Reference Desk
This resource, which provides an overview of preferred Kimley-Horn style standards, can be found on KHnet under Marketing > Marketing Resources.
What is Kimley-Horn Style and Usage Standards, also known as the Style Guide?
This is how you should write numbers one through nine in formal writing.
What is spell them out?
In a list containing three or more items, use this before the "and" or "or"
What is an Oxford comma?
The affects of the earthquake were significant.
What is effects?
This term indicates something that is able to be constructed.
What is constructable?
This Windy City publication is the style standard the firm uses.
What is the Chicago Manual of Style?
This is how you should write a number when it appears with a unit of measurement and percentages
What is use numerals?
Where do the comma(s) go?
The marketing team gathered on June 26 2025 in Charlotte.
Where is after 26 and 2025?
The marketing team gathered on June 26, 2025, in Charlotte.
Stephen Stansbery is larger then life.
What is than?
Kimley-Horn's workload management tool.
What is Castaheads?
This hyphenated resource is Kimley-Horn's go-to reference for all things spelling, grammar, and usage.
What is Merriam-Webster?
When a sentence begins with a number, this is how it should be written.
What is spell it out?
Correct or incorrect?
Our services included site civil, landscape architecture, as well as roadway.
What is incorrect? No comma before "as well as"
The client has released multiple RFQ's on the same day.
The client has released multiple RFQs on the same day.
Our technical partners frequently employ the longer version (which actually means "to make use of : turn to practical use or account") of this word.
What is use (longer: utilize)?
Contact one of these individuals when you can't find what you need from the Style Guide.
What is a Kimley-Horn Marketing team coordinator, supervisor, or Firmwide Communications team member?
This punctuation mark is used in ranges like “pages 5–10” or “1999–2005."
What is an en dash?
Where do the commas go?
Allison Fluitt PE AICP has several areas of expertise including planning transportation engineering and noise quality.
Where is:
Allison Fluitt, PE, AICP, has several areas of expertise, including planning, transportation engineering, and noise quality.
We will insure this car is safe to drive.
What is assure?
Insure means to provide insurance.
What's the only appropriate way to refer to our company in external communication (other than legal documents)?
What is Kimley-Horn?
The easiest way to navigate The Chicago Manual of Style.
What is "The Chicago Manual of Style Contents?"
When using words like "nearly" and "approximately," numerals should appear in increments of
What is 5?
Use commas around this type of clause: “Nat Heyward, who was remote that day, called in.”
What is a nonessential clause?
We provided a cross-section of the proposed new roadway.
What is cross section?
This word is only used when describing something going physically above something else (not when comparing numbers).
What is over?