or S.W.) after a street name may be abbreviated. When indicating direction before a street name, spell out North, South, East, and West. Street addresses can either be abbreviated or spelled out in text. Generally, spell out the full state name in text. state names on envelopes and in the inside address of a letter. The word number may be abbreviated when it is followed by a figure otherwise, spell it out. Measurements should be spelled out, not abbreviated, except in tables and charts. Use abbreviations, without periods, for time zones.

CORRECT: The meeting is in the morning.

DO NOT abbreviate clock time when no number is attached to the abbreviation. Use capital letters and periods, capital letters and no periods, or lowercase letters and periods. BC always follows the year, but AD may follow or precede the year.Ībbreviate months and days of the week only when they are part of a full date or in a chart where space is limited. Use the abbreviations BC and AD, without periods, to indicate dates. Nancy Wright, RN, was promoted to head nurse.Ībbreviations are acceptable for well–known businesses and organizations.Use a comma before and after an abbreviation in a sentence, except with the abbreviations Jr.

Abbreviate academic and professional titles only when they follow a name or when they are used with the full name or initials and the last name.

Abbreviate Courtesy Titles and Personal TitlesĪbbreviate courtesy titles and personal titles.

CSUC will graduate 2,700 students this year.

The California State University, Chico (CSUC) graduation ceremony will be held this Saturday.

(Contractions are used only in informal writing.) Use an abbreviation only if its meaning is clear.įollow these rules when using abbreviations: Contractions are also abbreviations formed by using an apostrophe to show omitted letters or numbers. Abbreviations are shortened forms of words acronyms are abbreviations formed by using the first letter of each word to form a pronounceable word.

Letter abbreviations for words