What is the AP style guideline for capitalization and abbreviations of formal titles when used with a name?

• A. Always capitalize titles regardless of position
• B. Abbreviations never appear before names
• C. Capitalize formal titles used directly before a name; lowercase after a name or when not used with a name; abbreviations appear before names as appropriate
• D. Capitalize adjectives modifying names

Answer: (C)

In AP style, formal titles that come directly before a name are capitalized as part of the name, while the same titles after a name or on their own are lowercase. Abbreviations of those titles (like Gen., Dr., Sen., Gov.) are used before names as appropriate, and they appear with periods.

So you would write President Joe Biden or Gen. Douglas MacArthur, but you’d write Joe Biden, the president, or the general spoke yesterday. Abbreviations before a name are common and correct when needed, such as Sen. Harris, Gov. Abbott, or Dr. Smith.

This captures why the correct rule matches: capitalization depends on placement relative to the name, and abbreviations precede names where appropriate.