http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meniscus
Look at it at eye level with the measuring cup stationary. The center of the meniscus (curved upper layer) is the height that must be lined up with the indicator line on the measuring cup. Add or remove liquid to adjust level.
dry measure
Dry meausuring cup
There are 8 ounces in one cup of dry measure.
With a dry goods measuring cup.
Use: one full dry ingredient 1/2 cup measure (which is 4/8) one full dry ingredient 1/4 cup measure (which is 2/8) one full dry ingredient 1/8 cup measure (which is 1/8) 4+2+1=7
Dry measure tends to be SLIGHTLY more than liquid measure, which in most recipes won't change things. But, if the recipe has to be increased to feed more people, then what started out as 1/8th cup can end up being 1/4 or 1/2, depending on the amounts used. You can prove this to yourself by filling both a liquid measuring cup (use a 2 cup measure) with exactly 1 cup of water. Then fill to the brim 1 cup dry measure and carefully pour the dry measure cup into the 2 cup measuring cup, get eye level and you will see the difference.
Use dry measure measuring cup.
A dry cup is used to measure dry ingredients like flour or sugar, and the measurement is meant to be leveled off. A liquid cup is used to measure liquids like water or milk, and the measurement is read at eye level for accuracy. Dry cups and liquid cups may have different volume capacities due to the differences in how ingredients settle in each type of cup.
A cup like the one in this pic, which is universal.
A dry measuring cup is used to measure dry and solid ingredients.
Use a measuring cup with a 1-cup marking. 8 ounces = 1 cup.
This depends on what you are measuring. There is "Dry Cup"(a cup of a solid material) and "Liquid cup" (cup of a fluid or liquid). However, a cup (dry or liquid) is classified as a measurement of volume. 1 cup = 250 milliliters or 8.80 liquid ounces