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Abbreviations Facts & Worksheets

Abbreviations are short forms of lengthy expressions or words. It consists of a group of letters taken from the word or phrase.

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Words and phrases are shortened in abbreviations. Abbreviations are typically seen as casual in written communication, for as, when “Mister” becomes “Mr.” Abbreviations are indeed used in academic papers (as long as you follow guideline number one). However, they are typically regarded as casual writing styles.

See the fact file below for more information about Abbreviations, or download the comprehensive worksheet pack, which contains worksheets and can be used in the classroom or homeschool environment.

Key Facts & Information

Types

  • The term “abbreviation” refers to the shared semantic and phonetic properties of acronyms, initialisms, contractions, and crasis.
  • An initialism is an acronym that is spoken by saying each letter individually, i.e., FBI, USA.
  • When contracted, a word or phrase is made shorter by leaving out some letters or syllables. As a result, contractions are a category inside abbreviations. The contraction’s initial and last letters or components are frequently present but only sometimes. “Li’l” (for “little”), “I’m” (for “I am”), and “he’d have” are examples of contractions (for “he would have”).

Abbreviation Rules

  • Using abbreviations, we may make complicated words and sentences more concise in our writing. The regulations for abbreviations can change and are often rather complex. We may find some of the most significant rules and recommendations for utilizing acronyms in writing here.

1. Introduce them using Parentheses

  • It’s crucial to spell out the entire phrase and use the abbreviation in parenthesis the first time you use an acronym. Following that, you can use the abbreviation in references.
  • He intends to enroll at the Georgia Institute of Technology (MIT) in the fall, and he plans to major in electrical engineering and computer science there.

2. Personal and Professional Titles Should be Abbreviated

  • It’s OK to shorten professional titles when a name follows them. If you’ve ever sent a letter or an email, you’ve undoubtedly heard words like Mr. or Dr.
  • Example: Dr. Stephens, Mr. Cooper, and Mrs. Vaughan. 
  • Here is where British and American English diverge. In British English, the period is dropped to read “Mr.” or “Mrs.” instead of the way we usually write “Mr.” or “Mrs.” in America.
  • An abbreviation like “Dr.” must be followed by someone’s name in a situation like this: “She was glad when the doctor finally entered the room.” Finally, remember to insert a comma if the abbreviation is planned to appear after the person’s name.
  • Example: Michelle Figueroa, MD (Medical Doctor)
  • There are also some variances in academic degrees. For instance, if you’ve received a Bachelor of Arts degree, it can be shortened to “B.A.” or “B.A.” If you’re using this in any academic work, be sure to refer to your style guide. It will explain how to punctuate the title appropriately.

3. Only Use Common Terms as Abbreviations

  • You should confirm that the word is well recognized before abbreviating. 
  • A few examples of common acronyms are: ASAP: as soon as possible and DIY: do it yourself.
  • We may also use abbreviations to refer to well-known businesses or organizations. 
  • For instance: FedEx: Federal Express FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation

4. Take a Close Look at Initialisms 

  • In general, initialisms are defined as abbreviations with all capital letters (spoken separately). Periods are typically not necessary after each letter when using initialisms.
  • Of course, there are certain exceptions to the rules in the regulations about abbreviations, so this might only sometimes be the case. Ph.D. (or PhD.), Doctor of Philosophy, is difficult since each letter differs.  Again, your style guide will be your closest friend in these unsettling times.
  • Another perplexing feature of initialisms is that while some consider them a subset of acronyms, others argue they are a completely other class of words.

5. Use Informal Date Abbreviations

  • In informal writing, days of the week and months may be condensed or truncated. Days and months are nearly never abbreviated in an official report (unless they are included in tables or charts).
  • Example: Mon., Aug. 14, Wed., Sep. 27, Fri., Jan. 27
  • Abbreviating casually or writing officially, always use a comma between the day of each week and the month. Also, uppercase the names of the days and months in all circumstances. Only shorten a month when it is used with a particular date: Jan. Feb. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
  • However, please spell them out if they are standing alone or with a year alone.
  • For example, January 1972 was a particularly chilly month.
  • To indicate the abbreviation, put a period at the day’s or month’s end. Consult your style guide while preparing an essay for class. MLA format is typically used for school essays, at least at the middle and high school levels. On particular days of the week, there could be acronyms.
  • For example, Tuesday, May 17 Tuesday, May 17 Thursday, Apr. 19 Thursday, Apr. 19
  • That is why keeping your stylebook handy is always a good idea. According to A.P. style, you should use the three-letter abbreviation solely when including them in tables/charts.

6. Time and Time Zones Can Follow Several Styles 

  • The format is flexible and allows for the abbreviation of time as well. It can be written as follows: 6:30 a.m., 6:30 A.M., and 6:30 AM.
  • We are instructed to utilize figures except at noon and midnight, referring once more to the A.P. Style Guide. Also, a colon is used to restrict minutes from hours. 
  • Additionally, AP style specifies lowercase abbreviations for a.m. and p.m. cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval chevalgültig cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval The APA, MLA, and Chicago citation formats might vary.
  • No periods are necessary when addressing American time zones, and we can write the zones in all uppercase. Take this example: 10 a.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time) (Eastern Standard Time)
  • Just be mindful of your audience. CST is another American time zone (Central Standard Time). However, in China, this might refer to China Standard Time. When referring to the continental United States, Canada, and Mexico, EST, PST, MST, and other time zones are permitted. You could also see anything like 5 p.m. PDT (Pacific Daylight Time) used worldwide in daylight-saving time zones.

7. There are USPS Address Standards

  • Always abbreviate the State when mailing a letter within the United States (U.S.). The samples below adhere to the United States Postal Service’s standard (USPS). 
  • Example: C.A. stands for California, GA stands for Georgia, and M.T. stands for Montana.
  • As a result, an address label might read as follows: 861 State Road, Cedar City, CA 12345.
  • The format for a single-line address label in the United States is as follows. Take note of the commas: [House number] [Street name], [City], [State], [Zip code].
  • In the same situation, you may shorten the street address and put it across lines as follows: 861 State Road, 12345 Cedar City, CA.

8. Punctuation is Required for Latin Abbreviations

  • We frequently utilize two Latin abbreviations in our writing. They are as follows: e.g. (Latin for “for example”), i.e. (Latin for “that is” or “in other words”)
  • These words often need to be used more. When using them, attempt to use the abbreviation instead of the actual words (“for example” and “that is,” for example) or anything similar.
  • You’ll then know if you’re utilizing the terms appropriately. For instance: I write all day (e.g., blogs, short stories, and emails).
  • Whatever option you choose, make sure it is clear what you intend by using “for example” or “that is,” two periods, and a comma.
  • Additionally, the Latin abbreviations et al. (Latin for “and others”), CV (Latin for “curriculum vitae,” which means “course of life,” and P.S. (Postscriptum, from the Latin meaning “after what has been written”)

9. Never Use Acronyms in Articles… Often

  • Look at these two examples: She is employed by the FBI. He is employed by NASA.
  • Do you ever wonder why one calls for the article “the” but not the other? It all boils down to acronyms and initialisms. It would be best to put an article (a, an, or the) before it when using an initialism (where you pronounce each letter separately).
  • Which piece? Use before vowel sounds and a before consonant sounds when using indefinite articles. If the spelled-out sentence begins with “the,” for example, “the CEO,” use the definite article with the initialism.
  • Again, these are vague and general principles, as abbreviations lead to a multidimensional and ever-changing existence. Unless it’s being used as an adjective, an acronym usually doesn’t need an article., for instance, “the NASA control room.”

Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Initialisms

  • It’s common to mix up acronyms with abbreviations. One of the simplest ways to distinguish between the two is to remember that abbreviations are just a collection of letters condensed to represent a word; you would typically speak the entire term, such as blvd for the boulevard.
  • The initial letter of a set of words is typically used in acronyms to create new terms, such as President of the United States for POTUS. Initialisms and acronyms are both still examples of abbreviations.
  • While they are referred to as acronyms by some, they are not spoken as whole words (ruling them out from the purest definition of an acronym). Instead, each initial is said, for example. FAQ, Frequently Asked Questions.
  • State initialisms could be an exception. State initialisms could be an exception. If you were to read “N.D.” aloud in a passage of text, you probably would have spoken “North Dakota.”

Abbreviations Worksheets

This bundle contains 5 ready-to-use Abbreviations worksheets that are perfect to test student knowledge and understanding of Abbreviations, which are short forms of lengthy expressions or words. It consists of a group of letters taken from a word or phrase.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are abbreviations? 

Words and phrases are shortened in abbreviations. Abbreviations are typically seen as casual in written communication, for as, when “Mister” becomes “Mr.” Abbreviations are indeed used in academic papers (as long as you follow guideline number one). However, they are typically regarded as casual writing styles.

What are the three types of abbreviations? 

The term “abbreviation” refers to the shared semantic and phonetic properties of acronyms, initialisms, contractions, and crasis.

What is an initialism?

An initialism is an acronym that is spoken by saying each letter individually, i.e., FBI, USA.

What is the distinction between an abbreviation and an acronym?

One of the simplest ways to distinguish between the two is to remember that abbreviations are just a collection of letters condensed to represent a word. On the other hand, the initial letter of a set of words is typically used in acronyms to create new terms, such as President of the United States for POTUS. 

Can I use unfamiliar terms as abbreviations? 

No. Only use familiar terms as abbreviations; you should confirm that the word is well recognized before abbreviating. A few examples of common acronyms are: ASAP: as soon as possible and DIY: do it yourself.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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