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Special sections
What's
New Armed
Forces Arts
Churches
Courts
Politics
Sport
Titles
each, every although singular, they areacceptable now with
plural pronouns, as the plural isincreasingly becoming a way of saying he
or she,or his or her. Hence, “everyone has what
they want”, “each of us has our secrets”, but “everyone has secrets”
Earhart, Amelia (the 1930s aviatrix)
earlier this word is often redundant, because the tense of the verb
says it all; similarly later
Earls Court (no apostrophe)
early hours avoid the phrase “in the early hours of the
morning”; say simply “the early hours” or, better, “early yesterday/today”
earned NEVER earnt
earring (no hyphen)
Earth cap only in planetary or astronomical sense, not in
phrases such as “down to earth”. The same rule applies to Moon and Sun. See
Universe, solar system
earthquake can abbreviate to quake inheadings. See
Richter scale
east, eastern etc for when to cap in geographical context,
see compass points
East End, West End of London; also East, West,North, South,
Central, Inner London. See London
EastEnders (the TV soap opera)
Easter Day (not Easter Sunday) is the Sunday between Good Friday and
Easter Monday. Also note that the Saturday before Easter Day is Holy
Saturday (not Easter Saturday, which is the Saturday after Easter) or Easter
Eve
Eastern Europe, but eastern Germany. See Germany
easygoing
easyJet note also bmi, bmibaby, flybe, Jet2, MyTravelLite
ebitda earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and
amortisation; where possible spell out at first mention
EBRD European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
EC must NOT be used as an abbreviation for the European
Commission in text or headlines. EC remains the shortform ONLY of the
European Community, although in almost all contexts now, EU is preferred.
See European etc
E. coli (italics in text, but roman and no point in
headlines)
e-commerce (as e-mail)
ecosystem (no hyphen), but eco-warrior
Ecstasy, the drug
Ecuadorean (not -ian)
ecumenical, not oecumenical (but respect titles). See
Churches special section
editor cap first mention of editors of well-known leading
publications, such as the Editor of The Times, Editor of the Daily
Mirror, Editor of the Yorkshire Post, Editor of The
Spectator; subsequent mentions, revert to l/c. Similarly,
Editor-in-Chief. Note that deputy editors and below retain l/c. See job
titles, newspapers
education action zones (EAZs), l/c in general context but cap
specifics, eg, Barnsley Education Action Zone. Similar style to local
education authorities (LEAs)
educationist (not educationalist)
, eg, no points, but use a comma before and after. See ie
Eid ul-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the fast of
Ramadan
Eire do not use except in historical context. See Ireland
eisteddfod l/c except when naming a particular one in full,
eg, the International Eisteddfod at Llangollen; plural eisteddfodau
either takes a singular verb when both subjects are embraced:
“Either is good enough.” See neither
ElBaradei, Mohamed Egyptian official, currently (2003)
Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Dr
ElBaradei at second mention
elbowroom (one word), similarly headroom, legroom
elderly, aged, old be sensitive in the use of these words. As a guide,
do not use for people under 65 and be aware that there are many over this
age for whom "elderly" is not an appropriate adjective. A
sensitive consensus is building for the term "older people"
Electoral College cap in US election context
electrocardiographs are machines for measuring heart
function; electrocardiograms are the tracings made by them
electrocute means to kill by electric shock
Elgin Marbles, and subsequent mentions the Marbles
elicit means to evoke, bring to light, or draw out; never
confuse with illicit (unlawful, forbidden)
Eliot, T(homas) S(tearns), usually known as T.S. Eliot; also George
Eliot (real name Mary Ann Evans)
elite (roman, no accent)
e-mail, but note E-Stamp, a registered trademark
Emap (not EMAP; the l/c emap version is simply a logo)
embarkation (not embarcation). You embark in (not
on) a ship. See Armed Forces special section
embarrass(ment); but note the French embarras de choix,
embarras de richesses
Embassy same style as for Ambassador, eg, the French Embassy
in Rome, thereafter the embassy
émigré
Emin, Tracey (not Tracy)
Emmies (plural of the Emmy awards). See arts awards
emphasise prefer this to stress in phrases such as
“he emphasised the importance”,“she emphasised that the ruling was final”.
See stress
empire cap as in British or Roman Empire;similarly, cap emperor
when specific, eg,Emperor Claudius
Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT; note singular Appeal,
despite evidence to the contrary on their website) is part of the High Court
and should be referred to in full at first mention, then the appeal tribunal
(not simply the tribunal). It is not the same as an employment tribunal,
which replaced the old industrial tribunal, and which can be referred to as
the tribunal at second mention. See next entry
employment tribunals have replaced industrial tribunals. See industrial
EMS European Monetary System
EMU economic and monetary union (in Europe). See ERM
encyclopaedia (not encyclopedia)
England, English beware of these when the meaning is Britain,
British
England and Wales Cricket Board, which has replaced the TCCB,
is abbreviated as ECB, but do not shorten to
England/English Cricket Board. See Sports special section
engineers restrict use to white-collar workers with
engineering qualifications; do not use with reference to mechanics,
manufacturing workers, platelayers etc
enormity does NOT mean great size; it means quality or
character of being outrageous, or extreme wickedness or serious error. Do
not misuse. For great size, use immensity
en route (not italics)
ensign the White Ensign is the ensign of the
Royal Navy and the Royal Yacht Squadron; the Red Ensign is
the British Merchant Navy's flag; the Blue Ensign is flown
by Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels and by certain yacht clubs. There is no
such thing as the Royal Ensign; however, the Royal Standard
will fly from one of the Queen's homes when she is there. See Royal Standard
en suite (two words, no hyphen, no itals, both as adverb and
adjective)
ensure means to make certain; you insure against
risk; you assure your life. The verb ensure usually
needs “that” after it if accompanied by afollowing verb (eg, “he tried to
ensure that the policy was adopted”); but omit “that” if followed by a noun
(eg, “he tried to ensure its success”)
enthral
Environment Agency (caps)
eponymous means "giving its name to..." so "Hamlet, the
eponymous Prince" (ie, giving his name to the play) is correct; "Hamlet,
the eponymous play", is wrong
Equator (cap), but equatorial in general
sense
Eriksson, Sven-Göran (former England football head
coach, not manager); note hyphen and umlaut
ERM exchange-rate mechanism (in European contexts); a part of
the wider concept of EMU
escalate, escalation now clichés, so avoid; use rise,
grow or soar
escapers NEVER escapees
Eskimo is now regarded as a derogatory term. Use Inuit
instead, except in occasional historical contexts.
Establishment, the cap in sense of the perceived leaders of
society; but l/c as in the medical establishment, the legal establishment,
when the sense is more restricted
Eta (not ETA), the Basque separatist organisation. Note also
Basque Country (initial caps)
Eucharist (cap). See Christian terms
euro, the European single currency, takes l/c (as franc,
pound, mark, peseta etc)
eurocheques, eurobonds (l/c, nohyphen)
euroland (l/c), vernacular term for European single currency area; also eurozone
Europe Western, Eastern, Central (all caps). Europe includes
the British Isles, so do not use the name as equivalent to the Continent.
Britain does not export to Europe, but to the rest of Europe
European Commission, Commissioners cap the
Commission throughout as a noun, but l/c when adjectival,eg, a
commission ruling (the same rule as forGovernment/government); cap the
commissioner only when referring to a specific person (eg, Mario Monti, the
Competition Commissioner; thereafter, the commissioner). The President of
the European Commission is capped throughout (as with all foreign Presidents)
European constitution l/c until such a document becomes
enshrined in law. See constitution
European Economic Area (EEA), the European tariff-free zone,
comprises the 15 members of the EU plus Norway,Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Other EU-EEA areas of co-operation include education, research, environment,
consumer policy and tourism.
European Parliament, Members of the European Parliament
(MEPs), or Euro MPs
European Union (EU), European Community (EC) the first is now
the preferred phrase except where the context is trade. If we have to use the
Union, it should be capped throughout, but wherever possible use EU.
Use Common Market and EEC only in historical context
Eurosceptic (no longer hyphenated), and similarly Europhobia,
Europhiles. Write Eurosceptic with capital E for anti-European in
general sense, eurosceptic (l/c e) for those who oppose the euro
(single currency)
Eurotunnel (one word) is the company that owns and operates
the Channel Tunnel. Eurostar operates the passenger trains
that run through the tunnel. Note that Eurotunnel trains
carry cars, coaches and lorries through the tunnel between Folkestone and
Calais only; they run a shuttle service and although the logo of Le Shuttle
still appears on their locomotives, their formal name is Eurotunnel trains.
See Channel Tunnel
evangelical(s) keep l/c in general church contexts except
when part of an official title such as the Evangelical Alliance
evensong (l/c). See matins, Christian terms
eventuate avoid; use happen instead
ever is rarely necessary; avoid phrases such as best-ever,
fastest-ever, and say simply best and fastest,qualifying
(where appropriate) with yet. See first,superlatives, universal
claims
ex- prefer former in most contexts, as in former
Yugoslavia, though ex-serviceman is unavoidable and ex- is fine for
headlines
examinations 11-plus, 7-plus etc; also A levels,but A-level
results etc (hyphenate only when adjectival); also AS levels, A2s.
Abbreviate to exam only in headlines. GCSE, the General Certificate
of Secondary Education, need not normally be spelt out. See A level, GCSE
excepting do not use when except or except for
is possible
exclamation marks nearly always unnecessary
exclusive avoid with story or interview. The phrase “in an
interview with The Times” is sufficient
ex dividend (not ex-dividend) in financial contexts
execution take care; as with assassination, do not use as a
synonym of any killing or murder. An execution is a judicial killing after
due process of law
Executive cap in the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland
contexts when used as a noun meaning the Government; but l/c when adjectival
(same style as for Government, Assembly, Commission etc)
exhibitions titles of art exhibitions in italics. See Arts
special section
existing use present wherever possibleas an
alternative
Exocet (cap)
ex parte l/c, roman, no hyphen
expatriate (noun, verb or adjective - not ex-patriate and
NEVER expatriot)
Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) (noteCredits
plural)
extramarital (no hyphen); similarly, extramural,
extracurricular, extrasensory etc
exuberant (never exhuberant), but exhilarate, exhort
etc
eye of a storm do not refer to “the calm in the eye of the
storm”; the eye, by definition, is the calm area at the centre of a storm or
hurricane
eye to eye (no hyphens)
eyeing
eyewitness use witness instead wherever possible (except in
direct quotes)
