Abbreviation rulesPaulynne Ericka Miguel

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General rules Save space Make reading easier

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Months without dates

Always capitalize and write out:The election is in November.

School starts in August.He hopes to graduate in December.

It will start in January 2000.The battle ended in October 1866.

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If there’s just a month and a year, no comma!

Dates

Abbreviate months of > 5 letters: Jan. 5, 1997 Feb. 28, 1864 Aug. 10, 2000 Sept. 9, 1999 Oct. 14, 1784 Nov. 1, 1965 Dec. 22, 1696

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Don’t use ordinal numbers like:

Feb. 2ndAug. 23rdDec. 12th

Dates

Write out months of 5 or fewer letters: March 30, 2000 April 5, 1974 May 26, 1998 June 12, 1863 July 31, 1997

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Don’t use ordinal numbers like:March 10th

May 1stJune 23rd

(But July Fourth is OK!)

What’s wrong?

The tax was scheduled to expire on January 15, 1999, but in August 1998, legislators passed a bill to extend the levy until July 1st, 2005.

The tax was scheduled to expire on Jan. 15, 1999, but in August 1998, legislators passed a bill to extend the levy until July 1, 2005.

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Days of the week

Simple rule: Always write them out!

Monday Tuesday Wednesday...

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Places

Write out states when they stand alone: She is from New Jersey. He was born in Alaska. Killer bees invaded Texas.

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Places

Abbreviate the state if: It’s preceded by a town or city The state has 6 or more letters Don’t abbreviate: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine,

Ohio, Texas, Utah

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Places

He is from San Mateo, Calif.The game will be in Morgan, W.Va.They met in Austin, Texas.She lives in Hilo, Hawaii.

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Streets and addresses

If it’s an exact address, abbreviateeverything you can (the direction & “street,” “boulevard” and “avenue”): 901 W. Main St. 2005 Grove Ave. 70 Monument Blvd.

If there’s no street address, spell out: He lives on Floyd Street. The building is on Monument Boulevard.

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Streets and addresses

Always write out “road,” “drive,” “circle” and “court.” 1067 Staples Mill Road 10215 Windbluff Drive

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Now you try!

The city has condemned homes at 98 Cedar Rd., 7853 E. Hill St. and 309 Commerce Avenue.

The city has condemned homes at 98 Cedar Road, 7853 E. Hill St. and 309 Commerce Ave.

What’s your address?

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Names and titles

On first reference, use a person’s full name

On subsequent references, use the last name only (for adults; for kids, use the first name)

Generally, no courtesy titles (Mr., Mrs., Ms.) unless there’s confusion

Use courtesy titles in a direct quote

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Names and titles

If used directly before a name,abbreviate: Gov. Mark Warner Dr. Terry Oggel Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine Rep. Robert Scott Sen. John Warner

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Formal titles accompany only the full name.Example: Sen. Barbara Boxer, not Sen. Boxer.

Names and titles Don’t abbreviate:

Superintendent Albert Williams Commonwealth’s Attorney David

Hicks Professor Paula Otto Attorney General Mark Earley President Eugene Trani Chairman Yasser Arafat

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Formal titles accompany only the full name. Example: Delegate Viola Baskerville, not Delegate

Baskerville.

Which titles to abbreviate? Professor No. District Attorney No. Governor Yes: Gov. President

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Names and titles

the Rev. Always includes “the” the Rev. Billy Graham

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Periods in abbreviations Use periods if the abbreviation

spells an unrelated word: c.o.d. - not cod (like the fish) U.S. - not US (like “Give US liberty!) U.N. - not UN (like UN-American)

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Speaking of U.S. and U.N. Write out United States and United Nations when they are

nouns Abbreviate them when they are adjectives

In the United States ... … the U.S. Army … the U.N. peacekeepers at the United Nations today ...

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Periods in abbreviations Otherwise, no periods

North Atlantic Treaty Organization > NATO American Medical Association > AMA Virginia Commonwealth University > VCU Federal Bureau of Investigation > FBI

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Organizations

Spell out first reference: Public Relations Society of America

Some organizations can be abbreviated on first reference: NAACP, AFL-CIO, FBI

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Organizations

When an abbreviation is unfamiliar, use a shortened name of the organization Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce > the

bureau Office of Instructional Technology >

the office

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