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The English language is forever evolving. With the wide use of technology in our modern society, there are always new words coming into play that may be hard for non-native English speakers to grasp. Even native speakers might struggle sometimes. We’ll introduce you to the most commonly used abbreviations and acronyms used in daily life and on social media.
The list provides a good start to help you understand how and when to use abbreviations and acronyms and may also be a useful tool for your IELTS Writing test.
Abbreviations and acronyms are both used to shorten words or phrases. The only difference between the two is the way in which they are formed. Abbreviations usually take the first few letters of a word and also end in a full-stop. On the other hand, acronyms are mostly formed from the first letter of each word in a phrase.
Commonly used abbreviations
| Abbr. | abbreviation(s), abbreviated |
|---|---|
| cal | calorie(s) |
| cm | centimetre(s) |
| Corp. | Corporation |
| dept. | department |
| Dr. | Doctor |
| ed. | edition |
| est. | established, estimated |
| et al. | et alii (and others) |
| fl oz | fluid ounce(s) |
| ft | foot, feet |
| gal. | gallon(s) |
| hr | hour |
| i.e. | id est (that is) |
| in. | inch(es) |
| inc. | incorporated |
| Jr. | Junior |
| kg | kilogram(s) |
| km | kilometre(s) |
| Ltd. | Limited |
| m | metre(s) |
| mg | milligram(s) |
| min | minute(s) |
| mm | millimetre(s) |
| mph | miles per hour |
| Mr. | Mister |
| Mrs. | Mistress |
| oz | ounce(s) |
| sec | second(s) |
| sq | square |
| Sr. | Senior |
| vol | volume(s) |
| vs. | versus |
Commonly used acronyms
| Acronyms | Meaning |
|---|---|
| AFK | Away From Keyboard |
| ASAP | As Soon As Possible |
| AWOL | Absent Without Leave |
| BRB | Be Right Back |
| DIY | Do It Yourself |
| EOBD | End Of Business Day |
| EOD | End Of Day |
| ETA | Estimated Time of Arrival |
| FAQ | Frequently Asked Questions |
| FBI | Federal Bureau of Investigation |
| FYI | For Your Information |
| HR | Human Resources |
| IDK | I Don’t Know |
| IIRC | If I Recall/Remember Correctly |
| ILY | I Love You |
| IMO | In My Opinion |
| IRL | In Real Life |
| LOL | Laughing Out Loud |
| MBA | Masters of Business Administration |
| MIA | Missing In Action |
| NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| NSFW | Not Safe For Work |
| NVM | Never mind |
| OMG | Oh My God |
| OMW | On My Way |
| POS | Point Of Service |
| POV | Point Of View |
| SWAT | Special Weapons And Tactics |
| TBA | To Be Announced |
| TGIF | Thank God It’s Friday |
| TMI | Too Much Information |
| TTYL | Talk To You Later |
| TYVM | Thank You Very Much |