A-Z House Style Guide
- Fairtrade #
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Fairtrade Foundation, Fairtrade Fortnight, Fairtrade Mark, Fairtrade movement (referring to buying products with the Fairtrade Mark), Fairtrade bananas/chocolate/coffee… I buy Fairtrade whenever I can.
- farther/further, farthest/furthest #
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When talking about distance, Tearfund house style is to use further and furthest rather than ‘farther’ and ‘farthest’. So: He refused to go any further.
- fewer/less #
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Fewer is used before a plural noun. Less is used before a singular (uncount) noun. Yes: fewer people, fewer countries, less money, less time. No: ‘less people’, ‘less countries’. Yes: Fewer than one-fifth of the teachers were involved; less than one-fifth of the cheese was eaten.
- field/frontline #
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Do not use. These terms have unhelpful associations with power, hierarchy and inequality. It suggests that some countries are looked down on which can appear condescending. They are another legacy of the colonial past with reference to military and imperial power. Instead, use project area or country programme.
- for/but/and #
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It is acceptable to start sentences with these. It can be effective in features, unless done in successive sentences. Don’t overuse. Also avoid starting successive sentences with the same word.
- Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) #
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Spell out at first mention. Thereafter use abbreviation.
- forever/for ever (adverb) #
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Not simply interchangeable. Forever = continually. For ever = for always. If you can swap the word you want for ‘for years’, use ‘for ever’. Yes: We’re forever discussing this. Yes: We could discuss this for ever. Yes: for ever and a day, for ever and ever.
- fractions #
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Best in words. Say half a million; two-thirds of Brazilians; sales increased by one-sixth. Avoid ½, unless in a recipe.
- Fragile States #
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This is one of Tearfund’s three main priorities.
Always make sure the outcome our Fragile States work is explained, and that we don’t talk about it in a jargonistic way.
The ‘f’ and ‘s’ should be capitalised when referring to this aspect of Tearfund’s work, but not when referring to places or contexts considered to be fragile states. Eg:
Yes: Fragile States is a new priority area for Tearfund, but not a new area of work.
Yes: This is why fragile states are one of our three corporate priorities.
- fulfil, fulfils, fulfilled, fulfilling #
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In British English the verb fulfil declines as follows: fulfil, fulfils, fulfilling, fulfilled (and fulfilment). Do not use the American English double ‘l’ in the present tense.
- full stops (full points) #
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Insert a single space (not double) after a full stop: I’d like to. But I’m not sure I can.