How to read abbreviations in english

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Grammar: Abbreviations and Acronyms

Lesson 12: Abbreviations and Acronyms

Abbreviations and acronyms

Abbreviations and acronyms are shorter versions of existing words and phrases. They’re designed to save time and take up less space (whether you’re typing or writing by hand), and can even make your writing easier to read.

What is an abbreviation?

Abbreviations are all around us, from common titles like Dr. and Prof. to the abbreviations you see on street signs. Specifically, abbreviations are shorter spellings of words and expressions we use every day.

What is an acronym?

You might already know some acronyms, like NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and ATM (automated teller machine). An acronym is a stand-in for a string of words, usually an organization name, slogan, or something else equally wordy. Unlike abbreviations, they aren’t shorter spellings of words—they’re made up of the words’ initials.

Using abbreviations

Abbreviations are usually formed using the most recognizable letters from the word or expression. This makes them easier to remember, and easy for others to read. It’s almost like the letters are clues that point to the original word or expression.

Some abbreviations look like acronyms (for example, mph and NY), but it’s really just a coincidence. Technically, these are initialisms, which is a type of abbreviation. Thankfully, you don’t have to know whether something is an abbreviation, initialism, or acronym to use it properly. You just have to know what the term means, and how to spell it—everything else will usually fall into place.

Now that you know how abbreviations are formed, you may be wondering how they’re pronounced. Most of the time, they’re pronounced the same as the original word—whether you’re reading it aloud or in your head.

For example, Prof. Snape would be pronounced Professor Snape (not Prof Snape). The abbreviation etc. would be pronounced et cetera (not e-t-c). The important thing to remember is that abbreviations aren’t words in the true sense—they’re more like shorthand.

There are some exceptions that are pronounced differently. For instance, AM, PM, i.e., and PhD are pronounced exactly the way they’re spelled. This happens when the abbreviation becomes more popular than the original term—usually because the original is too long or outdated. For example, AM stands for Ante Meridiem. (That’s Latin for before noon. Who knew?)

Luckily, there aren’t many exceptions like this, so you don’t have to worry too much about making a mistake. Most abbreviations are pronounced the same as the word they’re based on, like hr, min, and sec (that’s hour, minute, and second).

Period vs. no period

This is one of the most common questions people have about abbreviations: Do you have to use a period at the end when writing it out? There’s no strict rule that says you do—it’s kind of up to you.

Sometimes adding a period is expected and can make the abbreviation easier to read. Take the example below. Pop. is the abbreviation for the word population—without a period, it might just look like pop (as in pop goes the weasel).

On the other hand, some abbreviations never use a period; for example, state postal abbreviations like NY, CA, and TX. The abbreviation for United States of America can be written with a period between each letter, but it’s much more common without. The same goes for measurement abbreviations like ft, in, and cm.

Common abbreviations

There are abbreviations for so many different things, it would be impossible to list them all here. Here are some of the most common abbreviations you’ll see and use:

You may have noticed that the abbreviations for ounce (oz) and pound (lb) are a little different from the rest. They’re spelled using letters that aren’t part of the original word. This is because the abbreviations are based on older forms of each word—ounce comes from the Italian word onza, and pound from the Roman word libra.

What about chat terms like LOL (laugh out loud), BRB (be right back), and plz (please)? Many blur the line between abbreviations and acronyms, but they’re abbreviations nonetheless. In other words, they abbreviate something in a contemporary way, using initials, slang, and other shorthand. They make it possible to communicate quickly, and that’s what makes them a form of abbreviation.

Is it OK to use abbreviations?

Look closely at the heading above, and you may find your answer. Believe it or not, OK is an abbreviation too, and we use it on the site all the time.

A good rule for abbreviations is to put the reader first. Ask yourself: Will the abbreviation make the sentence easier to read, or will it confuse the reader (for example, if the abbreviation is too obscure)? If an abbreviation still sounds like a good idea, next consider the context. Abbreviations are perfectly OK in personal and casual writing—they’re often OK in formal writing too. You might want to ask your boss or your teacher if you’re unsure.

Using acronyms

As you read earlier, acronyms are used in place of a phrase or string of words. They’re almost always made up of the words’ initials and are spelled in all caps. They can represent all kinds of things, from organizations to mnemonics to sandwiches.

Like abbreviations, there’s a lot of overlap between acronyms and initialisms—but remember, this doesn’t really matter when it comes to using them. It might help to think of acronyms as something catchier than abbreviations (after all, they represent longer phrases, so it helps if they’re memorable). They don’t just shorten words; they stand for organizations, ideas, and other things you want people to remember.

Acronyms are read differently from abbreviations. Take the word BLT. If you saw that on the menu at your favorite restaurant, there’s a good chance you’d just order a BLT, not a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. You wouldn’t pronounce it built or belt either; you would say B-L-T. This is what makes acronyms unique—you can read them as they appear, even though they stand for something else.

The pronunciation of acronyms can vary, however. While some are pronounced literally like the example above, others can actually be pronounced as a word, like UNICEF, POTUS, and NASA.

Sometimes it’s just a question of, «Can the acronym be pronounced as a word?» A lot of acronyms can’t because they don’t have the right combination of vowels and consonants. However, there’s no set rule that governs this. Knowing how to pronounce acronyms depends a lot your awareness of the world around you, but it’s not the end of the world if you make a mistake.

When and how to use acronyms

Sometimes you may need to explain the acronym when using it in writing. Style guides suggest that you write the acronym first, followed by the full name or phrase in parentheses. You can also write them in the opposite order—whatever makes more sense. In short, if the acronym is more widely known, list it first; if it’s more obscure, you may want to start with the entire phrase.

A lot of contemporary acronyms might need to be explained for different reasons (this also applies to the chat abbreviations that we discussed earlier). Not everyone will be familiar with slang like NIMBY (not in my back yard) and TGIF (thank goodness it’s Friday). As always, this type of slang can be OK in certain contexts, but it might leave some readers feeling confused.

As you now know, abbreviations and acronyms can save time and space, and they can make your writing easier to read. Below is a sample that contains the full form of several different words, phrases, and expressions. Do you know which acronyms and abbreviations could be used as substitutes?

Also known as = AKA

Junior = Jr.

Sr. ( Senior ) is a related abbreviation—as in Martin Luther King, Sr.

Répondez s’il vous plaît = RSVP

This is one of those special cases where the acronym is now more common than the original phrase. Not only is répondez s’il vous plaît long and sort of old-fashioned—it’s also in a completely different language!

Orange juice = OJ

OJ stands for orange juice —yet another term that we didn’t cover in this lesson, but it’s easy to see the connection. Did you get this one right?

OJ is more of a slang term than an official abbreviation or acronym. It’s used almost exclusively in conversation and casual writing (and your weekly shopping list).

Peanut butter and jelly = PB&J

Miscellaneous = misc.

Misc. is a very common substitute for miscellaneous —even in formal writing—simply because the original word is so long.

Minute = min

This is common for certain types of abbreviations (especially those related to time and measurement ). However, in your own writing, feel free to add a period if it makes the abbreviation easier to read.

Captain = Capt.

That’s more of a slang abbreviation, used in conversation and casual writing (sometimes as a joke). Capt. is the official abbreviation; it’s used in the military, police force, and other organizations.

Incorporated = Inc.

It often depends on the business’ branding, and how they prefer to be known to the public.

Post Meridiem = PM

February = Feb.

Very important person = VIP

VIP is pronounced literally ( V-I-P ) rather than «vip» or «veep.»

Abbreviations

This material provides general information about the use of English abbreviations.

Abbreviations: Main points

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or group of words. Depending on the abbreviation, it may be written in capital or small letters and with or without one or more periods. There are a lot of miscellaneous abbreviations in English.

For example: a.m. (before noon); e.g. (for example); etc. (and so on); ft. (foot, feet); lb. (pound, pounds); ESL (English as a second language); IBM (International Business Machines); ID (identification); Ltd. (limited); PC (personal computer); U.S. (United States).

Abbreviations are often used in tables, footnotes, lists, catalogs, orders and bills, drawings, drafts, figures, captions to illustrations, and the like – that is, where space is tight and brevity is necessary. Also, there may be many abbreviations in technical writing. Some abbreviations may also be used in informal writing (for example, in informal letters to friends and relatives).

Abbreviations in different written materials should be standard, recognizable and understandable; only the forms given in the dictionary should be used. A list of abbreviations and their full forms may be provided at the end of the material in which the abbreviations are used.

Formal writing

English texts of general nontechnical character (for example, books, stories, articles, reports, business correspondence) are usually regarded as formal writing. Abbreviations are rarely used in formal nontechnical texts, with the exception of certain standard abbreviations.

Standard abbreviations that are considered appropriate for use in formal written materials include titles used before surnames (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr.), academic degrees (for example, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.), certain Latin abbreviations (a.m., p.m., A.D., B.C.), official abbreviated names of companies and organizations (for example, BBC, NATO, UN), and some others.

Miscellaneous other abbreviations are usually written in full in formal writing and are pronounced as full words. For example: two pounds (not «2 lb.»); twenty miles (not «20 mi.»); one example (not «one ex.»); new department (not «new dept.»); on Friday (not «on Fri.»); on Park Avenue (not «on Park Ave.»); in Texas (not «in Tex.»; not «in TX»).

In academic writing (for example, in reports, compositions, examination papers), learners of English should use those abbreviations that are required and recommended for use in formal writing of general character. (See «Choice of style» in Standard and Slang in the section Idioms.)

The use of abbreviations in formal writing, with examples in sentences, is described in the second part of the material below. (See «Abbreviations in formal writing» below.)

Types of abbreviations

In reference materials, abbreviations are often grouped according to their meaning and field of use, for example, technical abbreviations, computer abbreviations, medical abbreviations, legal abbreviations, sports abbreviations, and so on.

You can find various lists of English abbreviations in Wikipedia and on other sites; abbreviations and their pronunciation can be found in online dictionaries.

Some abbreviations are used only in writing and are pronounced in full in speech. For example, «lb.» and «bldg.» are used only as written abbreviations; they are read as «pound» and «building». Some other abbreviations are written and read as abbreviations, for example, «a.m., DNA».

Several types of abbreviations are described below, with spelling and pronunciation notes.

Abbreviations of units of measure

Abbreviations of units of measure are a large group that includes abbreviations of units of weight, length, area, volume, time, speed, and so on. Abbreviations of units of measure are most frequently used in tables, lists, catalogs, drawings, and the like.

For example: lb. (pound); oz. (ounce); gal. (gallon); ft. (foot); in. (inch); sq. mi. (square mile); cu. in. (cubic inch); sec. (second); min. (minute); hr. (hour); mph (miles per hour).

Examples of metric abbreviations: kg (AmE kilogram; BrE kilogramme); l (AmE liter; BrE litre); m (AmE meter; BrE metre); sq m (square meter); cu m (cubic meter).

Abbreviations of units of measure are read in full, as their full words. For example, «1 lb.» is read as «one pound»; «3 oz.» is read as «three ounces»; «5 ft.» is read as «five feet»; «2 m» is read as «two meters»; «1 sq. mi.» is read as «one square mile»; «2 cu. in.» is read as «two cubic inches»; «1 hr.» is read as «one hour».

Plural ending «s» is not added to written abbreviations of units of measure. For example: 1 in.; 3 in. (read as «one inch; three inches»); 5 lb. (read as «five pounds»); 1 m; 3 m (read as «one meter; three meters»).

Traditionally, though, English units of measure added «s» to some abbreviations in the plural, and such use may still be found in nontechnical texts. For example: 3 ins. (read as «three inches»); 2 yds. (read as «two yards»); 5 lbs. (five pounds); 10 yrs. (ten years); 2 hrs. (two hours).

Abbreviations of metric units of measure are usually written without periods and without plural «s». For example: 5 m (five meters); 4 km (four kilometers); 10 g (ten grams); 2 kg (two kilograms); 3 l (three liters); 2 sq km (two square kilometers); 5 cu cm (five cubic centimeters). Full forms (five meters, four kilometers, ten grams, etc.) are usually considered preferable in formal writing of general character.

In technical writing, units of measure are usually abbreviated, written without periods and without plural «s». In formal writing, units of measure are usually written in full, as full words.

Latin abbreviations

Latin abbreviations in English include a number of various abbreviations; some of them are quite common in written English. For example: a.m., p.m., e.g., i.e., etc.

Some Latin abbreviations are always read as abbreviations. For example, «a.m.» [‘ei’em] and «p.m.» [‘pi:’em]: He got up at 7:00 a.m. (read as «at seven a.m.»)

Some other Latin abbreviations are always read as full words of their English equivalents. For example, «e.g.» is read as «for example»; «i.e.» is read as «that is».

(Read more about Latin abbreviations in «Latin abbreviations in formal text» below. Also, various Latin abbreviations are described in Latin Expressions in English in the section Idioms.)

Abbreviations of names of countries, states, streets, months

Generally, the names of countries should not be abbreviated. Names of some countries may be abbreviated in tables, footnotes, and the like. There may be variants of spelling, as well as preferences in use. For example, «U.S.» is used as an adjective or noun; «U.S.A.» and «USA» are used as nouns; «USA» is used mostly in mailing addresses. The noun «United States» can be used in most cases.

Abbreviations of the names of the states of the United States exist in two variants: two-letter postal abbreviations and older traditional state abbreviations. For example: AL and Ala. (Alabama); CA and Calif. (California); KS and Kans. (Kansas); NC and N.C. (North Carolina); TN and Tenn. (Tennessee); WY and Wyo. (Wyoming). Abbreviated state names are read in the same way as their unabbreviated names. State abbreviations are usually spelled out in formal writing.

Abbreviations on road signs and in mailing addresses, for example, «Ave., Blvd., Hwy., Rd., R.R., St.; Apt., Bldg.», are said as their full words: «avenue, boulevard, highway, road, railroad, street; apartment, building».

Abbreviations of the names of months and days of the week, for example, «Jan., Feb., Mar., Jul., Sept., Dec.; Mon., Tues., Fri., Sat.», are said as their full words: «January, February, March, July, September, December; Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday». Such abbreviations may be used where space is really tight (for example, in tables) or in informal writing (for example, in short messages to friends).

Acronyms

An acronym is formed from the initial letters of the words in a name or a phrase and is usually written in capital letters. Some acronyms are read as words. For example: NATO [‘neitou]; UNESCO [yu:’neskou]. The majority of acronyms are read letter by letter. For example: BBC [‘bi:’bi:’si:]; DNA [‘di:’en’ei]; IBM [‘ai’bi:’em]; U.S.A. [‘yu:’es’ei]. Acronyms read letter by letter are also called initialisms.

Some acronyms have become ordinary words written in small letters. For example, the word «radar» was formed from «radio detecting and ranging», the word «scuba» was formed from «self-contained underwater breathing apparatus», and the word «pixel» was formed from «picture element», but nothing in their spelling or pronunciation indicates that these words are acronyms.

Not every acronym that looks pronounceable as a word is in fact pronounced as a word. For example, «bit» (binary digit) is pronounced [bit], while «IT» (information technology) is pronounced [‘ai’ti:]; «ZIP» or «zip» (zone improvement program), as in «zip code» (BrE postcode), is pronounced [zip], while «VIP» (very important person) and «IP» (Internet Protocol) are pronounced [‘vi:’ai’pi:] and [‘ai’pi:].

Note: Informal and slang abbreviations and acronyms (for example, AFAIK, IMHO, LOL, OMG, TNX) are used by some Internet users on forums, in chatrooms, and in SMS messages. Such abbreviations and acronyms are not considered acceptable in formal writing.

Plural forms of acronyms

Plural ending «s» may be added directly to some acronyms (if the meaning allows, of course), usually to those acronyms that do not have internal periods: four URLs; two PCs; three TVs; many CDs.

Some linguists recommend using the apostrophe and «s» to form the plural of acronyms that have internal periods and/or both capital and small letters. For example: several Ph.D.’s (or several PhD’s).

Some other linguists object to using the apostrophe to form the plural. Usually, you can change the construction to avoid using the plural form (e.g., several Ph.D. degrees).

Indefinite article before acronyms

The indefinite article «a» is used before words beginning with a consonant sound; «an» is used before a vowel sound.

Compare the use of «a» or «an» depending on the pronunciation of the initial letter in these acronyms: a CD [‘si:’di:] player; an SMS [‘es’em’es] message; a PR manager; an ESL course; an HBO picture; a UN member state.

(See «Note: a, an» in Articles: Countable Nouns in the section Grammar.)

Other types of abbreviations

Contracted forms

A shortened or contracted form of a word or group of words, often with an apostrophe instead of omitted letters, is called a contraction. Contractions of auxiliary verbs are very common in English.

For example: «don’t, isn’t, aren’t, won’t» are contracted forms; «do not, is not, are not, will not» are full forms; «it’s» is a contraction of «it is» or «it has»; «let’s» is a contraction of «let us»; «o’er» is an archaic contraction of «over».

Standard contracted forms of auxiliary and modal verbs (for example, don’t, isn’t, can’t, shouldn’t) are usually considered acceptable in formal writing, though full forms may be preferable in more formal style.

Clipped forms

A clipped form of a word (a clipped word) is also regarded as a type of abbreviation.

For example: ad (advertisement); auto (automobile); bike (bicycle); bra (brassiere); chimp (chimpanzee); deli (delicatessen); exam (examination); flu (influenza); gas (gasoline); gym (gymnasium); lab (laboratory); math (mathematics); mike (microphone); phone (telephone); photo (photograph); plane (airplane); rhino (rhinoceros); sax (saxophone).

Clipped forms are usually informal, but some of them are also used in formal writing, for example, «cello» (violoncello).

Spelling notes

Abbreviations may have variants of spelling. Usually, main differences concern using capital or small letters and using periods. (Note: AmE period; BrE full stop.)

There are differences between British and American spelling of some abbreviations, especially in the use of periods. For example, «U.S.» and «U.K.» are usually found in American texts, and «US» and «UK» – in British texts. «Dr.» and «Mr.» are preferred in AmE (before surnames), while «Dr» and «Mr» are preferred in BrE.

Generally, periods are more often used in abbreviations written in small letters. Abbreviations written in capital letters (e.g., acronyms) tend to be written without periods, though traditionally many of them are still written with periods.

For example: a.m., e.g., i.e.; B.C. or BC, NB, N.B. or n.b. (nota bene = note well; take notice); PS or P.S. (postscript); NYC or N.Y.C. (New York City).

If an abbreviation with a period is at the end of a sentence, another period is not added. For example: They visited Washington, D.C. They arrived at 10 p.m.

Generally, there is no space between the letters of abbreviations (including acronyms) regardless of whether there are periods between the letters. Exceptions to this rule include square and cubic units of measure. For example: 1 sq. ft.; 2 sq. in.; 4 sq m; 3 cu. ft.; 1 cu. in.

There are some unusual plural forms. Compare these singular and plural forms: p., pg. (said as «page») – pp. (said as «pages»); MS., ms. (manuscript) – MSS., mss. (manuscripts).

Abbreviations-homographs

There are many homographs among English abbreviations. Their spelling may be the same or almost the same, but they stand for different words and have different meanings. For example, compare the following abbreviations: L.A., LA, La.; St., St.

«L.A.» may stand for «Latin America» or «Los Angeles»; «LA» and «La.» stand for «Louisiana». «St.» after a name stands for «Street» (for example, Franklin St., Beacon St.); «St.» before a name stands for «Saint» (for example, St. Peter, St. Louis).

These abbreviations are used in writing; they are pronounced as their full words in speech: Latin America; Los Angeles; Louisiana; Street; Saint. Note: In colloquial usage, L.A. (Los Angeles) may be pronounced [‘el’ei].

Many other abbreviations (especially one-letter abbreviations) may have many more variants; it may be difficult to recognize and understand them even with the help of a good dictionary. It is advisable to use only those abbreviations in texts of general character that readers can recognize and understand easily.

Abbreviations in formal writing

As mentioned above, abbreviations are rarely used in formal writing of general character. Stylebooks usually recommend avoiding abbreviations in formal and ordinary writing of general character, with the exception of certain standard abbreviations.

Standard abbreviations that are considered appropriate for use in formal writing are described below. (Of course, standard abbreviations acceptable in formal writing can also be used in tables, footnotes, lists, and the like.)

Titles and academic degrees

Titles before surnames

The titles «Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr.» are used before surnames. For example: Mr. and Mrs. Stone will be back next Wednesday. Dr. Brown is a surgeon. Dr. Reed is a historian.

In American English, these titles are written with a period: Mr. Smith, Mrs. Jones, Ms. Reed, Dr. Edwards. In British English, they are usually written without a period: Mr Smith, Mrs Jones, Ms Reed, Dr Edwards.

Other titles of this kind may also be abbreviated (Prof. Redman, Capt. Miller), but it is advisable to write them in full (Professor Redman, Captain Miller) if they are used in sentences.

Abbreviated titles are pronounced as full words; for example, «Mr., Dr., Prof.» are pronounced as «Mister, Doctor, Professor». Note again that the titles «Mr., Mrs., Ms.» are always written in the abbreviated form before surnames.

(See more examples in the articles Forms of Address in the section Vocabulary and Articles with People’s Names in the section Grammar.)

Titles after surnames

Titles after surnames include abbreviations of academic degrees. For example: B.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., M.D., M.B.A., Ph.D. Or: BA, BS, MA, MS, MD, MBA, PhD.

Academic degrees are used after surnames. For example: The lecture will be given by Thomas Newman, M.D.

Academic degrees can also be used without a surname, but in a different construction. For example: He received his B.A. last year.

Titles used after surnames also include «Jr.» (Junior) and «Sr.» (Senior). In modern use, commas before and after «Jr.» and «Sr.» are not required. For example: James Edwards Jr. is a lawyer. Older use: James Edwards, Jr., is a lawyer.

Latin abbreviations in formal text

Abbreviations a.m., p.m., A.D., B.C.

Pronunciation: a.m. [‘ei’em]; p.m. [‘pi:’em]; A.D. [‘ei’di:]; B.C. [‘bi:’si:].

The abbreviations «a.m.» (ante meridiem = before noon) and «p.m.» (post meridiem = after noon) can be used if the time of day is indicated. For example: He works from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

In some cases, «a.m.» and «p.m.» can be replaced by «in the morning» and «in the afternoon; in the evening». For example: He works from ten in the morning to six thirty in the evening.

But «a.m.» and «p.m.» should not be used together with such words as «morning, afternoon, evening, o’clock», because «a.m.» and «p.m.» convey such meanings themselves. (See more examples in Time in the section Phrases.)

The abbreviations «A.D.» (Anno Domini) and «B.C.» (before Christ) indicate years of our era and years before our era. «A.D.» is placed before or after the date; «B.C.» is placed after the date. Alternative abbreviations for «A.D.» and «B.C.» are «C.E.» (the common era) and «B.C.E.» (before the common era).

Examples with «A.D.»: The Norman conquest of England took place in A.D. 1066. Beowulf, an epic English poem, probably dates from the eighth century A.D.

Example with «B.C.»: The first Punic War began in 264 B.C. and ended in 241 B.C.

Abbreviations e.g., i.e., etc.

The abbreviations «e.g.» (exempli gratia = for example) and «i.e.» (id est = that is; in other words) are read as full words of their English equivalents: «e.g.» is read as «for example»; «i.e.» is read as «that is».

The abbreviation «etc.» (pronounced «et cetera») means «and others; and so on». Note that «and» should not be used before «etc.» – the meaning of «etc.» already includes «and» («et» means «and»).

Stylebooks recommend using these abbreviations in parentheses; English equivalents are preferable in formal writing.

Examples with «i.e.» and «that is»: Homographs (i.e., words with the same spelling) are listed in dictionaries as separate entries. Compound words, that is, words consisting of two or more roots, may have variants of spelling.

Example with «etc.»: Illustrations (photographs, maps, drawings, etc.) are in the final part of this book.

Examples with «e.g.» and «for example» can be found in this material (for example, in «Spelling notes» above).

Acronyms in formal text

Official abbreviations of the names of companies and organizations in the form of acronyms (for example, BP, GM, MTV, NBA, NBC, NFL, VOA, WHO) can be used in formal texts of general character after indicating the full names of companies and organizations.

Stylebooks recommend writing out the full name, with the abbreviated name in parentheses, when it appears in the text for the first time. For example: British Petroleum (BP); GM (General Motors); World Health Organization (WHO). Then, if the abbreviated name is repeated in the text, it can be used without the full name.

If the abbreviated names of companies and organizations are well known (for example, BBC, CNN, IBM, NASA, NATO, UN, UNESCO), their full names may be omitted in text. (Learners of English should have a list of common abbreviations, including well-known acronyms.)

Note: Acronyms and full names of companies and organizations are neither italicized nor enclosed in quotation marks. For example: She worked as an office clerk at IBM.

Other acronyms are generally used in the same way. Some acronyms are considered to be well known; their full names may be omitted in text. For example: CD, DNA, DVD, FM, GMT, IQ, MP3, PDF, UFO, Wi-Fi. Some acronyms are more recognizable than the phrases from which they were formed (for example, DNA, IQ, MP3).

Nevertheless, a list of abbreviations and their full forms at the end of the material in which they are used can be very helpful, especially for learners of English.

(Read more about acronyms in «Acronyms» and «Spelling notes» above.)

Сокращения

Данный материал даёт общую информацию об употреблении английских сокращений.

Сокращения: Основные положения

Сокращение – это укороченная форма слова или группы слов. В зависимости от сокращения, оно может быть написано большими или маленькими буквами и с одной или более точек или без них. В английском языке очень много разных сокращений.

Например: a.m. (before noon); e.g. (for example); etc. (and so on); ft. (foot, feet); lb. (pound, pounds); ESL (English as a second language); IBM (International Business Machines); ID (identification); Ltd. (limited); PC (personal computer); U.S. (United States).

Сокращения используются в таблицах, сносках, списках, каталогах, заказах и счетах, рисунках, чертежах, подписях к иллюстрациям и т.п. – то есть там, где мало места и необходима краткость. Также, много сокращений может быть в технических письменных материалах. Некоторые сокращения могут также использоваться в неофициальных текстах (например, в неофициальных письмах друзьям и родственникам).

Сокращения в различных письменных материалах должны быть стандартными, узнаваемыми и понятными; следует использовать только формы, данные в словаре. Список сокращений и их полных форм может быть предоставлен в конце материала, в котором используются сокращения.

Официальный стиль письма

Английские тексты общего нетехнического характера (например, книги, рассказы, статьи, доклады, деловая переписка) обычно рассматриваются как официальные письменные материалы. Сокращения редко используются в официальных нетехнических текстах, за исключением некоторых стандартных сокращений.

Стандартные сокращения, которые считаются подходящими для использования в официальных письменных материалах, включают в себя титулы перед фамилиями (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr.), учёные степени (например, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.), некоторые латинские сокращения (a.m., p.m., A.D., B.C.), официальные аббревиатуры названий компаний и организаций (например, BBC, NATO, UN), и некоторые другие.

Разнообразные другие сокращения обычно пишутся полностью в официальной письменной речи и произносятся как полные слова. Например: two pounds (а не «2 lb.»); twenty miles (а не «20 mi.»); one example (а не «one ex.»); new department (а не «new dept.»); on Friday (а не «on Fri.»); on Park Avenue (а не «on Park Ave.»); in Texas (не «in Tex.»; не «in TX»).

В учебных письменных работах (например, в докладах, сочинениях, экзаменационных работах), изучающим английский язык следует использовать те сокращения, которые требуются и рекомендуются для употребления в официальной письменной речи общего характера. (См. «Choice of style» в статье «Standard and Slang» в разделе Idioms.)

Употребление сокращений в официальных письменных материалах, с примерами в предложениях, описывается во второй части материала ниже. (См. «Abbreviations in formal writing» ниже.)

Типы сокращений

В справочных материалах, сокращения часто объединены по их значению и области употребления, например, технические сокращения, компьютерные сокращения, медицинские сокращения, юридические сокращения, спортивные сокращения и т.д.

Вы можете найти различные списки английских сокращений в Wikipedia и на других сайтах; сокращения и их произношение можно найти в онлайн-словарях.

Некоторые сокращения используются только на письме и произносятся полностью в речи. Например, «lb.» и «bldg.» используются только как письменные сокращения; они читаются как «pound» и «building». Некоторые другие сокращения пишутся и читаются как сокращения, например, «a.m., DNA».

Несколько типов сокращений описаны ниже, с заметками по написанию и произношению.

Сокращения единиц измерения

Сокращения единиц измерения – большая группа, которая включает сокращения единиц веса, длины, площади, объёма, времени, скорости и т.д. Сокращения единиц измерения наиболее часто используются в таблицах, списках, каталогах, рисунках и т.п.

Например: lb. (pound); oz. (ounce); gal. (gallon); ft. (foot); in. (inch); sq. mi. (square mile); cu. in. (cubic inch); sec. (second); min. (minute); hr. (hour); mph (miles per hour).

Примеры метрических сокращений: kg (AmE kilogram; BrE kilogramme); l (AmE liter; BrE litre); m (AmE meter; BrE metre); sq m (square meter); cu m (cubic meter).

Сокращения единиц измерения читаются полностью, как их полные слова. Например, «1 lb.» читается как «one pound»; «3 oz.» читается как «three ounces»; «5 ft.» читается как «five feet»; «2 m» читается как «two meters»; «1 sq. mi.» читается как «one square mile»; «2 cu. in.» читается как «two cubic inches»; «1 hr.» читается как «one hour».

Окончание «s» множественного числа не прибавляется к письменным сокращениям единиц измерения. Например: 1 in.; 3 in. (читаются как «one inch; three inches»); 5 lb. (читается как «five pounds»); 1 m; 3 m (читаются как «one meter; three meters»).

Традиционно, однако, английские единицы измерения прибавляли «s» к некоторым сокращениям во мн. числе, и такое употребление всё ещё можно найти в нетехнических текстах. Например: 3 ins. (читается как «three inches»); 2 yds. (читается как «two yards»); 5 lbs. (five pounds); 10 yrs. (ten years); 2 hrs. (two hours).

Сокращения метрических единиц измерения обычно пишутся без точек и без окончания «s» мн. числа. Например: 5 m (five meters); 4 km (four kilometers); 10 g (ten grams); 2 kg (two kilograms); 3 l (three liters); 2 sq km (two square kilometers); 5 cu cm (five cubic centimeters). Полные формы (five meters, four kilometers, ten grams и т.д.) обычно считаются предпочтительными в официальной письменной речи общего характера.

В технических текстах, единицы измерения обычно сокращаются, пишутся без точек и без окончания «s» мн. числа. В официальной письменной речи, единицы измерения обычно пишутся полностью, как полные слова.

Латинские сокращения

Латинские сокращения в английском языке включают в себя ряд различных сокращений; некоторые из них весьма употребительны в письменном английском языке. Например: a.m., p.m., e.g., i.e., etc.

Некоторые латинские сокращения всегда читаются как сокращения. Например, «a.m.» [‘ei’em] and «p.m.» [‘pi:’em]: He got up at 7:00 a.m. (читается как «at seven a.m.»)

Некоторые другие латинские сокращения всегда читаются как полные слова их английских эквивалентов. Например, «e.g.» читается как «for example»; «i.e.» читается как «that is».

(Прочитайте ещё о латинских сокращениях в части «Latin abbreviations in formal text» ниже. Также, различные латинские сокращения описаны в материале «Latin Expressions in English» в разделе Idioms.)

Сокращения названий стран, штатов, улиц, месяцев

Обычно, названия стран не следует сокращать. Названия некоторых стран могут сокращаться в таблицах, сносках и т.п. Могут быть варианты написания, а также предпочтения в употреблении. Например, «U.S.» употребляется как прилагательное или существительное; «U.S.A.» и «USA» употребляются как существительные; «USA» употребляется в основном в почтовых адресах. Существительное «United States» можно употребить в большинстве случаев.

Сокращения названий штатов США существуют в двух вариантах: двухбуквенные почтовые сокращения и более старые традиционные сокращения. Например: AL и Ala. (Alabama); CA и Calif. (California); KS и Kans. (Kansas); NC и N.C. (North Carolina); TN и Tenn. (Tennessee); WY и Wyo. (Wyoming). Сокращённые названия штатов читаются так же, как их несокращённые названия. Сокращения названий штатов обычно пишутся полностью в официальных текстах.

Сокращения на дорожных знаках и в почтовых адресах, например, «Ave., Blvd., Hwy., Rd., R.R., St.; Apt., Bldg.», читаются как их полные слова: «avenue, boulevard, highway, road, railroad, street; apartment, building».

Сокращения названий месяцев и дней недели, например, «Jan., Feb., Mar., Jul., Sept., Dec.; Mon., Tues., Fri., Sat.», читаются как их полные слова: «January, February, March, July, September, December; Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday». Такие сокращения могут использоваться там, где места совсем мало (например, в таблицах), или в неофициальных текстах (например, в кратких сообщениях друзьям).

Акронимы

Акроним образуется из начальных букв слов в названии или фразе и обычно пишется заглавными буквами. Некоторые акронимы читаются как слова. Например: NATO [‘neitou]; UNESCO [yu:’neskou]. Большинство акронимов читаются по буквам (буква за буквой). Например: BBC [‘bi:’bi:’si:]; DNA [‘di:’en’ei]; IBM [‘ai’bi:’em]; U.S.A. [‘yu:’es’ei]. Акронимы, читаемые по буквам, также называются «initialisms».

Некоторые акронимы стали обычными словами, которые пишутся маленькими буквами. Например, слово «radar» было образовано из фразы «radio detecting and ranging», слово «scuba» было образовано из «self-contained underwater breathing apparatus», а слово «pixel» было образовано из «picture element», но ничто в их написании и произношении не указывает, что эти слова являются акронимами.

Не каждый акроним, который выглядит произносимым как слово, на самом деле произносится как слово. Например, «bit» (binary digit) произносится [bit], в то время как «IT» (information technology) произносится [‘ai’ti:]; «ZIP» или «zip» (zone improvement program), как в «zip code» (BrE postcode), произносится [zip], в то время как «VIP» (very important person) и «IP» (Internet Protocol) произносятся [‘vi:’ai’pi:] и [‘ai’pi:].

Примечание: Неофициальные и сленговые сокращения и акронимы (например, AFAIK, IMHO, LOL, OMG, TNX) используются некоторыми пользователями Интернета на форумах, в чатах и в SMS-сообщениях. Такие сокращения и акронимы не считаются приемлемыми в официальных письменных материалах.

Формы мн. числа акронимов

Окончание «s» мн. числа может прибавляться напрямую к некоторым акронимам (если значение позволяет, конечно), обычно к тем акронимам, у которых нет внутренних точек: four URLs; two PCs; three TVs; many CDs.

Некоторые лингвисты рекомендуют использовать апостроф и «s» для образования мн. числа акронимов, имеющих внутренние точки и/или большие и маленькие буквы. Например: several Ph.D.’s (or several PhD’s).

Некоторые другие лингвисты возражают против использования апострофа для образования мн. числа. Обычно можно изменить конструкцию, чтобы избежать употребления формы мн. числа (например, several Ph.D. degrees).

Неопределенный артикль перед акронимами

Неопределённый артикль «a» употребляется перед словами, начинающимися с согласного звука; «an» употребляется перед гласным звуком.

Сравните употребление «a» или «an» в зависимости от произношения начальной буквы в этих акронимах: a CD [‘si:’di:] player; an SMS [‘es’em’es] message; a PR manager; an ESL course; an HBO picture; a UN member state.

(См. «Note: a, an» в статье «Articles: Countable Nouns» в разделе Grammar.)

Другие типы сокращений

Сокращенные формы

Укороченная или сокращённая форма слова или группы слов, часто с апострофом вместо пропущенных букв, называется «contraction». Сокращения вспомогательных глаголов очень употребительны в английском языке.

Например: «don’t, isn’t, aren’t, won’t» – сокращённые формы; «do not, is not, are not, will not» – полные формы; «it’s» – сокращение «it is» или «it has»; «let’s» – сокращение «let us»; «o’er» – устаревшее сокращение «over».

Стандартные сокращённые формы вспомогательных и модальных глаголов (например, don’t, isn’t, can’t, shouldn’t) обычно считаются приемлемыми в официальной письменной речи, хотя полные формы могут быть предпочтительными в более официальном стиле.

Усеченные формы

Сокращённая / усечённая форма слова (сокращённое слово, усечённое слово) также считается типом сокращения.

Например: ad (advertisement); auto (automobile); bike (bicycle); bra (brassiere); chimp (chimpanzee); deli (delicatessen); exam (examination); flu (influenza); gas (gasoline); gym (gymnasium); lab (laboratory); math (mathematics); mike (microphone); phone (telephone); photo (photograph); plane (airplane); rhino (rhinoceros); sax (saxophone).

Усечённые формы слов обычно неофициальны, но некоторые из них также употребляются в официальной письменной речи, например, «cello» (violoncello).

Заметки по написанию

Сокращения могут иметь варианты написания. Обычно, основные различия касаются употребления больших или маленьких букв и употребления точек. (Примечание: AmE period; BrE full stop.)

Есть различия между британским и американским написанием некоторых сокращений, особенно в употреблении точек. Например, в американских текстах обычно встречаются «U.S.» и «U.K.», а в британских текстах – «US» и «UK». В AmE предпочтительны «Dr.» и «Mr.» (перед фамилиями), в то время как в BrE предпочтительны «Dr» и «Mr».

Обычно, точки чаще ставятся в сокращениях, написанных маленькими буквами. Сокращения, написанные заглавными буквами (например, акронимы), чаще пишутся без точек, хотя традиционно многие из них всё ещё пишутся с точками.

Например: a.m., e.g., i.e.; B.C. или BC, NB, N.B. или n.b. (nota bene = note well; take notice); PS или P.S. (postscript); NYC или N.Y.C. (New York City).

Если сокращение с точкой стоит в конце предложения, ещё одна точка не добавляется. Например: They visited Washington, D.C. They arrived at 10 p.m.

Обычно нет пробела между буквами сокращений (включая акронимы) независимо от того, есть ли точки между буквами. Исключения из этого правила включают в себя квадратные и кубические единицы измерения. Например: 1 sq. ft.; 2 sq. in.; 4 sq m; 3 cu. ft.; 1 cu. in.

Есть необычные формы мн. числа. Сравните эти формы ед. числа и мн. числа: p., pg. (произносится как «page») – pp. (произносится как «pages»); MS., ms. (manuscript) – MSS., mss. (manuscripts).

Сокращения-омографы

Среди английских сокращений много омографов. Их написание может быть одинаковым или почти одинаковым, но они представляют разные слова и имеют разные значения. Например, сравните следующие сокращения: L.A., LA, La.; St., St.

«L.A.» может значить «Latin America» или «Los Angeles»; «LA» и «La.» означают «Louisiana». «St.» после названия означает «Street» (например, Franklin St., Beacon St.); «St.» перед именем / названием означает «Saint» (например, St. Peter, St. Louis).

Эти сокращения используются на письме; они произносятся как их полные слова в речи: Latin America; Los Angeles; Louisiana; Street; Saint. Примечание: В разговорном употреблении, L.A. (Los Angeles) может произноситься [‘el’ei].

Многие другие сокращения (особенно сокращения в виде одной буквы) могут иметь гораздо больше вариантов; может быть трудно узнать и понять их даже с помощью хорошего словаря. Желательно употреблять в текстах общего характера только те сокращения, которые читатели могут легко узнать и понять.

Сокращения в официальной письменной речи

Как сказано выше, сокращения редко используются в официальной письменной речи общего характера. Справочники по стилю обычно рекомендуют избегать сокращений в официальных и обычных текстах общего характера, за исключением некоторых стандартных сокращений.

Стандартные сокращения, которые считаются подходящими для использования в официальной письменной речи, описаны ниже. (Конечно, стандартные сокращения, приемлемые в официальных текстах, могут также использоваться в таблицах, сносках, списках и т.п.)

Титулы и учёные степени

Титулы перед фамилиями

Титулы «Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr.» ставятся перед фамилиями. Например: Mr. and Mrs. Stone will be back next Wednesday. Dr. Brown is a surgeon. Dr. Reed is a historian.

В американском английском эти титулы пишутся с точкой: Mr. Smith, Mrs. Jones, Ms. Reed, Dr. Edwards. В британском английском они обычно пишутся без точки: Mr Smith, Mrs Jones, Ms Reed, Dr Edwards.

Другие титулы (звания) такого типа тоже могут сокращаться (Prof. Redman, Capt. Miller), но рекомендуется писать их полностью (Professor Redman, Captain Miller) при употреблении их в предложениях.

Сокращённые титулы произносятся как полные слова; например, «Mr., Dr., Prof.» произносятся как «Mister, Doctor, Professor». Еще раз обратите внимание, что титулы «Mr., Mrs., Ms.» всегда пишутся в сокращённой форме перед фамилиями.

(Посмотрите ещё примеры в статьях «Forms of Address» в разделе Vocabulary и «Articles with People’s Names» в разделе Grammar.)

Титулы после фамилий

Титулы после фамилий включают в себя сокращения учёных степеней. Например: B.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., M.D., M.B.A., Ph.D. Или: BA, BS, MA, MS, MD, MBA, PhD.

Учёные степени ставятся после фамилий. Например: The lecture will be given by Thomas Newman, M.D.

Учёные степени также могут употребляться без фамилии, но в другой конструкции. Например: He received his B.A. last year.

Титулы после фамилий также включают в себя «Jr.» (Junior) и «Sr.» (Senior). В современном употреблении, запятые перед и после «Jr.» и «Sr.» не требуются. Например: James Edwards Jr. is a lawyer. Прежнее употребление: James Edwards, Jr., is a lawyer.

Латинские сокращения в официальном тексте

Сокращения a.m., p.m., A.D., B.C.

Произношение: a.m. [‘ei’em]; p.m. [‘pi:’em]; A.D. [‘ei’di:]; B.C. [‘bi:’si:].

Сокращения «a.m.» (ante meridiem = before noon) и «p.m.» (post meridiem = after noon) можно употребить, если указано время дня. Например: He works from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

В некоторых случаях, «a.m.» и «p.m.» можно заменить фразами «in the morning» и «in the afternoon; in the evening». Например: He works from ten in the morning to six thirty in the evening.

Но «a.m.» и «p.m.» не следует употреблять вместе с такими словами, как «morning, afternoon, evening, o’clock», т.к. «a.m.» и «p.m.» передают такие значения сами. (Посмотрите ещё примеры в материале «Time» в разделе Phrases.)

Сокращения «A.D.» (Anno Domini) и «B.C.» (before Christ) указывают годы нашей эры и годы до нашей эры. «A.D.» (н.э.) ставится до или после даты; «B.C.» (до н.э.) ставится после даты. Альтернативными сокращениями для «A.D.» и «B.C.» являются «C.E.» (the common era) и «B.C.E.» (before the common era).

Примеры с «A.D.»: The Norman conquest of England took place in A.D. 1066. Beowulf, an epic English poem, probably dates from the eighth century A.D.

Пример с «B.C.»: The first Punic War began in 264 B.C. and ended in 241 B.C.

Сокращения e.g., i.e., etc.

Сокращения «e.g.» (exempli gratia = for example) и «i.e.» (id est = that is; in other words) читаются как полные слова их английских эквивалентов: «e.g.» читается как «for example»; «i.e.» читается как «that is».

Сокращение «etc.» (произносится «et cetera») значит «and others; and so on». Обратите внимание, что не следует употреблять «and» перед «etc.» – значение «etc.» уже включает в себя «and» («et» значит «and»).

Справочники по стилю рекомендуют употреблять эти сокращения в скобках; английские эквиваленты предпочтительны в официальной письменной речи.

Примеры с «i.e.» и «that is»: Homographs (i.e., words with the same spelling) are listed in dictionaries as separate entries. Compound words, that is, words consisting of two or more roots, may have variants of spelling.

Пример с «etc.»: Illustrations (photographs, maps, drawings, etc.) are in the final part of this book.

Примеры с «e.g.» и «for example» можно найти в данном материале (например, в части «Spelling notes» выше).

Акронимы в официальном тексте

Официальные сокращения названий компаний и организаций (аббревиатуры) в виде акронимов (например, BP, GM, MTV, NBA, NBC, NFL, VOA, WHO) могут использоваться в официальных текстах общего характера после указания полных названий компаний и организаций.

Справочники по стилю рекомендуют написать полное название, затем сокращённое название в скобках, когда оно появляется в тексте в первый раз. Например: British Petroleum (BP); GM (General Motors); World Health Organization (WHO). Затем, если сокращённое название повторяется в тексте, его можно использовать без полного названия.

Если сокращённые названия названий компаний и организаций хорошо известны (например, BBC, CNN, IBM, NASA, NATO, UN, UNESCO), их полные названия могут опускаться в тексте. (Изучающим английский язык следует иметь список употребительных сокращений, включая известные акронимы.)

Примечание: Акронимы и полные названия компаний и организаций не выделяются курсивом и не берутся в кавычки. Например: She worked as an office clerk at IBM.

Другие акронимы обычно употребляются таким же образом. Некоторые акронимы считаются хорошо известными; их полные названия могут опускаться в тексте. Например: CD, DNA, DVD, FM, GMT, IQ, MP3, PDF, UFO, Wi-Fi. Некоторые акронимы более узнаваемы, чем фразы, из которых они были образованы (например, DNA, IQ, MP3).

Тем не менее, список сокращений и их полных форм в конце материала, в котором они используются, может быть очень полезным, особенно для изучающих английский язык.

(Прочитайте ещё об акронимах в частях «Acronyms» и «Spelling notes» выше.)

General information about types, formation and usage of English abbreviations. Units of measure, acronyms, titles.

Общая информация о типах, образовании и употреблении английских сокращений. Единицы измерения, акронимы, титулы.

English Abbreviations That You Have To Know

10 minutes reading time

The purpose of all language is communication. For one idea to be transferred from one person and understood by another. While vocal speech using full sentences is the most popular form of communication, it isn’t the only way that we communicate. The English language has over 600,000 words, though many of these words are not used in regular communication.

As the English language has developed, we have created faster and more concise ways to communicate and get to the point quickly. English abbreviations are the result of that and are the result of shortened English words and phrases. There are 2 kinds of English Abbreviation used when shortening words and sentences.

As you can see from the length of the original names, Abbreviation is very useful. This contraction helps us remember long difficult texts and even when shortened, abridged words do not lose their meaning. So although they are often abstract, the abridged one word abbreviations are often preferred.

Imagine how much time you could save by using abbreviations when writing a dissertation about the United States of America (USA), for example?

We have all seen abbreviations in action with our names especially when you have a longer name. You probably find family and friends affectionately calling you by the first letter or just by your initials like TJ or KK. People have an obsession with abbreviating and finding new ways to shorten words sometimes it can be hard to keep up. It’s almost like an abbreviation is a novelty, and the person who uses it feels a sense of pride over having come up with it (even though they are usually not very creative in the slightest!). When I noticed friends trying to shorten my 3 letter name of Ava to ‘Av’ I had to put my foot down otherwise before I know it I would just become known as ‘A’ or perhaps just with symbols.

If you are learning English you will have to learn how to shorten words too. Photo Source: Unsplash

All jokes aside Abbreviations are very useful in everyday life and especially in writing and modern informal communications. Such as emails, texting, online chat and social media. But they are also used in formal settings such as in the office, and you will even find it on official documents such as passports.

As a speaker of English as a second language, it can be hard enough to try to learn the language without having to know these abbreviated words too. But it is advantageous to learn how to abbreviate in English. Let’s take a look at some common abbreviations, how to spell them, what they spell out and which ones can be spoken or pronounced and which should be left to social media like many popular Instagrammers.

Types of English abbreviations

14th May 2017 by Andrew 23 Comments

An abbreviation is a shortened version of a word or phrase. Here are some examples of abbreviations and their meanings:

MP – Member of Parliament
Dr – Doctor
NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
app – application
They’d – They would

There are four different types of abbreviations in English:

Let’s look at each type in more detail.

Initialism

An initialism is formed from the first letters of a group of words.
We pronounce each letter individually.
FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation
ASAP – as soon as possible
CD – compact disc
CEO – Chief Executive Officer
FAQ – frequently asked questions
PLC – public limited company
UFO – unidentified flying object
USA – United States of America
VAT – value added tax

Rules for capital letters

If the first letters of the full form are capital letters, then we always write the abbreviation with capital letters:

For example, in the full form, we always write “Federal Bureau of Investigation” with capital letters for the first letter of each word because it is the name of an official organisation. Therefore we have no choice. We must also write the abbreviated form in capitals: FBI

FBI
fbi

For the others (the full form is not in capital letters), both forms are acceptable. It is a style choice:

“frequently asked questions” – The full form is not in capital letters, therefore we can choose:
FAQ
faq

Rules for full stops (periods)

In British English, we do not usually use full stops between each letter for initialisms.
FBI
F.B.I.
In American English, it is a question of style. Using full stops is more common in American English.
FBI
F.B.I.

Acronyms

An acronym is formed from the first letters of a group of words.
We pronounce the acronym as a word.
NASA – National Aeronautical and Space Administration
NATO – North American Treaty Organisation
OPEC – Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries
PIN – personal identification number (code for bank card)
RAM – random access memory (computer memory)
SIM – subscriber identification module (card for mobile phone)
VAT – value added tax (sales tax in the UK)
ZIP – zone improvement plan (post code in the USA)

VAT (value added tax) is a special case. It can be 2 types of abbreviation:
It can be an acronym and we pronounce it as one word /væt/ (rhymes with cat)
It can also be treated as an initialism and we pronounce each letter separately “v”, “a”, “t”

Rules for capital letters

This is the same rules as for the initialisms. If the first letters of the full form are capital letters, then we always write the acronym with capital letters:

Example, we always write “North American Treaty Organisation” with capital first letters because it is the name of an official organisation. Therefore we also write the acronym in all capitals: NATO

NATO
nato

For the others (the full form is not in capital letters), both forms are acceptable. It is a style choice.

“personal identification number” – The full form is not in capital letters, therefore we can choose:
PIN
pin

Rules for full stops (periods)

We do NOT use full stops after each letter of an acronym. This because we treat acronyms as words and pronounce them as words. We never write full stops in the middle of words.

Example for “personal identification number”:
The PIN for my credit card is 1234
The P.I.N. for my credit card is 1234

Shortenings

A shortening is an abbreviation in which the beginning or end of the word has been omitted. There are 2 types:

Type 1 shortenings (treated as real words)

ad – advertisement (to promote a product or service)
app – application (software)
flu – influenza (an illness)
blog – weblog (a type of website)
rhino – rhinoceros (wild animal)

We use type 1 shortenings like real words. We write them and say them as one word.

Rules for capital letters

The first letter is a capital letter only if the full word starts with a capital letter:

Example: full form is “Briton” (with a capital first letter) therefore the shortening also must start with a capital letter: “Brit”
Example sentence: There are lots of Brits living in Spain.

Rules for full stops (periods)

We do NOT use a full stop after type 1 shortenings:
I placed an ad in the newspaper.
I placed an ad. in the newspaper.

Type 2 shortenings (not treated as real words)

Feb. – February
Sat. – Saturday
etc. – et cetera (Latin for “and the rest”)

Type 2 shortenings are only used in writing. But when we say or read them, we say the full version of the word.

Writing: “Please send me the Feb accounts.”
Speaking: “Please send me the February accounts.”

Rules for capital letters

The first letter of a type 2 shortening is a capital letter only if the full word starts with a capital letter.

Rules for full stops (periods)

We have the choice to use full stops (periods) at the end of the abbreviation.

Full form: February
Feb.
Feb

Contractions

Contractions are abbreviations in which we omit letters from the middle of a word. We do NOT write a full stop at the end of a contraction. The first letter is a capital letter only if the full word starts with a capital letter.

Type 1 contractions (missing letters from 1 word)

Dr – Doctor
govt – government
St – Saint
Mr – Mister

Type 2 contractions (missing letters from more than 1 word)

We use an apostrophe to represent the missing letters:

he ‘ s – he is
they ‘ d – they would
I ‘ ve – I have

Video lesson

What Is an Abbreviation?

Jacquie Boyd / Getty Images

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase, such as «Jan.» for «January.» The abbreviated form of the word «abbreviation» is «abbr.»—or, less commonly, «abbrv.» or «abbrev.» Abbreviation comes from the Latin word brevis meaning «short.»

In American English, many abbreviations are followed by a period (such as «Dr.» or «Ms.»). In contrast, British usage generally omits the period (or full stop) in abbreviations that include the first and last letters of a single word (such as «Dr» or «Ms»). When an abbreviation appears at the end of a sentence, a single period serves both to mark the abbreviation and close the sentence.

Linguist David Crystal notes that abbreviations are «a major component of the English writing system, not a marginal feature. The largest dictionaries of abbreviations contain well over half a million entries, and their number is increasing all the time»

Common Abbreviations

These resources explain more about the various types of abbreviations:

Examples and Observations

«In general, spell out the names of government bureaus and agencies, well-known organizations, companies, etc., on first reference. In later references, use short forms like the agency or the company when possible because handfuls of initials make for mottled typography and choppy prose.»

– Siegal, Allan M. and William G. Connolly. The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage: the Official Style Guide Used by the Writers and Editors of the Worlds Most Authoritative Newspaper. Three Rivers Press, 1999

«Abbreviations may be ironic, humorous, or whimsical: for example, the rail link between the town of Bedford and the London station of St. Pancras is locally known as the Bedpan Line; a comparable link for Boston, New York, and Washington is the Bosnywash circuit. Comments on life may be telescoped into such sardonic packages as: BOGSAT a Bunch Of Guys Sitting Around a Table (making decisions about other people); GOMER Get Out of My Emergency Room (said by physicians to hypochondriacs); MMMBA Miles and Miles of Bloody Africa (an in-group term among people who have to travel those miles); TGIF Thank God It’s Friday (after a particularly hard working week).»

Abbreves

«Today, the fave (for ‘favorite’) abbreves are obvi (a shortening of ‘Thank you, Captain Obvious’) and belig (a clipping of ‘belligerent,’ retaining the soft g). Nobody in the young-barflies crowd orders ‘the usual’; it’s the yoozh. My grandnephew Jesse concludes sentences with whatev, which is probs (for ‘probably’) ‘whatever.’ In this cacophony of abbreves, word endings are scattered all over the floor. Go fig.»

– Safire, William. “Abbreve That Template.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 May 2009

Tote-Speak

«You see it on Twitter a lot, people exclaiming about their totes delish spags or their totes redicboyfs. Linguists Lauren Spradlin and Taylor Jones call this practice ‘totesing’—the systematic abbreviation (‘abbreviash’) of words to effect a certain tone. The fad might have started with ‘totally’ becoming totes, but at this point, no entry in the English lexicon is safe.»

Twitter Speak

The following are some real words produced by real human beings on Twitter:

Logograms

«‘Logograms’. play a part in the English writing system: these are cases where a word is not just shortened, but entirely replaced with a symbol. Examples include @ for ‘at,’ £ for ‘pound,’ % for ‘per cent,’ and + for ‘plus.’ The ampersand, &, is one of the oldest. It is a collapsed version of the Latin word et, ‘and’: the bottom circle is what’s left of the e, and the rising tail on the right is what’s left of the t. Numerals are another kind that we read as 1, 2, 3, etc. as ‘one, two, three. ‘ And it is part of the business of learning to read and write to know when we should write words in their logographic form and when to spell them out.»

– Crystal, David. Spell It Out. Picador, 2014