You will have used and heard of many different abbreviations, which are just shorter forms of a certain single word, or a phrase containing a few words. To abbreviate something, you are shortening it down so it is easier to say and write. So, when we only write the first letter of each word of a phrase, or the first and last letter of one word, this is an abbreviation. When using abbreviations it is useful to know the following information about using periods and capital letters in abbreviations.
Periods:
Typically, a period is not used when we take the first letter of each word of a phrase to make up the abbreviation, (for example, USA instead of United States of America). This goes for abbreviations such as UK, ESL, EFL, and CNN.
With abbreviations that use both the first and last letter of a single word, a period is used. Examples of this are Mr, Mrs, Dr, and Ltd.
When it comes to abbreviating only the first few letters of one single word, then a period is put at the end of the shortened word. An example of this can be with abbreviation itself, which can be abbr., or with days of the week, so Friday would be Fri. with the period at the end of the word.
Capital Letters:
Commonly, upper case letters are employed when the first initial of each word in a phrase is used and only the first letter of the abbreviation is capitalized if the abbreviation is a shortening of a single word, and uses the first and last letter of that word.
Periods:
Typically, a period is not used when we take the first letter of each word of a phrase to make up the abbreviation, (for example, USA instead of United States of America). This goes for abbreviations such as UK, ESL, EFL, and CNN.
With abbreviations that use both the first and last letter of a single word, a period is used. Examples of this are Mr, Mrs, Dr, and Ltd.
When it comes to abbreviating only the first few letters of one single word, then a period is put at the end of the shortened word. An example of this can be with abbreviation itself, which can be abbr., or with days of the week, so Friday would be Fri. with the period at the end of the word.
Capital Letters:
Commonly, upper case letters are employed when the first initial of each word in a phrase is used and only the first letter of the abbreviation is capitalized if the abbreviation is a shortening of a single word, and uses the first and last letter of that word.