Telephone numbers
Jenny, I got your number.
Here’s how the AP Stylebook folks would like to see telephone numbers in print: 123-456-7890.
Ah, hyphens. Hey — at least they dropped the parentheses around the area code. Be happy.
Now, I know this doesn’t jibe with all the designers out there. And you know what? It doesn’t necessarily jibe with me, either. I’m a fan of dots (er, periods). I would rather see this: 123.456.7890.
So I guess what I’m promoting is this:
• If you or your company says that AP rules the proverbial roost and there should be absolutely no deviation, use the hyphens in your phone numbers. (And I’m so completely OK with that, as I do believe that AP has your back nearly every time, grammatically speaking.)
• If, on the other hand, you have a designer itching at the keypad to produce funky (or just non-hyphenated) art with numbers, use periods, stars, squares or whatever else floats that designer’s boat.
Just make it readable. After all, if you’re putting a phone number in print, you probably want people to be able to decipher that number and then call it, correct? Correct.
Happy trails!
SAK
Tags: AP Stylebook, area code, hyphen, Jenny (867-5309), period, telephone number
What about the use of OK vs. ok vs. okay? Isn’t OK the postal abbreviation for Oklahoma? What about periods? Which is preferred? Just curious.
The AP Stylebook recommends “OK” instead of “ok” or “okay.” Yes, “OK” is the post office’s abbreviation for Oklahoma, but context would typically make the meaning understood. Thanks for the question!
I really like the idea of leaving the name off as well as the street and the city and state when I address envelopes. All you really need is the 45309-1207 in the zip code. That tells the postman or postal worker the city, the street and the number plus the side of the street the house is located on. All the rest is TMI.
Interesting read. There is currently quite a lot of information around this subject around and about on the net and some are most defintely better than others. You have caught the detail here just right which makes for a refreshing change – thanks.