WFP English Style Guidelines
World Food Programme
Table of Contents
Section 1 -Preface
1.1 -Preface
1.2 -Acknowledgements
Section 2 -Audience; document structure; style; fonts
2.1 -Audience
2.2 -Document structure
2.3 -Style
2.4 -Fonts
Section 3 -Sentence structure; voice
3.1 -Sentence structure
3.2 -Voice
Section 4 -Ambiguity; pairing
4.1 -Ambiguity
4.2 -Pairing
Section 5 -Parallel structure
5.1 -Consistency
Section 6 -Verbtense
6.1 -Verbtense
Section 7 -Usage
7.1 -Prepositions
7.2 -Its and it's
7.3 -Like or As
7.4 -Singular and Plural
7.5 -That or Which?
7.6 -Possessives
7.7 -Split infinitives
7.8 -Verb form taken by determiners
7.9 -Miscellaneous usage notes
Section 8 -Vocabulary
8.1 -Non-English Words
Section 9 -Abbreviations and acronyms
9.1 -Abbreviations and acronyms
Section 10 -Spelling and terminology
10.1 -Spelling and terminology
10.1.1 -Dictionary
10.1.2 -British spelling
10.1.3 -Z versus S
10.1.4 -Proper names
Section 11 -Word treatment; ellipsis
11.1 -Word treatment
11.1.1 -Capitalization
11.1.2 -Job titles
11.1.3 -Programmes, conferences, seminars, workshops
11.1.4 -Bodies proposed but not yet established
11.1.5 -Hyphenated phrases
11.1.6 -References to parts of documents
11.1.7 -Titles of documents and publications
11.1.8 -Government names
11.1.9 -Italics
11.2 -Ellipsis/dots
Section 12 -Punctuation
12.1 -Spacing
12.2 -Full stops
12.3 -Commas
12.4 -Colons
12.5 -Semicolons
12.6 -Hyphens
12.7 -En-dashes
12.8 -Parentheses, or brackets
12.9 -Quotation marks
Section 13 -Lists/bullets
13.1 -Lists/bullets
Section 14 -Detail
14.1 -Detail
Section 15 -Numbers and units
15.1 -General
15.2 -Qualifiers - avoid them
15.3 -Fractions
15.4 -Units of measure
15.5 -Percent
15.6 -Currency
15.7 -Dates
15.8 -Time
Section 16 -Place names
16.1 -Geographical terms
Section 17 -References
17.1 -Footnotes
17.2 -WFP documents
Section 18 -Bibliographies
18.1 -Bibliographies
Section 19 -Tables
19.1 -Tables
Section 20 -Things to Avoid
20.1 -Officialese
20.2 -
Appendix A5 -Formats
A5.1 -Formats
Appendix A6 -Your document after editing
A6.1 -Your document after editing
Section 1 - Preface
1.1 - Preface
This WFP Style Guide is intended as a resource for authors writing documents for the Executive Board and papers for consultations and for writers and editors preparing official WFP publications.
Aim
The aim is to help authors to produce clear, consistent, readable texts that are accessible to representatives of WFP's Member States, to staff of other United Nations organizations and to an international readership -- an audience that varies enormously in terms of language and culture. The guide sets out the style conventions used in WFP and advises on usage; preferred word forms and spellings, acronyms and country namesmay be found elsewhere.
The watchwords areAccuracy,Brevity andClarity.
Readership
Writers should bear in mind that many of those who read documents in English are not mother-tongue users of English; and documents have to be translated into the other official languages – Arabic, French and Spanish – and possibly into Russian and Chinese. For these reasons, writers should keep their texts as straightforward as possible; they should keep technical terms to a minimum and should not use jargon or figurative language (see "Things to avoid").
Formatting
The formatting of original documents should be as simple as possible: documents for the Board and the Bureau and those for consultations are formatted in the Document Processing Unit (DPU), where special templates are used. If graphics are to be included, the original electronic files should accompany any document that is to be formatted so that they can be inserted.
Text that cannot be changed
If a document contains text that cannot be changed, for example because it has been agreed with other parties, please make sure that it is clearly indicated.
Updating the Style Guide
This Style Guide is constantly reviewed and updated. Your input as a user is important: if you find an error or omission or wish to comment on any aspect of the Style Guide, please contact the English Editor at WFP Headquarters:
telephone: +06 6513 2654
e-mail:
1.2 - Acknowledgements
The WFP Style Guide was compiled in 2001 by Liliana D'Aniello, the then English Editor, drawing on United Nations style documents; she was assisted by Maria Quintili, then an English Text Processor. It was updated by subsequent English Editors with input from users.
Section 2 - Audience; document structure; style; fonts
2.1 - Audience
Adjust the discourse to the intended reader. Do not assume technical knowledge on the part of the reader. Avoid technical language and vocabulary.
2.2 - Document structure
With the intended audience in mind, identify the core ideas essential to the document and the main points you want to make. Omit non-essential material. Present the core ideas in a logical sequence.
For operationsdocuments, follow the formats found in theProgramme Guidance Manual(PGM).
2.3 - Style
Use direct language. Be brief. Avoid repetition. Aim for clarity, accuracy, continuity and consistency.
British English is the standard, with some exceptions as set out in this guide (see especiallySpelling and terminology).
The tools of the trade are:
- the latest edition of theShorter Oxford English Dictionaryor theConcise Oxford English Dictionary;
- this Style Guide;
- List of AcronymsUsed in Board Documents;
- WFP Structure and Titles of Staff; and
- WFP Glossary.
2.4 - Fonts
Use Times New Roman 11 or 12 point for Board documents. Do not use a mixture of fonts.
Useitalicexclusively for book titles and for words and expressions in languages other than English (which must be explained in brackets):
/ The following is quoted fromThe Statistics of Food Aid, second edition:TheAntyodaya Anna Lojana(Food Scheme for the Poor) was introduced in 2000.
Useboldfor sub-headings, but NOT where text is highlighted by the formatting, for example in bulleted lists.
Avoid overuse of italic and bold lettering. Do NOT use italic or bold fonts in text to denote emphasis, which should be reflected in the phrasing.
For WFP publications follow the branding guidance available at
Section 3 - Sentence structure; voice
3.1 - Sentence structure
Subject/Verb/Object
In English, the usual sentence structure is subject, followed by verb, followed by object or complement. Keep the verb and object close to the subject.
For example:
If current trends continue, by the turn of the century tourism[subject]will displace[verb]agriculture[object]as the island's main industry.
NOT: "Tourism, if current trends continue, by the turn of the century will displace agriculture as the island's main industry."
Don't appear to change subject in mid-sentence; for example, prepositional phrases should be adjacent to the noun they refer to:
With its numerous beaches, the island offers good prospects for tourism.
NOT "With its with numerous beaches, tourism has good prospects in the island."
Long Sentences
Avoid long complicated sentences. Short, clear sentences convey meaning more effectively than a single complex structure.
3.2 - Voice
Choose the active voice over the passive if you can.
WFP responded quickly to decentralization.
NOT "Decentralization was responded to quickly by WFP."
However, if the writer wishes to be impersonal, perhaps to avoid implications of blame, the passive voice is the better choice.
Section 4 - Ambiguity; pairing
4.1 - Ambiguity
Take care with word order and subject pronouns. Words placed in the wrong order or the use of subjects such asthisoritwithout a clear referent can lead to ambiguity.
Remember the famous report in theNew Yorker:
"The woman who shot herself in the foot accidentally recovered".
The line should have read:The woman who accidentally shot herself in the foot recovered.
4.2 - Pairing
Do not pair nouns and adjectives. It is not necessary to write
"...theirrelevanceandsignificanceto planning and implementation..."; the paired terms have the same meaning, so one or the other will suffice.
The meaning is clearer in"...their relevance to planning and implementation...".
The addition of a paired synonym does not strengthen a sentence; it weakens it.
Section 5 - Parallel structure
5.1 - Consistency
Be consistent. When you use a bulleted or numbered list, make sure the items all follow the same structure - complete sentences or verb phrases or noun phrases. For example:
Complete sentences:
The project is characterized by the following features:
- It will provide a system of management and monitoring that will ensure sustainable use of the region's natural resources.
- It is expected to be self-financing through user fees.
- All stakeholders will participate in all aspects of system management.
ORverb phrases(each bullet point begins with a verb):
The project is characterized by features that will:
- provide a system of management and monitoring that will ensure sustainable use of the region's natural resources;
- self-finance the system through user fees; and
- allow all stakeholders to participate in all aspects of system management.
ORnoun phrases(each bullet point begins with a noun):
The project is characterized by the following features:
- provision of a system of management and monitoring that will ensure sustainable use of the region's natural resources;
- self-financing of the system through user fees; and
- participation of all stakeholders in all aspects of system management.
Do NOT create lists that use all three features, as in:
The project is characterized by the following features:
- provision [noun] of a system of management and monitoring that will ensure sustainable use of the region's natural resources;
- the system is expected to be self-financing [complete sentence] through user fees; and
- allows [verb] all stakeholders to participate in all aspects of system management.
Section 6 - Verb tense
6.1 - Verb tense
Be consistent in the use of tense. When you begin in the past, stay in the past:
The evaluation missionnotedthat the beneficiary schoolshadfew teaching materials.
A common error is the use of the present perfect to describe an event that has already ended. The correct verb tense for this case ispast simple:
Between 2003 and 2005, the enrolment ratefellfrom 54 percent to 43 percent.
NOT: Between 2003 and 2005, the enrolment ratehas fallenfrom 54 percent to 43 percent.
The subjunctive
The subjunctive mood expresses a wished-for, hypothetical or contingent relationship between subject and predicate, as for example in "...if Iwereyou..." or "...bethat as it may...". It is used after verbs such as "recommend" and "suggest":
The Board recommends that WFPbeproactive in developing partnerships.
We suggest that hetakeleave of absence until the matter has been resolved.
The subjunctive is usually used after "if":
If a further emergencywereto occur during this period.
When using the conditionalwould, be sure to use the subjunctive as well:
If fundingwere[subjunctive]provided, the projectwould[conditional]be able to proceed.
WFPwould[conditional]have to end its operations if the decisionwere[subjunctive]to be negative.
Section 7 - Usage
7.1 - Prepositions
In formal writing prepositions should not be placed at the end of a clause or sentence, but there are many circumstances in which a preposition may or even must be so placed, especially to avoid what Sir Winston Churchill called "the kind of English up with which I will not put".
It is perfectly acceptable to write:
There are no other problems, at least none that the mission is aware of.
The alternative would be: "There are no other problems, at least none of which the mission is aware."
7.2 - Its and it's
The wordit'sis a contraction ofit is. The apostrophe does NOT indicate possession.
The worditsis apossessive adjective; it does NOT contain an apostrophe.
/ Oh,it's[= it is] just the dog waggingits[possessive] tail.Why is today a holiday?It'sfor the country to celebrateitsindependence.
The country office givesitsstaff extra security training;it'sone of the reasons why people are happy to work here.
7.3 - Like or As
The word introduced bylikemust be a noun or pronoun; it must not be governed by a preposition, but by the subject or object of the main verb.
/ The commodities will be used as a stopgap.(The commoditiesarethe stopgap.) NOT: "The commodities will be used like a stopgap."The document looks like an agenda.NOT: "The document looks like it is an agenda." (The document is not an agenda.)
Be careful with constructions wherelikeorascould be used:
/ He talks like an expert.(He sounds like an expert but may not be one.)He is speaking as an expert.(He is an expert and is speaking in that capacity.)
Usesuch asto give examples.
/ In mountainous countries such as Peru or Nepal...Do NOT write "...countrieslikePeru or Nepal...".
7.4 - Singular and Plural
The verb follows the number of the subject, NOT of the complement:
A secondary target group[subject]for the projectis[NOTare]the rural communities[complement]in which the very poor primary target group lives.
Don't be drawn off track by a clause:
WFP, in addition to the other agencies mentioned,is[NOTare]looking into the possibility.
Exception: a subject that is singular in sense though plural in form:
Twenty milesisa long way to walk.
Six monthswasthe time allowed for completion.
Fish and chipsisa popular dish.
Countries that are plural in form take singular verbs:
The United Stateshasthe world's most powerful economy.
A singular verb is used when the group is seen as a unit:
The teamiscurrently based at Brindisi.
The staffconsistsentirely of locally employed people.
A compound subject (withand) is normally plural:
Their lives, their liberties and their religionare[NOTis]in danger.
When alternative subjects (withor) are both singular, the verb is singular:
United Nations troops have been ordered to shoot if life[subject 1]or property[subject 2]is[NOTare]in danger.
However, if one subject is singular and one is plural, the verb is plural:
The registered woman head of household[subject 1, singular]or her children[subject 2, plural]areallowed to receive the food ration.
The pluralsmenandwomen, not "male" and "female", are used as adjectives when referring to people, e.g.women farmers. Usehouseholds headed by women, NEVER "female-headed households".
The following determiners require a verb in singular:
Anybody, anyone, somebody, someone, nobody, no one, everybody, everyone; each, every, either, neither; more than one; much, little; one of (plural noun but singular verb: one of the projects is....); the number of.
But note that with defining relative clauses introduced by “who” or “that” the verb agrees with the subject of the clause:
"The unit is one of the teams that are (NOT is) excluded from the survey". “That” refers back to “teams”, not to “one of”, and thus the verb is plural.
The following determiners require a verb in plural:
a number of, a group of; many, few, both, several; each (after a noun or pronoun: "They each play several instruments.").
The following determiners require either singular or plural, depending on the number of the noun:
a lot; most, some, any, half; none; the majority; percent; that, which, who.
Certain cases depend on the numerical sense of the sentence, e.g. singular words that refer to groups or plural words that express a singular notion or unit.
With any/either/neither/none of, use a singular verb where possible, but a plural verb if the notion of plurality is present: "None of the suggestions was very interesting"; but "None of our problems have been solved" is acceptable.
7.5 - That or Which?
Contrary to common belief, there is a difference betweenthatandwhich. Using one rather than the other can mean the difference between clarity and confusion.
That(restrictive) is defining:
/ The northern regions that are prone to drought are the ones WFP will target.(There might be other northern regions, but it is only those that are susceptible to drought that are being targeted for aid.)Which(non-restrictive) is not defining; it gives additional information that could be omitted and not affect the intended message of the sentence.
/ The northern regions, which are prone to drought, will each receive 450 mt of food.(Being drought-prone is a characteristic of the northern regions.)That, as a relative pronoun, is not preceded by a comma;which, as a relative pronoun, normally is.
7.6 - Possessives
There are three main forms of possessive:
- possessive in's(ors'if plural): the project leader's objectives, water users' association;
- possessive withof: the objectives of the project leader, association of water users;
- possessive used with gerund to form a noun: as in "He did not approve of his daughter's going to school."
The sense of the possessive can also be conveyed by using an adjective/noun construction: e.g. "office equipment", "project objectives"; the adjective is singular.
Do NOT use the'sform of possessive with inanimate things: use "the capacity of the trucks", not "the trucks' capacity".
7.7 - Split infinitives
A split infinitive is the separation of the verbal part of an infinitive (e.g. "to understand") from its particle "to". Do NOT split infinitives: place the adverb before or after the infinitive it modifies or use a structure that avoids a split infinitive. For example:
WFP intends to develop the project further in the next six months.(NOT "WFP intends tofurtherdevelop...")
The document will help the Board to enhance its understanding of the matter.(NOT "The document will help the Board tobetterunderstand...")
Section 8 - Vocabulary
8.1 - Non-English Words
If necessary, briefly explain local terms in a footnotewhen they're first mentioned, for example "walo1(1low-lying land flooded during part of the year)", "woreda(administrative district)".
SomeGreek and Latinwords have passed into common usage in English – but be careful with the plural forms:
phenomenon/phenomena;
criterion/criteria;
genus/genera;
datum (rare in the singular)/data;
forum/fora;
medium/media.
AvoidLatin and Greek expressions– use the English equivalents.
For example, use "among other things", NOTinter alia. If you are determined to use a Latin or Greek expression, check theShorteror theConcise Oxford English Dictionary: some have passed into common usage and are set in roman (ad hoc), while others are italicized and may be transliterated (intuitu personae,hoi polloi).