Should a reporter write frontrunner or front-runner? When is ensure preferable to assure? And which words should take a capital letter?
These apparently minor questions are the everyday business of The Times Style Guide, the official reference for journalists working at The Times and The Sunday Times.
Edited by Ian Brunskill, the 2022 edition addresses hundreds of problems involving spelling, grammar, punctuation and English usage. It explains the decisions behind a newspaper’s house style, including conventions that may differ from those preferred by other publications.
Its particular value is practical. Reporters can consult individual entries when editing copy rather than reading the book from beginning to end. It is also useful for freelance journalists who need to adapt their work to the linguistic preferences of a British publication.
For journalists working in English, the book demonstrates how consistency is achieved through specific, sometimes surprisingly detailed editorial choices.
