Abbreviations and Capitalization
Abbreviations and Capitalization
Sometimes it is necessary to shorten words or phrases in order to save time and space or to avoid repeated use of awkward phrases. This shortened form, either made up of the initial letters of words or the significant letters of words, is known as an abbreviation (instead of Canada, CAN; instead of Missouri, MO; instead of "minute," "min."). Abbreviations are typically only used for single words.
But there is a subcategory of abbreviation that we can use to shorten entire phrases or specific terminology. We can use the initial letters of words or important letters in a phrase to form what we call initialisms. Initialisms are shortened forms in which the letters are pronounced individually (FBI—Federal Bureau of Investigation, BBC—British Broadcasting Corporation, IRS—Internal Revenue Service).
An acronym is a shortened form of a word that creates a whole new pronounceable word (ASAP—as soon as possible, NASA—National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NATO—North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
ESL writers often have problems with abbreviations, initialisms, and acronyms, so here are some basic guidelines for using them correctly.
Unless an acronym or initialism is extremely common (like FBI, p.m., or ASAP), it must be defined the first time it is used in a text. This is something that ESL writers struggle with because, quite obviously, non-native speakers aren't really sure what is common and what is not. The general practice is the first time an abbreviation is used in a text, the whole word or phrase that it stands for is written out. The acronym or initialism is then placed in parentheses following the full usage of the word or phrase. Look at this example:
Incorrect: The doctor prescribed the patient an SSRI to combat symptoms of anxiety.
Correct: The doctor prescribed the patient a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) to combat symptoms of anxiety.
After initially providing a definition for the acronym or initialism, the abbreviation can then be used without explanation for the remainder of the document. This bears repeating. It is only necessary to define the acronym or initialism one time in most documents. If the document is particularly long, it may be helpful to occasionally reiterate the full meaning in parentheses after the abbreviation, but this will depend upon specific publishing guidelines. If you have any questions when you are composing a text making use of acronyms and initialisms, make sure to verify all the choices you make with a style guide, professor, or publisher.
If your writing contains multiple abbreviations, it is often useful to provide a list of abbreviations and their full meanings at the beginning or end of the document in addition to the in-text definitions.
While there are technically no grammatical rules guiding the capitalization and punctuation of acronyms and initialisms, we can look to general usage for some guidelines. Most of the time, initialisms and acronyms are written out in capital letters. After all, it would be extremely odd to read about someone working for the fbi or the cia.
However, there are a couple of exceptions to this rule. Some acronyms and initialisms that are very commonly used (a.k.a., a.m., p.m.) are often written in lower case. Again, there is no rule governing which form is correct (A.M. or a.m.). What is important is consistency. Pick one method and stick with it. If you are writing academic essays or are writing for a specific publisher, consult your professor or the house style guide for further clarification.
The other words that take exception to the capitalization "rule" are words that have been integrated into the English language as common nouns. For example, the word scuba is actually an acronym for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. The word laser is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. These words entered the English canon as acronyms but evolved into words.
In terms of punctuation, general usage indicates that abbreviations written in lower case, such as a.m. and e.g., are typically written with periods, but those written in upper case, like MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and GDP (gross domestic product), are typically written without periods. Again, there are no concrete grammar laws set into place to dictate punctuation in acronyms, so make sure you are consistent and that you double-check with the entity to whom you are submitting the paper. The only concrete rule you need to follow is this: do not add an extra period at the end of a sentence if it ends with an abbreviation.
Incorrect: We sell apples, bananas, oranges, etc..
Correct: We sell apples, bananas, oranges, etc.
One of the most common mistakes with apostrophes among ESL writers (and many native speakers of English) actually crosses paths with one of the most common mistakes made with acronyms and initialisms. To make one of these types of abbreviations plural, do not add an apostrophe; simply add a lowercase s. Look at the following example:
Incorrect: I have a lot of DVD's.
Correct: I have a lot of DVDs.
If you are in a part of the world that is primarily English speaking, take a look around the town or city you live in for mistakes with plural acronyms such as DVDs, CDs, and VCRs. They are extremely common and provide you with great real-world examples of what you should never do!
ESL writers typically find article usage difficult, and article usage with acronyms and initialisms can present special challenges. However, there are a few things you can keep in mind to make it extremely easy. The first thing to keep in mind is the difference between acronyms and initialisms. Remember that the individual letters of initialisms are pronounced. If you need to use an indefinite article, the majority of the time you will use an because most letters when pronounced begin with a vowel sound. Let's use the initialism FBI as an example.
Incorrect: We need a FBI agent to investigate immediately!
Correct: We need an FBI agent to investigate immediately!
We can also look at our previous SSRI example.
Incorrect: The doctor prescribed the patient a SSRI to combat symptoms of anxiety.
Correct: The doctor prescribed the patient an SSRI to combat symptoms of anxiety.
But . . .
Incorrect: An KGB representative came looking for the papers.
Correct: A KGB representative came looking for the papers.
When using an acronym (an abbreviation pronounced as a word), use the same rules that govern nouns in general. If it begins with a vowel sound, use the indefinite article an. If it begins with a consonant sound, use a.
Incorrect: A OPEC representative will be here tomorrow.
Correct: An OPEC representative will be here tomorrow.
Incorrect: My professor delivered a lecture at an TED conference last year.
Correct: My professor delivered a lecture at a TED conference last year.
We've already identified one of the most common errors when writing out acronyms and initialisms. Here are a few more common mistakes to watch for and general guidelines to follow.
It's not necessary to capitalize the words that make up an acronym or initialism unless they are proper nouns. Let's bring back an example from a previous slide:
Incorrect: The doctor prescribed the patient a Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor (SSRI) to combat symptoms of anxiety.
Correct: The doctor prescribed the patient a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) to combat symptoms of anxiety.
The italicized words* are not proper nouns, so they are not capitalized even though the initialism is capitalized. An initialism or acronym for a proper noun is capitalized when written in long form. Look at this example:
Incorrect: The united nations (UN) decided to place sanctions on the rogue nation.
Correct: The United Nations (UN) decided to place sanctions on the rogue nation.
The first time an acronym or initialism is used, make sure that the abbreviation follows the definition and that the abbreviation, and not the definition, appears in parentheses. Look at the following examples:
Incorrect: The doctor prescribed the patient an (SSRI) selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor to combat symptoms of anxiety.
Incorrect: The doctor prescribed the patient a (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor) SSRI to combat symptoms of anxiety.
Correct: The doctor prescribed the patient a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) to combat symptoms of anxiety.
Do not repeat the final full word of the abbreviation after the abbreviation itself:
Incorrect: Oh look, we can use that ATM machine.
Correct: Oh look, we can use that ATM.
Incorrect: Enter your PIN number.
Correct: Enter your PIN.
*Note: Italics are used here for emphasis only. It is not necessary to italicize definitions of acronyms or abbreviations.
In the English language, capitalization is frequently overused. The majority of ESL writers are aware of the primary rule of capitalization, namely that the first letter of the first word of a sentence should be capitalized, but many are completely lost about whether a capital letter is appropriate in other contexts.
Most of the words that require capitalization in English tend to be proper nouns, which are the names of specific and unique things. For example, the word mountain is known as a common noun, as there are many mountains around the world. However, if you refer to a specific mountain, for example Mount Kilimanjaro, this would be considered a proper noun. Let's look at some other areas that give ESL writers trouble.
As mentioned before, the first word of a sentence should always be capitalized, even if it is in quotation marks.
Look, there's a free table over there.
"Whatever you do, don't talk to strangers."
Even if the quote occurs in the middle of a sentence, the first letter should be capitalized if it forms a complete sentence. However, if the quote is just a phrase that fits within a larger sentence, it does not require capitalization.
She said, "On the way home, could you pick up some milk?"
The shop assistant told me the book "will be here shortly," but it still hasn't come.
While it is only correct to capitalize other pronouns if they are at the beginning of a sentence, the pronoun I should always be capitalized, no matter where it occurs in the sentence. No other pronoun is capitalized in all cases. Many ESL writers struggle with this concept when first learning English.
I think she went that way.
We all thought that I should be the one to design the logo.
Holidays, days of the week, and months should all be capitalized.
Last Monday, I had a cheese sandwich for lunch.
They start at their new school in September.
I bought your Christmas present today.
However, you should not capitalize the seasons.
They say we're going to have a cold winter.
You should always capitalize the first letter of someone's first, middle, and last names.
George Robert Taylor
A person's title (Mr., Mrs., Aunt, Doctor, President, etc.) or suffix (the Great, the Terrible, etc.) should be capitalized when it precedes the person's name (in the case of a title) or follows the name (as in the case of a suffix). A title should also be capitalized if it is used as a direct address. When family relationships are used instead of a name, they should also be capitalized.
They were all waiting for Judge Shelley.
I thought General Richards was coming for tea.
Will you give me some advice, Doctor?
Alexander the Great was a famous king from Macedon.
Aunt Hazel and Uncle Ian are taking us to lunch.
I think Dad would like some coffee.
However, if a title is instead acting as a description after a name, a capital letter should not be used. A capital letter should not be used if a title is used instead of a name (and the person is not being directly addressed). In addition, these words should not be capitalized if they are preceded by a possessive, such as my, your, ours.
Charles Shelly, the judge on the case, was late.
The judge was running late that morning.
Your uncle is collecting you at five o'clock.
The reverend of the church was absent from today's luncheon.
Only the names of specific places, mountains, rivers, monuments, cities, street names, and so on should be capitalized as they are proper nouns. So for instance, while the word river would not be capitalized as it is a common noun, Amazon River would be capitalized because it is referring to one specific river, and so it is a proper noun. Other examples include:
Daniel's dream is to climb Mount Everest.
One of the main tourist attractions in London is Big Ben.
While they were on vacation, they went swimming in the Red Sea.
All brand names and organizations should be given a capital letter, as should the group name for members of the organization and acronyms that refer to specific names.
The Democrats are looking very strong this year.
My little brother loves the BBC's nature documentaries.
Gary thinks Converse shoes are very comfortable.
Back in our grammar training, we talked about special exceptions to capitalization rules. In case you missed it (or in case you haven't been through our grammar training yet), here's a recap of what we said.
You will occasionally run across documents that, based on the rules we've established here, seem to capitalize more than just proper nouns. It may often be the case that memos you receive at work capitalize words like president, as in "the President of the company will be here tomorrow," or words like manager, as in "All Managers must attend the meeting tomorrow." Certain organizations capitalize certain words in their advertising copy and in their internal memos to highlight things that should be important to the reader (or potential customer). Be sure to verify any capitalization exceptions before checking over a document.
This bears repeating here for several reasons. We say above that you should always capitalize product names and brand names, and this is typically true. But some companies, especially Internet companies, make it a point not to capitalize their name. Some employ out-of-theordinary spelling for their company names and brand names. As with many grammar rules, consistent application is what is important. Lowercase letters don't look odd at all if they are deployed strategically and consistently. As an editor, you need to know when to go outside the established rules and when to query the author for clarification.
Countries, languages, and nationalities should be capitalized.
I have been learning Portuguese because I'm going to be working in Portugal next year.
There have been lots of famous French actors.
This flight operates with a layover in Sweden.
Points of the compass (north, west, south, and east) should be capitalized only when they refer to specific regions.
My aunt is planning to move to South Africa.
We decided to visit the South.
But . .
Head north until you reach the museum.
We live in the eastern part of the city.
When writing letters, capitalize the first letter of the salutation and the first letter of the closing. When used in a letter opening or closing, titles such as sir and madam (or ma'am) are capitalized.
Dear Sir/Madam
My dear Emily
Best regards
Common names of eras and specific events should also be capitalized.
The Renaissance era led to huge cultural advances.
My grandfather remembers the Wall Street Crash of 1929.
I will be attending the 927th Annual Clown Convention.
In titles, all words should be capitalized, including the short verb forms is, are, and be. The exceptions to this rule are prepositions and shorter words like a, an, and, as, the, if, or, and but. However, regardless of this, the first and last words of titles should always be capitalized.
Of Mice and Men
A Comedy of Errors
The Day the Earth Stood Still
This rule applies to titles of almost any kind, including titles of essays. You should be aware, however, that some style guides have different capitalization rules than others.
The names of religious groups, deities, places, and objects are typically capitalized. However, it would be incorrect to capitalize a religious experience such as a vision, and it would also be incorrect to capitalize the word god when it is used to refer to the generic idea of a deity, or when it is in the plural form.
The Bible is the primary religious text of Christianity and part of it is used in Judaism.
The prophet Muhammad received the Qur'an from the angel Gabriel.
In Hinduism, there are numerous gods.
My favorite Greek gods were Hermes and Hades.
The titles of church officials are only capitalized when they precede the name of the person.
Donald was planning to make a pilgrimage to the Vatican to see Pope Smith on his birthday. But the pope has a birthday this weekend.
Last Updated: 09/29/2022