Punctuation for Abbreviations

Having trouble viewing this message? [Click here to view it online.]( To unsubscribe or change contact details, scroll to the bottom and follow the link. [GrammarBook.com]( Your #1 Source for Grammar and Punctuation Punctuation for Abbreviations Those who write in American English may sometimes wonder when to abbreviate a word as well as how to abbreviate it. This review will help address those questions. An abbreviation is a shortened or contracted form of a word or a phrase (e.g., Mister to Mr.). If you're ever in doubt about when and how to abbreviate a word, you can start by consulting a current dictionary or stylebook, as prevailing usage can change. In the meantime, the following guidelines can be useful in providing direction. Punctuation for Abbreviations: Names and Titles Abbreviate names with a single letter followed by a period. If two successive letters are abbreviated, do not include spaces between the periods. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Susan B. Anthony, J.P. Morgan, K.D. Lang If a person's full name is abbreviated, use only first letters without periods: JFK (John F. Kennedy), LBJ (Lyndon B. Johnson), MJ (Michael Jordan). Abbreviate and capitalize junior or senior if it follows an individual's name. Many stylebooks now also allow for a comma before junior or senior to be omitted. Ken Griffey Sr., Ken Griffey Jr., John F. Kennedy Jr., Robert Downey Sr. If someone's personal or professional title appears before the full name, it is abbreviated. Some common abbreviated titles are: Reverend: Rev. Governor: Gov. Mister: Mr. Senator: Sen. Doctor: Dr. Professor: Prof. Missus: Mrs. Representative: Rep. Rev. Peter Jones, Prof. Carrie Newsom, Mrs. Janette McCauley, Sen. Ken Hanson Some stylebooks may advise to not abbreviate a professional title if it is followed only by the last name. Reverend Jones, Professor Newsom, Senator Hanson If a professional title follows a name, its abbreviation might not always be punctuated. A comma will also usually precede the title. Christine Mundt, Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) Mary Richards, MD (Medical Doctor) Thomas Legend, RN (Registered Nurse) Chester Gamble, J.D. (Juris Doctor) Punctuation for Abbreviations: Addresses, Dates, and Times The Associated Press Stylebook advises to use abbreviated, punctuated compass points and Ave., Blvd., or St. only with a numbered address: 1060 W. Addison St., 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. but Addison Street, Pennsylvania Avenue. Formal writing usually does not abbreviate days and months. Less-formal writing may accommodate punctuated abbreviations for specific dates. In each case, the abbreviation would be punctuated by a period. Abbreviations for days are Mon., Tues., Weds., Thurs., Fri., Sat., and Sun. Abbreviations for months are Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec. (March, April, May, June, and July are not abbreviated.) Sun., Feb. 12; Thurs., Oct. 31; Weds., Dec. 9; Fri., Sept. 23, 1988 Whether to abbreviate such date formats is a matter of preference and style. Punctuation of time is yet another style item that can vary by source. Many stylebooks will punctuate a.m. (or A.M.) and p.m. (or P.M.): 7:15 a.m., 8:05 P.M. Zone abbreviations are typically not punctuated (EST, CDT, PST). Time eras are usually abbreviated and punctuated (B.C., A.D.). Punctuation for Abbreviations: Acronyms and Initialisms Although sometimes thought to be synonymous, acronyms, initialisms, and abbreviations are different categories of letters. Acronyms are abbreviations pronounced as words (e.g., AIDS, OPEC). Initialisms are formed from the first letter or letters of a series of words, and each letter is pronounced (e.g., ABC, FBI). Many stylebooks agree that acronyms are not punctuated. Some examples are NATO, NAACP, YMCA, and NAFTA. Punctuation for initialisms can vary among style sources. For example, The Chicago Manual of Style will instruct the use of R.S.V.P., but AP will advise using RSVP. Punctuation for Abbreviations: Other Common Uses Other terms that are commonly abbreviated and punctuated with periods are academic degrees, units of measure, and Latin terms. Bachelor of Arts: B.A. inch: in. id est: i.e. post scriptum: P.S. Bachelor of Science: B.S. pound: lb. exempli gratia: e.g. et alia: et al. Related Topics [Abbreviations vs. Acronyms vs. Initialisms]( [Abbreviation, Acronym]( [Unusual Plurals of Abbreviations]( [View and comment on this article on our website.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Pop Quiz Applying what we've discussed, adjust any words that can be abbreviated and punctuated. 1. Darla lives at 546 West Mighty Mouse Boulevard. 2. The box weighed 35 pounds. 3. Bobby Jo Bryan Senior will receive the honors for lifetime achievement. 4. The brunch at the community center will be on Saturday, November 11. 5. Representative Fields is giving the speech at the ribbon-cutting event. The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation by Lester Kaufman and Jane Straus Revised and Expanded Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation Now Available! The twelfth edition of The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation made its debut on May 4, 2021. It has been seven years since the eleventh edition was published. So when the publisher, Jossey-Bass, requested another go-round, the team at GrammarBook.com was elated. You will find the new, extensively revised and expanded version in keeping with our consistent vision of a direct, concise, unfussy grammar book. The Blue Book, which started life as a booklet for California state employees, has now sold hundreds of thousands of copies. Over the years, we’ve seen the number of subscribers to our weekly newsletter grow from dozens to scores to hundreds; now, there are over 40,000 of you worldwide. The new edition continues to stress the difference between rules on the one hand and conventions, customs, and tendencies on the other. We also added previously uncovered material, such as irregular verbs, that have been popular topics in our newsletters and blogs. In addition, the Confusing Words and Homonyms section has been greatly expanded, and we have developed all-new quizzes covering even more topics. The new Blue Book takes on English in all its often maddening complexity, acknowledging its quirks, gray areas, exceptions, limitations, and contradictions. We realize that people want straight answers, but with English, there sometimes aren’t any, and we would be remiss in saying otherwise. Order your copy of the new edition of The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation from [Amazon]( now! Get Even More Useful Grammar Tips In addition to our weekly newsletter, we post new entries about American English grammar on Mondays and Fridays. The following are two of our most recent articles. Bookmark our [GrammarBook blog]( and be sure to check it often. [Threw vs. Through: What’s the Difference?]( [Loose vs. Lose: What You Need to Know]( Free BONUS Quiz for You! {NAME}, because you are a subscriber to the newsletter, you get access to one of the Subscribers-Only Quizzes. Click here to take a [Pronouns Quiz]( and get your scores and explanations instantly! We will be adding many more quizzes this year to our already substantial list of quizzes. If you have suggestions for topics we have not yet covered, please send us a message at help@grammarbook.com. Hundreds of Additional Quizzes at Your Fingertips Subscribe now to receive hundreds of additional English usage quizzes not found anywhere else! Teachers and Employers Save hours of valuable time! You may assign quizzes to your students and employees and have their scores tallied, organized, and reported to you! Let [GrammarBook.com]( take the hassle out of teaching English! "Fun to test my skills." "The explanations really help ... thanks!" "I can select the quizzes to assign to my students, and then the results are reported to me automatically!" [Find out more about our subscription packages]( 99¢ QUIZZES Don't need all the quizzes? You can now purchase the same quizzes individually for ONLY 99¢ each. [Purchase yours here.]( If you think you have found an error in a quiz, please email us at help@grammarbook.com The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation by Jane Straus, Lester Kaufman, and Tom Stern The Authority on English Grammar! Eleventh Edition Now Available An indispensable tool for busy professionals, teachers, students, homeschool families, editors, writers, and proofreaders. Available in print AND as an e-Book! Over 2,000 copies are purchased every month! To order the book, simply click the link to order the book from the [GrammarBook.com]( website. [Order Your Copy Today!]( Wordplay # --------------------------------------------------------------- Pop Quiz Answers 1. Darla lives at 546 W. Mighty Mouse Blvd. 2. The box weighed 35 lbs. 3. Bobby Jo Bryan Sr. will receive the honors for lifetime achievement. 4. The brunch at the community center will be on Sat., Nov. 11. 5. Representative Fields is giving the speech at the ribbon-cutting event. No abbreviation or punctuation English In A Snap: 68 One-Minute English Usage Videos FREE Learn all about who and whom, affect and effect, subjects and verbs, adjectives and adverbs, commas, semicolons, quotation marks, and much more by just sitting back and enjoying these easy-to-follow lessons. Tell your colleagues (and boss), children, teachers, and friends. [Click here to watch](. Forward this e-newsletter to your friends and colleagues. If you received this FREE weekly e-newsletter from a friend, [click here to have it sent to you each week](. Look for more grammar tips or writing advice from [GrammarBook.com]( next week. Miss a recent newsletter? [Click here to view past editions](. GrammarBook.com, 165 Kirkland Circle, Oswego, IL 60543, United States You may [unsubscribe]( or [change your contact details]( at any time. [Powered by:](