{"id":407686,"date":"2020-01-03T17:18:45","date_gmt":"2020-01-03T17:18:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/?page_id=407686"},"modified":"2025-01-09T09:06:15","modified_gmt":"2025-01-09T09:06:15","slug":"cn-style-guide","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/cn-style-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"CN style guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

This page provides guidance for the writing style adopted by Construction News<\/em> in print and online, from January 2020.<\/p>\n

People <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Provide a person\u2019s full name and job title on first mention. Don\u2019t<\/em> include Mr, Miss, Mrs or Ms.<\/p>\n

Subsequent mentions in the same story should use only the person\u2019s surname.<\/em><\/p>\n

Exception<\/strong>: CN journalists (The work of Construction News<\/em>\u00a0head of content Zak Garner-Purkis has been recognised among the top political writing in the UK. Zak has been longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Journalism…)<\/p>\n

The titles Lord, Lady, Baron, Baroness and Professor can be used for both first and subsequent mentions. The person’s full name should be given on first mention (Lord Tony Berkeley, for example) and the shorter title used for subsequent mentions (Lord Berkeley).<\/p>\n

The titles Sir and Dame should be included on first mention but surname alone is sufficient on subsequent mentions (Sir Keir Starmer on first mention, Starmer on second mention; Dame Judith Hackitt on first mention, Hackitt on second mention).<\/p>\n

Doctor\/Dr should not be used unless it is relevant to the story (an expert giving an opinion on a technical matter, for example).<\/p>\n

Unnamed sources<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Unnamed spokespeople should always be associated with a defined organisation (A spokesman for Kier said, \u201cWe have launched an investigation.\u201d).\u00a0When we have important information from a confirmed source but we cannot report either their name or organisation, we should avoid quote marks and put the information into reported speech\u00a0 (CN<\/em> understands that the accusations are true).<\/p>\n

Whistleblowers or other sources who cannot be named to protect their identity can be quoted in full, but the reader should be given sufficient information to gauge the source and extent of their knowledge (an electrician who worked at one Crossrail site early in 2019 told CN<\/em>: \u201cI\u2019ve seen things you people wouldn\u2019t believe.\u201d) Care must be taken to ensure the attribution used is not sufficiently specific to allow those with detailed site records to identify the individual.<\/p>\n

Job titles<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When possible, list a person\u2019s organisation and job title in an adjective format on first mention (\u201cWates chief executive David Allen said\u2026\u201d). Commas are not required in this format.<\/p>\n

Where a long job title makes the above difficult to read, or you need to describe the nature of the organisation or add other contextual information, put the person\u2019s name first and use commas: (\u201cSteven Carey, partner in the real estate, construction and engineering team at law firm Speechly Bircham, said\u2026\u201d or \u201cJ\u00e9r\u00f4me Stubler, chief executive at Vinci, which is currently bidding for the contract, said…\u201d).<\/p>\n

Headlines<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t<\/em> capitalise the first letter after a colon in a headline. Use single marks for quotes, except<\/em> where the headline includes an apostrophe. (For example,\u00a0Regulator says \u2018action now inevitable\u2019<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Regulator says \u201cit\u2019s now or never\u201d<\/strong> would both be correct).<\/p>\n

Paragraphs <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Avoid the use of multiple short paragraphs, which can hamper a story\u2019s flow. Group together sentences that belong together. Use \u201che said\u201d, \u201cshe said\u201d, \u201cthey said\u201d when using secondary quotes in one paragraph. Reintroduce a continuing speaker by surname in each paragraph.<\/p>\n

Long quotes can span paragraph breaks. In this case, don\u2019t use a closing quote mark but use an opening quote mark at the start of the new paragraph to remind the reader that the quote continues.<\/p>\n

Long quotes can be hard to follow, so consider converting into reported speech, reserving direct quotes for the most pithy or memorable sentences.<\/p>\n

Tenses <\/strong><\/h3>\n

News should be in the past tense, except for the first line, which should be in the present perfect tense (The government has announced the latest cut to solar subsidies. The announcement was made by energy secretary Ed Davey.)<\/p>\n

Briefings, analysis, features and opinion should be written in the present tense.<\/p>\n

Contractions<\/h3>\n

Contractions are fine in features\/opinions etc but not in news unless it’s a direct quote.<\/p>\n

Numbers <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Spell out single figures in text \u2013 one to nine \u2013 with 10 and up to 999,000 as figures (note the comma). Don\u2019t use \u201ck\u201d to signify thousands. Thereafter, 2.5m, 14.3bn, etc, unless it\u2019s a round figure being used for effect or because the data is uncertain, in which case: one million.<\/p>\n

Decimal fractions should include a zero before the full point (0.3 not .3).<\/p>\n

Round complicated numbers up – millions and percentages to one decimal place, billions to two decimal places. (10.8% not 10.79%; \u00a325.2m not \u00a325.23m; $4.25bn not $4.229bn) except where greater precision is necessary in context (\u201cThe cost rose from \u00a310.76m to \u00a310.82m.\u201d)<\/p>\n

Units of measurement always use numerals, even below 10 (6 per cent, 7cm).<\/p>\n

With ordinals, spell out those of one word (first, hundredth, etc) except for military units (3rd Battalion) and centuries (19th century) but for more than one digit use figures (23rd, 121st \u2013 no full stop).<\/p>\n

Never use a figure at the start of a sentence \u2013 rewrite to avoid if necessary.<\/p>\n

Ranges of units should use hyphens (\u201cgrowth of 4-6 per cent\u201d, \u201cabout 100-120 staff\u201d) except where \u2018between\u2019 is used (\u201cbetween four and five years\u201d).<\/p>\n

Measures and units <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Use metric values except mph.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t insert a space between the quantity and the unit (4km, 40mph, 4ha, 4kW)<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t pluralise the abbreviated unit (4km not 4kms)<\/p>\n

To avoid confusion between millions, miles and metres, don\u2019t use the abbreviation \u201cm\u201d for either miles or metres. Always spell these values out in full (4 metres, 40 square metres, 400 cubic metres, 40 miles, 4 square miles) except where space is an issue in charts and tables. Avoid compound contractions such as cu m or sq m in these cases; use\u00a0m2<\/sup> or\u00a0m3<\/sup> instead.<\/p>\n

Spell out tonnes and litres in full and use the appropriate plural and singular forms (\u201cAbout 20 tonnes of rubble was loaded onto a 40-tonne truck.\u201d)<\/p>\n

Write out less commonly used units in full on first mention. (\u201cA 10 kilowatt-hour battery was chosen, after the 15kWh and 20kWh options were deemed too expensive.\u201d)<\/p>\n

Specific temperatures should be converted to Celsius and written using the degrees symbol (\u201cIt was over 40\u00b0C in the tunnel\u201d). Changes in temperature can be simply written in degrees (\u201cThe tunnel had to be cooled by 10 degrees.\u201d)<\/p>\n

Figures of 1,000 million (or more) should not be used. These should be described as one billion (or more).<\/p>\n

Energy and power<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In science and engineering, energy and power are not the same thing. Power is the rate at which energy is used or delivered. A powerful machine uses a lot of energy in a short space of time.<\/p>\n

Power is measured in watts (W). Power stations tend to deliver in megawatts (MW). Don’t abbreviate megawatts as mW, because the small “m” indicates millwatts (the kind of power delivered by the batteries in a TV remote).<\/p>\n

Energy tends to be measured in joules (J) by scientists and in watt-hours (Wh) by engineers. A watt-hour is the amount of energy transferred when a watt of power is delivered for an hour, or 2W is delivered for half an hour, or 4W is used for 15 minutes, etc.<\/p>\n

Battery capacities are often specified in watt-hours, indicating the sum of energy they can contain. Electric car battery capacities are usually measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Don’t try to abbreviate watt-hours as W\/h (with a slash), as this means watts per hour, which indicates a rate of change in power delivery. Writing W\/h or kW\/h is almost always a mistake as there are very few cases where it would be relevant (it might indicate the pace at which power delivery falls away as a battery charge runs out, but that’s about it).<\/p>\n

Money <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Use conventional contractions for large and small sums: \u00a315bn; \u00a324m; \u00a310,000; \u00a37.75; 75p; $100m, \u20ac100m.<\/p>\n

Currency names such as dollar, pound, sterling and euro are always lowercase. Always spell out other currencies such as yen or yuan rather than using currency symbols.<\/p>\n

Always explain foreign sums by adding the sterling value in brackets (\u201cA Chinese contract worth 10bn yuan (\u00a31.09bn) has been awarded to the joint venture\u201d).<\/p>\n

Punctuation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Punctuation goes inside the quote where the quote is a full clause or sentence (\u201cThis is quite ridiculous,\u201d Bloggs said. \u201cI was elsewhere.\u201d) but outside where only a word or phrase is quoted (Bloggs described the accusation as \u201cridiculous\u201d, insisting that he was \u201celsewhere\u201d.) The same rule applies to full stops before or after a closing bracket at the end of a sentence.<\/p>\n

Common queries<\/strong><\/h3>\n

AC<\/strong>
\nSpell out air conditioning on first mention to differentiate it from alternating current electricity. Don\u2019t use ac or a\/c. No hyphen in air conditioning<\/p>\n

Acronyms<\/strong>
\nAlways use full capitals. UNESCO not Unesco. In general, spell out acronyms in full on first mention, followed by the abbreviated form: for example, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) should be cited in this fashion on first mention, and then referred to as the CITB throughout the remainder of the story. There is no need to spell out acronyms that are very widely understood in their contracted form: BBC, NASA, UN, EU, VAT, etc.<\/p>\n

Act<\/strong>
\nUpper case when using full name, eg Children and Young Persons Act 1967 \u2013 no comma before year. But cap down otherwise: \u201cThe act states.\u201d Also see Bill\/bill<\/p>\n

adviser<\/strong>
\nNot advisor<\/p>\n

ageing<\/strong>
\nNot aging<\/p>\n

A levels, T levels<\/strong><\/p>\n

among<\/strong>
\nNot amongst<\/p>\n

and<\/strong>
\nTry to avoid starting sentences with it<\/p>\n

apostrophes <\/strong>
\nThere are no apostrophes in the plural forms of MP, NGO, etc (MPs, NGOs). Don\u2019t bother with an apostrophe in decades: \u201cIn the 80s\u201d, not \u201cin the 80\u2019s\u201d or \u201cin the \u201980s\u201d.<\/p>\n

apprenticeship levy<\/strong>
\nLower case<\/p>\n

army<\/strong>
\nLower case<\/p>\n

as vs because<\/strong>
\nIt is OK to use \u2018as\u2019 to link cause and effect in place of\u00a0 \u2018because\u2019<\/p>\n

Asset Management Plan<\/strong>
\nCapped, and not \u2018Period\u2019 or \u2018Programme\u2019<\/p>\n

Autumn Statement<\/strong>
\nCapped up<\/p>\n

bank holiday<\/strong>
\nNo caps<\/p>\n

Bill<\/strong>
\nCapped when using full name, eg Apprenticeships and Skills (Public Procurement Contracts) Bill, but cap down otherwise: \u201cThe bill states…\u201d<\/p>\n

billion<\/strong>
\nWhen referring to large numbers use bn with no spaces (\u00a326bn)<\/p>\n

BIM<\/strong>
\nbuilding information modelling, no caps when spelling it out. Also, Level 2 \u2013 capping the L<\/p>\n

BREEAM
\n<\/strong>Cap up the rating without single quotes: BREEAM Excellent, BREEAM Good etc<\/p>\n

Budget<\/strong>
\nThe government\u2019s Budget is capped, but pre-Budget report only caps the B<\/p>\n

Building Regulations<\/strong>
\nCapped<\/p>\n

build-to-rent<\/strong>
\nHard to imagine a scenario where this wouldn\u2019t be hyphenated<\/p>\n

Building Regulations<\/strong>
\nUpper case<\/p>\n

buyout<\/strong>
\nNo hyphen<\/p>\n

Cabinet<\/strong>
\nCapped<\/p>\n

cashflow<\/strong><\/p>\n

centre<\/strong>
\nCentre on, not around<\/p>\n

chair<\/strong>
\nchair, chairman or chairwoman; chairperson to be used in headline\u00a0only<\/strong> to avoid awkward phrasing<\/p>\n

chancellor<\/strong>
\nlowercase like any other job title<\/p>\n

chief executive<\/strong>
\nas a default, rather than CEO or chief executive officer<\/p>\n

CHP<\/strong>
\nCombined heat and power<\/p>\n

colloquialisms <\/strong>
\nTerms like \u201csubbies\u201d are welcome in direct quotes but should be avoided in the editorial voice.<\/p>\n

committees<\/strong>
\nParliamentary and select committees are lower case when spelt out in full: public accounts committee (PAC)<\/p>\n

common-sense<\/strong>
\nThis is an adjective (\u201ca common-sense solution\u201d), common sense is the noun<\/p>\n

companies <\/strong>
\nOrganisations of all types are singular.\u00a0Suffixes such as Ltd are not used, apart from in legal cases, or where it\u2019s necessary for distinction, for example: HS2 (the project) and HS2 Ltd (the company).<\/p>\n

compare to\/with<\/strong>
\nThe former means liken to, the latter means make a comparison: so unless you are specifically likening someone or something to someone or something else, use \u2018compare with\u2019<\/p>\n

conferences<\/strong>
\n\u2018the Conservative Party Conference\u2019 \/ \u2018last week\u2019s party conference\u2019<\/p>\n

consortiums<\/strong>
\nNot consortia<\/p>\n

Control Period 5<\/strong>
\nCapped<\/p>\n

Construction 2025<\/strong>
\nNot italicised<\/p>\n

Construction News<\/em><\/strong>
\nAlways spelt out and italicised in running text on first mention, CN<\/em> thereafter. Not italicised in standfirsts or headings. Never italicised or spelled out in full when used for branding: (CN Awards not CN<\/em> Awards).<\/p>\n

Contractors\u2019 Framework<\/strong>
\nCapped up when referring to the EFA\u2019s Contractors\u2019 Framework<\/p>\n

co-ordination<\/strong>
\nHyphenated<\/p>\n

cost-effective<\/strong>
\nHyphenated<\/p>\n

councils<\/strong>
\nLower case after first mention (\u201cManchester City Council revealed that… The council will deliver…\u201d). In London, use Lewisham Council, not Lewisham Borough Council or London Borough of Lewisham<\/p>\n

councillor\/Cllr<\/strong>
\nDo not use as a prefix to a name<\/p>\n

counter-claim<\/strong>
\nHyphenated<\/p>\n

court<\/strong>
\nLower case except for a specific court (\u201cHe told the court\u201d BUT \u201cAt Bow Street Magistrates\u2019 Court\u201d).<\/p>\n

Covid
\n<\/strong>Not Covid-19 or coronavirus<\/p>\n

Customs<\/strong>
\n(and Excise) is capped<\/p>\n

crown representative<\/strong>
\nLower case<\/p>\n

cubic metres<\/strong>
\nAlways spell out in full except in tables or charts, then m3<\/sup><\/p>\n

cyber<\/strong>–
\nUse a hyphen, as in \u2018cyber-attack\u2019 or \u2018cyber-security\u2019, but consider using \u201cdigital\u201d instead.<\/p>\n

dates <\/strong>
\n6 July 2020. If two consecutive years: 2019\/20; if a timeframe of more than two consecutive years: 2014-19.<\/p>\n

data<\/strong>
\nAlways singular<\/p>\n

decision-making \/ decision-makers<\/strong>
\nHyphenated<\/p>\n

design-and-build contracts\/projects\/contractor<\/strong>
\nHyphenate when used as an adjective<\/p>\n

development consent order<\/strong>
\nLower case<\/p>\n

Display Energy Certificate<\/strong>
\nCapped<\/p>\n

drylining
\n<\/strong>One word<\/p>\n

Earnings <\/strong>
\nAlways means profit, never revenue or turnover<\/p>\n

earthmoving<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

Eastern Europe<\/strong>
\nCapped<\/p>\n

eg<\/strong>
\nReplace with \u201cfor example\u201d unless used in a direct quote.<\/p>\n

email<\/strong>
\nNo hyphen<\/p>\n

energy efficiency<\/strong>
\nNot hyphenated<\/p>\n

energy-efficient<\/strong>
\nHyphenated<\/p>\n

enquiry\/inquiry<\/strong>
\nInquiry for an investigation into an event; enquiry for a request for information<\/p>\n

E.ON<\/strong>
\nAll caps<\/p>\n

etc<\/strong>
\nDo not use \u2013 rephrase or use a more verbose form such as \u201cand so on\u201d<\/p>\n

EU directive<\/strong>
\nLower case \u2018d\u2019 unless stating the directive\u2019s full name<\/p>\n

euro \/ eurozone<\/strong>
\nLower case<\/p>\n

fa\u00e7ade<\/strong>
\nUse facade<\/p>\n

fallout<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

fewer<\/strong>
\nUse for things in the plural (fewer bricks) but \u2018less\u2019 for things that have no plural or that cannot be counted (less steel)<\/p>\n

first-time buyer<\/strong><\/p>\n

First World War<\/strong><\/p>\n

FiTs<\/strong>
\nfeed-in tariffs, lower case and plural<\/p>\n

floorplates<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

focused<\/strong>
\nNot focussed<\/p>\n

forecast<\/strong>
\nNot forecasted<\/p>\n

foreign<\/strong>
\nConsider other words such as \u2018overseas\u2019 or \u2018international\u2019, or specific country and region names, when referring to people, projects and markets. OK to use in reference to foreign languages.<\/p>\n

foreign words<\/strong>
\nNo need to italicise if in common usage (ad hoc, status quo)<\/p>\n

full stops <\/strong>
\nNo punctuation should be added to names or words formed from initials (BBC, CBI, pm, Dr, Prof). Contractions such as etc or ie and eg should be avoided \u2013 though they can be included in direct quotes.<\/p>\n

futureproof<\/strong><\/p>\n

game-changer
\n<\/strong>consider \u201crevolutionary\u201d instead.<\/p>\n

general election<\/strong>
\nNot capped<\/p>\n

going forward<\/strong>
\nReplace with \u201cin future\u201d if that\u2019s what you mean<\/p>\n

government<\/strong>
\nLower case, except when giving a formal title such as \u2018Scottish Government\u2019 or \u2018Welsh Government\u2019<\/p>\n

Grade II-listed
\n<\/strong>Cap G, lower case l. Similarly, it is a listed building.<\/p>\n

greenbelt<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

groundbreaking<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

head up<\/strong>
\nJust \u201chead\u201d or \u201clead\u201d will suffice when referring to leadership, but hyphenated when referring to a head-up display (HUD).<\/p>\n

homegrown<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

homeowner<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

housebuilder \/ housebuildin<\/strong>g<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

housing zones<\/strong>
\nLower case<\/p>\n

High Speed 2 \/ HS2<\/strong>
\nSpelled out on first mention with caps and numeral<\/p>\n

HVAC<\/strong>
\nSpell out heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) on first mention<\/p>\n

hyphens<\/strong>
\nWhen it is possible to spell as one word, do not use a hyphen. But use hyphens when distinction is necessary (re-sign), where same letters coincide (co-operate, re-enter), for fractions (two-thirds), for compound titles (vice-chairman), and where words clearly complementary are used (poverty-stricken). A trailing hyphen can be used when referring to multiple related things (\u201cDemolition produces a mix of high- and low-value material.\u201d)<\/p>\n

impact<\/strong>
\nTry to avoid using as a verb<\/p>\n

industrial strategy<\/strong>
\nLower case \u2013 a generic term applied to multiple government strategies<\/p>\n

inquiry \/ enquiry<\/strong>
\nInquiry for an investigation into an event; enquiry for a request for information<\/p>\n

in situ \/ in-situ<\/strong>
\nAs a verb \/ as an adjective<\/p>\n

-ise<\/strong>
\nNot -ize<\/p>\n

joint venture
\n<\/strong>Use JV only on second mention or in headlines.<\/p>\n

judgement<\/strong>
\nUse this spelling whether talking about a court judgement or a moral judgement<\/p>\n

judges<\/strong>
\nMr Justice Smith, Lord Justice Smith or Lady Justice Smith \u2013 same in every mention<\/p>\n

junctions<\/strong>
\nM4 J11 \/ junction 11 \u2013 capital J when shortened but lower case when spelt out<\/p>\n

key<\/strong>
\nAvoid overuse \u2013 \u2018crucial\u2019 or \u2018critical\u2019 can often replace<\/p>\n

kick-start<\/strong>
\nHyphenated<\/p>\n

kW<\/strong>
\nNot kw and spell out kilowatt on first mention<\/p>\n

landbank<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

landowner<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

learned<\/strong>
\nNot learnt<\/p>\n

legionnaires\u2019 disease<\/strong>
\nDon\u2019t cap up<\/p>\n

lifecycle<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

living wage<\/strong>
\nLower case<\/p>\n

London councils<\/strong>
\nLewisham Council, not Lewisham Borough Council or London Borough of Lewisham<\/p>\n

Lords<\/strong>
\nThe title Lord should be used on first and subsequent mentions. The House of Lords is capped.<\/p>\n

lots<\/strong>
\n\u2018lot one\u2019, not \u2018Lot 1\u2019<\/p>\n

M&E<\/strong>
\nAlways cap up, but spell out mechanical and electrical (M&E) on first mention<\/p>\n

MMC<\/strong>
\nSpell out modern methods of construction (MMC) on first mention<\/p>\n

magistrates\u2019 court
\n<\/strong>Note the apostrophe<\/p>\n

main line \/ Main Line<\/strong>
\nNever one word \u2013 capped up when part of a formal route name, such as West Coast Main Line<\/p>\n

make-up<\/strong>
\nNever one word<\/p>\n

mayor<\/strong>
\nlower case like other job titles (mayor of London Sadiq Khan)<\/p>\n

megaproject<\/strong>
\none word<\/p>\n

millions<\/strong>
\n\u00a31m, \u00a325.4m, unless it\u2019s a round million being used for effect, in which case: one million, five million<\/p>\n

More to follow<\/em><\/strong>
\n(online stories) Italicise, not bold, no full stop<\/p>\n

multi-million-pound<\/strong>
\ntwo hyphens<\/p>\n

named media<\/strong>
\nItalicise the names of reports, magazines, newspapers, online and TV media outlets, books, films, TV programmes and court cases.<\/p>\n

national living wage<\/strong>
\nLower case<\/p>\n

new<\/strong>
\nAvoid overuse of this word. If you\u2019re building a house, it\u2019s pretty obvious it\u2019s new. If you\u2019re launching a product, there is no need to say it\u2019s new<\/p>\n

newspapers<\/strong>
\nCap the \u2018The\u2019 if part of a title (The Times<\/em>)<\/p>\n

new year<\/strong>
\nLower case when talking generally \u2013 \u2018jobs likely to rise in the new year\u2019; only capped up when referring to the specific holiday<\/p>\n

none<\/strong>
\nCan take plural verb as appropriate<\/p>\n

no one
\n<\/strong>Do not hyphenate<\/p>\n

Northern Powerhouse<\/strong>
\nCapped<\/p>\n

offices sector<\/strong>
\nPlural<\/p>\n

Offsite<\/strong>
\nNo hyphen. Not interchangeable with MMC.<\/p>\n

OK<\/strong>
\nin preference to okay<\/p>\n

onsite<\/strong>
\nAs an adjective, otherwise \u2018on site\u2019<\/p>\n

organisations<\/strong>
\nIncluding consortiums are always referred to as singular entities. Use \u2018its\u2019 not \u2018their\u2019<\/p>\n

overrunning \/ overrun \/ overruns<\/strong>
\nOne word, not hyphenated<\/p>\n

parliament<\/strong>
\nLower case, but House of Commons or House of Lords cap up.<\/p>\n

party (political)<\/strong>
\nLower case in general, capped only when part of a formal name, eg: the party\u2019s policy \/ the Labour Party manifesto<\/p>\n

pence<\/strong>
\nUse \u201cp\u201d when referring to specific values (\u201cEach screw cost 10p\u201d) but spell out when used generically (\u201cEach one cost only a few pence but millions were needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

per<\/strong>
\nAs a prefix to Latin tags such as per annum; use \u2018a\u2019 when using Anglicised equivalents (\u00a310,000 a year, etc)<\/p>\n

per cent<\/strong>
\nTwo words, use % only in headlines, charts and tables. Don\u2019t use \u2018pc\u2019<\/p>\n

phases<\/strong>
\nLower case, eg \u2018HS2 phase two\u2019, not \u2018HS2 Phase Two\u2019<\/p>\n

policy-makers \/ policy-making<\/strong>
\nHyphenated<\/p>\n

pound<\/strong>
\nLower case, eg \u2018the pound\u2019<\/p>\n

precast<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

preconstruction<\/strong>
\nNo hyphen<\/p>\n

prefab\/prefabrication<\/strong>
\nNo hyphen<\/p>\n

pre-let<\/strong>
\nHyphen<\/p>\n

prequalification<\/strong>
\nNo hyphen<\/p>\n

pre-tax profit<\/strong><\/p>\n

Previous issue references<\/strong>
\n(CN<\/em> 24 April 2019, p12)<\/p>\n

private finance initiative \/ PFI<\/strong>
\nSpell\u00a0out first time in lower case<\/p>\n

private finance 2 \/ PF2<\/strong>
\nSpell out first time in lower case<\/p>\n

prime minister<\/strong>
\nNo caps \u2013 the prime minister Boris Johnson and chancellor Sajid Javid<\/p>\n

Prime Minister\u2019s Questions (PMQs)<\/strong>
\nInitial caps \u2013 the proper name of a regular event in the Commons<\/p>\n

Priority School Building Programme<\/strong>
\n\u2018School\u2019 is singular, but \u2018priority schools\u2019 is fine to refer to relevant projects<\/p>\n

profit<\/strong>
\nSingular<\/p>\n

project bank accounts \/ PBAs<\/strong> Spelt out on first mention in lower case<\/p>\n

Queen\u2019s Speech<\/strong>
\nCapped<\/p>\n

quote marks
\n<\/strong>Double quotes, with single quotes used around further quotes therein. Single quotes in headlines, standfirsts and captions.<\/p>\n

ratios<\/strong>
\nsuch as 50:50 require a colon, not a hyphen or forward slash<\/p>\n

ready-made<\/strong>
\nHyphenated<\/p>\n

re-cladding<\/strong>
\nHyphenated<\/p>\n

Regional Framework<\/strong> Capped up when referring to the EFA\u2019s Regional Framework<\/p>\n

regions<\/strong> Cap up for specific UK regions \u2013 \u2018the South East\u2019, \u2018the North\u2019 \u2013 but lower case otherwise \u2013 \u2018south east London\u2019, \u2018to the west of the site\u2019<\/p>\n

reusable<\/strong> One word<\/p>\n

revenue<\/strong>
\nSingular. We focus on revenue excluding JVs and associates (some firms like Balfour include these in their headline figure)<\/p>\n

Right to Buy<\/strong>
\nCapped up when referring specifically to the policy<\/p>\n

Rivers<\/strong>
\nCapped, eg River Thames<\/p>\n

Road Investment Strategy<\/strong>
\nCapped; \u2018Road\u2019 is singular<\/p>\n

Roadworks
\n<\/strong>One word<\/p>\n

royal assent<\/strong>
\nLower case<\/p>\n

school-leavers
\n<\/strong>Hyphenated<\/p>\n

seasons<\/strong>
\nLower case, eg \u2018spring\u2019, \u2018autumn\u2019<\/p>\n

sector deal<\/strong>
\nLower case \u2013 generic term applied to more than one specific deal<\/p>\n

Second World War
\n<\/strong>not World War 2 or II<\/p>\n

shake-up<\/strong>
\nHyphenated as a noun, eg \u2018management shake-up\u2019; two words as a verb, eg \u2018Balfour to shake up team\u2019<\/p>\n

shares<\/strong>
\nUK shares are quoted in p, not pence<\/p>\n

skillset<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

smart motorways<\/strong>
\nLower case<\/p>\n

Spending Review<\/strong>
\nCapped up (rarely called Comprehensive Spending Review any more)<\/p>\n

spokesman \/ spokeswoman <\/strong>\/ spokesperson<\/strong>
\nare all acceptable; \u201cA source said\u201d is not.<\/p>\n

square metres<\/strong>
\nSpell out, don\u2019t use sq m. Use m2 <\/sup>within charts and tables<\/p>\n

stadiums<\/strong>
\nnot stadia<\/p>\n

stand-out<\/strong>
\nHypehenated when used as an adjective<\/p>\n

Starter Homes<\/strong>
\nCapped<\/p>\n

state of trade surveys<\/strong>
\nMany organisations use this generic phrase as part of their survey\u2019s full title, but unless we\u2019re spelling out that full title then no caps and no italics: (\u201cThe organisation\u2019s latest state of trade survey\u201d) (The NSCC\u2019s State of Trade Survey Q1 2013\u201d)<\/p>\n

stations<\/strong>
\nLower case as part of station name (Waterloo station, King\u2019s Cross station)<\/p>\n

street numbers<\/strong>
\nNo comma after number: 14 Elm Street, WC1<\/p>\n

subcontract \/ subcontractor<\/strong>
\nOne word, no hyphen. Avoid \u201csubbies\u201d except in direct quotes.<\/p>\n

takeover<\/strong>
\nNoun is one word; take over (verb) is two<\/p>\n

teams<\/strong>
\nTeams take singular verbs \u2013 this includes sports teams (and bands)<\/p>\n

telephone numbers<\/strong>
\nNo hyphens: 020 7505 6857<\/p>\n

temperatures
\n<\/strong>10\u00b0C; \u201cThe temperature was raised by 400 degrees.\u201d Convert Fahrenheit to Celsius<\/p>\n

that vs which<\/strong>
\n\u2018That\u2019 defines; \u2018which\u2019 elaborates. \u201cHe listed the reasons that justified his actions.\u201d \u201cHe said his actions were justified by a list of reasons, which he spelled out one by one.\u201d<\/p>\n

the<\/strong>
\nNo caps as a rule for publications, buildings, events, etc<\/p>\n

thinktank
\n<\/strong>One word<\/p>\n

tier one contractor<\/strong>
\nNo caps, no numerals; except for tier 1.5<\/p>\n

timelapse<\/strong>
\nOne word, no hyphen<\/p>\n

trillion<\/strong>
\nEquals one thousand billion, or a million million. Written as tn with no space (\u00a34.8tn)<\/p>\n

trio<\/strong>
\nSingular<\/p>\n

trusts<\/strong>
\nLower case when used along after first full mention (\u2018The Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust… A spokesman for the trust said..\u2019)<\/p>\n

tube<\/strong>
\nLower case \u2013 same with stations (Bank tube station) and lines (Northern line, Jubilee line).<\/p>\n

turnover<\/strong>
\nWe focus on revenue excluding JVs and associates (some firms like Balfour include these in their headline figure)<\/p>\n

Ucatt
\n<\/strong>Lower case<\/p>\n

underfloor<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

under way<\/strong>
\nTwo words<\/p>\n

undersecretary<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

upskill<\/strong>
\nOne word. Consider \u201cretrain\u201d.<\/p>\n

US<\/strong>
\nNot USA or America<\/p>\n

use<\/strong>
\nNot utilise<\/p>\n

U-turn<\/strong>
\nUpper case. Similarly, S-shaped, X-shaped, W-shaped, etc.<\/p>\n

U-value<\/strong> Only the U capped up, hyphenated<\/p>\n

website<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

wellbeing<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

Western Europe<\/strong>
\nCapped<\/p>\n

while<\/strong>
\nNot whilst<\/p>\n

whole-life costs<\/strong>
\nHyphenated<\/p>\n

wi-fi
\n<\/strong>Hyphenated<\/p>\n

wind farm<\/strong>
\nTwo words<\/p>\n

writedowns<\/strong>
\nOne word<\/p>\n

Yorkshire & the Humber<\/strong> Ampersand, not \u2018and\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This page provides guidance for the writing style adopted by Construction News in print and online, from January 2020. People Provide a person\u2019s full name and job title on first mention. Don\u2019t include Mr, Miss, Mrs or Ms. Subsequent mentions in the same story should use only the person\u2019s surname. Exception: CN journalists (The work …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84992,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n