Ascendancy for clarity cap when referring to the landowning Protestant minority in Irish historical context
ascendant, ascendancy prefer to ascendent, ascendency
Asian while this is obviously an adjective pertaining to Asia, or a person from that continent, note that in Britain it can have a narrower officially sanctioned, although in some quarters controversial, meaning of a person who comes from, or whose parents came from, India, Pakistan or elsewhere in south Asia; be aware that using it in this way (especially in eg crime stories) may annoy British Asians of other backgrounds. In North America Asian is more likely to refer to people from China, Japan or elsewhere in east Asia
aside from do not use this Americanism. Write apart from
as of (with dates) prefer on, after or from to make clear what is meant
assassin, assassinate, assassination to be used only in the murder of a statesman or politician from a political motive; not to be used for the killing of general celebrities or others
assizes like quarter sessions, no longer function, having been replaced by the Crown Court
assure you assure your life; ensure means to make certain; you insure against risk
as to avoid in the sense of the much preferred about
asylum seeker no hyphen
at the present time, at this time use now; but avoid the phrase “as of now”
Atlantic (Ocean) North Atlantic, South Atlantic, but transatlantic
attendee ghastly word that there was no need to coin; avoid
attorney-general, solicitor-general both are hyphenated; they are law officers, not legal officers
aubrieta prefer to aubrietia and aubretia (named after Claude Aubriet). The genus, as per standard botanical style, is Aubrieta
auditor general lower case, no hyphen
Auntie not aunty as antique colloquialism for the BBC
autumn statement delivered by the chancellor, lower case
awards such as Baftas, Oscars etc should be lower case, eg best actor, best director. Also, note Academy award. See prize
awayday one word
Awol absent without leave, not AWOL
axing no middle e; but try to avoid in sense of cutting jobs, dismissal etc
ay (yes), aye (ever), Ayes (debate)
b (abbreviation for born), no full point, eg b 1906. Likewise d for died: d 1997
baby boomer (no hyphen) a person born in the postwar demographic baby boom (roughly 1946–64)
baby-walker
baccalaureate use anglicised spelling with lower case for general use, but cap in specific context of the International Baccalaureate, taken in some British schools; and note the specifically French examination or degree from which this derives, the Baccalauréat (italic, cap, accent, no final e)
backache, backbreaking but back pain
back benches (parliamentary) two words; but backbenchers, backbench (adjectival, as in backbench revolt)
back burner no hyphen, but be sparing of the cliché “on the back burner”, especially when context renders it idiotic (“Never put an explosive issue on the back burner”)
backlash overworked word; try to avoid
backstreet(s) noun or adjective, no hyphen; similarly, backyard
back-up noun, hyphenate
bacteria is the plural of bacterium. Bacteria and viruses are different and the terms are not interchangeable. Make sure the terminology is correct. Note that antibiotics are used to treat bacterial but not viral infections
bail out as in to bail someone out of trouble; also bail water from a boat; but bale out of an aircraft by parachute, to escape. NB bailout (one word, as noun)
bait see bated
balk not baulk
Balkans prefer to Balkan states. This region includes the former Yugoslav republics of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, as well as Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece and the European part of Turkey
ball plural in Court Page headlines is dances
ballgown one word
balloted like benefited, budgeted etc, has only one t
Baltic states (lower case states) from north to south, and coincidentally in alphabetical order, they are Estonia (capital Tallinn), Latvia (capital Riga) and Lithuania (Vilnius). Do not use the abbreviated Baltics
bandana prefer to bandanna
B&B with caps and closed up around ampersand as abbreviation for bed and breakfast
banister not bannister
bank holiday bank holiday Monday etc, lower case
Bank of England retain cap for clarity in subsequent refs to the Bank
Bank of Mum and Dad
bankruptcy in Britain people file a petition for bankruptcy; they do not file for bankruptcy
baptistry prefer to baptistery
Bar, the (legal); also cap for the Bar (but not the bars) of the House of Commons and cap in military honours sense, eg DFC and Bar
barbecue, barbecuing barbeques should be confined to pub menus
barcode one word
bar mitzvah lower case, roman; also bat mitzvah for girls
barony pertains to barons (who are Lord X, never Baron X, except in the formal announcement that a title has been gazetted). Baronetcy to baronets (hereditary titles carrying the prefix Sir, eg Sir Fred Y. The Times does not usually use the Bt suffix except with obituaries). Knighthoods, which also use the title Sir, are not hereditary
baroque lower case like similar terms
barter to exchange one thing (or service) for another; not a synonym for bargain or haggle
basically greatly overworked word that rarely adds anything to a sentence.