Abbreviations

An abbreviation is a short form of a word or phrase. All of the short forms that you see below ↓ are abbreviations.

There are four main types of abbreviation, and the way that we write, punctuate and pronounce any abbreviation depends largely on its type:

shortening
continued → cont.

contraction
Doctor → Dr

initialism
British Broadcasting Corporation → BBC

acronym
subscriber identification module → sim

Shortenings

A shortening is an abbreviation where the end of the full word has been cut off, like this:

Occasionally the front of the full word may be cut off:

And very occasionally the front and end of the full word are cut off:

Here are some more examples:

Note that some shortenings (the last five here, for example) have entered the language as words or informal words, that is, some people may be unaware that they are abbreviations of something longer. Notice too that for such shortenings there may sometimes be a slight change of spelling (bike, wellies).

Punctuation

How do we punctuate shortenings? Do we put a full stop/period at the end?

For abbreviations that we use like words (the last five above, for example), we do not use a full stop at the end.

For the rest (the first five in the table above, for example), this is to some extent a question of style. Some writers and publishers prefer the modern approach and use no full stop. Others prefer a more traditional approach and use a full stop (which indicates that the rest of the word is missing). You can use either style, but the important thing is to be consistent.

If the full form starts with a capital letter, then the shortening must start with a capital letter (Monday → Mon., approximately → approx.)

Pronunciation

Shortenings that are designed to save space in writing are usually (but not always) spoken like the full form (so we typically say "continued" not "cont.").

write: cont. - Corp. - enc. - Nov. - Prof.

say: continued - Corporation - enclosed - November - Professor

Shortenings that are designed to save time and effort in speaking are of course spoken in the short form.

say and write: ad - app - zoo - bike - wellies

Contractions

A contraction is an abbreviation where a bit of the full word has been cut out from inside, like this:

Sometimes more than one bit has been cut out from inside:

And sometimes bits are cut out from inside more than one word:

Here are some more examples:

Punctuation

Some people put a full stop at the end (govt., Revd.) but strictly speaking there is no need because the last letter of the contraction is the same as the last letter of the full form (govt, Revd).

In contractions of more than one word, the missing letters are replaced by an apostrophe (can't, she'd've).

Pronunciation

Some contractions are written contractions designed to save space in text. We almost always pronounce these in full—the same as the full form.

write: dept - ft - govt - Revd - St - Blvd - mfg

say: department - foot or feet - government - Reverend - Saint - Boulevard - manufacturing

Other contractions are spoken contractions designed to save time and effort in speaking. The written version is simply mimicking the spoken version.

say and write: can't - let's - she'd've

Initialisms

An initialism is an abbreviation made from the initial (first) letters of a group of words (and pronounced as individual letters), like this:

Sometimes only the more important letters are included:

Here are some more examples:

Punctuation

How do we punctuate initialisms? Do we put a full stop/period after each letter?

This is largely a matter of style. Some people prefer the modern approach and use no full stop. Others take a more tradional approach and use a full stop. So CEO and C.E.O. are both acceptable. The important thing is to be consistent.

If the initial letters of the full form are capital letters, then the initialism should also use capital letters (National Security Agency → NSA). If the full form does not require capitals, then the initialism can usually be with or without capitals—it's a matter of style (please turn over → PTO or pto).

Note that some initialisms can also be acronyms. For example, the abbreviation for Value Added Tax (or value added tax) is:

• sometimes written VAT/V.A.T. and pronounced as letters (/vee-ay-tee/)—initialism
• sometimes written VAT/vat and pronounced as a word rhyming with cat—acronym

Pronunciation

We usually pronounce initialisms as individual letters—or else we say the full form.

write and say: ATM - BA - CD - CEO - DIY - NSA - PLC - PTO - UN - VAT - VIP

Acronyms

An acronym is an abbreviation made from the initial (first) letters of a group of words (and pronounced as a word), like this:

Sometimes only the more important first letters are included:

And sometimes the first two or three letters of a word may be used:

Here are some more examples:

Punctuation

Generally speaking, acronyms are not punctuated at all. There is no need to use full stops/periods.

If the acronym's full form uses capital letters, then the acronym usually uses capitals too (National Aeronautics and Space Administration → NASA). Some acronyms may be written with the first letter uppercase and the rest lowercase (acquired immune deficiency syndrome → Aids). Many acronyms have developed into words in their own right and may use entirely lowercase (subscriber identification module [card] → sim [card]).

Whether to use capitals or not is often a matter of style. If in doubt over the name of an organization (for example NASA or Nasa?) you can usually follow the organization's preferred style found on its website. For more general acronyms, a good dictionary will usually show the standard form.

Note that some acronyms can also be initialisms. For example, the abbreviation for Value Added Tax (or value added tax) is:

• sometimes written VAT/V.A.T. and pronounced as letters (/vee-ay-tee/) —initialism
• sometimes written VAT/vat and pronounced as a word rhyming with cat —acronym

Pronunciation

All acronyms can be pronounced as words, and many of them have indeed become dictionary words in their own right.

write and say: Aids - laser - NASA - PIN - quango - scuba - sim - TEFL - UNESCO - vat

Reference and further resources

• Abbreviations.com
• Abbreviations with multiple meanings
• Lists of abbreviations - Wikipedia