Lesson: Abbreviations

Abbreviations are shortened forms of words or phrases. We use them to save space and make writing quicker. Let’s learn about the different kinds of abbreviations and when to use them.

Days of the Week Abbreviations

We often shorten the days of the week to three-letter abbreviations. Here’s how to abbreviate each day:

  • Monday → Mon.
  • Tuesday → Tue.
  • Wednesday → Wed.
  • Thursday → Thu.
  • Friday → Fri.
  • Saturday → Sat.
  • Sunday → Sun.

Months of the Year Abbreviations

Just like with days, we can shorten the months of the year too. Most months can be abbreviated to three letters, but some are longer. Here’s how to abbreviate them:

  • January → Jan.
  • February → Feb.
  • March → Mar.
  • April → Apr.
  • May → May (stays the same)
  • June → Jun.
  • July → Jul.
  • August → Aug.
  • September → Sep.
  • October → Oct.
  • November → Nov.
  • December → Dec.

Titles of People Abbreviations

Sometimes we use abbreviations to shorten titles of people. These abbreviations often go before a person’s name. Here are some common examples:

  • Mr. → Mister
  • Mrs. → Missus
  • Ms. → Miss (when not sure if someone is married or not)
  • Dr. → Doctor
  • Prof. → Professor

Common Abbreviations

There are many common abbreviations we see and use every day. Here are a few examples:

  • St. → Street
  • Ave. → Avenue
  • Rd. → Road
  • No. → Number
  • USA → United States of America
  • etc. → Et cetera (meaning “and other things”)

Abbreviations in Time

When talking about time, we also use abbreviations to keep it short and clear. Here are two important abbreviations used with time:

  • AM → Before noon (morning hours)
    • Example: “I wake up at 7 AM.”
  • PM → After noon (afternoon and evening hours)
    • Example: “Dinner is at 6 PM.”