Contents overview
abbreviationsabbreviationsabbreviations 33610012acronymsacronyms 336.310030e.g. (= for example)e.g. (= for example) 336.510541initials: names of organisationsinitials: names of organisations names of organisations 33610917336 abbreviations1punctuationMost abbreviations are generally written without full stops in modern British English. Full stops (AmE periods) are normal in American English.Mr (AmE Mr.) = Mister (not usually written in full)kg (AmE kg.) = kilogramLtd = Limited (company)2initial-letter abbreviationsSome abbreviations are made from the first letters of several words. This often happens with the names of organisations.the BBC = the British Broadcasting CorporationThese abbreviations are most often stressed on the last letter.the BBC /ðə ˌbiː biː ˈsiː/
| AD (AmE A.D.) | after the birth of Christ (from Latin anno domini, 'in the year of the Lord', used before years) |
| Aids or AIDS | Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome |
| am | in the morning (from Latin ante meridiem, 'before midday') |
| asap | as soon as possible |
| ATM | cash machine ('automated teller machine') |
| Aug | August |
| Ave | Avenue |
| b | born (in biographical dates) |
| BA | Bachelor of Arts |
| BA | British Airways |
| BC | before Christ (used before years) |
| BCE | before the Common Era (alternative to BC, now increasingly preferred) |
| BSc (BrE) | Bachelor of Science |
| C | Celsius, centigrade |
| Capt | Captain |
| CD | compact disc (e.g. for recorded music) |
| CE | Common Era (alternative to AD, now increasingly preferred) |
| CEO | Chief Executive Officer |
| CIA | Central Intelligence Agency (the United States external security service) |
| cl | centilitre(s) |
| cm | centimetre(s) |
| c/o | care of (in addresses, meaning 'living at X's house') |
| Co | Company |
| Col | Colonel |
| Corp | Corporation |
| Cpl | Corporal |
| cu | cubic |
| CV (BrE) | summary of career (from Latin curriculum vitae, equivalent of AmE résumé) |
| d | died (in biographical dates) |
| Dec | December |
| dept | department |
| DIY | do it yourself |
| DNA | deoxyribonucleic acid |
| Dr | Doctor |
| DVD | digital versatile disc, digital videodisc |
| E | east(ern) |
| ed | edited (by), editor |
| e.g. | for example (from Latin exempli gratia) |
| ETA | estimated time of arrival |
| etc | and so on (from Latin et cetera, 'and other things') |
| EU | European Union |
| F | Fahrenheit |
| FAQ | frequently asked questions |
| FBI | Federal Bureau of Investigation (the United States national police force) |
| Feb | February |
| ft | foot, feet (in measurements) |
| gal | gallon(s) |
| GB | Great Britain; gigabyte(s) |
| Gen | General |
| GMT | Greenwich Mean Time |
| GNP | gross national product |
| govt | government |
| HIV | human immunodeficiency virus |
| hr | hour(s) |
| i.e. | in other words (from Latin id est, 'that is') |
| in | inch(es) |
| Inc | Incorporated |
| IRA | Irish Republican Army |
| IT | information technology |
| Jan | January |
| Jr | Junior |
| kg | kilogram(s) |
| km | kilometre(s) |
| kph | kilometres per hour |
| lb | pound(s) in weight (from Latin libra(e)) |
| LCD | liquid crystal display |
| LED | light-emitting diode |
| Lt | Lieutenant |
| Ltd | Limited |
| m | metre(s) |
| MA | Master of Arts |
| MD (BrE) | Managing Director |
| mg | milligram(s) |
| MI5 | the Security Service (concerned with information from inside Britain) |
| MI6 | the Secret Intelligence Service (concerned with information from outside Britain) |
| min | minute(s) |
| ml | millilitre(s) |
| mm | millimetre(s) |
| MP | Member of Parliament |
| mph | miles per hour |
| Mt | Mount |
| N | north(ern) |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organisation |
| NE | north-east(ern) |
| NHS | National Health Service |
| No | number |
| Nov | November |
| NW | north-west(ern) |
| Oct | October |
| oz | ounce(s) |
| PA | personal assistant |
| PC | personal computer; police constable |
| PhD | Doctor of Philosophy |
| PM | Prime Minister |
| pm | in the afternoon (from Latin post meridiem, 'after midday') |
| Prof | Professor |
| PS | addition to a written message (from Latin post scriptum, 'written afterwards') |
| pt | pint |
| Rd | Road |
| RIP | Rest in Peace (from Latin requiesca(n)t in pace, 'May he/she/they rest in peace.') |
| rpm | revolutions per minute |
| RSVP | Please reply (on invitations, from French Répondez s'il vous plaît.) |
| S | south(ern) |
| SE | south-east(ern) |
| sec | second(s) |
| Sept | September |
| Sgt | Sergeant |
| Sq | Square (in place names) |
| sq | square (in measurements) |
| St | Street; Saint |
| SW | south-west(ern) |
| UK | United Kingdom |
| UN | United Nations |
| UNESCO or Unesco | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation |
| uni | university |
| Univ | University |
| US | United States |
| USA | United States of America |
| VAT | value added tax |
| VIP | very important person |
| vol | volume |
| v; also (especially AmE) vs/vs. | against (especially in sporting events, from Latin versus) |
| W | west(ern) |
| WHO | World Health Organisation |
| www | world-wide web |
| yd | yard(s) |
- infinitives forms
- infinitives ing forms
- infinitives ing forms and past participles after nouns verbs etc introduction
- infinitives ing forms and past participles introduction
- infinitives ing forms and past participles other uses introduction
- infinitives introduction
- infinitives or ing forms both possible with different uses
- infinitives other uses
- infinitives without to i saw you come in
- informal vocabulary
- information structure introduction
- information structure normal order
- information structure normal order and variations
- in front of
- in front of and before
- in front of and opposite
- ing form as subject object or complement
- ing forms
- ing forms after nouns
- ing forms after nouns and adjectives tired of listening
- ing forms after prepositions without breaking eggs
- ing forms after verbs i enjoy travelling
- ing forms and infinitives
- ing forms introduction
- in order that