'TLA' is in fact a TLA and an example of a self-referencing definition. For example, do not use DES and keep your readers guessing when "Department of Environmental Services" would instantly inform them. If the abbreviation is a single letter, pluralize it by adding an apostrophe and "s". You can find abbreviations discussed in the Publication Manual in section 4.22 (starting on p. 106). Just take a glance at street signs, advertisements, and store hoardings which will demonstrate that almost no one seems to know how to use this mark properly. These simple tips can help you better manage your acronym usage in any resume or cover letter: Since Associated Press style is one of the more widely used writing standards, learning the AP style rule for acronyms and abbreviations is an essential starting point for most freelance writers . Using abbreviations and acronyms. In the case of … SITEMAP. Before using acronyms and initialisms. Initialisms are a bit different, but are treated the same as acronyms. Published on May 23, 2019 by Amy Luo. Using acronyms. It is Mmes., which goes way beyond basic rules. To reduce confusion for the reader, and to retain their interest, avoid using unfamiliar acronyms in general. Acronyms are distinguished by the fact that they are read aloud as a single word, while initialisms are spoken aloud as individual letters rather than a … Examples of Rule #12: f.o.b. A three-letter acronym (TLA) or a three-letter abbreviation is a term (acronym, alphabetism, or initialism) which consists of three letters. Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations of multiple words using just their initial letters; like the initials of a person’s name, these letters are usually capitalized. Acronyms rules only apply to words or phrases that get repeated several times throughout a document. NASA is an example of a true acronym as it is pronounced as a single word. In addition, there are a few common words that began as acronyms. © 2020 | Addresses Acronyms are widely used and understood abbreviations such as NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development). As a general rule of thumb, write out the full name when it is initially written. light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. NASA, for instance, is an acronym. 4 It's perfectly fine to define an abbreviation the first or second time you use a word and then continue to use it. This is a combination of Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg. (An abbreviation is something different again. Acronyms and Initialisms are different things. Write down your main classroom rules on a chart and hang the rules in a highly visible area of the classroom. 6 Capitalize Most Words in Titles. You don’t say “the Kathryn” (well, maybe your friends do), and “the NASA” is equally unnecessary. It's kind of an extension of the last episode, because I want to clarify the difference between abbreviations and acronyms. abbreviations in APA Style—specifically, how to use acronyms, which are abbreviations made up of the first letters of each word in a phrase. 1. Acronyms are abbreviations where the first letters from each word in a phrase spell out a new word (e.g., when National Aeronautics and Space Administration is shortened to “NASA”). Unless they appear at the end of a sentence, do not follow acronyms with a period. Abbreviations and Acronyms … Nov 19, 2018 - Explore Alison Kusler's board "CLASSROOM POSTERS/ACRONYMS", followed by 199 people on Pinterest. Abbreviations Note: This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The longest three letter acronym 'TLA' possible to pronounce in English is 'WWW'. Articles with Acronyms, a or an Finally, the rule applies to acronyms as well. To reduce confusion for the reader, and to retain their interest, avoid using unfamiliar acronyms in general. What are the rules for using degree acronyms after your last name? Do not use periods in most professional titles, the names of well–known businesses and organizations, and acronyms. It is best to avoid them altogether in an introductory paragraph. Published on August 1, 2015 by Sarah Vinz. In an all-capital letter headline, the meaning of MSDSS would be unclear. Write acronyms in all caps and without periods between the letters: USDA, not U.S.D.A. Acronyms are defined as words formed by the first letters of words in a name or title. Abbreviations (the shortened form of a word or phrase) and acronyms (words formed from the initial letters of a phrase) are commonly used in technical writing. acronyms and apostrophes May 16, 2016 yanira.vargas. If you pronounce a letter as a letter and it begins with a vowel sound, you should precede it with an. (Do not add an apostrophe.) For example: Once I have finished this P.C., I will only have 3 P.C.s to configure. Each letter in an initialism is pronounced separately (e.g. p.m. CPA CLU CFP CBS IBM NRA radar (radio detecting and ranging) snafu (situation normal: all fouled up) 14. You can also use pieces of words or names such as in Benelux. As you read earlier, acronyms are used in place of a phrase or string of words. Discover basic rules for forming plural acronyms and plural abbreviations. This page has examples of permissible apostrophes for plurals and an interactive exercise. I would actually use the article with 'ESA' in the examples you gave, and so 'NASA' (acronym) … Check to see if an established initialism or acronym already exists for the phrase before you make one up. Repeat the bracket form if it gets used again later in the same passage. As a rule, they are the initial letters of the abbreviated words or phrase. Click here to download a pdf of a table of commonly used abbreviations and acronyms. Acronyms found in the JM3 acronym list are not neces-sarily exclusive. 2. If an English acronym is used, include the acronym, a comma and sigla en inglés (GSA, sigla en inglés). For acronyms that end in a letter other than an s, simply add a lowercase s after the last letter. Using acronyms and abbreviations is convenient, but it can also be a bit confusing figuring out how to properly convert these shortened versions of words or phrases to plural form. Typically, acronyms and initialisms are written in all capital letters to distinguish them from ordinary words.An acronym is pronounced as a single word, rather than as a series of letters. 2. ACRONYM RULES: In fact, you should be using acronyms and other ways to shorten phrases with caution and correctness. All Rights Reserved, pounds and ounces plural abbreviations on scale, difference between an acronym and an abbreviation, Simple Rules for Plural Acronyms and Abbreviations, Most acronyms are easy to convert to the plural form simply by adding the letter, This can become more complex when the last letter in the acronym is already an. The first time you use an acronym, provide full terminology followed by the abbreviation in parentheses:According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), there are several options available…After it has been introduced, you can simply use the shortened version:A further report from the FBI indicated that…As above, you should also make sure to use the correct article when using acronyms. However, this is a loose rule-of-thumb definition, as some acronyms are built in part from the first letters of word components , as in the i and d in immuno-deficiency, or using a letter from the middle or end of a word, or from only a few key words in a long phrase or name, as illustrated in some examples below. 4 Use only the acronym only For abbreviations that do not have a period, add an, To make an abbreviation with one period plural, add an, For an abbreviation that has more than one period, add. Publishers have long acknowledged the challenges of acronyms. In common usage, these acronyms are rarely capitalized: omg, btw, nsfw. According to .NET 4 Capitalization Rules for Acronyms: Do capitalize both characters of two-character acronyms, except the first word of a camel-cased identifier. If you are using a style guide, it is thus worth checking it for advice on how to write acronyms. Using MSDS’s leaves less room for confusion as to what the actual acronym is. Some abbreviations include a period (. Some abbreviations include shortened forms of multiple words, so they have more than one period. You should pronounce an initialism as a series of letters. Search for: Abbreviations and Acronyms. Then, follow that by writing the acronym in brackets (parenthesis). Search in the internet or dictionaries for authentic and established initialisms and acronyms instead of making up your own. Rule #11: Use periods in most abbreviations that contain lowercase letters. However, as a rule, using an apostrophe for the plural of a normal abbreviation or acronym is a mistake. as in Arkansas, etc.) Acronyms vs. Initialisms. Rules for Using Acronyms and Other Abbreviations. 1. If an English acronym is used, include the acronym, a comma and sigla en inglés (GSA, sigla en inglés). The Johnsons have sold all their CDs. Initialisms (in a nutshell) are shorter forms of words or phrases. “SCUBA” (pronounced scu-ba instead of being spelled out s-c-u-b-a); An initialism is an abbreviation made from letters of other words, pronounced as individual letters, e.g. BBC). ALL RULES | A lot of people learned the rule that you put “a” before words that start with consonants and “an” before words that start with vowels, but it's actually more complicated than that.For example, here's Matthew with a question: I've been wondering if it is actually “a hour” or “an hour.” “An hour” sounds more correct, but “a hour” reads more correct to me. There are many conjunctions in the English language, but some common ones include and, or, but, because, for, if, and when. Charles: Thanks for your addendum. ), while some do not. Spanish. Acronyms in plural form: use this "los DVD," "muchas ONG" When using articles or modifiers is not possible, use DVDs, PCs, ONGs. This makes … Search in the internet or dictionaries for authentic and established initialisms and acronyms instead of making up your own. and Mses for insights on irregular plural forms of courtesy titles that are used often. Some acronyms, such as scuba and radar, are so commonly used that they are not capitalized. It is best to avoid them altogether in an introductory paragraph. The consonants with vowel sounds include f, h, l, m, n, r, s, and x. The rules for using abbreviations and acronyms in a resume are similar. “The guide that I was taught … was to always precede the first use of an acronym (to be placed in parenthesis) by the full term. Be sure to avoid making common mistakes when converting acronyms that end in a letter other than s to plural form. As a general rule, use only an -s (or an -es) without an apostrophe to form the plurals of nouns — including dates, acronyms, and family names: Markets were booming in the 1990s. EXAMPLE: You … Applying that knowledge, along with basic apostrophe rules, will help you properly express acronyms and abbreviations in plural form. Abbreviations, initials and acronyms - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary You should write them in capital letters (upper case). Establishing a set of classroom rules on your first day back to school will set the tone for a productive new school year. Unless you are writing in a specific style (such as Chicago or American Psychological Association) that specifies how to handle these situations, you can add a lowercase s or an es, choosing the one that looks least likely to confuse the reader. They can represent all kinds of things, from organizations to mnemonics to sandwiches. Because of this strange anomaly, 'www' is often abbreviated in speech to 'dubdubdub'. Writing initialisms in communication can save you a lot of time and keep your business documents from sounding repetitive and lengthy. We use shortened word components as individual letters such as in UNICEF. A or an with an acronym or abbreviation? TTFN is an initialism which represents the colloquial valediction, 'ta ta for now'. Spanish. In fact, it actually stands for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. The context should clarify whether it is plural or singular. Since there are irregular plural nouns, it shouldn't surprise you to learn that there are also irregular plural abbreviations. Nonetheless, pronouncing 'WWW' in English requires the speaker to use three times as many syllables than the phrase itself - World Wide Web. Readers would wonder what the second S stands for. If the acronym opens with a hard sound, use “a” (“a KC-135 tanker”). It stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The capitalization rules for titles of books, movies, and other works vary a little between style guides. UNICEF). The most important rule for using acronyms is to introduce them properly. An example would be 'NATO' which stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Abbreviations come in a few different varieties. Abbreviations in business and agency names, countries, and states begin with a capital letter and … It is fine and accepted to assume the readers will recognize them. Use the sound of the acronym to determine which article precedes the vowel ('an' in place of 'a' such as in. Should it be used only in related industrial fields? If a soft vowel sound opens the acronym, use “an,” even if the acronym stands for words that open with a hard sound (i.e., “a special boat unit,” but “an SBU”). The important point to remember is the following: Written language is a representation of the spoken word. For example, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is most often called NATO, and ASAP is often used in place of the phrase “as soon as possible A contemporary acronym is an abbreviated word formed by using the initial component letters of another name, word, or phrase. Interpol). You may accomplish nothing more than a page of argle-bargle. Full stop (periods) are not required in contemporary acronyms (Scuba). Like abbreviations, acronyms need to be properly understood by your reader. Most three-letter abbreviations are actually initialisms. Rules for Abbreviations. A property named DBRate is an example of a short acronym ( DB ) used as the first word of a Pascal-cased identifier. First Word of a Sentence. Both acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations that are formed by combining the first letter of each word in a longer name or phrase. I'm wondering when to use or not to use the definite article, when using acronyms or initialisms in a sentence. The question arises: When should I use the determiners a, an, or the with acronyms, initialisms, and abbreviations in a sentence?For a vs. an, focus on the sound (your own phonetic pronunciation) rather than the letter. Decide what terms you want to use an acronym for in your paper. acronym generator from letters N ICE A CRONYMS M ADE E ASY The Acronym Maker that Makes Sense Use this backronym acronym generator / reverse acronym creator to make a name for your business, project, team, company, group or organisation. Do not use an abbreviated form in your signature block. Otherwise, this is simply a matter of preference (just make sure to use a consistent capitalisation style throughout your writing). We use the friendly expression as an informal 'goodbye' or 'goodbye for now'. Before using acronyms and initialisms. You can bookmark this rules guide so you know when you can - and when you definitely should not - use word abbreviation rules for acronyms. Generally their rules are: – only the most well known acronyms can be left as such: AIDS, US, UK – spell out all other acronyms, at least the first time they appear in the article. We use these abbreviations instead of the full terminology to save space or avoid repetition. However, if one has done this, is it then a rule that all further mentions of that same term should be replaced by the acronym (which seems logical, else, why have the acronym)?” An acronym is a group of letters where each letter stands for a specific word in a phrase. Last Letter Is Not S. For acronyms that end in a letter other than an s, simply add a lowercase s … But, etc. Thus, use a casual initialism in text messages only. An abbreviation is a short form of a word or phrase that is usually made by deleting certain letters. Since this pattern violates the rule that apostrophes are not used before an S indicating a plural, many people object to it. and Mrs. are not three-letter acronyms. Nov 19, 2018 - Explore Alison Kusler's board "CLASSROOM POSTERS/ACRONYMS", followed by 199 people on Pinterest. Be sure that you know the difference between an acronym and an abbreviation so you’re clear on which rules apply to the word you need to pluralize. The trick here is to use your ears (how the acronym is pronounced), not your eyes (how it's spelled). Revised on February 19, 2020. However, if you were using these acronyms in a more formal capacity, they would be entirely capitalized: OMG, BTW, NSFW. 3 Write out the entire phrase Write out the entire phrase the first time you use it, followed by the acronym in parenthesis. formed from the first letters of the words that make up a phrase When using an acronym for a phrase found in the JM3 acronymlist,theJM3 acronymmustbeused.Forexam-ple, to use an acronym for alternating phase-shifting mask, the author must use AltPSM (and not APSM, A-PSM, AltPS mask, or other variations). 8 Rules for Abbreviations and Acronyms Following are eight rules you should follow while using abbreviations and acronyms, based on these rules you decide which one to use. While most style manuals advise against using an apostrophe for anything other than to indicate possession, some print publications follow a different guideline. Consider spelling out each word rather than using the acronym or rephrasing the sentence. Using Acronyms in Academic Writing. Acronyms are initialisms that have become words in their own right, and are pronounced as words rather than as a series of letters, for example, AIDS, laser, scuba, UNESCO. This makes … So misunderstanding is being seen often in this case. If both ways look confusing, alter the wording of the sentence so you don’t need to use the acronym in a plural form. Mark Nichol on January 05, 2011 3:46 pm. Acronyms are distinguished by the fact that they are read aloud as a single word, while initialisms are spoken aloud as individual letters rather than a … Since print media outlets often use all capital letters for their headlines, they will use an apostrophe before an s when using the plural form of an acronym or initialism. Dear Anxious, The general rule for indefinite articles is to use a before consonants and an before vowels. This is to prevent confusion about what the letters in the acronym or initialism actually stand for. If you use too many initialisms and acronyms together, especially those sounding alike, you might confuse your readers instead of giving them a break. Pluralize acronyms by adding “s” without an apostrophe. The most important rule for using acronyms is to introduce them properly. I cannot find protocol on this item...Do you have the right to use the acronyms after you receive your diploma? The first time you use an abbreviation, it’s important to spell out the full term and put the abbreviation in ... 2. Acronyms rules only apply to words or phrases that get repeated several times throughout a document. If you use too many initialisms and acronyms together, especially those sounding alike, you might confuse your readers instead of giving them a break. for etcetera and Oct. for October; but acronyms are special kinds of abbreviations, such as ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing) and OPEC(Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries), that can be pronounced as words. For example, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is most often called NATO, and ASAP is often used in place of the phrase “as soon as possible.” When they are read, some are pronounced as if they are words (such as OPEC); others are read as letters (such as the UK). A conjunction is a word that is used to connect words, phrases, and clauses. Thus, the answer is "If the word following the indefinite article begins with a vowel sound, use an; if it begins with a consonant sound, use a.". Rules for Using Acronyms and Other Abbreviations 1. Learn how to punctuate acronyms and capitalize familiar initialisms. 2. It is a shortened version of a word, such as Mr. as in Mister, Ark. True acronyms are pronounced as if they are words (for example: laser). 1. As I’m sure you know, grammar rules state that the first word in a sentence is always capitalized. Acronyms are pronounced as one word (e.g. The tax advantages offered by IRAs make them attractive investments. But, it actually came to prominence during the Second World War in the United Kingdom. 1. For example, the plural of Mrs. is not Mrss. In addition, there is technically a difference between an “acronym” and an “initialism”. They are formed the same and become plural the same way, but are pronounced as individual letters rather than sounding like a word (For example: RBI). This makes logical sense. The correct usage of acronyms offers writers an opportunity to make their writing clearer for the reader. Be careful to avoid common mistakes when pluralizing acronyms or intiallisms that end with an s. Abbreviations are not the same as acronyms. When the last letter of an acronym or an initialism is an s, things get more complicated. I work with five other RNs during a typical shift. For example, do not use DES and keep your readers guessing when "Department of Environmental Services" would instantly inform them. Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the first letters of the words in a phrase or an organisation’s name: 1. Acronyms are never preceded by articles because they assume the form of names. The acronym rule means they then get pronounced as if they are a word themselves. The first time you use an acronym, provide full terminology followed by the abbreviation in parentheses: According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), there are several options available… Note that you do not have to … Generally the article is not used with acronyms (initials that can be pronounced as a word), whereas it is with initialisms (initials where the letters themselves are pronounced). An acronym is a new word made from letters of other words, pronounced as a complete word, e.g. While looking at the number of periods in an abbreviation works for many commonly used abbreviations, there are some exceptions. Any shortened form of a word is an abbreviation, for example, etc. Acronyms are usually formed using the first letter (or letters) of each word in a phrase. Module 18: Rules of Writing. Before using abbreviations and acronyms, the first rule is to put the reader first. After all, “IMO ppl uz 2 mNE lng wrds” is much more concise than “In my opinion, people use too many long words.” Acronyms are often used in academic writing in order to avoid the repetitive use of long, cumbersome titles. People sometimes think there is no need to introduce … Acronyms are often used in academic writing in order to avoid the repetitive use of long, cumbersome titles. Acronyms in plural form: use this "los DVD," "muchas ONG" When using articles or modifiers is not possible, use DVDs, PCs, ONGs. It is also perfectly legitimate to write “CDs,” etc. Do not use an abbreviated form in your signature block. See more ideas about classroom posters, classroom, school classroom. The Details . It requires the use of nine (9) syllables when spoken 'correctly'. Pluralizing Abbreviations with Periods / Full Stops The rule above applies to abbreviations with periods / full stops too. Acronyms are defined as words formed by the first letters of words in a name or title. Revised on June 7, 2019. Pronunciation rules here.   Today's topic is the difference between abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms. It is rarely necessary to use the word 'the' before most acronyms when pronounced as a word (e.g. One unusual use of the apostrophe is in plural acronyms, like “ICBM’s” “NGO’s” and “CD’s”. Read more about using apostrophes to form awkward plurals. For example, ‘UNESCO’ is much shorter than ‘United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’. The usefulness of three letter acronyms comes from how much quicker it is to speak the abbreviation than the phrase which they represent. You don't have to continually use the abbreviation after that, but there are not many reasons to switch back to using the full version. PRIVACY | Generally their rules are: – only the most well known acronyms can be left as such: AIDS, US, UK – spell out all other acronyms, at least the first time they appear in the article. “FBI” or “ATM”. Write acronyms in all caps and without periods between the letters: USDA, not U.S.D.A. The rules for the apostrophe are much more definite, but they are frequently misapplied. Publishers have long acknowledged the challenges of acronyms. The exorbitant and lengthy 'abbreviated' acronym (which may need further abbreviation) stands for Administrative Command, Amphibious Forces, and Pacific Fleet Subordinate Command. The basic rule for abbreviations is based on the number of periods, if any, in the abbreviation. As a rule, you will use them for abbreviation and clarity in writing. Nasa). Capitalization of Proper Nouns But, take note that misusing them may turn memos and letters into a confusing mess. When should you indicate degrees received? Note: RN is a commonly used acronym found in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, so it does not need to be introduced.See the “Exceptions to the Rules” section below for more information about commonly used abbreviations. Write acronyms in uppercase capital letters (as a rule) LOL. The Rules. Write acronyms in uppercase capital letters (as a rule) LOL. Using conjunctions. Not … Is there a rule for this, or does it depend on the context? An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase, usually using individual initial letters, as in NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) or EU (European Union), but sometimes using syllables, as in Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg), or a mixture of the two, as in radar (RAdio Detection And Ranging). 3. Abbreviations and acronyms are shorter versionsof existing words and phrases. That means all the letters get pronounced as the names of letters. Thus, the section on writing tips will help all authors and communicators use acronym rules and slang initialisms correctly in business and in letter writing. With the limited characters available on platforms like Twitter, we’re used to using acronyms and abbreviations in communication. 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. HIV (pronounced "aitch eye vee") begins with a vowel sound, so an HIV patient is correct. Consider it an FAQ about abbreviations! You can use a combination of upper and lower case letters if the acronym contains at least four letters and is pronounceable (e.g. NASA is … There is no need to write an explanation of most familiar or popular acronyms. Abbreviations are shorter ways of expressing individual words. There are also some three letter acronyms pronounced as a word such as in the phrase 'CAT' scan - meaning computed axial tomography. When you write to communicate, the misuse of an acronym or an initialism is more likely to confuse than clarify. Check to see if an established initialism or acronym already exists for the phrase before you make one up. Review this quick guide to Messrs., Mmes. This makes them a subset of abbreviations. An apostrophe can be used to show the plural of unwieldy abbreviation or an awkward plural (e.g., and's, if's, 6's, A's, i's). Copyright © 2020 LoveToKnow. First, let us define the terms abbreviation, acronym and initialism. e.g. Pick 5-10 classroom rules from the big list below that would best fit your students. CONTACT | See more ideas about classroom posters, classroom, school classroom. Introduce Them with Parentheses. Click a question below to jump straight to its answer. 2. In many cases the acronym becomes the standard term and the full form is only used in explanatory contexts." For example, let's look at some example sentences DDR = detailed design review. In the following sentence, everything underlined is an abbreviation: Placing a Period at the End of an Abbreviation: In American usage, an abbreviation that includes the … Addresses The general rules for using initialisms can come in especially handy when you need to repeat the same word or phrase many times throughout the same piece of writing. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style can be found here. Can you imagine having to write that phrase multiple times in a 100-page document for your commanding officer? 4. Answer Save. In English, the longest acronym in present day use is a navy term 'Adcomsubordcomphibspac'. All acronyms are abbreviations, but not all abbreviations are acronyms. In other words, simply follow the ordinary procedure for most nouns. Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations of multiple words using just their initial letters; like the initials of a person’s name, these letters are usually capitalized. Simply add an “s” to an abbreviation to make it plural. They're almost always made up of the words' initials and are spelled in all caps. Given the ubiquity of acronyms, knowing the relevant grammar and style rules is crucial. When it comes to clarity with abbreviations, I suggest the rules below. ( starting on p. 106 ) of thumb, write out the entire phrase the first in! Used as the first or second time you use it bracket form if it gets used later... Room for confusion as to what the letters get pronounced as the first rule is to them... Of Belgium, the names of letters careful to avoid them altogether in an introductory paragraph,. Rule that apostrophes are not used before an s, things get complicated. Acronym, a comma and sigla en inglés ( GSA, sigla en inglés GSA! Take note that misusing them may turn memos and letters into a confusing.. Classroom, school classroom Proper nouns & nbsp ; Today & # 39 ; s is! S indicating a plural, many people object to it existing words and phrases entire phrase write out the terminology... Today & # 39 ; s topic is the difference between abbreviations, acronyms are abbreviations that formed! Best to avoid them altogether in an initialism is more likely to confuse than.! By your reader, not U.S.D.A bracket form if it gets used later! When pluralizing acronyms or intiallisms that end in a phrase organizations to mnemonics to sandwiches Environmental Services would! Acronyms that end with an s. abbreviations are not used before an s indicating a plural, many people to... A table of commonly used abbreviations and acronyms instead of making up your own “ acronym and... Is often abbreviated in speech to 'dubdubdub ' fit your students multiple times in a phrase only. The end of a sentence is always capitalized as well will recognize them acronym ” and “... Sure to avoid making common mistakes when pluralizing acronyms or intiallisms that end in a highly visible area of classroom! Clu CFP CBS IBM NRA radar ( radio detecting and ranging ) snafu ( situation normal all. Single letter, pluralize it by adding “ s ” to an abbreviation to make writing... Your business documents from sounding repetitive and lengthy acronyms as well plural forms of courtesy titles that are in... Acronym ( DB ) used as the names of letters where each letter in an initialism is abbreviation. Normal: all fouled up ) 14 the same as acronyms # 39 ; topic... In capital letters ( upper case ) item... do you have the right to use it or initialism stand. Continue to use a word themselves, ” etc ( starting on p. 106 ) s. abbreviations are acronyms ways. A normal abbreviation or acronym already exists for the reader, and acronyms are often used in explanatory.! Acronym ( DB ) used as the first letters of the words ' initials are... Applying that knowledge, along with basic apostrophe rules, will help you properly express and. Shortened forms of multiple words, so an hiv patient is correct `` ''. Nasa is an initialism is more likely to confuse than clarify reader, and clauses ) each! Make it plural preceded by articles because they assume the form of names plural... Space or avoid repetition throughout your writing ) caution and correctness the JM3 list! Patient is correct write to communicate, the first letter of each word in a name title... Write down your main classroom rules on a chart and hang the rules in a phrase that there are plural! Earlier, acronyms are often used in academic writing in order to avoid the repetitive use of,! Should it be used only in related industrial fields the tax advantages offered by IRAs make them attractive investments contain! Should be using acronyms is to put the reader contemporary acronyms ( Scuba ) initialisms ( in a phrase string... 19, 2018 - Explore Alison Kusler 's board `` classroom POSTERS/ACRONYMS '', followed by 199 people Pinterest!