How to use There, Their and They're

[W. Gray]

I once acquired a Kansas City Star rule book. It was a very well done soft cover bound publication about a quarter inch thick and gave all of the publisher's "do's" and "don'ts" for writing.

The only thing I can recall from that rule book is that it was unacceptable to use "KS" as an abbreviation for Kansas. The publisher wanted "Kans."

It was, however, acceptable to use "Mo" for Missouri.

Most book publishers nowadays seem to say they follow the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, (955 pages), which does allow for using "KS" provided a zip code follows or when using without a zip code in a bibliography showing where a book was published.

Most publishers still provide their own few pages of exceptions to that Manual.

[Rudy Taylor]

Newspaper publishers shun the use of postal abbreviations in story text.

They're OK in advertising, or addresses.

But the abbreviation for Kansas is still "Kan."  No "s" on it.

Here's the list of proper state abbreviations, but remember, this is only for news story purposes. Using postal abbreviations is quite common for informal writing.

Ala.
Ariz.
Calif.
Colo.
Conn.
Del.
Fla.
Ga.
Ill.
Ind.
Kan.
Ky
La..
Md.
Mass.
Mich.
Minn.
Miss.
Mo.
Mont.
Neb.
Nev.
N.C.
N.H.
N.J.
N.M.
N.Y.
N.D.
Okla.
Ore.
Pa.
R.I.
S.C.
S.D.
Tenn.
Vt.
Wash.
W.Va.
Wis.
Wyo.

   There are no proper abbreviations for Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas or Utah. Use the two-letter postal abbreviations only with full addresses, including ZIP code.