
			**the numbering has some independent meaning, for example in a listing of musical tracks.
			*Use the same grammatical form for all elements in a list, and do not mix sentences and sentence fragments as elements, for example when the elements are:
			**'''complete sentences''' – each one is formatted with sentence case (its first letter is capitalized) and a final period (full point);
			**'''sentence fragments''' – the list is typically introduced by an introductory fragment ending with a colon;
			**'''titles of works''' – they retain the original capitalization of the titles;
			**'''other elements''' – they are formatted consistently in either sentence case or lower case.
			==Links==
			===Wikilinks===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Linking}}
			{{See also|Help:Link}}
			'''Make ] only where they are relevant and helpful in the context''': Excessive use of hyperlinks can be distracting and may slow the reader down. Redundant links (like the one in {{!xt|the tallest people on ]}}) clutter the page and make future maintenance harder. High-value links that {{em|are}} worth pursuing should stand out clearly.
			'''Linking to sections''': A hash sign&nbsp;(<code>#</code>) followed by the appropriate heading will lead to a relevant part of a page. For example, <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code> links to a particular section of the article ].
			'''Initial capitalization''': Misplaced Pages's ] software does not require that wikilinks begin with an upper-case character. Capitalize the first letter only where this is naturally called for, or when specifically referring to the linked article by its name (see also related rule for ]): {{xt|]s are often ], but ]s only rarely {{crossref|(see ])}}.}}
			'''Check links''': Ensure the destination is the intended one; many dictionary words lead to disambiguation pages and not to complete or well-chosen articles.
			===External links===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:External links}}
			External links should not normally be used in the body of an article. Instead, articles can include an ''External links'' section at the end, pointing to further information outside Misplaced Pages as distinct from citing sources. The standard format is a primary heading, <code>==External links==</code>, followed by a bulleted list of links. Identify the link and briefly indicate its relevance to the article. For example:
			{{Block indent|{{plain list|
			*<syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext" inline>*</syntaxhighlight>
			*<syntaxhighlight lang="wikitext" inline>*</syntaxhighlight>
			}} }}
	=== External links ===
	{{main|Misplaced Pages:External links}}
	External links should not normally be used in the body of an article. Articles can include an ''external links'' section at the end to list links to websites outside Misplaced Pages that contain further information, as opposed to citing sources. The standard format is a primary heading named <code><nowiki>== External links ==</nowiki></code> followed by a bulleted list of links. External links should identify the link and briefly indicate its relevance to the article subject. For example:
	:<code><nowiki>*</nowiki>
	:<nowiki>*</nowiki></code>
	These will appear as:		These will appear as:
	:*
	:*
	Avoid listing an excessive number of external links; Misplaced Pages is ].
			{{Block indent|
	== Miscellaneous ==
			*
			*
			}}
			Where appropriate, use ] such as {{tlx|Official website}} and {{tlx|URL}}.
	=== Keep markup simple ===
	Use the simplest markup to display information in a useful and comprehensible way. Markup may appear differently in different browsers. Use HTML and CSS markup sparingly and only with good reason. Minimizing markup in entries allows easier editing.
			Add external links with discretion; Misplaced Pages is ].
	In particular, do not use the CSS <code>float</code> or <code>line-height</code> properties because they break rendering on some browsers when large fonts are used.
			==Miscellaneous==
	=== Formatting issues ===
			===Keep markup simple===
	{{shortcut|WP:MOSCOLOR}}
			{{Shortcut|MOS:MARKUP|MOS:SIMPLIFY}}
	Formatting such as font size, blank space, and color are issues for the Misplaced Pages site-wide ] and should not be set in articles except in special cases. If you absolutely must specify a font size, use a relative size like <code>font-size: 80%</code>, not an absolute size like <code>font-size: 8pt</code>. It is almost never a good idea to use other style changes, such as font family or color.
			]
			Other things being equal, keep ] simple. This makes wikitext easier to understand and edit, and the results seen by the reader more predictable. Use HTML and CSS markup sparingly. See: ].
			In general, wikitext formatting is considered easier to use than HTML and wikitext is preferred if there are equivalents; see ]. ] should be updated or removed. There are many templates that allow HTML markup to be used without putting it in articles directly, such as {{tl|em}} (see ]) and {{tl|strong}} (see ]).
	Typically, the use of custom font styles will:
	* reduce consistency, since the text will no longer look uniform;
	* reduce usability, since it will probably be impossible for people with custom stylesheets (for accessibility reasons, for example) to override it, and it might clash with a different ] as well as inconvenience people with ]; and
	* increase arguments, since other Wikipedians may disagree aesthetically with the choice of style.
			An ] is sometimes better than the equivalent Unicode character, which may be difficult to identify in edit mode; for example, <code>&amp;Alpha;</code> is explicit whereas <code>&Alpha;</code> (the upper-case form of Greek <code>α</code>) may be misidentified as the Latin <code>A</code>.
	==== Technical language ====
			{{further|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility#Best practice: wiki markup and CSS classes}}
	{{seealso|Misplaced Pages:Make technical articles accessible|l1=Essay on making technical articles accessible}}
	While some topics are intrinsically technical, editors should take every opportunity to make them accessible to an audience wider than the specialists in the field, and to a general audience where possible. Jargon should be explained or avoided. {{tl|Cleanup-jargon}} or {{tl|Jargon-statement}} can be used to tag articles with jargon problems. An alternative for unavoidably technical articles is to write a separate introductory article (]).
	==== Color coding ====		===Formatting issues===
	{{main|Misplaced Pages:Accessibility#Color}}		{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting}}
	Do not use color ''alone'' to convey information (]). Such information is not accessible to people with ], on black-and-white ], on older ]s with fewer colors, on monochrome displays (], ]s), and so on.
			Modifications in font size, blank space, and color {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link||Color coding}})}} are an issue for the Misplaced Pages site-wide ] and should be reserved for special cases only.
	When conveying information via colors, choose colors that are unambiguous (such as ] and ]) when viewed by a person with ] (the most common type). Any information conveyed via shades of red and green should also be conveyed in some other way. Viewing the page with can help determine whether the colors should be altered.
			Typically, the use of custom font styles:
	It is certainly desirable to use color as an aid for those who can see it, but the same information should still be accessible without it.
			*reduces consistency, as the text no longer looks uniform;
			*reduces usability, as it may be impossible for people with custom style sheets (e.g. for accessibility reasons) to override it, and may clash with a different ] or inconvenience people with color blindness {{crossref|pw=y|(see below)}}; and
			*causes disputes, as other editors may disagree aesthetically with the choice of style.
			Specify font sizes {{em|relatively}} (for example with <code>font-size: 85%</code>) rather than {{em|absolutely}} (like <code>font-size: 8pt</code>). The resulting font size of any text should not drop below 85% of the page's default font size.
	=== Scrolling lists and collapsible content ===
	{{shortcut|MOS:SCROLL|MOS:COLLAPSE}}
	Scrolling lists and boxes that toggle text display between hide and show are acceptable for use, but should not be used to hide article content. This includes reference lists, image galleries, and image captions; they especially should not be used to conceal 'spoiler' information (see ]). Collapsible sections are useful in ] or ]. When scrolling lists or collapsible content are used, care should be taken to ensure that the content will still be accessible on devices which do not support JavaScript and/or CSS.
	=== Invisible comments ===		====Color coding====
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility#Color}}{{Shortcut|MOS:COLORCODING}}
	{{shortcut|WP:COMMENT}}
	{{Main|Help:Hidden text}}
	Editors use invisible comments to communicate with each other in the body of the text of an article. These comments are visible only in the wiki source (that is, in edit mode), not in read mode.
			Do not use color {{em|alone}} to mark differences in text: they may be invisible to people with ] and useless in black-and-white printouts or displays.
	Invisible comments are useful for flagging an issue or leaving instructions about part of the text, where this is more convenient than raising the matter on the talk page. They should be used judiciously, because they can clutter the wiki source for other editors. Check that your invisible comment does not change the formatting, for example by introducing extra or unwanted white space in read mode.
			Choose colors such as ] and ] that are distinguishable by readers with the most common form of colorblindness, and {{em|additionally}} mark the differences with change of font or some other means (], ]). Avoid low contrast between text and background colors. See also ].
	To leave an invisible comment, enclose the text you intend to be read only by editors between <code>&lt;!--</code> and <code>--&gt;</code>. For example: {{xt|<code><nowiki><!--If you change this section title, please also change the links to it on the pages ...--></nowiki></code>}}.
			Even for readers with unimpaired color vision, excessive background shading of table entries impedes readability and recognition of Wikilinks. Background color should be used only as a {{em|supplementary}} visual cue and should be subtle (consider using lighter, less-dominant ] hues) rather than glaring.
	=== Pronunciation ===
	{{main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style (pronunciation)}}
	'''Pronunciation''' in Misplaced Pages is indicated using the ] (IPA). In most situations, for ease of understanding by the majority of readers and across variants of the language, ] IPA transcriptions are best for English pronunciations. See ] and ] (general) for keys, and {{tl|IPA}} for templates that link to these keys. For English pronunciations, ] may be used ''in addition to'' the IPA.
			====Indentation<span class="anchor" id="INDENT"></span><span class="anchor" id="Indent"></span><span class="anchor" id="indenting"></span>====
	== See also ==
			{{Shortcut|MOS:INDENT}}
	<!-- This list is now sorted alphabetically. You are free to edit it further if you have an idea how to sort them better. Please, when adding a link, also provide a short resume of the article. --] 06:32, 19 Apr 2005 (UTC) -->
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility#Indentation}}
	* ], the Misplaced Pages entry on style guides. Contains links to the online style guides of some magazines and newspapers.
	* ] explains the mechanics of what codes are available to you when editing a page, to do things like titles, links, external links, and so on.
			Do not use quotation templates to indent non-quotations. Various templates are available for indentation, including {{tlx|block indent}} to indent an entire block and {{tlx|in5}} to indent inline.
	* ] is a well-constructed article, with annotations that explain why.
	* ] gives a list of common mistakes and how to avoid them.
			Do not use <code>:</code> (] markup) to indent text in articles, even though it is common on talk pages. It causes accessibility problems and outputs invalid HTML. {{crossref|pw=y|See {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility#Indentation}} for alternatives.}}
	* ] should define your attitude toward page updates.
	* ] explains process and standards for citing references in articles.
			===Controlling line breaks<span id="Non-breaking spaces"></span>===
	* ] explains that infoboxes are not always useful.
			{{Shortcut|MOS:NBSP}}
	* ] explains Misplaced Pages's general philosophy of editing.
			{{See also|Help:Line-break handling|Template:Spaces}}
	* ].
	* ] describes footnote usage and style; parts of it are contested.
			It is sometimes desirable to force a text segment to appear entirely on a single line{{mdashb}}that is, to prevent a line break (line wrap) from occurring anywhere within it.
	* ] gives helpful how-to advice on copy-editing.
			*A ''']''' (or '''hard space''') will never be used as a line-break point. Markup: for {{xt|19{{nbsp}}kg}}, code <code>19&amp;nbsp;kg</code> {{em|or}} <code>19{{t|nbsp}}kg</code>.
	* ] is a short primer on editing pages.
			*Or use {{tlx|nowrap}}, {{tlx|nobreak}}, or {{tlx|nobr}} (all equivalent). Markup: for {{xt|{{nobr|5° 24′ N}}}}, code {{tlx|nobr|5° 24′ N}}.
	* ] is a gentle introduction to the world of Misplaced Pages.
	* ] explains how to lay out an article.
			It is desirable to prevent line breaks where breaking across lines might be confusing or awkward. For example:
	* ] is the main stop for policies and guidelines.
			{{columns list|colwidth=15em|
	* ] stresses that the reader must be considered when editing.
			*<code>17{{t|nbsp}}kg</code>
	* ] was an ] case on style edit-warring.
			*<code>AD{{t|nbsp}}565</code>
	* ] shows what you should aim for at a minimum when starting a new article.
			*<code>2:50{{t|nbsp}}pm</code>
	* ] lists some variations between the ] and Misplaced Pages's MoS.
			*<code>£11{{t|nbsp}}billion</code>
	* ] sets out boilerplates for certain areas of knowledge.
			*<code>May{{t|nbsp}}2014</code>
			*{{tlx|nobr|5° 24′ 21″ N}}
			*<code>Boeing{{t|nbsp}}747</code>
			*<code>123{{t|nbsp}}Elm Street</code>
			*<code>World War{{t|nbsp}}II</code>
			*<code>Pope Paul{{t|nbsp}}VI</code>
			*<code><nowiki>''</nowiki>E.{{t|nbsp}}coli<nowiki>''</nowiki></code>
			}}
			Whether a non-breaking space is appropriate depends on context: whereas it is appropriate to use <code>12{{t|nbsp}}MB</code> in prose, it may be counterproductive in a table (where an unattractive break may be acceptable to conserve precious horizontal space) and unnecessary in a short parameter value in an infobox (where a break would never occur anyway).
			A line break may occur at a '''thin space''' (<code>&amp;thinsp;</code>, or {{tlx|thinsp}}), which is sometimes used to correct too-close placement of adjacent characters. To prevent this, consider using {{tlx|nobr}}.
			Insert non-breaking and thin spaces as ] (<code>&amp;nbsp;</code> or <code>&amp;thinsp;</code>), or as templates that generate these ({{tlx|nbsp}}, {{tlx|thinsp}}), and never by entering them directly into the edit window from the keyboard{{snd}}they are visually indistinguishable from regular spaces, and later editors will be unable to see what they are. Inside wikilinks, a construction such as {{nobr|<code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>}} works but {{nobr|<code>]</code>}} doesn't.
			===Scrolling lists and collapsible content===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:SCROLL|MOS:COLLAPSE|MOS:DONTHIDE}}
			{{Redirect|WP:COLLAPSE|the guideline on collapsing off-topic talk page discussions|WP:TALKOFFTOPIC}}
			{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility#Users with limited CSS or JavaScript support}}
			Elements that can selectively display or hide content can interfere with the ability of readers to access said content. These mechanisms include ]s, and templates like {{tlx|collapse}} that can be toggled between collapsed and uncollapsed states using a {{bracket|{{resize|hide{{\}}show}}}} button. These mechanisms should not be used to conceal "]" information. Templates should generally ] at all, as it interferes with editors' ability to find and edit it. Moreover, content in an article should <em>never</em> be collapsed by default. This applies equally to content in ], ], and ], ], and ].
			If such mechanisms are used, care must be taken to ensure the content remains accessible for all users, including ]. When collapsing is desired, it must be done using the <code>collapsible</code> parameter of relevant templates, or certain manually-added CSS classes (see ]). Other methods of hiding content should not be used, as they may render content inaccessible to many users, such as those browsing Misplaced Pages with ] disabled or using proxy services such as ].
			Collapsed or auto-collapsing ''cells'' or ''sections'' may be used with tables if they simply repeat information covered in the main text (or are purely supplementary, e.g., several past years of statistics in collapsed tables for comparison with a table of uncollapsed current stats). Auto-collapsing is often a feature of ]. A few ] also use pre-collapsed sections for infrequently accessed details. If information in a list, infobox, or other non-navigational content seems extraneous or trivial enough to inspire pre-collapsing it, consider raising a discussion on the article (or template) talk page about whether it should be ]. If the information is important and the concern is article density or length, consider ], integrating ] into the article prose, or ].
			===Invisible comments===
			{{Shortcut|MOS:COMMENT}}
			{{redirect|WP:COMMENT|the expression of personal opinions in articles|Misplaced Pages:What Misplaced Pages is not#Misplaced Pages is not a publisher of original thought}}
			{{for|invisible control characters|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting#Private Use Area and invisible formatting characters}}
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Hidden text}}
			Editors use "invisible" comments{{snd}}not shown in the rendered page seen by readers of the article, but visible in the source editing mode when an editor opens the article for editing{{snd}}to communicate with one another.
			Invisible comments are useful for alerting other editors to issues such as common mistakes that regularly occur in the article, a section title's being the target of an incoming link, or pointing to a discussion that established a consensus relating to the article. They should not be used to instruct other editors not to perform certain edits, which could be perceived as expressing a form of ] over an article, although where existing local consensus is against making an edit they may usefully draw the editor's attention to that. Avoid adding too many invisible comments because they can clutter the wiki source for other editors. Check that your invisible comment does not change the formatting, for example by introducing unwanted white space in the rendered page.
			To leave an invisible comment, enclose the text you intend to be read only by editors between <code>&lt;!--</code> and <code>--&gt;</code>. For example:
			*{{tag|!--|content=&nbsp;If you change this section title, also change the links to it on the pages&nbsp;...&nbsp;|wrap=yes}} {{small|(there are bots which can do this, see ])}}
			*{{tag|!--|content=&nbsp;When adding table entries, remember to update the total given in the text.&nbsp;|wrap=yes}}
			This notation can be inserted with a single click in ], just under the edit pane in edit mode.
			===Pronunciation===
			{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Pronunciation}}
			'''Pronunciation''' in Misplaced Pages is indicated in the ] (IPA). In most situations, for ease of understanding by the majority of readers and across variants of the language, ] IPA transcriptions are best for English pronunciations. See ] and ] (general) for keys, and {{tlx|IPA}} for templates that link to these keys. For English pronunciations, ] may be used {{em|in addition to}} the IPA.
			==See also==
			*] – explains Misplaced Pages's general philosophy of editing
			*]{{snd}}we write for a general, not technical, readership as much as we can
			*]{{snd}}a quick introduction to the style guide for articles
			*]{{snd}}test your Manual of Style knowledge
			*] – a list of advice for editors on writing style and formatting
			*] – guidelines for film, novels, biographies, military history, etc.
			*]{{snd}}an essay providing a summary of off-site style guides' influences on MoS and their uses as sources in Misplaced Pages articles
			*]{{snd}}resisting MOSbloat
			===Guidance===
			*] – is a well-constructed sample article, with annotations
			*] – lists the ways in which you can help an article grow
			**] – gives helpful advice on copy-editing
			**] – guidance on how to make articles better
			**] – point-by-point guidance on what makes a great article
			*] – gives a list of common mistakes and how to avoid them
			*] – suggests a bold attitude toward page updates
			*] – explains process and standards for citing references
			*] – is a short primer on editing pages
			*] – contains links to the style guides of some magazines and newspapers
			*] – explains the codes and resources available for editing a page
			*] – proper use of ''in'' and ''of'' (or some alternatives, as ''from'' and ''on'')
			===Tools===
			*] – a script that will fix dashes in articles in accordance with MOS:DASH
			*] – a script that will unify dates in articles in accordance with MOS:DATEFORMAT
			===Other community standards===
			*] – a comprehensive, descriptive directory of policies
			*] – a comprehensive descriptive directory of guidelines
			**]{{snd}}a quick directory of community norms and related guidance essays
			*] – about advice pages written by WikiProjects
			===Guidelines within the Manual of Style===
			{{Hatnote|For the major parts of the Manual of Style, see the sidebar at top right of this page (visible only in desktop view, not in )}}
			(Links to policy and guidelines on specific questions)
			====Names====
			{{Shortcut|MOS:ORGNAME}}
			*Proper names:
			**Generally (dedicated MOS page): ]
			**Place names: {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Proper names#Place names}}
			**Diacritical marks in names: {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Proper names#Diacritics}}
			**Peoples and languages that share the same name: {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Proper names#Peoples and their languages}}
			**Names of ships in article titles and in the body of articles: ]
			*Naming and identifying individuals and peoples:
			**Generally: {{section link||Identity}}
			**Specifically (for individuals): {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biographies|Names}}
			**Opening paragraph of biographies: {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biographies|Opening paragraph}}
			*Names of organizations:
			**Generally (has application beyond the topic guideline in which it is currently located): {{section link|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Cue sports|Respect for official organization names}}
			**Names that are also trademarks (dedicated MOS page): ]
			*Names of animal and plant species, etc. (in article titles): ], ]
	==Notes==		==Notes==
			{{notelist}}
			==References==
	{{reflist}}		{{reflist}}
	==Style guides on other Wikimedia projects==
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	==Further reading==		==Further reading==
			{{main|List of style guides}}
	Wikipedians are encouraged to familiarize themselves with other ], which may cover details that are not included in this Manual of Style. Among these are:
			Wikipedians are encouraged to familiarize themselves with modern editions of other guides to style and usage, which may cover details not included here. Those that have most influenced the Misplaced Pages Manual of Style are:
	{{refbegin}}
			*'']'' (University of Chicago Press). The is free online, and summarizes the main provisions.
	* '''' for Australian English.
			*'']'' (Oxford University Press). A compressed edition is available as ''New Hart's Rules''. Available with its companion, the ''Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors'', in one volume as ''New Oxford Style Manual''
	* '']'' (CMOS), available in print, on CDROM, and online at '''' (subscription required). The '''' is free online, and summarizes some main provisions of ''The Chicago Manual of Style''.
			*'']'' (Council of Science Editors)
	* '''' for British English.
			*'']'' (Oxford University Press)
	* ].
			*'']'' (Oxford University Press; primarily British English)
	* '']'', a publication of the ].
			*'']'' (Modern Language Association)
	* '']'' (NHR), based on the classic ''Hart's Rules'' and the ''Oxford Guide to Style''.
			*'']'' by Strunk & White
	* The '']'' (OGS), along with its companion the ''Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors''.
	* Style guides such as '']'' (Fowler's) and '']''.
	* '''' (AGSM) Sixth edition 2002. ISBN 0 642 03345 5.
	{{refend}}
			{{Manual of Style}}
			{{Misplaced Pages policies and guidelines}}
	{{Writing guides}}		{{Writing guides}}
	{{Misplaced Pages policies and guidelines}}
	{{Style wide}}
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Latest revision as of 04:15, 25 December 2024

Style guide for all Misplaced Pages articles

This guideline is a part of the English Misplaced Pages's Manual of Style. It is a generally accepted standard that editors should attempt to follow, though occasional exceptions may apply. Any substantive edit to this page should reflect consensus. When in doubt, discuss first on the talk page.

Shortcut WP:MOS

Manual of Style (MoS)
Content Accessibility Biography Disambiguation pages Organizing by subject Gender identity Hidden text Infoboxes Linking Self-references Words to watch
Formatting Abbreviations Capitalization Dates and numbers Pronunciation Spelling Text formatting Titles of works
Images Captions Image placement Icons Images
Layout Layout Lead section Tables Trivia sections
Lists Lists Lists of works Road junctions Stand-alone lists
By topic area Legal Legal Trademarks Arts Anime and manga Comics Film Lyrics and poetry Novels Television Video games Visual arts Writing about fiction Music Music Music samples Record charts Stringed instruments History Blazons Military history Regional Specific naming conventions Canada China (and Chinese) Egypt France (and French) Hawaii India Indonesia Ireland Japan Korea Macedonia Malaysia Pakistan Philippines Poland Singapore Trinidad and Tobago Religion Islam Latter Day Saints Science Chemistry Compound classes Chemicals References and external links Safety Structure drawing Computer science Mathematics Medicine Taxonomy Sports Cue sports (Snooker) Figure skating (Terminology)
Related guidelines Article size Article titles Categories, lists, and navigation templates Categorization Hatnotes Subpages Understandability
Overview Contents Tips
v t e

This Manual of Style (MoS or MOS) is the style manual for all English Misplaced Pages articles (though provisions related to accessibility apply across the entire project, not just to articles). This primary page is supported by further detail pages, which are cross-referenced here and listed at Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Contents. If any contradiction arises, this page has precedence.

Editors should write articles using straightforward, succinct, and easily understood language. Editors should structure articles with consistent, reader-friendly layouts and formatting (which are detailed in this guide).

Where more than one style or format is acceptable under the MoS, one should be used consistently within an article and should not be changed without good reason. Edit warring over stylistic choices is unacceptable.

New content added to this page should directly address a persistently recurring style issue.

Retaining existing styles

Shortcuts

• MOS:VAR
• MOS:STYLEVAR
• MOS:STYLERET

"MOS:VAR" redirects here. For a list of more specific derived and related rules, see WP:VARS.

Sometimes the MoS provides more than one acceptable style or gives no specific guidance. When either of two styles is acceptable it is generally considered inappropriate for a Misplaced Pages editor to change from one style to another unless there is some substantial reason for the change.

Edit warring over style, or enforcing optional style in a bot-like fashion without prior consensus, is never acceptable.

Unjustified changes from one acceptable, consistently applied style in an article to a different style may generally be reverted. Seek opportunities for commonality to avoid disputes over style.

If you believe an alternative style would be more appropriate for a particular article, seek consensus by discussing this at the article's talk page or – if it raises an issue of more general application or with the MoS itself – at Misplaced Pages talk:Manual of Style. If a discussion does not result in consensus for the change at the article, continue to use the already-established style there. If discussion fails to reach a consensus regarding which of two or more competing styles to use at all, then default to the style that was used in the first post-stub version of the article in which one of the applicable styles appeared. (This fall-back position does not give unchallengeable primacy to that particular style during consensus discussion, nor give the editor who imposed that earliest style any more say in the discussion.)

For retention of an article's established national variety of English (and potential reasons to change it), see § National varieties of English.

Article titles, sections, and headings

Shortcut

• MOS:AT

Article titles

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Article titles

A title should be a recognizable name or description of the topic, balancing the criteria of being natural, sufficiently precise, concise, and consistent with those of related articles.

For formatting guidance see the Misplaced Pages:Article titles § Article title format section, noting the following:

• Capitalize the initial letter (except in rare cases, such as eBay), but otherwise follow sentence case (Funding of UNESCO projects), not title case (Funding of UNESCO Projects), except where title case would be used in ordinary prose. See Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (capitalization).
• To italicize, add {{italic title}} near the top of the article. For mixed situations, use, e.g., {{DISPLAYTITLE:​Interpretations of ''2001: A Space Odyssey''}}, instead. Use of italics should conform to Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting § Italic type.
• Do not use articles (a, an, or the) as the first word (Economy of the Second Empire, not The economy of the Second Empire), unless it is an inseparable part of a name (The Hague) or of the title of a work (A Clockwork Orange, The Simpsons).
• Normally use nouns or noun phrases: Early life, not In early life.
• The final character should not be punctuation unless it is an inseparable part of a name (Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) or an abbreviation (Inverness City F.C.), or when a closing round bracket or quotation mark is required (John Palmer (1814 schooner)).
• Whenever quotation marks or apostrophes appear, add a redirect for the same title using apostrophes.

Subject both to the above and to Misplaced Pages:Article titles, the rest of the MoS, particularly § Punctuation, applies also to the title.

See also Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Titles of works, for cases where an article about a published work has a title that coincides with the work's title.

Section organization

Shortcut

• MOS:SO

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Layout

An article's content should begin with an introductory lead section – a concise summary of the article – which is never divided into sections (see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Lead section). The remainder of the article is typically divided into sections.

Infoboxes, images, and related content in the lead section must be right-aligned.

Certain standardized templates and wikicode that are not sections go at the very top of the article, before the content of the lead section, and in the following order:

• A short description, with the {{Short description}} template
• A disambiguation hatnote, most of the time with the {{Hatnote}} template (see also Misplaced Pages:Hatnote § Hatnote templates)
• No-output templates that indicate the article's established date format and English-language variety, if any (e.g., {{Use dmy dates}}, {{Use Canadian English}})
• Banner-type maintenance templates, Dispute and Cleanup templates for article-wide issues that have been flagged (otherwise used at the top of a specific section, after any sectional hatnote such as {{main}})
• An infobox, which is optional (except in special cases like {{Taxobox}} and {{Chembox}}, or a variant thereof, at applicable articles); usually also includes the first image
• An introductory image, when an infobox is not used, or an additional image is desired for the lead section (for unusually long leads, a second image can be placed midway through the lead text)

In the Vector 2022 skin, the table of contents is separate from the article content. In some older skins, a navigable table of contents appears automatically just after the lead if an article has at least four section headings.

If the topic of a section is covered in more detail in a dedicated article (see Misplaced Pages:Summary style), insert {{main|Article name}} or {{further|Article name}} immediately under the section heading.

As explained in detail in Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Layout § Standard appendices and footers, several kinds of material (mostly optional) may appear after the main body of the article, in the following order:

• Books or other works created by the subject of the article, under a section heading "Works", "Publications", "Discography", "Filmography", etc. as appropriate (avoid "Bibliography", confusable with reference citations)
• Internal links to related English Misplaced Pages articles, with section heading "See also"
• Notes and references, with a section heading "Notes" or "References" (usually the latter), or a separate section for each in this order (see Misplaced Pages:Citing sources); avoid "Bibliography", confusable with the subject's works
• Relevant books, articles, or other publications that have not been used as sources; use the section heading "Further reading"; be highly selective, as Misplaced Pages is not a bibliographic directory
• Relevant and appropriate websites that have not been used as sources and do not appear in the earlier appendices, using the heading "External links", which may be made a subsection of "Further reading" (or such links can be integrated directly into the "Further reading" list instead); link templates for sister-project content also usually go at the top of this section when it is present (otherwise in the last section on the page)
• The following final items never take section headings:
  • Internal links organized into navigational boxes
  • Authority control metadata, if needed, using {{Authority control}} (distinguishes uses of the same name for two subjects, or multiple names for one subject)
  • Categories, which should be the very last material in the article's source code if there are no stub templates
  • Stub templates, if needed, which should follow the categories

Stand-alone list articles have some additional layout considerations.

Section headings

Shortcuts

• MOS:HEAD
• MOS:HEADINGS
• MOS:SECTIONS
• MOS:SECTIONHEAD

See also: Help:Section, Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility § Headings, Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Layout § Order of article elements, and Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Section headings

Section headings should generally follow the guidance for article titles (above), and should be presented in sentence case (Funding of UNESCO projects in developing countries), not title case (Funding of UNESCO Projects in Developing Countries).

Shortcut

• MOS:BLANKLINE

The heading must be on its own line, with one blank line just before it; a blank line just after is optional and ignored (but do not use two blank lines, before or after, because that will add unwanted visible space).

For technical reasons, section headings should:

• Be unique within a page, so that section links lead to the right place.

Shortcut

• MOS:NOSECTIONLINKS

• Not contain links, especially where only part of a heading is linked.
• Not contain images or icons.
• Not contain <math> markup.
• Not contain citations or footnotes.
• Not misuse description list markup (";") to create pseudo-headings.
• Not contain template transclusions.

These technical restrictions are necessary to avoid technical complications and are not subject to override by local consensus.

As a matter of consistent style, section headings should:

Shortcuts

• MOS:SECTIONSTYLE
• MOS:NOBACKREF

• Not redundantly refer back to the subject of the article, e.g., Early life, not Smith's early life or His early life.
• Not refer to a higher-level heading, unless doing so is shorter or clearer.
• Not be numbered or lettered as an outline.
• Not be phrased as a question, e.g., Languages, not What languages are spoken in Mexico?.
• Not use color or unusual fonts that might cause accessibility problems.
• Not be wrapped in markup, which may break their display and cause other accessibility issues.

These are broadly accepted community preferences.

Shortcut

• MOS:SECTIONCOMMENT

An invisible comment on the same line must be inside the == == markup:

==Implications<!--This comment works fine.-->==

==<!--This comment works fine.-->Implications==
==Implications==<!--This comment causes problems.-->

<!--This comment breaks the heading completely.-->==Implications==

It is more usual practice to put such comments below the heading.

Shortcut

• MOS:SECTIONANCHOR

Before changing a heading, consider whether you might be breaking existing links to it. If there are many links to the old title, create an anchor with that title to ensure that these still work. Similarly, when linking to a section, leave an invisible comment at the heading of the target section, naming the linking articles, so that if the heading is later altered these can be fixed. For (a combined) example:

==Implications{{subst:Anchor|Consequences}}==
<!-- Section linked from ], ]. -->

which will be saved in the article as:

==Implications<span class="anchor" id="Consequences"></span>==
<!-- Section linked from ], ]. -->

The advantage of using {{subst:Anchor}}, or simply inserting the <span> tags directly, is that when edits are made to the section in the future, the anchor will not be included in page history entries as part of the section name. When {{Anchor}} is used directly, that undesirable behavior does occur. Note: if electing to insert the span directly, do not abbreviate it by using a self-closing tag, as in ==Implications<span id="Consequences" />==, since in HTML5 that XML-style syntax is valid only for certain tags, such as <br />. See Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Linking § Avoiding broken section links for further discussion.

Heading-like material

The above guidance about sentence case, redundancy, images, and questions also applies to headers of tables (and of table columns and rows). However, table headings can incorporate citations and may begin with, or be, numbers. Unlike page headings, table headers do not automatically generate link anchors. Aside from sentence case in glossaries, the heading advice also applies to the term entries in description lists. If using template-structured glossaries, terms will automatically have link anchors, but will not otherwise. Citations for description-list content go in the term or definition element, as needed.

National varieties of English

Shortcut

• MOS:ENGVAR

See also: Misplaced Pages:Article titles § National varieties of English, and Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Spelling

National varieties of English (for example, American English or British English) differ in vocabulary (elevator vs. lift ), spelling (center vs. centre), and occasionally grammar (see § Plurals, below). Articles such as English plurals and Comparison of American and British English provide information about such differences. The English Misplaced Pages prefers no national variety over others.

An article's date formatting (December 26, 2024 vs. 26 December 2024) is also related to national varieties of English – see MOS:DATEFORMAT and especially MOS:DATETIES and MOS:DATEVAR.

Consistency within articles

Shortcuts

• MOS:ARTCON
• MOS:CONSISTENT

See also: Misplaced Pages:Consistency

The conventions of a particular variety of English should be followed consistently within a given article. Exceptions include:

• Quotations and titles of works (such as books, films, and music) should be given as they appear in sources. However, there are certain situations where this principle is not followed in order to maintain a level of typographic conformity across the encyclopedia: see § Typographic conformity.
• Proper names use the subject's own spelling, e.g., joint project of the United States Department of Defense and the Australian Defence Force; International Labour Organization;
• For articles about chemistry-related topics, the international standard spellings aluminium, sulfur, caesium (and derivative terms) should be used regardless of the variety of English otherwise employed in the article. See Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (chemistry) § Element names.

Opportunities for commonality

Shortcut

• MOS:COMMONALITY

For an international encyclopedia, using vocabulary common to all varieties of English is preferable.

• Use universally accepted terms rather than those less widely distributed, especially in titles. For example, glasses is preferred to the national varieties spectacles (British English) and eyeglasses (American English); ten million is preferable to one crore (Indian English).
• If a variant spelling appears in a title, make a redirect page to accommodate the others, as with artefact and artifact, so that all variants can be used in searches and linking.
• Terms that differ between varieties of English, or that have divergent meanings, may be glossed to prevent confusion, for example, the trunk (American English) or boot (British English) of a car ....
• Use a commonly understood word or phrase in preference to one that has a different meaning because of national differences (rather than alternate, use alternative or alternating, as appropriate), except in technical contexts where such substitution would be inappropriate (alternate leaves; alternate law).
• When more than one variant spelling exists within a national variety of English, the most commonly used current variant should usually be preferred, except where the less common spelling has a specific usage in a specialized context, e.g., connexion in Methodist connexionalism.

For assistance with specific terms, see Comparison of American and British English § Vocabulary, and American and British English spelling differences; most dictionaries also indicate regional terms.

Strong national ties to a topic

Shortcut

• MOS:TIES

See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Strong national ties to a topic, and Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Unit choice and order

An article on a topic that has strong ties to a particular English-speaking nation should use the (formal, not colloquial) English of that nation. For example:

• Afrikaners (South African English)
• American Civil War (American English)
• Australian Defence Force (Australian English)
• Christchurch (New Zealand English)
• Dublin (Hiberno-English)
• Great Fire of London (British English)
• Lagos (Nigerian English)
• Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Pakistani English)
• Mumbai (Indian English)
• Vancouver (Canadian English)
• Wanchai Tower (Hong Kong English)

For topics with strong ties to Commonwealth of Nations countries and other former British territories, use Commonwealth English orthography, largely indistinguishable from British English in encyclopedic writing (excepting Canada, which uses a different orthography).

Retaining the existing variety

Shortcut

• MOS:RETAIN

See also: § Retaining existing styles, Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Retaining the existing format, and Misplaced Pages:Article titles § National varieties of English "WP:RETAIN" redirects here. For the general editing policy, see WP:PRESERVE.

When an English variety's consistent usage has been established in an article, maintain it in the absence of consensus to the contrary. With few exceptions (e.g., when a topic has strong national ties or the change reduces ambiguity), there is no valid reason for changing from one acceptable option to another.

When no English variety has been established and discussion does not resolve the issue, use the variety found in the first post-stub revision that introduced an identifiable variety. The established variety in a given article can be documented by placing the appropriate variety of English template on its talk page.

An article should not be edited or renamed simply to switch from one variety of English to another. {{subst:uw-engvar}} may be placed on an editor's talk page to explain this.

Capital letters

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters

Misplaced Pages article titles and section headings use sentence case, not title case; see Misplaced Pages:Article titles and § Section headings. For capitalization of list items, see § Bulleted and numbered lists. Other points concerning capitalization are summarized below. Full information can be found at Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters. The central point is that Misplaced Pages does not capitalize something unless it is consistently capitalized in a substantial majority of independent, reliable sources.

Capitalization of The

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Capitalization of The

Generally, do not capitalize the word the in mid-sentence: throughout the United Kingdom, not throughout The United Kingdom. Conventional exceptions include certain proper names (he visited The Hague) and most titles of creative works (Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings – but be aware that the might not be part of the title itself, e.g., Homer composed the Odyssey).

There are special considerations for: band names · institution names · nicknames · titles of works · trademarks.

Titles of works

Main page: WP:Manual of Style/Titles of works

The English-language titles of compositions (books and other print works, songs and other audio works, films and other visual media works, paintings and other artworks, etc.) are given in title case, in which every word is given an initial capital except for certain less important words (as detailed at Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Composition titles). The first and last words in an English-language title are always capitalized.

• Correct: An Eye for an Eye
• Correct: Worth the Fighting For

Capitalization in non-English language titles varies, even over time within the same language; generally, retain the style of the original for modern works, and follow the usage in current English-language reliable sources for historical works. When written in the Latin alphabet, many of these items should also be in italics, or enclosed in quotation marks.

• Correct: Les Liaisons dangereuses
• Correct: "Hymnus an den heiligen Geist"

Titles of people

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography § Titles of people

• In generic use, use lower case for words such as president, king, and emperor (De Gaulle was a French president; Louis XVI was a French king; Three prime ministers attended the conference).
• Directly before the person's name, such words begin with a capital letter (President Obama, not president Obama). Standard or commonly used names of an office are treated as proper names (David Cameron was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Hirohito was Emperor of Japan; Louis XVI was King of France). Royal styles take capitals (Her Majesty; His Highness); exceptions may apply for particular offices.

Religions, deities, philosophies, doctrines

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Religions, deities, philosophies, doctrines, and their adherents Further information: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Religion See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Titles § Religious texts

• Religions, sects, and churches and their followers (in noun or adjective form) start with a capital letter. Generally, "the" is not capitalized before such names (the Unitarians, not The Unitarians).
• Religious texts are capitalized, but often not italicized (the Bhagavad Gita, the Quran, the Talmud, the Granth Sahib, the Bible). Do not capitalize "the" when using it in this way. Some derived adjectives are capitalized by convention, and some are not (biblical, but Quranic); if unsure, check a dictionary.
• Honorifics for deities, including proper names and titles, start with a capital letter (God, Allah, the Lord, the Supreme Being, the Great Spirit, the Horned One, Bhagavan). Do not capitalize "the" in such cases or when referring to major religious figures or characters from mythology (the Prophet, the Messiah, the Virgin). Common nouns for deities and religious figures are not capitalized (many gods; the god Woden; saints and prophets).
• Pronouns for figures of veneration or worship are not capitalized, even if capitalized in a religion's scriptures (God and his will).
• Broad categories of mythical or legendary beings start with lower-case letters (elf, fairy, nymph, unicorn, angel), although in works of fantasy, such as the novels of J. R. R. Tolkien and some video games, initial capitals are sometimes used to indicate that the beings form a culture or race in a fictional universe. Capitalize the names or titles of individual creatures (the Minotaur, Pegasus) and of groups whose name and membership are fixed (the Magi, or the Three Wise Men, the Furies). Generalized references are not capitalized (these priests; several wise men; cherub-like).
• Spiritual or religious events are capitalized only when referring to specific incidents or periods (the Great Flood and the Exodus; but annual flooding and an exodus of refugees).
• Philosophies, theories, movements, and doctrines use lower case unless the name derives from a proper name (capitalism versus Marxism) or has become a proper name (republican, a system of political thought; Republican, a political party). Use lower case for doctrinal topics or canonical religious ideas (as opposed to specific events), even if they are capitalized by some religious adherents (virgin birth, original sin, transubstantiation).
• Platonic or transcendent ideals are capitalized in the context of philosophical doctrine (Truth, the Good); used more broadly, they are in lower case (Superman represents American ideals of truth and justice). Use capitals for personifications represented in art (the guidebook mentioned statues of Justice and Liberty).
• Eponyms are capitalized (Edwardian, De Morgan's laws, Alice in Wonderland syndrome, plaster of Paris, Platonic idealism, Draconian constitution of Athens), except in idiomatic uses disconnected from the original context and usually lower-cased in sources (a platonic relationship; complained of draconian workplace policies). An entire phrase in which an eponym is an adjective is not capitalized except when the phrase is itself a proper name (e.g., the title of a published work: The China Syndrome).

Calendar items

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Calendar items

• Months, days of the week, and holidays start with a capital letter (June, Monday; the Fourth of July refers only to the US Independence Day – otherwise July 4 or 4 July).
• Seasons are in lower case (her last summer; the winter solstice; spring fever), except in personifications or in proper names for periods or events (Old Man Winter; competed on the Spring Circuit).

Animals, plants, and other organisms

Shortcut

• MOS:LIFE

For more detail on capitalization, see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Animals, plants, and other organisms; on italicization, Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting § Italic type. See also Misplaced Pages:Lead section § Organisms for handling of first sentence. See Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (fauna) and Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (flora) for article title guidelines.

When using taxonomic ("scientific") names, capitalize and italicize the genus: Berberis, Erithacus. (Supergenus and subgenus, when applicable, are treated the same way.) Italicize but do not capitalize taxonomic ranks at the level of species and below: Berberis darwinii, Erithacus rubecula superbus, Acacia coriacea subsp. sericophylla; no exception is made for proper names forming part of scientific names. Higher taxa (order, family, etc.) are capitalized in Latin (Carnivora, Felidae) but not in their English equivalents (carnivorans, felids); they are not italicized in either form, except for viruses, where all names accepted by the ICTV are italicized (Retroviridae).

Cultivar and cultivar group names of plants are not italicized, and are capitalized (including the word Group in the name); cultivar names appear within single quotes (Malus domestica 'Red Delicious'), while cultivar groups do not (Cynara cardunculus Scolymus Group).

English vernacular ("common") names are given in lower case in article prose (plains zebra, mountain maple, and southwestern red-tailed hawk) and in sentence case at the start of sentences and in other places where the first letter of the first word is capitalized. They are additionally capitalized where they contain proper names: Przewalski's horse, California condor, and fair-maid-of-France. This applies to species and subspecies, as in the previous examples, as well as to general names for groups or types of organism: bird of prey, oak, great apes, Bryde's whales, livestock guardian dog, poodle, Van cat, wolfdog. When the common name coincides with a scientific taxon, do not capitalize or italicize, except where addressing the organism taxonomically: A lynx is any of the four medium-sized wild cat species within the genus Lynx. Non-English vernacular names, when relevant to include, are handled like any other non-English terms: italicized as such, and capitalized only if the rules of the native language require it. Non-English names that have become English-assimilated are treated as English (ayahuasca, okapi).

Standardized breeds should generally retain the capitalization used in the breed standards. Examples: German Shepherd, Russian White goat, Berlin Short-faced Tumbler. As with plant cultivars, this applies whether or not the included noun is a proper name, in contrast to how vernacular names of species are written. However, unlike cultivars, breeds are never put in single quotation marks, and their names are never part of a scientific name. A species term appended at the end for disambiguation ("cat", "hound", "horse", "swine", etc.) should not be capitalized, unless it is a part of the breed name itself and is consistently presented that way in the breed standards (rare cases include Norwegian Forest Cat and American Quarter Horse).

Create redirects from alternative capitalization and spelling forms of article titles, and from alternative names, e.g., Adélie Penguin, Adelie penguin, Adelie Penguin and Pygoscelis adeliae should all redirect to Adélie penguin.

Celestial bodies

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Celestial bodies See also: Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (astronomical objects)

The words sun, earth, moon, and solar system do not take capitals in general use (The sun was over the mountain top; The tribal people thought of the whole earth as their home). They are capitalized when the entity is personified (Sol Invictus ('Unconquered Sun') was the Roman sun god) or when used as the name of a specific body in a scientific or astronomical context (The Moon orbits the Earth; but Io is a moon of Jupiter).

Names of planets, moons, asteroids, comets, stars, constellations, and galaxies are proper names, and therefore capitalized (The planet Mars is in the constellation Gemini, near the star Pollux). The first letter of every word in such a name is capitalized (Alpha Centauri and not Alpha centauri; Milky Way, not Milky way). Words such as comet and galaxy should be capitalized when they form part of a proper name, but not when they are used as a generic term (Halley's Comet is the most famous of the comets; The Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy).

Compass points

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Compass points

Do not capitalize directions such as north or their related forms (We took the northern road) except when they are parts of proper names (Great North Road, Great Western Drive, South Pole).

Capitalize names of regions if they have attained proper-name status, including informal conventional names (Southern California; the Western Desert), and derived terms for people (e.g., a Southerner as someone from the Southern United States). Do not capitalize descriptive names for regions that have not attained the status of proper names, such as southern Poland.

Composite directions may or may not be hyphenated, depending on the variety of English adopted in the article. Southeast Asia and northwest are more common in American English; but South-East Asia and north-west in British English. In cases such as north–south dialogue and east–west orientation, use an en dash; see § En dashes: other uses.

Proper names versus generic terms

Main pages: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Institutions, and Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Capitalization of The

Capitalize names of particular institutions (the founding of the University of Delhi; the history of Stanford University) but not generic words for institutions (the high school is near the university). Do not capitalize the at the start of an institution's name, regardless of the institution's preferred style. There are rare exceptions, when a leading The is represented by a T in the organization's acronym: The International Cat Association (TICA).

Treat political or geographic units similarly: The city has a population of 55,000; The two towns merged to become the City of Smithville. Do not mimic the style of local newspapers which refer to their municipality as the City or The City; an exception is the City of London, referred to as the City in a context that already makes the subject clear, as distinct from London and Greater London. When in doubt, use the full name for accessibility reasons; users of text-to-speech systems usually cannot hear a difference between city and City.

Ligatures

See also: Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (use English) § Modified letters Shortcuts

• MOS:LIG
• MOS:LIGATURE

Ligatures should be used in languages in which they are standard (hence Moreau's last words were clin d'œil is preferable to Moreau's last words were clin d'oeil) but not in English (encyclopedia or encyclopaedia, not encyclopædia), except in proper names (Æthelstan, not Aethelstan).

Abbreviations

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Abbreviations See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography § Initials

Abbreviations are shortened forms of words or phrases. In strict analysis, they are distinct from contractions, which use an apostrophe (e.g., won't, see § Contractions), and initialisms. An initialism is formed from some or all of the initial letters of words in a phrase. Below, references to abbreviations should be taken to include acronyms, and the term acronym to apply also to initialisms.

Write first occurrences in full

Shortcuts

• MOS:1STOCC
• MOS:1STABBR

When an abbreviation will be used in an article, first introduce it using the full expression:

an early local area network (LAN) developed by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) ... DEC's later LAN products were ...

Do not use capitals in the full version merely because capitals are used in the abbreviation: an early Local Area Network (LAN).

Except in special circumstances, common abbreviations (such as PhD, DNA, USSR) need not be expanded even on first use.

Plural forms

Pluralize acronyms by adding -s or -es: Three CD-ROMs and two BIOSes were released. Do not use apostrophes to form plurals: Three CD-ROM's and two BIOS's were released.

Punctuation and spacing

An abbreviation may or may not be terminated with a full point (also called a period or full stop). A consistent style should be maintained within an article. North American usage is typically to end all abbreviations with a period/point (Dr. Smith of 42 Drummond St.) but in common British and Australian usage, no period/point is used if the abbreviation (contraction) ends in the last letter of the unabbreviated form (Dr Smith of 42 Drummond St) unless confusion could result. This is also common practice in scientific writing. Regardless of punctuation, words that are abbreviated to more than one letter are spaced (op. cit. not op.cit. or opcit). There are some exceptions: PhD (see above) for "Philosophiae Doctor"; BVetMed for "Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine". In most situations, Misplaced Pages uses no such punctuation inside acronyms and initialisms: GDP, not G.D.P.

US and U.S.

"MOS:US" redirects here. For the use of the word "us", see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style § First-person pronouns. Shortcuts

• MOS:US
• MOS:USA
• MOS:NOTUSA

US is a commonly used abbreviation for United States, although U.S. – with periods and without a space – remains common in North American publications, including in news journalism. Multiple American style guides, including The Chicago Manual of Style (since 2010), now deprecate "U.S." and recommend "US".

For commonality reasons, use US by default when abbreviating, but retain U.S. in American or Canadian English articles in which it is already established, unless there is a good reason to change it. Because use of periods for abbreviations and acronyms should be consistent within any given article, use US in an article with other country abbreviations, and especially avoid constructions like the U.S. and the UK. In longer abbreviations that incorporate the country's initials (USN, USAF), never use periods. When the United States is mentioned with one or more other countries in the same sentence, US (or U.S.) may be too informal, especially at the first mention or as a noun instead of an adjective (France and the United States, not France and the US). Do not use the spaced U. S. or the archaic U.S. of A., except when quoting. Do not use U.S.A. or USA except in a quotation, as part of a proper name (Team USA), or in certain technical and formal uses (e.g., the ISO 3166-1 alpha-3, FIFA, and IOC country codes).

Circa

See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Uncertain, incomplete, or approximate dates for examples.

To indicate approximately, the use of {{circa}}, showing as c., is preferred over circa, c., ca., or approx.

Avoid unwarranted use

See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Units of measurement for when to abbreviate units of measurement.

Avoid abbreviations when they might confuse the reader, interrupt the flow, or appear informal. For example:

• Do not use approx. for approximate(ly) except in an infobox or table (in which case use {{abbr|approx.|approximately}} at first occurrence: approx.).
• Do not use the legalism Smith J for Justice Smith.

Do not invent

Avoid devising new abbreviations, especially acronyms. For example, World Union of Billiards is good as a translation of Union Mondiale de Billard, but neither it nor the reduction WUB is used by the organization or by independent sources; use the original name and its official abbreviation, UMB.

If it is necessary to abbreviate in a tight space, such as a column header in a table, use widely recognized abbreviations. For example, for New Zealand gross national product, use NZ and GNP, with a link if the term has not already been written out in the article: NZ GNP. Do not make up initialisms such as NZGNP.

HTML tags and templates

Either <abbr> or {{abbr}} can be used for abbreviations and acronyms: <abbr title="World Health Organization">WHO</abbr> or {{abbr|WHO|World Health Organization}} will generate WHO; hovering over the rendered text causes a tooltip of the long form to pop up.

Ampersand

Shortcuts

• MOS:AMP
• MOS:&

"WP:&" redirects here. For the use of "and" in titles, see WP:AND.

In normal text and headings, use and instead of the ampersand (&): January 1 and 2, not January 1 & 2. But retain an ampersand when it is a legitimate part of the style of a proper noun, the title of a work, or a trademark, such as in Up & Down or AT&T. Elsewhere, ampersands may be used with consistency and discretion where space is extremely limited (e.g., tables and infoboxes). Quotations may be cautiously modified, especially for consistency where different editions are quoted, as modern editions of old texts routinely replace ampersands with and (just as they replace other disused glyphs, ligatures, and abbreviations). Another frequent permissible but not required use is in short bibliographic references to works by multiple authors, e.g.: <ref>Lubbers & Scheepers (2002); Van Hiel & Mervielde (2002); Swyngedouw & Giles (2007); Van Hiel (2012).</ref>.

Italics

Shortcuts

• MOS:IT
• MOS:ITAL

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting § Italic type

Emphasis

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting § Emphasis

Italics are used for emphasis, rather than boldface or capitals. But overuse diminishes its effect; consider rewriting instead.

Use <em>...</em> or {{em|...}} for emphasis. This allows user style sheets to handle emphasis in a customized way, and helps reusers and translators.

• Correct: The meerkat is <em>not</em> actually a cat.
• Correct: The meerkat is {{em|not}} actually a cat.

Titles

For complete guidance on the handling of titles of works, see (until the material is better consolidated):

• WP:Manual of Style/Titles of works (overview and details)
• WP:Manual of Style § Titles of works (which summarizes the key points)
• WP:Manual of Style/Text formatting § Names and titles (provides greater detail than the section you are reading now)
• WP:Manual of Style § Punctuation §§ Quotation marks §§§ Names and titles (summarizes details at WP:Manual of Style/Titles)
• WP:Manual of Style/Lists of works
• WP:Manual of Style/Music § Capitalization

Shortcut

• MOS:NOITALIC

Use italics for the titles of works (such as books, films, television series, named exhibitions, computer games, music albums, and artworks). The titles of articles, chapters, songs, episodes, storylines, research papers and other short works instead take double quotation marks.

Italics are not used for major religious works (the Bible, the Quran, the Talmud). Many of these titles should also be in title case.

Words as words

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting § Words as words For the policy when a word or phrase itself may be an encyclopedic subject, see WP:WORDISSUBJECT.

Use italics when mentioning a word or character (see Use–mention distinction) or a string of words up to one sentence (the term panning is derived from panorama; the most common letter in English is e). When a whole sentence is mentioned, double quotation marks may be used instead, with consistency (The preposition in She sat on the chair is on; or The preposition in "She sat on the chair" is "on"). Quotation marks may also be used for shorter material to avoid confusion, such as when italics are already heavily used in the page for another purpose (e.g., for many non-English words and phrases). Mentioning (to discuss grammar, wording, punctuation, etc.) is different from quoting (in which something is usually expressed on behalf of a quoted source). Quotation is done with quotation marks, never italics, nor both at once (see § Quotations for details).

A closely related use of italics is when introducing or distinguishing terms: The natural numbers are the integers greater than 0.

Non-English words

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting § Non-English terms

Italics are indicated for non-English phrases and isolated non-English words that are not commonly used in everyday English. However, proper names (such as place names) in other languages are not usually italicized, nor are terms in non-Latin scripts. The {{lang}} template and its variants support all ISO 639 language codes, correctly identifying the language and automatically italicizing for you. Please use these templates rather than just manually italicizing non-English material. (See WP:Manual of Style/Accessibility § Other languages for more information.)

Scientific names

Use italics for the scientific names of plants, animals, and all other organisms except viruses at the genus level and below (italicize Panthera leo and Retroviridae, but not Felidae). The hybrid sign is not italicized (Rosa × damascena), nor is the "connecting term" required in three-part botanical names (Rosa gallica subsp. officinalis).

Quotations in italics

Shortcuts

• MOS:NOITALQUOTE
• MOS:ITALQUOTE

See also: § Quotations

Do not put quotations in italics. Quotation marks (or block quoting) alone are sufficient and the correct ways to denote quotations. Italics should only be used if the quoted material would otherwise call for italics. (See below.)

Italics within quotations

Use italics within quotations to reproduce emphasis that exists in the source material or to indicate the use of non-English words. The emphasis is better done with {{em}}. If it is not clear that the source already included italics (or some other styling) for emphasis, or to indicate when emphasis was not used in the original text but was editorially added later, add the editorial note or , respectively, after the quotation.

• For example: "Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince: And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." .

Effect on nearby punctuation

Shortcut

• MOS:ITALPUNCT

Italicize only the elements of the sentence affected by the emphasis. Do not italicize surrounding punctuation.

• Incorrect: What are we to make of that? (The question mark applies to the whole sentence, not just to the emphasized that, so it should not be italicized.)
• Correct: What are we to make of that?
• Correct: Four of Patrick White's most famous novels are A Fringe of Leaves, The Aunt's Story, Voss, and The Tree of Man. (The commas, the period, and the word and are not italicized.)

Quotations

Further information: Misplaced Pages:Do not include the full text of lengthy primary sources For the essay, see Misplaced Pages:Quotations. "MOS:QUOTE" redirects here. For the section on quotation characters, see MOS:CURLY. Shortcuts

• MOS:QUOT
• MOS:QUOTE
• MOS:QUOTATIONS

Brief quotations of copyrighted text may be used to illustrate a point, establish context, or attribute a point of view or idea. While quotations are an indispensable part of Misplaced Pages, excessive use of them is incompatible with an encyclopedic writing style and may be copyright infringement, so most of the content should be in the editor's own words. Consider paraphrasing quotations into plain and concise text when appropriate (while being aware that close paraphrasing can still violate copyright). Do not put quotations in italics unless the material would be italicized for some other reason.

Per the verifiability policy, direct quotations must be accompanied by an inline citation from a reliable source that supports the material. This is especially important in articles that are about or contain material about living or recently deceased people (BLPs).

Original wording

"WP:PMC" redirects here. For closure of requested moves by page movers, see Misplaced Pages:Requested moves/Closing instructions § Closure by a page mover. "WP:PLC" redirects here. For inclusion guidelines for organizations, see Misplaced Pages:Notability (organizations and companies). For the handling of the abbreviation "plc" in article titles, see Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (companies). Shortcuts

• MOS:PMC
• MOS:SIC
• MOS:TYPOFIX
• WP:QUOTETYPO

Quotations must be verifiably attributed, and the wording of the quoted text must be faithfully reproduced. This is referred to as the principle of minimal change. Where there is good reason to change the wording, bracket the changed text; for example, "Ocyrhoe told him his fate" might be quoted as "Ocyrhoe told his fate". If there is a significant error in the original, follow it with {{sic}} (producing  ) to show that the error was not made by Misplaced Pages. However, insignificant spelling and typographic errors should simply be silently corrected (for example, correct basicly to basically). When applied to linked titles appearing between <ref>...</ref> tags, title parameters in citation templates, or similar text that is linked, the syntax of the template may be adjusted to {{sic|nolink=y}} (producing in the resulting linked text). For the sake of accuracy and indexing, the titles of referenced sources should not be corrected for spelling, but minor typographic adjustments (like changing curly quotes to straight) may be made silently. Inline citations in the quoted text, to sources not used in the Misplaced Pages article, should be silently removed.

Use ellipses to indicate omissions from quoted text. Legitimate omissions include extraneous, irrelevant, or parenthetical words, and unintelligible speech (umm and hmm), but do not omit text where doing so would remove important context or alter the meaning of the text. Vulgarities and obscenities should be shown exactly as they appear in the quoted source; Wikipedians should never bowdlerize words (G-d d--m it!), but if the text being quoted itself does so, copy the text verbatim and use {{sic}} to indicate that the text is quoted as shown in the source.

In direct quotations, retain dialectal and archaic spellings, including capitalization (but not archaic glyphs and ligatures, as detailed below in § Typographic conformity).

Point of view

Shortcut

• MOS:QUOTEPOV

See also: Misplaced Pages:Neutral point of view § Attributing and specifying biased statements, and Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Words to watch § Expressions of doubt

Quotation should be used, with attribution, to present emotive opinions that cannot be expressed in Misplaced Pages's own voice, but never to present cultural norms as simply opinional:

• Acceptable: Siskel and Ebert called the film "unforgettable".
• Unacceptable: The site is considered "sacred" by the religion's scriptures.

Concise opinions that are not overly emotive can often be reported with attribution instead of direct quotation. Use of quotation marks around simple descriptive terms can imply something doubtful regarding the material being quoted; sarcasm or weasel words such as supposedly or so-called, might be inferred.

• Permissible: Siskel and Ebert called the film interesting.
• Unnecessary and may imply doubt: Siskel and Ebert called the film "interesting".
• Should be quoted: Siskel and Ebert called the film "interesting but heart-wrenching".

Typographic conformity

Shortcut

• MOS:CONFORM

A quotation is not a facsimile and, in most cases, it is not a requirement that the original formatting be preserved. Formatting and other purely typographical elements of quoted text should be adapted to English Misplaced Pages's conventions without comment, provided that doing so will not change or obscure meaning or intent of the text. These are alterations which make no difference when the text is read aloud, for example:

• Normalize dashes and hyphens: see § Dashes. Use the style chosen for the article: unspaced em dash or spaced en dash.
• Convert apostrophes and quotation marks to Misplaced Pages's style:
  • These should be straight, not curly or slanted. See § Quotation marks.
  • When quoting a quotation that itself contains a quotation, alternate between using double and single quotes for each quotation. See § For a quotation within a quotation for details.
• When quoting text from non-English languages, the outer punctuation should follow the Manual of Style for English quote marks. If there are nested quotations, follow the rules for correct punctuation in that language. If there are multiple styles for a language, the one used by the Misplaced Pages for that language is preferred unless the punctuation itself is under discussion.

  The cynical response "L'auteur aurait dû demander : « à quoi sert-il d'écrire ceci ? » mais ne l'a pas fait" was all he wrote.

• Remove spaces before punctuation such as periods and colons.
• Generally preserve bold and italics (see § Italics), but most other styling should be altered. Underlining, spac ing within words, colors, ALL CAPS, small caps, etc. should generally be normalized to plain text. If it clearly indicates emphasis, use italic emphasis ({{em}}) or, in an already-italic passage, boldface (with {{strong}}). For titles of books, articles, poems, and so forth, use italics or quotation marks following the guidance for titles. Italics can also be added to mark up non-English terms (with the {{lang}} template), for an organism's scientific name, and to indicate a words-as-words usage.
• Expand an abbreviation (not already used in the content before the quotation) as a square-bracketed change, or explain it using {{abbr}}.
• Normalize archaic glyphs and ligatures in English that are unnecessary to the meaning. Examples include æ→ae, œ→oe, ſ→s, and þ→the. (See also § Ampersand.)

See Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Titles § Typographic conformity for special considerations in normalizing the typography of titles of works.

However, national varieties should not be changed, as these may involve changes in vocabulary. For example, a quotation from a British source should retain British spelling, even in an article that otherwise uses American spelling. (See § Consistency within articles.) Numbers also usually should not be reformatted.

Direct quotation should not be used to preserve the formatting preferred by an external publisher (especially when the material would otherwise be unchanged), as this tends to have the effect of scare-quoting:

• Acceptable: The animal is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
• Unacceptable: The animal is listed as "Endangered" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Italics can be used to mark a particular usage as a term of art (a case of "words as words"), especially when it is unfamiliar or should not be reworded by a non-expert:

• Permissible: The animal is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

When quoting a complete sentence, it is usually recommended to keep the first word capitalized. However, if the quoted passage has been integrated into the surrounding sentence (for example, with an introduction such as "X said that"), the original capital letter may be lower-cased.

• LaVesque's report stated: "The equipment was selected for its low price. This is the primary reason for criticism of the program."
• LaVesque's report said that "the equipment was selected for its low price".
• The program was criticized primarily because "the equipment was selected for its low price", according to LaVesque.

It is normally unnecessary to explicitly note changes in capitalization. However, for more precision, the altered letter may be put inside square brackets: "The" → "he".

• The program was criticized primarily because "he equipment was selected for its low price", according to LaVesque.

Attribution

The reader must be able to determine the source of any quotation, at the very least via a footnote. The source must be named in article text if the quotation is an opinion (see Misplaced Pages:Neutral point of view § Attributing and specifying biased statements). When attributing a quotation, avoid characterizing it in a biased manner.

Quotations within quotations

See § For a quotation within a quotation.

Linking

Shortcuts

• MOS:LINKQUOTE
• MOS:LWQ

Be conservative when linking within quotations; link only to targets that correspond to the meaning clearly intended by the quote's author. Where possible, link from text outside of the quotation instead – either before it or soon after. (If quoting hypertext, add an editorial note, or , as appropriate, to avoid ambiguity as to whether the link was made by the original author.)

Block quotations

Shortcuts

• MOS:BQ
• MOS:BLOCKQUOTE

Format a long quote (more than about forty words or a few hundred characters, or consisting of more than one paragraph, regardless of length) as a block quotation, indented on both sides. Block quotations should be enclosed in {{blockquote}}.

Do not enclose block quotations in quotation marks (and especially avoid large, decorative quotation marks; those provided by the {{cquote}} template have been disabled in mainspace). Block quotations using a colored background are also discouraged.

Use {{blockquote}} and so on only for actual quotations; indentation for other purposes is done differently.

It is conventional to precede a block quotation with an introductory sentence (or sentence fragment) and append the source citation to that line. Alternatively, the {{blockquote}} template provides parameters for attribution and citation which will appear below the quotation. (For use of dashes with attributions, see § Other uses for em dashes.) This below-quotation attribution style is intended for famous quotations and is unusual in articles because it may strike an inappropriate tone. A quotation with no cited source should be flagged with {{quote without source}}, or deleted.

Line breaks and indentation inside a {{blockquote}} or <blockquote> are generally ignored; use <poem> or {{poem quote}} for poetry, lyrics, and similar material:

{{blockquote|<poem>
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
            Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
</poem>}}

This gives:

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
            Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

Or quote such material inline, with line breaks indicated by {{nbsp}}/, and paragraph or stanza breaks by {{nbsp}}//.

Shortcuts

• MOS:PQ
• MOS:PULLQUOTE

Pull quotes do not belong in Misplaced Pages articles. These are the news and magazine style of "pulling" material already in the article to reuse it in attention-grabbing decorative quotations. This unencyclopedic approach is a form of editorializing, produces out-of-context and undue emphasis, and may lead the reader to conclusions not supported in the material.

Non-English quotations

Shortcuts

• MOS:FOREIGNQUOTE
• MOS:QUOTEFOREIGN

Quotations from non-English language sources should appear with a translation into English, preferably a modern one. Quotations that are translations should be explicitly distinguished from those that are not. Indicate the original source of a translation (if it is available, and not first published within Misplaced Pages), and the original language (if that is not clear from the context).

If the original, untranslated text is available, provide a reference for it or include it, as appropriate.

When editors themselves translate text into English, care must always be taken to include the original text, in italics (except for non-Latin-based writing systems, and best done with the {{lang}} template which both italicizes as appropriate and provides language metadata); and to use actual and (if at all possible) common English words in the translation. Unless you are certain of your competency to translate something, see Misplaced Pages:Translation for assistance.

Punctuation

Shortcut

• MOS:PUNCT

For a brief guide to how some punctuation marks are used in Misplaced Pages for special purposes, e.g., description lists, see Help:Punctuation.

Apostrophes

Shortcuts

• MOS:'
• MOS:APOSTROPHE

• Use straight apostrophes ('), not curly apostrophes (’). Do not use accent marks or backticks (`) as apostrophes.
• Templates such as {{'}} and {{'s}} are helpful when an apostrophe (or single quote) appears at the beginning or end of text in italics or bold, because italics and bold are themselves indicated by sequences of single quotes. Example: Dynasty's first season (markup: ''Dynasty''{{'s}} first season).
• Letters resembling apostrophes, such as the ʻokina ( ʻ  – markup: {{okina}}), saltillo ( ꞌ  – markup: {{saltillo}}), Hebrew ayin or Arabic ʿayn ( ʽ  – markup: {{ayin}}) and Arabic hamza ( ʼ  – markup:{{hamza}}), should be represented by those templates or by their Unicode values.
  • Templates cannot be used in article titles; if necessary, use the corresponding Unicode character directly. Per WP:TITLESPECIALCHARACTERS, also make a redirect from the ASCII form to aid searches. Forms without apostrophe-like characters are sometimes preferred by WP:COMMONNAME (e.g. Hawaii but not Kealiʻi Reichel).

  See also Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Hawaii-related articles § Orthography, spelling and formatting

• For Wade–Giles romanizations of Mandarin Chinese, use {{wg-apos}}.
• For languages with ejective consonants and the like, use {{hamza}}.
• For the Cyrillic soft sign, when indicated at all, use {{softsign}} or {{hamza}}.
• For usage of the possessive apostrophe, see § Possessives.
• For further treatment of apostrophe usage (possessive, elision, formation of certain plurals, non-English language issues) see the article Apostrophe.

Quotation marks

Shortcuts

• MOS:QUOTEMARKS
• MOS:SPEECHMARKS
• MOS:"

See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style § Quotations

In the material below, the term quotation includes conventional uses of quotation marks such as for titles of songs, chapters, episodes, and so on. Quotation marks are also used in other contexts, such as in cultivar names.

Quotation characters

Shortcuts

• MOS:CURLY
• MOS:CQ
• MOS:STRAIGHT

• Use "straight" quotation marks, not “curly” ones. (For single-apostrophe quotes: 'straight', not ‘curly’.)
• Do not use accent marks, backticks (`text´), low-high („ “) or guillemet (« ») marks as quotation marks (except when such marks are internal to quoted non-English text – see § Typographic conformity). The symbols ′ and ″ seen in edit window dropdowns are prime and double prime: these are used to designate units of angular measurement, and not as apostrophes or quote marks.
• Quotation marks and apostrophes in imported material should be changed if necessary to comply with the above.

Double or single

Shortcuts

• MOS:DOUBLE
• MOS:SINGLE
• MOS:SIMPLEGLOSS

Most quotations take double quotation marks (Bob said: "Jim ate the apple."). Exceptions:

• Plant cultivars take single quotation marks (Malus domestica 'Golden Delicious'; see Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (flora)).
• Glosses that translate or define unfamiliar terms take single quotes; simple glosses require no comma before the definition (Turkic qazaq 'freebooter' is the root of Cossack; republic comes from Latin res publica, loosely meaning 'public affair'.). The {{Gloss}} template can be used for this; e.g. {{lang|es|casa}} {{gloss|house}} yields: casa 'house'.

For a quotation within a quotation

Shortcuts

• MOS:QWQ
• MOS:QINQ

Use single quotes:

• Darwin wrote in his introduction that "the maxim 'de minimis lex non curat' does not apply to science".

For deeper nesting, alternate between single and double quotes:

• He said, "That book asserts, 'Confucius said "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."'"

For quote marks in immediate succession, add a sliver of space by using {{" '}}, {{' "}}, or (as in the example just given) {{" ' "}}:

• He announced, "The answer was 'Yes!'" Markup: He announced, "The answer was 'Yes!{{' "}}
• He announced, "The answer was 'Yes!'" (simply jamming things together looks awful in most fonts)
• He announced, "The answer was 'Yes!' " (a regular space is too much)

Article openings

Shortcut

• MOS:BOLDQUOTE

In the bolded text typically appearing at the opening of an article:

• Any quotation marks that are part of the title should be in bold just like the rest of the title.
  • From "A" Is for Alibi: "A" Is for Alibi is a mystery novel ...
• Quotation marks not part of the article title should not be bolded.
  • From Jabberwocky: "Jabberwocky" is a nonsense poem ...
  • From Babe Ruth: George Herman "Babe" Ruth was an American baseball player ... (See also Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography § Nicknames.)

Punctuation before quotations

Shortcut

• MOS:QUOTEPUNCT

If a non-quoted but otherwise identical construction would work grammatically without a comma, using a comma before a quotation embedded within a sentence is optional:

• The report stated "There was a 45% reduction in transmission rate." (Cf. the non-quotation The report stated there was a 45% reduction in transmission rate.)
• The report stated, "There was a 45% reduction in transmission rate."

The comma-free approach is often used with partial quotations:

• The report observed "a 45% reduction in transmission rate".

A comma is required when it would be present in the same construction if none of the material were a quotation:

• In Margaret Mead's view, "we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities" to enrich our culture.

Do not insert a comma if it would confuse or alter the meaning:

• Caitlyn Jenner expressed concerns about children "who are coming to terms with being true to who they are". (Accurate quote of a statement about some children – specifically those children "who are coming to terms ...")
• Caitlyn Jenner expressed concerns about children, "who are coming to terms with being true to who they are". (Changes the meaning to imply Jenner was expressing concern about all children, while separately observing that children, in general, "are coming to terms ...")

It is clearer to use a colon to introduce a quotation if it forms a complete sentence, and this should always be done for multi-sentence quotations:

• The report stated: "There was a 45% reduction in transmission rate."
• In a letter to his son, Albert Einstein wrote: "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."

No additional punctuation is necessary for an explicit words-as-words scenario:

• The message was unintelligible except for the fragments "help soon" and "how much longer before".

Names and titles

For complete guidance on the handling of titles of works, see (until the material is better consolidated):

• WP:Manual of Style/Titles of works (overview and details)
• WP:Manual of Style § Titles of works (which summarizes the key points)
• WP:Manual of Style § Italics §§ Titles, and WP:Manual of Style/Text formatting § Names and titles (both summarize details at WP:Manual of Style/Titles)
• the section you are reading now
• WP:Manual of Style/Lists of works
• WP:Manual of Style/Music § Capitalization

Quotation marks should be used for the following names and titles:

• Articles and chapters (books and periodicals italicized)
• Short stories (books and periodicals italicized)
• Sections of musical pieces (pieces italicized)
• Individual strips from comics and webcomics (comics italicized)
• Poems (long or epic poems italicized)
• Songs (albums, song cycles, operas, operettas, and oratorios italicized)
• Individual episodes of television and radio series and serials (series title italicized)

Correct: The Beatles wrote "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" for their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Do not use quotation marks or italics for:

• Ancient writings
• Concert tours
• Locations
• Myths and epics
• Prayers

Many, but not all, of the above items should also be in title case.

Punctuation inside or outside

Shortcuts

• MOS:LQ
• MOS:LQUOTE
• MOS:INOROUT
• MOS:LOGICAL

See also: Misplaced Pages:Logical quotation on Misplaced Pages See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style § Italics: Effect on nearby punctuation

Use the logical quotation style in all articles, regardless of the variety of English in which they are written. Include terminal punctuation within the quotation marks only if it was present in the original material, and otherwise place it after the closing quotation mark. For the most part, this means treating periods and commas in the same way as question marks: keep them inside the quotation marks if they apply only to the quoted material and outside if they apply to the whole sentence. Examples are given below.

• Correct: Did Darla say, "Here I am"? (question mark applies to whole sentence)
• Incorrect: Did Darla say, "Here I am?" (incorrect to apply the question mark to the quotation)
• Correct: Darla said, "Where am I?" (question mark applies to quoted material only)

If the quotation is a single word or a sentence fragment, place the terminal punctuation outside the closing quotation mark. When quoting a full sentence, the end of which coincides with the end of the sentence containing it, place terminal punctuation inside the closing quotation mark.

• Miller wanted, he said, "to create something timeless".
• Miller said: "I wanted to create something timeless."

If the quoted sentence is followed by a clause that should be preceded by a comma, omit the full stop (period), and do not replace it with a comma inside the quotation. Other terminal punctuation, such as a question mark or exclamation mark, may be retained.

• Livingston then said, "It is done", and turned to the people.
• Livingston then exclaimed, "It is done!", and turned to the people.

If the quoted sentence is followed by a clause identifying the speaker, use a comma outside the quotation mark instead of a full stop inside it, but retain any other terminal punctuation, such as a question mark.

• "There is no strife, no prejudice, no national conflict in outer space as yet", said Kennedy.
• By asking "Who are you?", da Gama prompts Adamastor to tell his story.

Do not follow quoted words or fragments with commas inside the quotation marks, except where a longer quotation has been broken up and the comma is part of the full quotation.

• Correct: "I began to change, opening the way to confidence and courage", said Turner.
• Correct: "I began to change," said Turner, "opening the way to confidence and courage."
• Correct: "I began to change, opening the way", said Turner, "to confidence and courage."
• Incorrect: "I began to change, opening the way," said Turner, "to confidence and courage."

Quotation marks and external links

External links to article titles should have the title in quotes inside the link. The CS1 and CS2 citation templates do this automatically, and untemplated references should do the same.

• Correct: Kiefer, Francine (May 29, 1998). "Clinton: The Early Years". The Christian Science Monitor. (Using {{cite news}})
• Correct: Kiefer, Francine (May 29, 1998). "Clinton: The Early Years". The Christian Science Monitor. (Untemplated)
• Incorrect: Kiefer, Francine (May 29, 1998). "Clinton: The Early Years". The Christian Science Monitor. (Untemplated)

Quotation marks and internal links

Internal links (wikilinks) accompanied by quotation marks should usually have the quotes outside the link. This applies to titles of works in quotation marks (songs, episodes, etc.)

• Correct: Play it, Sam. Play "As Time Goes By". (Using "]".)
• Incorrect: Play it, Sam. Play "As Time Goes By". (Using ].)

However, quotation marks are needed inside wikilinks when the quotation mark is part of the link, or where the linked display text includes quotation marks indicating slang, nicknames, common names, or similar usage.

• Correct: The term soccer comes from Oxford "-er" slang, which was prevalent at the University of Oxford in England from about 1875....
• Correct: A Cockney accent drops the "r" after a vowel.
• Correct: The Proletarian Sports Society "Dynamo" was established in Moscow in 1923.
• Correct: President Suharto's "New Order" administration received U.S. support for its economic policies.
• Correct: Japan's "Lost Decades" began in 1991.

Brackets and parentheses

Shortcuts

• MOS:B&P
• MOS:BRACKET
• MOS:PAREN

"MOS:PAREN" redirects here. For use of parentheses (round brackets) in article titles, see WP:Article titles § Parenthetical disambiguation. For deprecated inline parenthetical citations, see WP:Citing sources § Parenthetical referencing.

This section applies to both round brackets ( ), often called parentheses, and square brackets .

If a sentence contains a bracketed phrase, place the sentence punctuation outside the brackets (as shown here). However, where one or more sentences are wholly inside brackets, place their punctuation inside the brackets. There should be no space next to the inner side of a bracket. An opening bracket should usually be preceded by a space. This may not be the case if it is preceded by an opening quotation mark, another opening bracket, or a portion of a word:

• He rose to address the meeting: "(Ahem) ... Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!"
• Only the royal characters in the play ( Hamlet and his family) habitually speak in blank verse.
• We journeyed on the Inter.
• Most people are right-handed. (Some people are left-handed, but that does not make right-handed people "better" than left-handed people.)

There should be a space after a closing bracket, except where a punctuation mark follows (though a spaced dash would still be spaced after a closing bracket) and in unusual cases similar to those listed for opening brackets.

Avoid adjacent sets of brackets. Either put the parenthetical phrases in one set separated by semicolons, or rewrite:

• Avoid: Nikifor Grigoriev (c. 1885 – 1919) (also known as Matvii Hryhoriiv) was a Ukrainian insurgent leader.
• Better: Nikifor Grigoriev (c. 1885 – 1919; also known as Matvii Hryhoriiv) was a Ukrainian insurgent leader.
• Better: Nikifor Grigoriev (c. 1885 – 1919) was a Ukrainian insurgent leader. He was also known as Matvii Hryhoriiv.

Square brackets are used to indicate editorial replacements and insertions within quotations, though this should never alter the intended meaning. They serve three main purposes:

• To clarify: She attended school, where this was the intended meaning, but the type of school was unstated in the original sentence.
• To reduce the size of a quotation: X contains Y, and under certain circumstances, X may contain Z as well may be reduced to X contains Y . When an ellipsis (...) is used to indicate that material is removed from a direct quotation, it should not normally be bracketed. (See § Ellipses for an exceptional case.)
• To make the grammar work: Referring to someone's statement "I hate to do laundry", one could properly write She "hate to do laundry".

If a sentence includes subsidiary material enclosed in square or round brackets, it must still carry terminal punctuation after those brackets, regardless of any punctuation within the brackets.

She refused all requests (except for basics such as food, medicine, etc.).

However, if the entire sentence is within brackets, the closing punctuation falls within the brackets. (This sentence is an example.)

Brackets and linking

Square brackets inside of links must be escaped:

He said, "] answered."	He said, "John answered."
He said, "] answered."	He said, "John answered."
	On the first day
	On the first day

The <nowiki> markup can also be used: <nowiki></nowiki> or <nowiki></nowiki>.

If a URL itself contains square brackets, the wiki-text should use the URL-encoded form https://example.com/foo.php?query=%5Bxxx%5Dyyy, rather than ...query=yyy. This will avoid truncation of the link after xxx.

Ellipses

Shortcuts

• MOS:ELLIPSIS
• MOS:ELLIPSES
• MOS:DOTDOTDOT
• MOS:…

Use an ellipsis (plural ellipses) if material is omitted in the course of a quotation, unless square brackets are used to gloss the quotation (see § Brackets and parentheses, and the points below).

• Misplaced Pages's style for an ellipsis is three unspaced dots (...); do not use the precomposed ellipsis character (…) or three dots separated by spaces (. . .)
• Generally, use a non-breaking space before an ellipsis, and a regular space after it: "Alpha, Bravo,{{nbsp}}... Zulu"
  • But where an ellipsis is immediately followed by any of . ? ! : ; , ) ] } or by a closing quotation mark (single or double), use a non-breaking space before the ellipsis, and no space after it:

    Jones wrote: "These stories amaze me. The facts suffer so frightfully{{nbsp}}...".

    "But what of the other cities? London, Paris{{nbsp}}...?" (Place terminal punctuation after an ellipsis only if it is textually important, as is often the case with exclamation marks and question marks but rarely with periods.)

  • Or, if the ellipsis immediately follows a quotation mark, use no space before the ellipsis, and a non-breaking space after it:

    He continued to pursue Smith ("...{{nbsp}}to the ends of the earth", he had sworn) until his own death.

Pause or suspension of speech

Three dots are occasionally used to represent a pause in or suspense of speech, in which case the punctuation is retained in its original form: Virginia's startled reply was "Could he ...? No, I can't believe it!". When it indicates an incomplete word, no space is used between the word fragment(s) and the ellipsis: The garbled transmission ended with "We are stranded near San L...o", interpreted as a reference to either San Leandro or San Lorenzo.

With square brackets

Square brackets may be placed around an ellipsis that indicates omitted text to distinguish it from an ellipsis that is part of the quoted text: She retorted: "How do I feel? How do you think I ... This is too much!  Take me home!". In this example, the first ellipsis is part of the quoted text and the second ellipsis (in square brackets) indicates omitted text.

Commas

Shortcuts

• MOS:COMMA
• MOS:,

• A pair of commas can bracket an appositive, relative clause, or parenthetical phrase (as can brackets or dashes, though with greater interruption of the sentence). For example:

  Correct:	John Smith, Janet Cooper's son, is a well-known playwright.
  Correct:	Janet Cooper's son John Smith is a well-known playwright. (when Janet has multiple sons)
  Correct:	Janet Cooper's son, John Smith, is a well-known playwright. (when Janet has only one son)

  Always use a pair of commas for this, unless another punctuation mark takes the place of the second comma:

  Incorrect:	The newest member, John Smith was blunt.
  Correct:	Blunt comments came from the newest member, John Smith.
  Correct:	The newest member, John Smith – a retired teacher – was blunt.

• Don't let other punctuation distract you from the need for a comma, especially when the comma collides with a bracket or parenthesis:

  Correct:	Burke and Wills, fed by locals (on beans, fish, and ngardu), survived for a few months.
  Incorrect:	Burke and Wills, fed by locals (on beans, fish, and ngardu) survived for a few months.

• Modern writing uses fewer commas; there are usually ways to simplify a sentence so that fewer are needed.

  Clear:	Schubert's heroes included Mozart, Beethoven, and Joseph and Michael Haydn.
  Awkward:	Mozart was, along with the Haydns, both Joseph and Michael, and also Beethoven, one of Schubert's heroes.

Shortcut
• MOS:GEOCOMMA
• In geographical references that include multiple levels of subordinate divisions (e.g., city, state/province, country), a comma separates each element and follows the last element unless followed by terminal punctuation or a closing parenthesis. The last element is treated as parenthetical.

  Correct:	He traveled through North Carolina before staying in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the night.
  Incorrect:	He traveled through North Carolina before staying in Chattanooga, Tennessee for the night.

  Also include commas when the geographical element is used as a disambiguator:

  Correct:	Hantratty received a PhD from the University of California, Irvine, in 1977.
  Incorrect:	Hantratty received a PhD from the University of California, Irvine in 1977.

Shortcut
• MOS:DATECOMMA
• Dates in month–day–year format require a comma after the day, as well as after the year, unless followed by other punctuation. The last element is treated as parenthetical.

  Correct:	He set October 1, 2011, as the deadline for Patterson to meet his demands.
  Incorrect:	He set October 1, 2011 as the deadline for Patterson to meet his demands.

Shortcut
• MOS:QUOTECOMMA
• Place quotation marks by following § Punctuation inside or outside. This is known as "logical quotation".

  Correct:	She said, "The weather changes too often", and made other complaints.
  Incorrect:	She said, "The weather changes too often," and made other complaints.

• A comma may be included before a quotation embedded within a sentence (see § Quotation marks).

Serial commas

Shortcuts

• WP:OCOMMA
• MOS:SERIAL
• MOS:OXFORD
• MOS:HARVARD

"MOS:OXFORD" redirects here. For Oxford spelling, see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Spelling § British English with "-ize" (Oxford spelling).

A serial comma (sometimes also known as an Oxford comma or Harvard comma) is a comma used immediately before a conjunction (and, or, nor) in a list of three or more items.

ham, chips, and eggs – serial comma ham, chips and eggs – no serial comma

Editors may use either convention so long as each article is internally consistent. Serial commas are more helpful when article text is complex, such as a list with multi-word items (especially if one contains its own "and") or a series of probably unfamiliar terms.

However, there are cases in which either omitting or including the serial comma results in ambiguity:

The author thanked her friends, Sinéad O'Connor and Bob Marley – which may list either four or more people (the friends and the two people named) or two people (O'Connor and Marley, who are the friends). The author thanked a friend, Sinéad O'Connor, and Bob Marley – which may list either two people (O'Connor, who is the friend, and Marley) or three people (the first being the friend, the second O'Connor, and the third Marley).

In such cases of ambiguity, clarify one of four ways:

• Add or remove the serial comma.
• Use separate sentences, bullet lists, or some other structural change to clarify.
• Recast the sentence ("friends" case):
  • To list two people: The author thanked her friends Sinéad O'Connor and Bob Marley.
    • Clearer: The author thanked two friends – Sinéad O'Connor and Bob Marley.
  • To list several people:

    The author thanked Sinéad O'Connor, Bob Marley and her friends or

    The author thanked Sinéad O'Connor, Bob Marley, and her friends.

    • But not: The author thanked Bob Marley, Sinéad O'Connor and her friends – introduces ambiguity about her.
• Recast the sentence ("friend" case):
  • To list two people: The author thanked Bob Marley and her friend, Sinéad O'Connor.
    • Or be more specific when possible (the commas here set off non-restrictive appositives): The author thanked her childhood friend, Sinéad O'Connor, and her mentor, Bob Marley.
  • To list three people: The author thanked Bob Marley, Sinéad O'Connor, and a friend.
    • Clarity with gender-specific terms such as mother can be tricky; The author thanked her mother, Kim Thayil, and Sinéad O'Connor is unclear because readers may not know Kim Thayil is male and wouldn't be the same person as the mother.
    • Clearer: The author thanked Kim Thayil, Sinéad O'Connor, and her own mother or The author thanked her mother and musicians Kim Thayil and Sinéad O'Connor.

Colons

Shortcut

• MOS:COLON

For the "colon trick" (for linking to a category, image, or interwiki link without adding the page to the category, displaying the image, or adding the interwiki link), see Help:Colon trick.

A colon (:) introduces something that demonstrates, explains, or modifies what has come before, or is a list of items that has just been introduced. The items in such a list may be separated by commas, or if they are more complex and perhaps themselves contain commas, the items should be separated by semicolons or arranged in a bulleted list.

We visited several tourist attractions: the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which I thought could fall at any moment; the Bridge of Sighs; the supposed birthplace of Petrarch, or at least the first known house in which he lived; and so many more.

A colon may also be used to introduce direct speech enclosed within quotation marks. (See § Quotation marks.)

In most cases, a colon works best with a complete grammatical sentence before it. When what follows the colon is also a complete sentence, start it with a capital letter, but otherwise do not capitalize after a colon except where doing so is needed for another reason, such as for a proper name. When a colon is being used as a separator in an article title, section heading, or list item, editors may choose whether to capitalize what follows, taking into consideration the existing practice and consistency with related articles.

Except in technical usage (a 3:1 ratio), no sentence should contain multiple colons, no space should precede a colon, and a space (but never a hyphen or dash) should follow the colon.

Semicolons

Shortcuts

• MOS:SEMICOLON
• MOS:COMMASPLICE
• MOS:;

For usage in marking up description (definition) lists, see Help:List § Description lists.

A semicolon (;) is sometimes an alternative to a full stop (period), enabling related material to be kept in the same sentence; it marks a more decisive division in a sentence than a comma. If the semicolon separates clauses, normally each clause must be independent (meaning that it could stand on its own as a sentence). In many cases, only a comma or only a semicolon will be correct in a given sentence.

Correct:	Though he had been here before, I did not recognize him.
Incorrect:	Though he had been here before; I did not recognize him.

Above, "Though he had been here before" cannot stand on its own as a sentence, and therefore is not an independent clause.

Correct:	Oranges are an acidic fruit; bananas are classified as alkaline.
Incorrect:	Oranges are an acidic fruit, bananas are classified as alkaline.

This incorrect use of a comma between two independent clauses is known as a comma splice; however, in certain kinds of cases, a comma may be used where a semicolon would seem to be called for:

Accepted:	"Life is short, art is long." (two brief clauses in an aphorism; see Ars longa, vita brevis)
Accepted:	"I have studied it, you have not." (reporting brisk conversation, such as this reply of Newton's)

A sentence may contain several semicolons, especially when the clauses are parallel in construction and meaning; multiple unrelated semicolons are often signs that the sentence should be divided into shorter sentences or otherwise refashioned.

Unwieldy:	Oranges are an acidic fruit; bananas are classified as alkaline; pears are close to neutral; these distinctions are rarely discussed.
Better:	Oranges are an acidic fruit, bananas are alkaline, and pears are close to neutral; these distinctions are rarely discussed.

Semicolons are used in addition to commas to separate items in a listing, when commas alone would result in confusion.

Confusing:	Sales offices are located in Boston, Massachusetts, San Francisco, California, Singapore, and Millbank, London, England.
Clear:	Sales offices are located in Boston, Massachusetts; San Francisco, California; Singapore; and Millbank, London, England.

Semicolon before "however"

Shortcut

• MOS:HOWEVER

The meaning of a sentence containing a trailing clause that starts with the word however depends on the punctuation preceding that word. A common error is to use the wrong punctuation, thereby changing the meaning to one not intended.

When the word however is an adverb meaning "nevertheless", it should be preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma. Example:

	It was obvious they could not convert these people; however, they tried.
Meaning:	It was obvious they could not convert these people; nevertheless, they tried.

When the word however is a conjunction meaning "in whatever manner", or "regardless of how", it may be preceded by a comma but not by a semicolon, and should not be followed by punctuation. Example:

	It was obvious they could not convert these people, however they tried.
Meaning:	It was obvious they could not convert these people, regardless of how they tried.

In the first case, the clause that starts with "however" cannot be swapped with the first clause; in the second case this can be done without change of meaning:

	However they tried, it was obvious they could not convert these people.
Meaning:	Regardless of how they tried, it was obvious they could not convert these people.

If the two clauses cannot be swapped, a semicolon is required.

A sentence or clause can also contain the word however in the middle, if it is an adverb meaning "although" that could have been placed at the beginning but does not start a new clause in mid-sentence. In this use, the word may be enclosed between commas. Example:

	He did not know, however, that the venue had been changed at the last minute.
Meaning:	However, he did not know that the venue had been changed at the last minute.

Hyphens

Shortcut

• MOS:HYPHEN

Hyphens (-) indicate conjunction. There are three main uses:

Four-year-old childrenFour year-old childrenFour-year old children A man eating fishA man-eating fish Officials help dog-bite victim.Officials help dog bite victim.

1. In hyphenated personal names (John Lennard-Jones, Omar al-Bashir).
2. To link prefixes with their main terms in certain constructions (quasi-scientific, pseudo-Apollodorus, ultra-nationalistic).
   • A hyphen may be used to distinguish between homographs (re-dress means dress again, but redress means remedy or set right).
   • There is a clear trend to join both elements in all varieties of English (subsection, nonlinear). Hyphenation clarifies when the letters brought into contact are the same (non-negotiable, sub-basement) or are vowels (pre-industrial), or where a word is uncommon (co-proposed, re-target) or may be misread (sub-era, not subera). Some words of these sorts are nevertheless common without the hyphen (e.g., cooperation is more frequently attested than co-operation in contemporary English).
3. To link related terms in compound modifiers:
   • Hyphens can aid ease of reading (that is, they can be ease-of-reading aids) and are particularly useful in long noun phrases: gas-phase reaction dynamics. But never insert a hyphen into a proper name (Middle Eastern cuisine, not Middle-Eastern cuisine).
   • A hyphen can help to disambiguate (some short-story writers are quite tall; a government-monitoring program is a program that monitors the government, whereas a government monitoring program is a government program that monitors).
   • Compounds that are hyphenated when used attributively (adjectives before the nouns they qualify: a light-blue handbag, a 34-year-old woman) or substantively (as a noun: she is a 34-year-old) are usually not hyphenated when used predicatively (descriptive phrase separated from the noun: the handbag was light blue, the woman is 34 years old). Where there would otherwise be a loss of clarity, however, a hyphen may be used in the predicative form as well (hand-fed turkeys, the turkeys were hand-fed). Awkward attributive hyphenation can sometimes be avoided with a simple rewording: Hawaiian-native species → native Hawaiian species.
   • Avoid using a hyphen after a standard -ly adverb (a newly available home, a wholly owned subsidiary) unless part of a larger compound (a slowly-but-surely strategy). In rare cases, a hyphen can improve clarity if a rewritten alternative is awkward, but rewording is usually preferable: The idea was clearly stated enough can be disambiguated as The idea clearly was stated often enough or The idea was stated with enough clarity.
   • A few words ending in -ly function as both adjectives and adverbs (a kindly-looking teacher; a kindly provided facility). Some such dual-purpose words (like early, only, northerly) are not standard -ly adverbs, because they are not formed by addition of -ly to an independent current-English adjective. These need careful treatment: Early flowering plants appeared around 130 million years ago, but Early-flowering plants risk damage from winter frosts; only child actors (no adult actors) but only-child actors (actors without siblings).
   • A hyphen is normally used when the adverb well precedes a participle used attributively (a well-meaning gesture; but normally a very well managed firm, because well itself is modified) and even predicatively, if well is necessary to, or alters, the sense of the adjective rather than simply intensifying it (the gesture was well-meaning, the child was well-behaved, but the floor was well polished).
   • In some cases, such as diode–transistor logic, the independent status of the linked elements requires an en dash instead of a hyphen. See § Dashes.
   • Shortcuts
     • MOS:SUSPENDED
     • MOS:HANGING
     Use a suspended hyphen (also called a hanging hyphen) when two compound modifiers are separated (two- and three-digit numbers; a ten-car or -truck convoy; sloping right- or leftward).
   • Values and units used as compound modifiers are hyphenated only where the unit is given as a whole word; when using the unit symbol, separate it from the number with a non-breaking space ( ).

Incorrect:	9-mm gap
Correct:	9 mm gap (markup: 9 mm gap)
Incorrect:	9 millimetre gap
Correct:	9-millimetre gap
Correct:	12-hour shift
Correct:	12 h shift (markup: 12 h shift)

Multi-word hyphenated items: It is often possible to avoid multi-word hyphenated modifiers by rewording (a four-CD soundtrack album may be easier to read as a soundtrack album of four CDs). This is particularly important where converted units are involved (the 6-hectare-limit (14.8-acre-limit) rule might be possible as the rule imposing a limit of six hectares (14.8 acres), and the ungainly 4.9-mile (7.9 km) -long tributary as simply 4.9-mile (7.9 km) tributary).

For optional hyphenation of compound points of the compass such as southwest/south-west, see § Compass points.

Do not use a capital letter after a hyphen except for a proper name following the hyphen: Graeco-Roman and Mediterranean-style, but not Gandhi-Like. In titles of published works, when given in title case, follow the capitalization rule for each part independently (The Out-of-Towners), unless reliable sources consistently do otherwise in a particular case (The History of Middle-earth).

Hyphenation rules in other languages may be different. Thus, in French a place name such as Trois-Rivières ('Three Rivers') is hyphenated, when it would not be in English. Follow reliable sources in such cases.

Spacing: A hyphen is never followed or preceded by a space, except when hanging (see above) or when used to display parts of words independently, such as the prefix sub- and the suffix -less.

Image filenames and redirects: Image filenames are not part of the encyclopedic content; they are tools. They are most useful if they can be readily typed, so they usually use hyphens instead of dashes. Similarly, article titles with dashes should also have a corresponding redirect from a copy of the title with hyphens: for example, Michelson-Morley experiment redirects to Michelson–Morley experiment.

Non-breaking: A non-breaking hyphen ({{nbhyph}}) will not be used as a point of line-wrap.

Shortcuts

• MOS:SHY
• MOS:SOFTHYPHEN

Soft hyphens: Use soft hyphens to mark locations where a word will be broken and hyphenated if necessary at the end of a line of text, usually in very long words or narrow spaces (such as captions, narrow table columns, or text adjacent to a very wide image), for example: {{shy|Penn|syl|va|nia and Mass|a|chu|setts style themselves com|mon|wealths.}}. Use sparingly to avoid making wikitext difficult to read and edit. For more information, see Help:Line-break handling.

Encoding: The hyphen is represented by the ASCII/UNICODE HYPHEN-MINUS character, which is entered by the hyphen or minus key on all standard keyboards. Do not use the UNICODE HYPHEN character.

Hyphenation involves many subtleties that cannot be covered here; the rules and examples presented above illustrate the broad principles.

Dashes

"WP:DASH" redirects here. For the overview of Misplaced Pages discussions, see Misplaced Pages:Dashboard. Shortcuts

• MOS:DASH
• MOS:EMDASH
• MOS:ENDASH

Two forms of dash are used on Misplaced Pages: en dash (–) and em dash (—). To enter them, click on them in the CharInsert toolbar, or on a Windows keyboard enter them manually as:

• – or —
• {{endash}} or {{emdash}}

On a Mac keyboard the en dash is entered as opt-hyphen, and the em dash as shift-opt-hyphen. Do not use a double hyphen (--) to stand in for a dash. (See also: Misplaced Pages:How to make dashes.)

Sources use dashes in varying ways. For consistency and clarity, Misplaced Pages adopts the following principles.

In article titles

In article titles, do not use a hyphen (-) as a substitute for an en dash, for example in eye–hand span (since eye does not modify hand). Nonetheless, to aid searching and linking, provide a redirect with hyphens replacing the en dash(es), as in eye-hand span. Similarly, provide category redirects for categories containing dashes. When an en dash is being used as a separator in an article title or section heading, editors may choose whether to capitalize what follows, taking into consideration the existing practice and consistency with related articles.

In running text

Dashes are often used to mark divisions within a sentence: in pairs (parenthetical dashes, instead of parentheses or pairs of commas) or singly (perhaps instead of a colon). They may also indicate an abrupt stop or interruption in reporting quoted speech. In all such cases, either unspaced em dashes or spaced en dashes can be used, with consistency maintained throughout a given article:

• An em dash is unspaced on both sides:

Another "planet" was detected—but it was later found to be a moon of Saturn.

• An en dash is spaced on both sides:

Another "planet" was detected – but it was later found to be a moon of Saturn.

Ideally, an en dash should be preceded by a non-breaking space; this prevents the dash from appearing at the beginning of a line. The {{snd}} template may be used for this:

Another "planet" was detected{{snd}}but it was later found to be a moon of Saturn.

Do not insert any spaces where an en dash should be unspaced (see § Other uses for en dashes).

Dashes can clarify a sentence's structure when commas, parentheses, or both are also being used.

• The book summarizes works of some major philosophers in chronological order: Descartes, Locke, Hume – but not his Treatise (deemed too complex for the target audience) – and Kant.

Shortcuts

• MOS:SPARETHEDASH
• MOS:NOTRIPLEDASH

Use dashes sparingly. More than two in a single sentence makes the structure unclear; it takes time for the reader to see which dashes form a pair, if any.

• The birds – at least the ones Darwin collected – had red and blue feathers.
• "We have run aground at – ", was the final, incomplete message received from the ship.
• Avoid: First – at a marshy site leveled with landfill – came the workshop – then administrative and other buildings.
• Better: First – at a marshy site leveled with landfill – came the workshop; administrative and other buildings were erected later.

In ranges that might otherwise be expressed with to or through

Shortcuts

• MOS:ENTO
• MOS:ENFROM
• MOS:RANGE
• MOS:RANGES

This section is about ranges of numbers, dates, or times. For other ranges, such as ranges of physical locations, see § In compounds when the connection might otherwise be expressed with to, versus, and, or between. See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Ranges

For ranges between numbers, dates, or times, use an en dash:

• pp. 7–19;   64–75%;   Henry VIII reigned 1509–1547

Do not change hyphens to dashes in filenames, URLs, or templates such as {{Bibleverse}} (which formats verse ranges into URLs), even if a range is embedded in them.

Do not mix en dashes with between or from.

• 450–500 people
• between 450 and 500 people, not between 450–500 people
• from 450 to 500 people, not from 450–500 people
• from 1961 to 1964, not from 1961–1964
• between the 1961–1962 and 1967–1968 seasons, ticket sales dropped substantially (or between the 1961–62 and 1967–68 seasons)

The en dash in a range is always unspaced, except when either or both elements of the range include at least one space, hyphen, or en dash; in such cases, {{snd}} between them will provide the proper formatting.

• July 23, 1790 – December 1, 1791 (not July 23, 1790–December 1, 1791)
• 14 May – 2 August 2011 (not 14 May–2 August 2011)
• 1–17 September (and note in this case that the second element of the range is 17 not 17 September);   February–October 2009;   1492 – 7 April 1556
• Christmas Day – New Year's Eve;   Christmas 2001 – Easter 2002;   10:30 pm Tuesday – 1:25 am Wednesday;   6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. (but 6:00–9:30 p.m.)
• wavelengths in the range 28 mm – 17 m.
• pages 5-7 – 5-9

If negative values are involved, an unspaced en dash might be confusing:

• −10 to 10, not −10–10 (though −10 – 10 might work in a table consistently formatted with x–y constructions)

In compounds when the connection might otherwise be expressed with to, versus, and, or between

Shortcut

• MOS:ENBETWEEN

Here, the relationship is thought of as parallel, symmetric, equal, oppositional, or at least involving separate or independent elements. The components may be nouns, adjectives, verbs, or any other independent part of speech. Often, if the components are reversed there would be little change of meaning.

• boyfriend–girlfriend problems;   the Paris–Montpellier route;   a New York–Los Angeles flight
• iron–cobalt interactions; the components are parallel and reversible; iron and cobalt retain their identity
• Wrong: an iron–roof shed; iron modifies roof, so use a hyphen: an iron-roof shed
• Wrong: a singer–songwriter; not separate persons, so use a hyphen: a singer-songwriter
• red–green colorblind; red and green are separate independent colors, not mixed
• Wrong: blue–green algae; a blended, intermediate color, so use a hyphen: blue-green algae
• a 51–30 win;   a 12–0 perfect season;   a 22–17 majority vote; but prefer spelling out when using words instead of numerals: a six-to-two majority decision, not with the awkward six–two;  avoid confusingly reversed order: a 17–22 majority vote
• a 50–50 joint venture;   a 60–40 split;   avoid using a slash (stroke) here, which indicates division
• the Uganda–Tanzania War;   the Roman–Syrian War;   the east–west runway;   the Lincoln–Douglas debates;   a carbon–carbon bond
• diode–transistor logic;   the analog–digital distinction;   push–pull output;   on–off switch
• a pro-establishment–anti-intellectual alliance;   Singapore–Sumatra–Java shipping lanes
• the ballerina's rapid walk–dance transitions;   a male–female height ratio of 1.14

Generally, use a hyphen in compounded proper names of single entities.

• Guinea-Bissau; Bissau is its capital, and this name distinguishes the country from neighboring Guinea
• Wilkes-Barre, a single city named after two people, but Minneapolis–Saint Paul, an area encompassing two cities
• John Lennard-Jones, an individual named after two families

Shortcut

• MOS:DUALNATIONALITIES

Use an en dash between the names of nations or nationalities when referring to an association between them. For people and things identifying with multiple nationalities, use a hyphen when using the combination adjectivally and a space when they are used as nouns, with the first used attributively to modify the second.

• an Italian–Swiss border crossing;   but an Italian-Swiss newspaper for Italian-speaking Swiss
• France–Britain rivalry;   French–British rivalry
• an Indian-American scientist;   was especially popular with Indian Americans
• Wrong: Franco–British rivalry; Franco- is a combining form, not an independent word, so use a hyphen: Franco-British rivalry

A slash or some other alternative may occasionally be better to express a ratio, especially in technical contexts (see § Slashes).

• the protein–fat ratio;   the protein/fat ratio;   the protein-to-fat ratio
• Colons are often used for strictly numeric ratios, to avoid confusion with subtraction and division: a 3:1 ratio;  a three-to-one ratio (see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Ratios).

Use an en dash for the names of two or more entities in an attributive compound.

• the Seifert–van Kampen theorem;   the Alpher–Bethe–Gamow theory
• the Seeliger–Donker-Voet scheme (developed by Seeliger and Donker-Voet)
• Comet Hale–Bopp or just Hale–Bopp (discovered by Hale and Bopp)

Do not use an en dash for hyphenated personal names, even when they are used as adjectives:

• Lennard-Jones potential with a hyphen: named after John Lennard-Jones

Do not use spaces around the en dash in any of the compounds above.

Instead of a hyphen, use an en dash when applying a prefix or suffix to a compound that itself includes a space, dash or hyphen

Shortcuts

• MOS:AFFIXDASH
• MOS:PREFIXDASH
• MOS:SUFFIXDASH

• ex–prime minister Thatcher (consider recasting: former prime minister Thatcher)
• pre–World War II aircraft (consider recasting: aircraft from before World War II)
• post–September 11 anti-war movement
• Trans–New Guinea languages
• post–Hartree–Fock
• Afro–Puerto Rican
• Turks and Caicos–based company
• a Rodgers and Hammerstein–esque musical number

The form of category names follows the corresponding main articles, e.g., Category:Trans–New Guinea languages. However, the principle is not extended when compounding other words in category names, e.g., Category:Tennis-related lists and Category:Table tennis-related lists both use hyphens.

To separate parts of an item in a list

Shortcut

• MOS:LISTDASH

Spaced en dashes are sometimes used between parts of list items. For example:

• James Galway – flute; Anne-Sophie Mutter – violin; Maurizio Pollini – piano.

or

• "The Future" – 7:21
• "Ain't No Cure for Love" – 6:17
• "Bird on the Wire" – 6:14

Editors may choose whether to capitalize what follows, taking into consideration the existing practice and consistency with related articles.

Other uses for en dashes

The en dash (–) has several common functions beyond its use in lists and running text. It is used to join components less strongly than a hyphen would (see § Hyphens); conversely, it may also separate components less strongly than a slash would (see § Slashes). Consider the relationship that exists between two components when deciding what punctuation to place between them.

Other uses for em dashes

An indented em dash may be used when attributing the source of a passage, such as a block quotation or poem. This dash should not be fully spaced: however, for reasons related to metadata and accessibility, it is best to place a hair space between the dash and the name. Most of Misplaced Pages's quotation templates provide this formatting automatically.

For example, {{in5}}—{{hair space}}Charlotte Brontë will produce:

     — Charlotte Brontë

Other dashes

Shortcut

• MOS:NEGATIVE

Do not use typewriter approximations or other substitutes, such as two hyphens (--), for em or en dashes.

For a negative sign or subtraction operator use U+2212 − MINUS SIGN (&minus;), which can also be generated by clicking on the − following the ± in the Insert toolbar beneath the edit window. Do not use U+2212 − MINUS SIGN inside a <math> tag, as the character gives a syntax error; instead use a normal hyphen U+002D - HYPHEN-MINUS.

Slashes (strokes)

"WP:SLASH" redirects here. For information on subpages, which contain a slash in their titles, see WP:SUB. Shortcuts

• MOS:SLASH
• MOS:STROKE
• MOS:/

Generally, avoid joining two words with a slash, also called a forward slash, stroke or solidus ( / ), because it suggests that the words are related without specifying how. Replace with clearer wording.

An example: The parent/instructor must be present at all times. Must both be present? (Then write the parent and the instructor.) Must at least one be present? (Then write the parent or the instructor.) Are they the same person? (Use a hyphen: the parent-instructor.)

In circumstances involving a distinction or disjunction, the en dash (see above) is usually preferable to the slash: the digital–analog distinction.

An unspaced slash may be used:

• to indicate phonemic pronunciations (rivet is pronounced /ˈrɪvət/);
• in a fraction (7/8, but see other techniques at Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Fractions and ratios);
• to indicate regular defined yearly periods that do not coincide with calendar years (e.g., the 2009/2010 fiscal year), if that is the convention used in reliable sources (see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Long periods of time for further explanation);
• to express a ratio, in a form in which a slash is conventionally used (e.g., the price-to-earnings ratio, or P/E ratio for short);
• in an expression or abbreviation widely used outside Misplaced Pages (e.g., n/a or N/A for not applicable).

A spaced slash may be used:

• to separate run-on lines in quoted poetry or song (To be or not to be: that is the question: / Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune), or rarely in quoted prose, where careful marking of a paragraph break is textually important;
• to separate items that include at least one internal space (the NY 31 east / NY 370 exit), where for some reason use of a slash is unavoidable.

To avoid awkward linebreaks, code spaced slashes (and fraction slashes) with a non-breaking space on the left and a normal space on the right, as in: My mama told me / You better shop around. For short constructions, both spaces should be non-breaking: x / y. On the other hand, if two long words are connected by an unspaced slash, an {{wbr}} added after the slash will allow a linebreak at that point.

Do not use the backslash character ( \ ) in place of a slash.

Prefer the division operator ( ÷ ) to slash or fraction slash when representing elementary arithmetic in general text: 10 ÷ 2 = 5. In more advanced mathematical formulas, a vinculum or slash is preferred: ${\displaystyle \textstyle {\frac {x^{n}}{n!}}}$ or x/n! (see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Common mathematical symbols and Help:Displaying a formula).

And/or

Shortcut

• MOS:ANDOR

Avoid writing and/or unless other constructions would be lengthy or awkward. Instead of Most had trauma and/or smoke inhalation, write simply trauma or smoke inhalation (which would normally be interpreted as an inclusive or to imply or both); or, for emphasis or precision or both, write trauma or smoke inhalation or both. Where more than two possibilities are present, instead of x, y, and/or z write one or more of x, y, and z or some or all of x, y, and z.

Symbols

Unicode symbols are preferred over composed ASCII symbols for improved readability and accessibility. Be mindful of presentations that may require ASCII, like sourcecode. Keys for these symbols can be found at the bottom of the Source Editor.

Symbol

Composed ASCII symbol	Preferred replacement
-->	→
<--	←
<--> or <->	↔
^	↑
>=	≥
<=	≤
~=	≈

Number (pound, hash) sign and numero

Shortcuts

• MOS:NUMBERSIGN
• MOS:NUMERO
• MOS:HASH
• MOS:POUND

For pound sterling and other currency symbols, see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Currencies and monetary values. See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers

Avoid using the # symbol (known as the number sign, hash sign, pound sign, or octothorpe) when referring to numbers or rankings. Instead write number, No. or Nos.; do not use the symbol №. For example:

Incorrect:	Her album reached #1 in the UK albums chart.
Correct:	Her album reached number one in the UK albums chart.
Correct:	Her album reached No. 1 in the UK albums chart.
Correct:	Her albums Foo and Bar reached Nos. 1 and 3.
Correct:	Her albums Foo and Bar reached numbers one and three in the UK albums chart.

An exception is issue numbers of comic books, which unlike for other periodicals are conventionally given in general text in the form #1, unless a volume is also given, in which case write volume two, number seven or Vol. 2, No. 7. Another exception are periodical publications carrying both, issue and number designations (typically one being a year-relative and the other an absolute value); they should be given in the form 2 #143 in citations, or be spelt out as Iss. 2, No. 143 in text. When using the abbreviations, write {{abbr|Vol.|Volume}}, {{abbr|Iss.|Issue}}, {{abbr|No.|Number}}, or {{abbr|Nos.|Numbers}}, at first occurrence.

Terminal punctuation

"MOS:PERIOD" redirects here. For periods of time, see MOS:DATERANGE. Shortcuts

• MOS:FULLSTOP
• MOS:EXCLAMATION
• MOS:PERIOD

• Exclamation and question marks have almost no application in encyclopedic writing.
• For the use of three periods in succession, see § Ellipses.
• In some contexts, no terminal punctuation is necessary. In such cases, the sentence often does not start with a capital letter. See § Quotations and § Quotation marks.
• Sentence fragments in captions or lists should in most cases not end with a period. See § Formatting of captions and § Bulleted and numbered lists.

Spacing

Shortcuts

• MOS:DOUBLESPACE
• MOS:PUNCTSPACE

In normal text, never put a space before a comma, semicolon, colon, period/full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark (even in quoted material; see § Typographic conformity).

Some editors place two spaces after a period/full stop (see Sentence spacing); these are condensed to one space when the page is rendered, so it does not affect what readers see.

Consecutive punctuation marks

Shortcut

• MOS:CONSECUTIVE

Where a word or phrase that includes terminal punctuation ends a sentence, do not add a second terminal punctuation mark. If a quoted phrase or title ends in a question mark or exclamation mark, it may confuse readers as to the nature of the article sentence containing it, and so is usually better reworded to be mid-sentence. Where such a word or phrase occurs mid-sentence, new terminal punctuation (usually a period) must be added at the end.

Incorrect:	Slovak returned to the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1985 after growing tired of What Is This?.
Acceptable:	Slovak returned to the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1985 after growing tired of What Is This?
Better:	Slovak, having grown tired of What Is This?, returned to the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1985.
Incorrect:	He made several films with Sammy Davis Jr..
Correct:	He made several films with Sammy Davis Jr.

Punctuation and footnotes

Shortcuts

• MOS:CITEPUNCT
• MOS:PUNCTFOOT
• MOS:REFPUNCT
• MOS:PUNCTREF
• MOS:REFSPACE
• MOS:PF

See also: Misplaced Pages:Citing sources

Reference tags (<ref>...</ref>) are used to create footnotes (also called endnotes or simply notes), as citation footnotes and sometimes explanatory notes. All reference tags should immediately follow the text to which the footnote applies, with no intervening space. Apart from the exceptions listed below, references are placed after adjacent punctuation, not before. Adjacent reference tags should have no space between them, nor should there be any between tags and inline dispute and cleanup templates.

When reference tags are used, a footnote list must be added, and this is usually placed in the References section, near the end of the article in the standard appendices and footers.

• Example: Flightless birds have a reduced keel, and they also have smaller wing bones than flying birds of similar size.

Exceptions: Reference tags are placed before dashes, not after. If a footnote applies only to material within parentheses, the tags belong just before the closing parenthesis.

• Example: Paris is not the capital city of England – the capital of which is London – but that of France.
• Example: Kim Jong-un (Korean: 김정은; Hanja: 金正恩) is the Supreme Leader of North Korea.

Punctuation after formulae

Sentences should place punctuation after mathematical formulae as if they were normal body text. See Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Mathematics § Punctuation after formulae.

Dates and time

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Chronological items

Dates should be linked only when they are germane and topical to the subject, as discussed at Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Linking § Chronological items. For ranges of dates and times, see § Other uses for en dashes.

Time of day

Main page: MOS:TIME

Times of day are normally expressed in figures rather than words. Context determines whether the 12- or the 24-hour format is more appropriate.

• Twelve-hour clock times are written in one of two forms: 11:15 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., or 11:15 am and 2:30 pm (wherein the spaces should be non-breaking). Use noon and midnight rather than 12 pm and 12 am; it may need to be specified whether midnight refers to the start or end of a date.
• Twenty-four-hour clock times are written in the form 08:15 and 22:55, with no suffix. Midnight written as 00:00 begins the day; 24:00 ends it.

Dates

Main page: MOS:DATEFORMAT

Full dates are formatted 10 June 1921 or June 10, 1921; or where the year is omitted, use 10 June or June 10.

• The dates in the text of any one article should all have the same format (day-first or month-first).
  • For date formats in citations, see Misplaced Pages:Citing sources § Citation style.
  • Dates in quotations and titles are always left as-is.
  • If a numerical format is required (e.g., for conciseness in lists and tables), use the YYYY-MM-DD format: 2005-04-03.
• Articles on topics with strong ties to a particular English-speaking country should generally use the more common date format for that country (month-first for the US, except in military usage; day-first for most others; articles related to Canada may use either consistently). Otherwise, do not change an article from one date format to the other without good reason.

Months

Main page: MOS:MONTH

• For month and year, write June 1921, with no comma.
• Abbreviations for months, such as Feb, are used only where space is extremely limited. Such abbreviations should use three letters only, and should not be followed by a period (full point) except at the end of a sentence.

Seasons

Main page: MOS:SEASON

• Avoid ambiguous references to seasons, which are different in the southern and northern hemispheres.
• Names of seasons may be used when there is a logical connection to the event being described (the autumn harvest) or when referring to a phase of a natural yearly cycle (migration typically starts in mid-spring). Otherwise, neutral wording is usually preferable (He was elected in November 1992, not He was elected in the fall of 1992).
• Journals and other publications that are issued seasonally (e.g., "Summer 2005") should be dated as such in citations (for more information, see Misplaced Pages:Citing sources § Seasonal publication dates and differing calendar systems).

Years and longer periods

Main pages: MOS:DECADE, MOS:CENTURY, and MOS:ERA

• Do not use the year before the digits (1995, not the year 1995), unless the meaning would otherwise be unclear.
• Decades are written in the format the 1980s, with no apostrophe. Use the two-digit form ('80s) only with an established social or cultural meaning. Avoid forms such as the 1700s that could refer to ten or a hundred years.
• Years are denoted by AD and BC or, equivalently, CE and BCE. Use only one system within an article, and do not change from one system to the other without good reason. The abbreviations are written without periods, and with a non-breaking space, as in 5 BC. Omit AD or CE unless omitting it would cause ambiguity.

More information on all the above topics can be found at Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Chronological items, including the handling of dates expressed in different calendars, and times corresponding to different time zones.

Current

Main page: MOS:CURRENT See also: Misplaced Pages:As of and Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Words to watch § Relative time references

Terms such as "current", "now", and "recent" should be avoided. What is current today may not be tomorrow; situations change over time. Instead, use date- and time-specific text. To help keep information updated use {{As of}}, which will allow editors to catalog and update dated statements.

Incorrect:	He is the current ambassador to ...
Correct:	As of March 2011, he is the ambassador to ...

Numbers

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Numbers

• Integers from zero to nine are spelled out in words. Integers greater than nine expressible in one or two words may be expressed either in numerals or in words. Other numbers are given in numerals or in forms such as 21 million. See MOS:NUM § Numbers as figures or words.
• In general, in numbers with five or more digits to the left of the decimal point, use commas to group those digits. Numbers with four digits are at the editor's discretion: 12,345, but either 1,000 or 1000. See MOS:NUM § Grouping of digits.
• In general, use decimals rather than fractions for measurements, but fractions are sometimes used with imperial and U.S. customary units. Keep articles internally consistent.
• Scientific notation (e.g., 5.8×10 kg) is preferred in scientific contexts. Markup: {{val|5.8|e=7|u=kg}}.
• Write out "million" and "billion" on the first use. After that, unspaced "M" can be used for millions and "bn" for billions: 70M and 25bn. See MOS:NUM § Numbers as figures or words for similar words.
• Write 3%, three percent, or three per cent, but not 3 % (with a space) or three %. "Percent" is American usage, and "per cent" is British usage (see § National varieties of English). In ranges of percentages written with an en dash, write only a single percent sign: 3–14%.
• Indicate uncertainties as e.g., (1.534±0.35)×10 m. Markup: {{val|1.534|0.35|e=23|u=m}}. See MOS:NUM § Uncertainty and rounding for other formats.

Currencies

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Currencies and monetary values

• Use the full abbreviation on first use (US$ for the US dollar and A$ for the Australian dollar), unless the currency is already clear from context. For example, the government of the United States always spends money in American dollars, and never in Canadian or Australian dollars.
• Use only one symbol with ranges, as in $250–300.
• In articles that are not specific to a country, express amounts of money in United States dollars, euros, or pounds sterling. Do not link the names or symbols of currencies that are commonly known to English-speakers ($, €, £), unless there is a particular reason to do so; do not use potentially ambiguous currency symbols, unless the meaning is clear in the context.
• In country-specific articles, use the currency of the country. On first occurrence, consider including conversion to US dollars, euros, or pounds sterling, at a rate appropriate to the context. For example, Since 2001 the grant has been 10,000,000 Swedish kronor (€1.0M as of August 2009). Wording such as "approx." is not appropriate for simple rounding-off of the converted amount.
• Generally, use the full name of a currency, and link it on its first appearance if English-speakers are likely to be unfamiliar with it (52 Nepalese rupees); subsequent occurrences can use the currency sign (just 88 Rs).
• Most currency symbols are placed before the number, and unspaced ($123 not $ 123).

Units of measurement

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Units of measurement

• The main unit in which a quantity is expressed should generally be an SI unit or non-SI unit officially accepted for use with the SI. However,
  • Scientific articles may also use specialist units appropriate for the branch of science in question.
  • In non-scientific articles with strong ties to the United States, the main unit is generally a U.S. customary unit (22 pounds (10 kg)).
  • In non-scientific articles with strong ties to the United Kingdom, although the main unit is generally a metric unit (10 kilograms (22 lb)), imperial units are still used as the main units in some contexts (7 miles (11 km) by road).
• Where English-speaking countries use different units for the same measurement, provide a conversion in parentheses. Examples: the Mississippi River is 2,320 miles (3,734 km) long; the Murray River is 2,375 kilometres (1,476 mi) long. See {{convert}}.
• In a direct quotation, always retain the source's units. Any conversion should follow in square brackets (or, an obscure use of units can be explained in the article text or a footnote).
• Where space is limited (such as tables, infoboxes, parenthetical notes, and mathematical formulas) unit symbols are preferred. In prose, unit names should be given in full if used only a few times but symbols may be used when a unit (especially one with a long name) is used repeatedly after spelling out the first use (e.g., Up to 15 kilograms of filler is used for a batch of 250 kg), except for unit names that are hardly ever spelled out (°C rather than degrees Celsius).
• Most unit names are not capitalized (see § National varieties of English for spelling differences).
• Use "per" when writing out a unit, rather than a slash: metre per second, not metre/second.
• Units unfamiliar to general readers should be presented as a name–symbol pair on first use, linking the unit name (Energies were originally 2.3 megaelectronvolts (MeV), but were eventually 6 MeV).
• For ranges, see § En dashes: other uses, and MOS:NUM, at §§ Date ranges, Percentages, Unit names and symbols, and Formatting of monetary values.
• Unit symbols are preceded by figures, not by spelled-out numbers. Values and unit symbols are separated by a non-breaking space. For example, 5 min. The percent sign and units of degrees, minutes, and seconds for angles and coordinates are unspaced.

Common mathematical symbols

Shortcut

• MOS:COMMONMATH

See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Mathematics and Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Common mathematical symbols

• For a negative sign or subtraction operator, use a minus sign (−, Unicode character U+2212 MINUS SIGN). Input by clicking on it in the insert box beneath the edit window or by typing −.
• For multiplication, use a multiplication sign (U+00D7 × MULTIPLICATION SIGN) or a dot (U+22C5 ⋅ DOT OPERATOR), which are input by clicking on them in the edit toolbox under the edit window or by entering × or ⋅. Care should be taken not to confuse the dot operator (in the "Math and logic" section of the edit toolbox) with an interpunct (in the "Insert" section of the edit toolbox) or a bullet. The letter x should not be used to indicate multiplication, but it is used (unspaced) as the substitute for "by" in terms such as 4x4.
• Exponentiation is indicated by a superscript, a (typed as ''a''<sup>''n''</sup>.
• Do not use programming language notation outside computer program text. In most programming languages, subtraction, multiplication, and exponentiation are represented by the hyphen-minus -, the asterisk *, and either the caret ^ or the double asterisk ** respectively; scientific notation is replaced by E notation.
• Symbols for binary operators and relations are usually spaced on both sides:
  • plus, minus, and plus-or-minus (as binary operators): +, −, ± (as in 5 − 3);
  • multiplication and division: ×, ÷;
  • equals, does not equal, equals approximately: =, ≠, ≈;
  • is less than, is less than or equal to, is greater than, is greater than or equal to: <, ≤, >, ≥.
• Symbols for unary operators are closed-up to their operand:
  • positive, negative, and positive-or-negative signs: +, −, ± (as in −3);
  • other unary operators, such as the exclamation mark as a factorial sign (as in 5!).
• Variables are italicized, but digits and punctuation are not; only x and y are italicized in 2(5x + y).
• {{math}} can be used to style formulas to distinguish them from surrounding text. For single variables, {{mvar}} is handy.

Grammar and usage

Shortcut

• MOS:GRAMMAR

Possessives

Shortcuts

• MOS:POSS
• MOS:'S

For the apostrophe character, see § Apostrophes. For thorough treatment of the English possessive, see Apostrophe.

Singular nouns

For the possessive of singular nouns, including proper names and words ending in s, add 's (my daughter's achievement, my niece's wedding, Cortez's men, the boss's office, Illinois's largest employer, the US's partners, Descartes's philosophy, Verreaux's eagle). Exception: abstract nouns ending with an /s/ sound when followed by sake (for goodness' sake, for his conscience' sake). If a name ending in s or z would be difficult to pronounce with 's added (Jesus's teachings), consider rewording (the teachings of Jesus).

Plural nouns

Shortcut

• MOS:PLURALNOUN

• For a normal plural noun ending with a pronounced s, form the possessive by adding just an apostrophe (my sons' wives, my nieces' weddings).
• For a plural noun not ending with a pronounced s, add 's (women's careers, people's habits, mice's whiskers; The two Dumas's careers were controversial, but where rewording is an option, this may be better: The career of each Dumas was controversial).

Official names

Official names (of companies, organizations, or places) should not be altered. (St Thomas' Hospital should therefore not be rendered as St Thomas's Hospital or St. Thomas Hospital, even for consistency.)

Pronouns

Shortcut

• MOS:PRONOUN

See also: Misplaced Pages:Writing better articles § Use of pronouns

First-person pronouns

Shortcuts

• MOS:I
• MOS:OUR
• MOS:PERSON
• MOS:WE

To maintain an objective and impersonal encyclopedic voice, an article should never refer to its editors or readers using I, my, we, us, our, or similar words: We note that some believe that bats are bugs. But some of these words are acceptable in certain figurative uses. For example:

• In historical articles to mean the modern world as a whole: Only portions of De re publica have come down to us.
• The author's we found in scientific writing (We construct S as follows), though passive voice may be preferable (S is constructed as follows).

Second-person pronouns

Shortcuts

• MOS:YOU
• MOS:BAIT
• MOS:PEDAGOGY
• MOS:SOCRATIC

"WP:YOU" redirects here. For "Misplaced Pages is not about you", see WP:NOTYOU. For "A picture of you", see WP:APoY.

Avoid addressing the reader using you or your, which sets an inappropriate tone (see also § Instructional and presumptuous language).

• Use a noun or a third-person pronoun: instead of When you move past "Go", you collect $200, use A player passing "Go" collects $200, or When a player passes "Go", they collect $200.
• If a person cannot be specified, or when implying "anyone" as a subject, the impersonal pronoun one may be used: a sense that one is being watched. Other constructions may be preferable if the pronoun one seems stilted: a person's sense of being watched.
• The passive voice may sometimes be used instead: Impurities are removed before bottling.
• Do not bait links, e.g., "Click here for more information"; let the browser's normal highlighting invite a click. ("Click here" also makes no sense to someone reading on paper.)
• Likewise, "See: ..." or "Consider ..." (in reference to arguments, principles, facts, etc.) are milder second-person baits, common in academic writing (pedagogy). This interactive personality is inconsistent with an encyclopedia's passive presentation of objective matter.
  • "See" and the like can be used to internally cross-reference other Misplaced Pages material. Do not italicize words like "see". Such a cross-reference should be parenthetical, so the article text stands alone if the parenthetical is removed. {{Crossref}} can be used for this: {{Crossref|(see ])}}, {{Crossref|(See ] for details.)}} It is usually better to rewrite the material to integrate these links contextually rather than use explicit Misplaced Pages self-references.
• Do not address the reader with the Socratic method by asking and answering questions. Did Bacon write Shakespeare? Then who wrote Bacon?

Third-person pronouns

Refer to a person with pronouns (and other gendered words) that reflect their latest self-identification in recent reliable sources. Singular they/them/their are appropriate in reference to anyone who uses those, as replacements for neopronouns, and in generic reference to persons of unknown gender.

(For considerably more detail, see WP:Manual of Style/Biography § Gender identity.)

Shortcuts

• MOS:SHIPPRONOUN
• MOS:SHE4SHIPS

Ships (military or private-sector) may be referred to by either neuter pronouns (it, its) or feminine pronouns (she, her). Both usages are acceptable, but each article should be internally consistent and exclusively employ only one style. As with all optional styles, articles should not be changed from one style to another without clear and substantial reason. Try to avoid close, successive uses of the same referent for a ship, by using different referents in rotation; for example, it or she, the ship, and the ship's name. The she/her optional style does not apply to other vessel/vehicle types, such as trains.

(See the next section, "Plurals", for singular it or plural they in reference to organizations and other collective nouns.)

Plurals

Shortcuts

• MOS:PLURALS
• MOS:SINGULAR

See also: English plurals and Collective noun For the article title guideline, see Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (plurals).

Use the appropriate plural; allow for cases (such as excursus or hanif) in which a word is now listed in major English dictionaries, and normally takes an s or es plural, not its original plural: two excursuses, not two excursūs as in Latin; three hanifs, not three hunafa as in Arabic.

Some collective nouns – such as team (and proper names of them), army, company, crowd, fleet, government, majority, mess, number, pack, and party – may refer either to a single entity or to the members that compose it. In British English, such words are sometimes treated as singular, but more often treated as plural, according to context (but singular is not actually incorrect). In North American English, these words are almost invariably treated as singular; the major exception is that when a sports team is referred to by its short name, plural verbs are commonly used, e.g. the Heat are playing the Lakers tonight.

Names of towns and countries usually take singular verbs (even when grammatically plural: the United States is in North America, the Netherlands is also known as Holland), but exceptionally in British English, typically when used to refer to a sports team named after a town or country or when discussing actions of a government, plural is used. For example, in England are playing Germany tomorrow, England refers to a football team; but in England is in the Northern hemisphere, it refers to the country. See also § National varieties of English including § Opportunities for commonality.

Verb tense

Shortcuts

• MOS:TENSE
• MOS:VERB
• MOS:ISWAS
• MOS:WAS
• MOS:COMPNOW

"MOS:PRESENT" redirects here. For the guideline on words such as "currently", "soon", and "recently", see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Statements likely to become outdated. See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography § Tense, Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Words to watch § Relative time references, and Misplaced Pages:Writing better articles § Tense in fiction

By default, write articles in the present tense, including those covering works of fiction (see Misplaced Pages:Writing better articles § Tense in fiction) and products or works that have been discontinued. Generally, use past tense only for past events, and for subjects that are dead or no longer meaningfully exist. Use past tense for articles about periodicals no longer produced, with common-sense exceptions.

• The PDP-10 is a mainframe computer family manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation from 1966 into the 1980s.
• Earth: Final Conflict is a Canadian science fiction television series that ran for five seasons between October 6, 1997, and May 20, 2002.
• The Gordon Riots of 1780 were several days of rioting in London motivated by anti-Catholic sentiment.
• The Beatles were an English rock band that formed in Liverpool in 1960.
• Barack Obama is a former president of the United States (not Barack Obama was a president of the United States).
• Jumbo Comics was an adventure anthology comic book published by Fiction House from 1938 to 1953.
• A Prairie Home Companion is a radio show that aired live from 1974 to 2016 (not A Prairie Home Companion was a radio show).
• Flappy Bird is a mobile game developed by Vietnamese video game artist and programmer Dong Nguyen (not Flappy Bird was a mobile game).

Tense can be used to distinguish between current and former status of a subject: Dún Aonghasa is the ruin of a prehistoric Irish cliff fort. Its original shape was presumably oval or D-shaped, but parts of the cliff and fort have since collapsed into the sea. (Emphasis added to distinguish the different tense usages; Dún Aonghasa is a structure that was later damaged by an event.)

Always use present tense for verbs that describe genres, types, and classes, even if the subject of the description (e.g. program, library, device) no longer exists, is discontinued, is unsupported or is unmaintained. Present tense is also used for discontinued television shows.

Vocabulary

Contractions

Shortcut

• MOS:CONTRACTIONS

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Abbreviations § Contractions

Avoid contractions, which have little place in formal writing. For example, write do not instead of don't. Use of o'clock is an exception. Contracted titles such as Dr. and St generally should not be used but may apply in some contexts (e.g., quoted material, place names, titles of works).

Gender-neutral language

"MOS:GENDER" redirects here. For the style guideline regarding pronoun usage for individuals whose gender might be questioned, see MOS:GENDERID. For an essay with suggestions and sample usage, see Misplaced Pages:Gender-neutral language. For an essay about not assuming the pronouns of other editors, see Misplaced Pages:Editors' pronouns. See also: Misplaced Pages:Writing about women Shortcuts

• MOS:GNL
• MOS:S/HE

Use gender-neutral language – avoiding the generic he, for example – if this can be done with clarity and precision. This does not apply to direct quotations or the titles of works (The Ascent of Man), which should not be altered, or to wording about one-gender contexts, such as an all-female school (When any student breaks that rule, she loses privileges).

References to space programs, past, present and future, should use gender-neutral phrasing: human spaceflight, robotic probe, uncrewed mission, crewed spacecraft, piloted, unpiloted, astronaut, cosmonaut, not manned or unmanned. Direct quotations and proper nouns that use gendered words should not be changed, like Manned Maneuvering Unit.

Shortcut

• MOS:SHIP

Ships may be referred to using either neuter forms ("it", "its") or feminine forms ("she", "her", "hers"). Either usage is acceptable, but each article should be internally consistent and employ one or the other exclusively. As with all optional styles, articles should not be changed from one style to another unless there is a substantial reason to do so. See Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Military history § Pronouns.

Contested vocabulary

Avoid words and phrases that give the impression of straining for formality, that are unnecessarily regional, or that are not widely accepted. See List of commonly misused English words; see also § Identity.

Instructional and presumptuous language

Shortcuts

• MOS:INSTRUCT
• MOS:NOTE
• MOS:NOTETHAT
• MOS:NOTED
• MOS:PRESUME
• MOS:QUESTION

"MOS:NOTE" redirects here. For footnotes, see Help:Footnotes. For hatnotes, see Misplaced Pages:Hatnote. For musical notes, see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Music § Images and notation. See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Words to watch § Editorializing, Misplaced Pages:Writing better articles § Information style and tone, and Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Self-references to avoid § Note that ...

Avoid phrases such as remember that and note that, which address readers directly in an unencyclopedic tone and lean toward instructional. They are a subtle form of Misplaced Pages self-reference, "breaking the fourth wall". Similarly, phrases such as of course, naturally, obviously, clearly, and actually make presumptions about readers' knowledge, may express a viewpoint, and may call into question the reason for including the information in the first place. Do not tell readers that something is interesting, ironic, surprising, unexpected, amusing, coincidental, etc. Simply present sourced facts neutrally and let readers draw their own conclusions. Such constructions can usually just be deleted, leaving behind proper sentences with a more academic and less pushy tone: Note that this was naturally subject to controversy in more conservative newspapers. becomes This was subject to controversy in more conservative newspapers. Similar variants which indirectly instruct readers, such as It should be noted that or It is important to note that, may be rewritten by leaving out those words: It is important to note that the colloquial dialect of Portuñol is similar to but different from Mirandese becomes just The colloquial dialect of Portuñol is similar to but different from Mirandese.

Avoid rhetorical questions, especially in headings. Use a heading of Active listening and text such as The term active listening, coined in ..., not What is active listening?

For issues in the use of cross-references – e.g., (see also Bulverism) – see § Second-person pronouns.

Subset terms

See also: Misplaced Pages:Please clarify and Misplaced Pages:Vagueness Shortcut

• MOS:SUBSET

A subset term identifies a set of members of a larger class. Common subset terms are including, among, and etc. Avoid redundant subset terms (e.g., mis-constructions like Among the most well-known members of the fraternity are included two members of the Onassis family or The elements in stars include hydrogen, helium, etc.). The word including does not introduce a complete list; instead, use consisting of, or composed of.

Identity

Shortcuts

• MOS:IDENTITY
• MOS:ID

See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography § Child named for parent or predecessor, and Misplaced Pages:Verifiability § Self-published or questionable sources as sources on themselves

When there is a discrepancy between the term most commonly used by reliable sources for a person or group and the term that person or group uses for themselves, use the term that is most commonly used by recent reliable sources. If it is unclear which is most used, use the term that the person or group uses.

Disputes over how to refer to a person or group are addressed by Misplaced Pages content policies, such as those on verifiability, and neutral point of view (and article titles when the term appears in the title of an article).

Use specific terminology. For example, it is often more appropriate for people or things from Ethiopia (a country in Africa) to be described as Ethiopian, not carelessly (with the risk of stereotyping) as African.

Gender identity

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography § Gender identity

Specific guidelines apply to any person whose gender might be questioned, and any living transgender or non-binary person. In summary:

• Use gendered words only if they reflect the person's latest self-identification as reported in recent sources.
• If the person is living and was not notable yet when a former name was in use, that name should not be included in any Misplaced Pages page, even in quotations, as a privacy matter. Exception: Do not expunge or replace names in source citations (whether as authors or mentioned in work titles).
• Former names under which a living person was notable should be introduced with "born" or "formerly" in the lead sentence of their main biographical article. Name and gender matters should be explained at first appearance in that article, without overemphasis. In articles on works or other activities of such a person, use their current name by default, and give another name associated with that context in a parenthetical or footnote, only if they were notable under that name. In other articles, do not go into detail about such a person's name or gender except when directly relevant to the context.
• Avoid confusing constructions by rewriting. Paraphrase, elide, or use square brackets to replace portions of quotations as needed to avoid confusion, former names, and mismatching gendered words.

For examples and finer points, see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography § Gender identity.

Non-English terms

Shortcuts

• MOS:NON-ENG
• WP:!EN
• MOS:FOREIGN

See also: WP:Manual of Style/Accessibility § Other languages, WP:Manual of Style/Lead section § Foreign language, Category:Misplaced Pages Manual of Style (regional), and Help:Interlanguage links

Terms without common usage in English

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting § Non-English-language terms

Non-English terms should be used sparingly. In general, use italics for phrases and words that are not current in English. This is best done with the {{lang}} template using the appropriate ISO language code, e.g., {{lang|es|casa}}. There are alternatives to the {{lang}} template which also provide additional information about a non-English word or phrase, such as a link to the language name; see Category:Misplaced Pages multilingual support templates. As Misplaced Pages does not apply italics to names of people, places, or organizations, the alternative template {{langr}} can be used to apply the language markup without italicizing. Templates like {{lang}} automatically italicize text written using the Latin alphabet, so specifying italics is unnecessary.

Text written in non-Latin scripts such as Greek, Cyrillic, and Chinese should not be italicized or put in bold, as the difference in script is already sufficient to visually distinguish the text. Generally, any non-Latin text should include an appropriate romanization.

Terms with common usage in English

Loanwords and borrowed phrases that have common usage in English – Gestapo, samurai, vice versa – do not require italics. A rule of thumb is to not italicize words that appear unitalicized in major general-purpose English dictionaries.

Spelling and romanization

Shortcuts

• MOS:Ñ
• MOS:NOTLATIN
• MOS:ROMANIZATION
• MOS:ROMANISATION
• MOS:DIACRITICS

See also: Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (use English-language sources) § Modified letters, Misplaced Pages:Romanization, and Category:Romanization

Names and terms originally written using a non-Latin script—such as the Greek alphabet, the Cyrillic alphabet, or Chinese characters—must be romanized for English-language use. If a particular romanization of the subject's name is most common in English (Tchaikovsky, Chiang Kai-shek), that form should be used. Otherwise, the romanization of names should adhere to a particular widely used system for the language in question (Aleksandr Tymoczko, Wang Yanhong).

The use of diacritics in non-English words is neither encouraged nor discouraged. Use generally depends on whether they appear in reliable English-language sources, though with some additional constraints imposed by site guidelines. Provide redirects from alternative forms that include or exclude diacritics.

Proper names in languages written using the Latin alphabet can include letters with diacritics, ligatures, and other characters that are not commonly used in contemporary English. Misplaced Pages normally retains these special characters, except where there is a well-established English spelling that replaces them with English standard letters. Examples:

• The name of the article on Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős is spelt with the double acute accent, and the alternative spellings Paul Erdos and Paul Erdös redirect to that article.
• Similarly, the name of the article on the Nordic god Ægir is so spelt, with redirects from the ligature-free form Aegir and the Swedish spelling Ägir.
• However, the region of Spain named Aragón in Spanish and Aragó in Catalan is given as Aragon, without the accent, as this is the established English name. Non-English forms with diacritics appear in the article's lead section.

Use of diacritics is determined on a topic-by-topic basis; a small group of editors cannot prohibit or require the use of diacritics within a given class of articles.

Spell a name consistently in the title and the text of an article. (Relevant policy: Misplaced Pages:Article titles; see also Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (use English-language sources).) For a non-English name, phrase, or word, adopt the spelling most commonly used in English-language reliable sources, including but not limited to those already cited in the article. For punctuation of compounded forms, see relevant guidelines in § Punctuation.

Proper names in non-English languages should generally not be italicized, unless another reason applies; such as with titles of major published works, e.g., Les Liaisons dangereuses; or when being compared to other names for the same subject in a words-as-words manner, e.g., Nuremberg (German: Nürnberg). When non-English text should not be italicized, it can still be properly tagged by using the {{lang}} template with the |italic=unset parameter: {{lang|de|Nürnberg|italic=unset}}.

Sometimes usage will be influenced by other guidelines, such as § National varieties of English, which may lead to different choices in different articles.

Other non-English concerns

• For non-English vernacular names of species, see § Animals, plants, and other organisms.
• For handling of quotations in languages other than English, see § Non-English quotations.
• For non-English characters that resemble single quotation marks and apostrophes, see § Apostrophes.
• For actual non-English quotation characters, see § Quotation characters.
• For the capitalization in the titles of non-English language works, see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Titles of works § Translations.
• For linear and interlinear glosses and their particular uses of small-caps (and italics and single quotes), see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters § All caps and small caps.

Technical language

Shortcut

• MOS:JARGON

"Misplaced Pages:Jargon" redirects here. For an explanation of jargon used on Misplaced Pages, see Misplaced Pages:Glossary. See also: Misplaced Pages:What Misplaced Pages is not § Misplaced Pages is not a manual, guidebook, textbook, or scientific journal; and Misplaced Pages:Make technical articles understandable

Some topics are necessarily technical: however, editors should seek to write articles accessible to the greatest possible number of readers. Minimize the use of jargon, and adequately explain its meaning when it is used. Overly technical material can be tagged with {{Technical}} or {{Technical-statement}}, so that it can be addressed by other editors. For topics that require a more technical approach, the creation of a separate introductory article (like Introduction to general relativity) may be a solution.

Excessive wikilinking (linking within Misplaced Pages) can result from trying too hard to avoid putting explanations in parenthetical statements, like the one that appeared earlier in this sentence. Do not introduce specialized words solely to teach them to the reader when more widely understood alternatives will do.

When the concepts underlying the jargon used in an article are too complex to explain concisely in a parenthetical, write one level down. For example, consider adding a brief background section with {{main}} tags pointing to articles with a fuller treatment of the prerequisite material. This approach is practical only when the prerequisite concepts are central to the exposition of the article's main topic and when such prerequisites are not too numerous. Short articles, such as stubs, generally do not have such sections.

For italicization and other markup of introduced terms, see: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting § Words as words.

Geographical items

Shortcuts

• MOS:GEO
• MOS:PLACE

See also: Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (geographic names) and Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Abbreviations § Special considerations

Geographical or place names are the nouns used to refer to specific places and geographic features. These names often give rise to conflict, because the same places are called different things by different peoples speaking different languages. Many place names have a historical context that should be preserved, but common sense should prevail. There can be few places that have not been parts of more than one culture or have had only one name. As proper nouns, all such place names (but not terms for types of places) have major words capitalized.

A place should generally be referred to consistently by the same name as in the title of its article (see Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (geographic names)). An exception may be made when there is a widely accepted historical English name appropriate to the given context. In cases where such a historical name is used, it should be followed by the modern name in round brackets (parentheses) on the first occurrence of the name in applicable sections of the article. This resembles linking; it should not be done to the detriment of style. On the other hand, it is probably better to provide such a variant too often than too rarely. If more than one historical name is applicable for a given context, the other names should be added after the modern English name, that is: "historical name (modern name, other historical names)".

This is an English-language encyclopedia, so established English names are preferred if they exist, and spellings in non-English alphabets should always be transcribed into the Roman alphabet. In general, other articles should refer to places by the names which are used in the articles on those places, according to the rules described at Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (geographic names). If a different name is appropriate in a given historical or other context, then that may be used instead, although it is normal to follow the first occurrence of such a name with the standard modern name in parentheses.

At the start of an article, provide notable equivalent names from other languages, including transcriptions where necessary:

Cologne (German: Köln, IPA: ) is the ...

Mount Fuji (富士山 Fuji-san, IPA: ) is the ...

Names in languages with no particular present-day or historical ties to the place in question (English excepted, of course) should not be listed as alternatives.

Avoid anachronism. An article about Junípero Serra should say he lived in Alta Mexico, not in California, because the latter entity did not yet exist in Serra's time. The Romans invaded Gaul, not France, and Thabo Mbeki was the president of the Republic of South Africa, not of the Cape Colony. To be clear, you may sometimes need to mention the current name of the area (for example "in what is now France"), especially if no English name exists for that area in the relevant historical period.

Media files

See also: Help:Creation and usage of media files

Images

Shortcut

• MOS:IM

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Images See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility § Images, Misplaced Pages:Image use policy, and Help:Picture tutorial

• Each image should be inside the level 2 section to which it relates, within the section defined by the most recent ==Heading== delimited by two equal signs, or at the top of the lead section. Do not place images immediately above section headings.
• Avoid sandwiching text horizontally between two images that face each other, and between an image and an infobox or similar.
• It is often preferable to place images of people so they "look" toward the text. Do not achieve this by reversing the image.
• Any galleries should comply with Misplaced Pages:Image use policy § Image galleries. Consider linking to additional images on Commons instead.
• Avoid referring to images as being to the left, the right, above or below, because image placement varies with platform, and is meaningless to people using screen readers; instead, use captions to identify images.
• An image's |alt= text takes the image's place for those who are unable to see the image. See Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility/Alternative text for images.

Other media

See also: Misplaced Pages:Videos

Style guidelines for still images are generally also applicable to equivalent questions regarding the use of audio and video media.

Avoid using images to display text

See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility § Text Shortcut

• MOS:TEXTASIMAGES

Textual information should always be transmitted as text, rather than in an image. True text can be easily searched, selected, copied, and manipulated by readers; its presentation can also be adjusted using CSS. These tasks are generally difficult or impossible with text presented in an image: images are slower to download, and generally cannot be searched or processed by screen readers used by the visually impaired. Any important textual information in an image should be provided somewhere as text, generally either in the image's caption or alt text.

For entering textual information as audio, see Misplaced Pages:WikiProject Spoken Misplaced Pages.

Captions

Shortcut

• MOS:CAPTION

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Captions

Photographs and other graphics should have captions, unless they are unambiguous depictions of the subject of the article or when they are "self-captioning" images (such as reproductions of album or book covers). In a biography article no caption is necessary for a portrait of the subject pictured alone, but one might be used to give the year, the subject's age, or other circumstances of the portrait along with the name of the subject.

Formatting of captions

• Captions normally start with a capital letter.
• Most captions are not complete sentences but merely sentence fragments which should not end with a period. However, if any complete sentence occurs in a caption, then every sentence and every sentence fragment in that caption should end with a period.
• The text of captions should not be specially formatted, except in ways that would apply if it occurred in the main text (e.g., italics for the Latin name of a species).
• Captions should be succinct; more information can be included on its description page, or in the main text.
• Captions for technical charts and diagrams may need to be substantially longer than usual; they should fully describe all elements of the image and indicate its significance.

Bulleted and numbered lists

Shortcuts

• MOS:LISTBULLET
• MOS:LISTNUMBERED

Main pages: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Lists and Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Embedded lists Further information: Help:List

• Do not use lists if a passage is read easily as plain paragraphs.
• Use proper wiki markup- or template-based list code (see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Lists and Help:List).
• Do not leave blank lines between items in a bulleted or numbered list unless there is a reason to do so, since this causes the Wiki software to interpret each item as beginning a new list.
  • Indents (such as this) are permitted if the elements are "child" items.
• Use numbers rather than bullets only if:
  • a need to refer to the elements by number may arise;
  • the sequence of the items is critical; or
  • the numbering has some independent meaning, for example in a listing of musical tracks.
• Use the same grammatical form for all elements in a list, and do not mix sentences and sentence fragments as elements, for example when the elements are:
  • complete sentences – each one is formatted with sentence case (its first letter is capitalized) and a final period (full point);
  • sentence fragments – the list is typically introduced by an introductory fragment ending with a colon;
  • titles of works – they retain the original capitalization of the titles;
  • other elements – they are formatted consistently in either sentence case or lower case.

Links

Wikilinks

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Linking See also: Help:Link

Make links only where they are relevant and helpful in the context: Excessive use of hyperlinks can be distracting and may slow the reader down. Redundant links (like the one in the tallest people on Earth) clutter the page and make future maintenance harder. High-value links that are worth pursuing should stand out clearly.

Linking to sections: A hash sign (#) followed by the appropriate heading will lead to a relevant part of a page. For example, ] links to a particular section of the article Apostrophe.

Initial capitalization: Misplaced Pages's MediaWiki software does not require that wikilinks begin with an upper-case character. Capitalize the first letter only where this is naturally called for, or when specifically referring to the linked article by its name (see also related rule for italics in cross-references): Snakes are often venomous, but lizards only rarely (see Poison).

Check links: Ensure the destination is the intended one; many dictionary words lead to disambiguation pages and not to complete or well-chosen articles.

External links

Main page: Misplaced Pages:External links

External links should not normally be used in the body of an article. Instead, articles can include an External links section at the end, pointing to further information outside Misplaced Pages as distinct from citing sources. The standard format is a primary heading, ==External links==, followed by a bulleted list of links. Identify the link and briefly indicate its relevance to the article. For example:

• *
• *

These will appear as:

• History of NIH
• National Institutes of Health homepage

Where appropriate, use external link templates such as {{Official website}} and {{URL}}.

Add external links with discretion; Misplaced Pages is not a link repository.

Miscellaneous

Keep markup simple

Shortcuts

• MOS:MARKUP
• MOS:SIMPLIFY

Other things being equal, keep markup simple. This makes wikitext easier to understand and edit, and the results seen by the reader more predictable. Use HTML and CSS markup sparingly. See: KISS principle.

In general, wikitext formatting is considered easier to use than HTML and wikitext is preferred if there are equivalents; see Help:HTML in wikitext. Obsolete elements and attributes should be updated or removed. There are many templates that allow HTML markup to be used without putting it in articles directly, such as {{em}} (see MOS:EMPHASIS) and {{strong}} (see MOS:BOLD).

An HTML character entity is sometimes better than the equivalent Unicode character, which may be difficult to identify in edit mode; for example, Α is explicit whereas Α (the upper-case form of Greek α) may be misidentified as the Latin A.

Further information: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility § Best practice: wiki markup and CSS classes

Formatting issues

See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting

Modifications in font size, blank space, and color (see § Color coding) are an issue for the Misplaced Pages site-wide style sheet and should be reserved for special cases only.

Typically, the use of custom font styles:

• reduces consistency, as the text no longer looks uniform;
• reduces usability, as it may be impossible for people with custom style sheets (e.g. for accessibility reasons) to override it, and may clash with a different skin or inconvenience people with color blindness (see below); and
• causes disputes, as other editors may disagree aesthetically with the choice of style.

Specify font sizes relatively (for example with font-size: 85%) rather than absolutely (like font-size: 8pt). The resulting font size of any text should not drop below 85% of the page's default font size.

Color coding

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility § ColorShortcut

• MOS:COLORCODING

Do not use color alone to mark differences in text: they may be invisible to people with color blindness and useless in black-and-white printouts or displays.

Choose colors such as maroon and teal that are distinguishable by readers with the most common form of colorblindness, and additionally mark the differences with change of font or some other means (maroon and alternative font face, teal). Avoid low contrast between text and background colors. See also color coding.

Even for readers with unimpaired color vision, excessive background shading of table entries impedes readability and recognition of Wikilinks. Background color should be used only as a supplementary visual cue and should be subtle (consider using lighter, less-dominant pastel hues) rather than glaring.

Indentation

Shortcut

• MOS:INDENT

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility § Indentation

Do not use quotation templates to indent non-quotations. Various templates are available for indentation, including {{block indent}} to indent an entire block and {{in5}} to indent inline.

Do not use : (description list markup) to indent text in articles, even though it is common on talk pages. It causes accessibility problems and outputs invalid HTML. See Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility § Indentation for alternatives.

Controlling line breaks

Shortcut

• MOS:NBSP

See also: Help:Line-break handling and Template:Spaces

It is sometimes desirable to force a text segment to appear entirely on a single line‍—‌that is, to prevent a line break (line wrap) from occurring anywhere within it.

• A non-breaking space (or hard space) will never be used as a line-break point. Markup: for 19 kg, code 19 kg or 19{{nbsp}}kg.
• Or use {{nowrap}}, {{nobreak}}, or {{nobr}} (all equivalent). Markup: for 5° 24′ N, code {{nobr|5° 24′ N}}.

It is desirable to prevent line breaks where breaking across lines might be confusing or awkward. For example:

• 17{{nbsp}}kg
• AD{{nbsp}}565
• 2:50{{nbsp}}pm
• £11{{nbsp}}billion
• May{{nbsp}}2014
• {{nobr|5° 24′ 21″ N}}
• Boeing{{nbsp}}747
• 123{{nbsp}}Elm Street
• World War{{nbsp}}II
• Pope Paul{{nbsp}}VI
• ''E.{{nbsp}}coli''

Whether a non-breaking space is appropriate depends on context: whereas it is appropriate to use 12{{nbsp}}MB in prose, it may be counterproductive in a table (where an unattractive break may be acceptable to conserve precious horizontal space) and unnecessary in a short parameter value in an infobox (where a break would never occur anyway).

A line break may occur at a thin space ( , or {{thinsp}}), which is sometimes used to correct too-close placement of adjacent characters. To prevent this, consider using {{nobr}}.

Insert non-breaking and thin spaces as named character reference (  or  ), or as templates that generate these ({{nbsp}}, {{thinsp}}), and never by entering them directly into the edit window from the keyboard – they are visually indistinguishable from regular spaces, and later editors will be unable to see what they are. Inside wikilinks, a construction such as ] works but ] doesn't.

Scrolling lists and collapsible content

Shortcuts

• MOS:SCROLL
• MOS:COLLAPSE
• MOS:DONTHIDE

"WP:COLLAPSE" redirects here. For the guideline on collapsing off-topic talk page discussions, see WP:TALKOFFTOPIC. See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Accessibility § Users with limited CSS or JavaScript support

Elements that can selectively display or hide content can interfere with the ability of readers to access said content. These mechanisms include scrolling lists, and templates like {{collapse}} that can be toggled between collapsed and uncollapsed states using a button. These mechanisms should not be used to conceal "spoiler" information. Templates should generally not be used to store article text at all, as it interferes with editors' ability to find and edit it. Moreover, content in an article should never be collapsed by default. This applies equally to content in footnotes, tables, and embedded lists, image galleries, and image captions.

If such mechanisms are used, care must be taken to ensure the content remains accessible for all users, including those with limited CSS or JavaScript support. When collapsing is desired, it must be done using the collapsible parameter of relevant templates, or certain manually-added CSS classes (see Help:Collapsing). Other methods of hiding content should not be used, as they may render content inaccessible to many users, such as those browsing Misplaced Pages with JavaScript disabled or using proxy services such as Google Web Light.

Collapsed or auto-collapsing cells or sections may be used with tables if they simply repeat information covered in the main text (or are purely supplementary, e.g., several past years of statistics in collapsed tables for comparison with a table of uncollapsed current stats). Auto-collapsing is often a feature of navboxes. A few infoboxes also use pre-collapsed sections for infrequently accessed details. If information in a list, infobox, or other non-navigational content seems extraneous or trivial enough to inspire pre-collapsing it, consider raising a discussion on the article (or template) talk page about whether it should be included at all. If the information is important and the concern is article density or length, consider dividing the article into more sections, integrating unnecessarily list-formatted information into the article prose, or splitting the article.

Invisible comments

Shortcut

• MOS:COMMENT

"WP:COMMENT" redirects here. For the expression of personal opinions in articles, see Misplaced Pages:What Misplaced Pages is not § Misplaced Pages is not a publisher of original thought. For invisible control characters, see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Text formatting § Private Use Area and invisible formatting characters. Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Hidden text

Editors use "invisible" comments – not shown in the rendered page seen by readers of the article, but visible in the source editing mode when an editor opens the article for editing – to communicate with one another.

Invisible comments are useful for alerting other editors to issues such as common mistakes that regularly occur in the article, a section title's being the target of an incoming link, or pointing to a discussion that established a consensus relating to the article. They should not be used to instruct other editors not to perform certain edits, which could be perceived as expressing a form of ownership over an article, although where existing local consensus is against making an edit they may usefully draw the editor's attention to that. Avoid adding too many invisible comments because they can clutter the wiki source for other editors. Check that your invisible comment does not change the formatting, for example by introducing unwanted white space in the rendered page.

To leave an invisible comment, enclose the text you intend to be read only by editors between <!-- and -->. For example:

• <!-- If you change this section title, also change the links to it on the pages ... --> (there are bots which can do this, see MOS:RENAMESECTION)
• <!-- When adding table entries, remember to update the total given in the text. -->

This notation can be inserted with a single click in wiki markup, just under the edit pane in edit mode.

Pronunciation

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Pronunciation

Pronunciation in Misplaced Pages is indicated in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). In most situations, for ease of understanding by the majority of readers and across variants of the language, quite broad IPA transcriptions are best for English pronunciations. See Help:IPA/English and Help:IPA (general) for keys, and {{IPA}} for templates that link to these keys. For English pronunciations, pronunciation respellings may be used in addition to the IPA.

See also

• Editing policy – explains Misplaced Pages's general philosophy of editing
• Misplaced Pages is not a manual, guidebook, textbook, or scientific journal – we write for a general, not technical, readership as much as we can
• Manual of Style tutorial – a quick introduction to the style guide for articles
• Manual of Style quiz – test your Manual of Style knowledge
• Styletips – a list of advice for editors on writing style and formatting
• Manual of Style Contents – guidelines for film, novels, biographies, military history, etc.
• Identifying and using style guides – an essay providing a summary of off-site style guides' influences on MoS and their uses as sources in Misplaced Pages articles
• Misplaced Pages:If MOS doesn't need a rule on something, then it needs to not have a rule on that thing – resisting MOSbloat

Guidance

• Annotated article – is a well-constructed sample article, with annotations
• Article development – lists the ways in which you can help an article grow
  • Basic copyediting – gives helpful advice on copy-editing
  • Better articles – guidance on how to make articles better
  • Perfect article – point-by-point guidance on what makes a great article
• Avoiding common mistakes – gives a list of common mistakes and how to avoid them
• Be bold – suggests a bold attitude toward page updates
• Citing sources – explains process and standards for citing references
• Editing – is a short primer on editing pages
• Style guide – contains links to the style guides of some magazines and newspapers
• Wiki markup – explains the codes and resources available for editing a page
• Misplaced Pages:in versus of – proper use of in and of (or some alternatives, as from and on)

Tools

• User:GregU's dashes script – a script that will fix dashes in articles in accordance with MOS:DASH
• User:Ohconfucius MOSDATE script – a script that will unify dates in articles in accordance with MOS:DATEFORMAT

Other community standards

• List of policies – a comprehensive, descriptive directory of policies
• List of guidelines – a comprehensive descriptive directory of guidelines
  • Community standards and advice – a quick directory of community norms and related guidance essays
• Advice pages – about advice pages written by WikiProjects

Guidelines within the Manual of Style

For the major parts of the Manual of Style, see the sidebar at top right of this page (visible only in desktop view, not in mobile view)

(Links to policy and guidelines on specific questions)

Names

Shortcut

• MOS:ORGNAME

• Proper names:
  • Generally (dedicated MOS page): Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Proper names
  • Place names: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Proper names § Place names
  • Diacritical marks in names: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Proper names § Diacritics
  • Peoples and languages that share the same name: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Proper names § Peoples and their languages
  • Names of ships in article titles and in the body of articles: Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (ships)

• Naming and identifying individuals and peoples:
  • Generally: § Identity
  • Specifically (for individuals): Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biographies § Names
  • Opening paragraph of biographies: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biographies § Opening paragraph
• Names of organizations:
  • Generally (has application beyond the topic guideline in which it is currently located): Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Cue sports § Respect for official organization names
  • Names that are also trademarks (dedicated MOS page): Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Trademarks
• Names of animal and plant species, etc. (in article titles): Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (fauna), Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (flora)

Notes

1. This is a matter of policy at Misplaced Pages:Consensus § Level of consensus: "Consensus among a limited group of editors, at one place and time, cannot override community consensus on a wider scale. For instance, unless they can convince the broader community that such action is right, participants in a wikiproject cannot decide that a Misplaced Pages policy or guideline does not apply to articles within its scope." And: "Misplaced Pages has a higher standard of participation and consensus for changes to policies and guidelines than to other types of pages." Subordinate pages include MoS detail pages, style essays, and the Simplified Manual of Style.
2. ^ These matters have been addressed in rulings of ArbCom in 2005, 2006, 2009, and 2015.
3. For the origin of this phrasing, see ArbCom decisions in June 2005, November 2005, and 2006
4. See 2017 ArbCom decision, and Misplaced Pages:AutoWikiBrowser § Rules of use; bot-like editing that continues despite objections or that introduces errors may lead to a block and to revocation of semi-automated tools privileges.
5. ^ Misplaced Pages uses sentence case for sentences, article titles, section titles, table headers, image captions, list entries (in most cases), and entries in infoboxes and similar templates, among other things. Any MoS guidance about the start of a sentence applies to items using sentence case.
6. Phrases such as In early life are acceptable (though not required) as section headings. They are also used frequently as part of longer article titles such as Piracy in the Caribbean, especially when a shorter construction (Caribbean piracy) may have ambiguity issues.
7. ^ Curly quotation marks and apostrophes are deprecated on the English Misplaced Pages because straight quotation marks and apostrophes are easier to type reliably on most platforms.
8. A comment outside the == == but on the same line may cause the section-editing link to fail to appear at all; in other browsers, it may appear, but using it will cause the section heading to not automatically be added to the edit summary.
9. To find out how many inlinks there are to the old section title and what articles have them, you can execute this advanced search, changing article to the name of the article, and oldsection to the old section title. That advanced search does not search redirects, so also check the article's Special:WhatLinksHere page for redirects to the old section title. If there are only a small number of links to the old section title, it may be better to just update them.
10. ^ In MoS's own wording, "recent", "current", "modern", and "contemporary" in reference to sources and usage should usually be interpreted as referring to reliable material published within the last forty years or so. In the consideration of name changes of persons and organizations, focus on sources from the last few years. For broader English-language usage matters, about forty years is typical. While style guides with fewer than five years in print have not been in publication long enough to have had as much real-world impact as those from around 2000–2015 (on which MoS is primarily based), the corpora used for Google ngrams are updated through 2022, and we frequently rely on what they indicate from the late 20th century and onward.
11. There are some rare additional exceptions to capitalization of eponyms, in which a term has been strongly conventionalized in lower-case, i.e., is preferred that way in a majority of major English-language dictionaries. For example, parkinsonian describes a patient exhibiting symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Linguistics/orthography use of the terms latinize, romanize, and anglicize are increasingly lower-case, and italic in typography always is.
12. Breeds guideline added per a December 2018 RfC. "Standardized breed" lacks a perfectly clear meaning, but does encompass any breed subject to the breed standard or studbook of a notable breeder/fancier organization. Various other groupings of domesticated animals are not standardized breeds: ancient historical varieties, breed groups, feral populations, landraces, and crossbreeds or hybrids that no major organizations recognize as breeds. Many often are not notable anyway.
13. "Quoted text" for typographic conformity and many other purposes includes titles of works, names of organizations, and other strings that are, in essence, quoted. Example: things like "Mexican-American War" are routinely corrected to "Mexican–American War" on Misplaced Pages, including in titles of cited sources. This has no effect on searching for the works we have cited, since all major search engines disregard punctuation marks.
14. Double quotation marks are preferred to single because they are immediately distinguishable from apostrophes:
    • She wrote that 'Cleanthes' differs from the others', but neither opinion may represent Hume's' (slows the reader down).
    • She wrote that "Cleanthes' differs from the others', but neither opinion may represent Hume's" (clearer).
15. "Series title italicized" is using series to mean the entire show as a whole. A season (also called a series in British English) with its own title uses quotation marks for that title, as a sub-work.
16. This is the principal way in which logical quotation differs from typical British news punctuation practice, in which many publishers permit such a change to the quoted material, which is antithetical to the accuracy purpose of logical punctuation.
17. Specifically, compound attributives, which are modifiers of a noun that occur within the noun phrase. (See English compound § Hyphenated compound modifiers.)
18. A change from a general preference for two digits, to a general preference for four digits, on the right side of year–year ranges was implemented in July 2016 per this RFC. For more information see Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Ranges.
19. It is not logically possible to have a "12–35 victory", except in a game where a lower score is better. Otherwise, use a construction like Clovis beat Portales, 35–12, or Jameson lost the election, 2345 votes to 6789, to Garcia, with parties, result, and number order in logical agreement.
20. The hair space should be done as {{hair space}} because the actual Unicode character ( ) is almost invisible, the meaning of the numerical HTML entity (&#8202;) is relatively obscure, and the named HTML entity "&hairsp;" is not standard and unsupported in some browsers.
21. In unusual cases where a lack of spacing could create confusion, such as when a citation is immediately preceded by other superscripted text, a hair space can be inserted between a <ref>...</ref> tag and the content preceding it.
22. ^ The passive voice is inappropriate for some forms of writing, but it is widely used in encyclopedia articles, because the passive voice avoids inappropriate first- and second-person constructions as well as tone problems. The most common uses of encyclopedic passive are to keep the focus on the subject instead of performing a news-style shift to dwelling on a non-notable party. Contrast The break-in was reported to police the next morning, versus Assistant manager Peggy Plimpton-Chan reported the break-in to police the next morning.
23. As usual, direct quotations should not be altered in such a regard, and have no effect on determination of consistency within Wikipedian-authored content.
24. See Misplaced Pages talk:Manual of Style/Archive (ships as "she") – an index of recurrent debates about this subject, from 2004 though 2022.
25. See Misplaced Pages talk:Manual of Style/Archive 167 § WP:SHE for steam locomotives as well as ships – concluded with a strong consensus against the practice.
26. This has the benefit of helping screen readers pronounce the name correctly. Such a proper name may be italicized when contrasting it with a conventional English form: Munich (German: München).
27. See the near-unanimous RfC, repeated deletion at Misplaced Pages:Miscellany for deletion of an anti-diacritics "wikiproject", the policy Misplaced Pages:Consensus § Levels of consensus, and the Misplaced Pages:Arbitration Committee's standardized statements of principles on such matters.
28. Reputable English-language encyclopedias and dictionaries in the aggregate are often helpful in determining the most widely accepted spelling of a place name, loanwords, etc. It may also help (within limits) to compare search results from the Google Scholar journal index, for topics likely to be covered in peer-reviewed academic papers.

References

1. "T134423 Deprecate nonstandard behavior of self-closed HTML tags in wikitext". phabricator.wikimedia.org. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
2. Ishida, Richard (2015). "Using b and i elements". W3C Internationalization. World Wide Web Consortium. Retrieved 1 September 2016. the content of a b element may not always be bold, and that of an i element may not always be italic.
3. "Hyphens, En Dashes, Em Dashes". www.chicagomanualofstyle.org. Chicago Manual of Style. Retrieved 9 March 2022.

Further reading

Main article: List of style guides

Wikipedians are encouraged to familiarize themselves with modern editions of other guides to style and usage, which may cover details not included here. Those that have most influenced the Misplaced Pages Manual of Style are:

• The Chicago Manual of Style (University of Chicago Press). The CMS Crib Sheet is free online, and summarizes the main provisions.
• Oxford Guide to Style (Oxford University Press). A compressed edition is available as New Hart's Rules. Available with its companion, the Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors, in one volume as New Oxford Style Manual
• Scientific Style and Format (Council of Science Editors)
• Garner's Modern English Usage (Oxford University Press)
• Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage (Oxford University Press; primarily British English)
• The MLA Style Manual (Modern Language Association)
• The Elements of Style by Strunk & White

v t e Manual of Style
Overview Contents Tips
Content	Accessibility Biography Disambiguation pages Organizing by subject area Gender identity Hidden text Infoboxes Linking Self-references Words to watch
Formatting	Abbreviations Capitalization Dates and numbers Pronunciation Spelling Text formatting Titles of works
Images	Captions Image placement Icons Images
Layout	Layout Lead section Tables Trivia sections
Lists	Lists Lists of works Road junctions Stand-alone lists
By topic area	Legal Legal Trademarks Arts Anime and manga Comics Film Lyrics and poetry Novels Television Video games Visual arts Writing about fiction Music Music Music samples Record charts Stringed instruments History Blazons Military history Regional Specific naming conventions Canada China (and Chinese) France (and French) Egypt Hawaii India Indonesia Ireland Japan Korea Malaysia Macedonia Pakistan Philippines Poland Singapore Trinidad and Tobago Religion Islam Latter Day Saints Science Mathematics Medicine Chemistry Compound classes Chemicals References and external links Safety Structure drawing Computer science Taxonomy Sports Cue sports Snooker Figure skating Terminology
Related guidelines	Article size Article titles Categories, lists, and navigation templates Categorization Hatnotes Subpages Understandability
Search
Category

v t e Misplaced Pages key policies and guidelines (?)
Five pillars Ignore all rules
Content (?)	P Verifiability No original research Neutral point of view What Misplaced Pages is not Biographies of living persons Copyright (Copyright violations) Image use Article titles G Notability Autobiography Citing sources Reliable sources Medicine Do not include copies of lengthy primary sources Plagiarism Don't create hoaxes Fringe theories Patent nonsense External links
Conduct (?)	P Civility Consensus Harassment Vandalism Ignore all rules No personal attacks Ownership of content Edit warring Dispute resolution Sockpuppetry No legal threats Child protection Paid-contribution disclosure G Assume good faith Conflict of interest Disruptive editing Do not disrupt Misplaced Pages to illustrate a point Etiquette Gaming the system Please do not bite the newcomers Courtesy vanishing Responding to threats of harm Talk page guidelines Signatures
Deletion (?)	P Deletion policy Proposed deletion Biographies Criteria for speedy deletion Attack page Oversight Revision deletion
Enforcement (?)	P Administrators Banning Blocking Page protection
Editing (?)	P Editing policy G Article size Summary style Be bold Disambiguation Hatnotes Broad-concept article Understandability Style Manual of Style Contents Accessibility Dates and numbers Images Layout Lead section Linking Lists Classification Categories, lists, and navigation templates Categorization Template namespace
Project content (?)	G Project namespace WikiProjects User pages User boxes Shortcuts Subpages
WMF (?)	P Universal Code of Conduct Terms of Use List of policies Friendly space policy Licensing and copyright Privacy policy
List of all policies and guidelines P: List of policies G: List of guidelines Summaries of values and principles

v t e Writing guides
Starting an article Getting started Layout Visual structure of articles The perfect article A checklist of components Article development Suggested stages of an article Manual of Style Comprehensive style guide Writing better articles A collection of advice

Category:

• Misplaced Pages Manual of Style