Abbreviations, contractions and acronyms
Abbreviations
An abbreviation is a shortened version of a word. Abbreviations normally end in a full stop, but this can be left out for commonly used abbreviations
| ✔ | cont. | ✔ | i.e. |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✔ | e.g. | ✔ | no. |
| ✔ | et al. | ✔ | p. / pp. |
| ✔ | etc. | ✔ | para. |
Contractions
Contractions are shortened version of words in which the last letter of the original word is present. They don’t need a full stop.
| ✔ | Mr | ✔ | Rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✔ | Qld | ✔ | St |
Acronyms
Acronyms are initial letters, sometimes pronounced as a word. They are usually all capitals, and they don’t need a full stop at the end. When an acronym has entered common usage, it is sometimes written with just an initial capital.
| ✔ | ABC | ✔ | CSIRO |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✔ | Anzac | ✔ | TAFE |
Unless it is commonly understood, define the acronym the first time you use it.
- You may be eligible for the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP).
When you use an acronym in a sentence, say it out loud to see if you should use ‘a’ or ‘an’. If the sound of the acronym starts with a vowel, use ‘an’.
- an ABC documentary
- a UNESCO program