Abbreviations AUse a period after certain abbreviations.
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or word group. Abbreviate given names onlyif the person is most commonly known by the abbreviated form of the name.
(1) Abbreviate social titles whether used before the full name or before the last name alone.(2) You may abbreviate civil and military titles used before full names or before initials and last names.Spell such titles out before last names used alone.(3) Abbreviate titles and academic degrees that follow proper names.
EXAMPLES J. Alfred Prufrock R.H.D. Goldberg
Ms. Markham Dr. Allison Kohari
Gov. Aleda D.Williams Governor Williams
Harvey Matthews, M.D. Martin Weil, Jr.
EXERCISE A For each abbreviation below, add periods where necessary.
Example 1. Prof. C. S. Blyth
1. Mr Binti
2. Gen P Worthington
3. Robert James, Sr
4. Rafael Sanchez, MD
5. Dr Mary Frances
EXERCISE B For each item below, underline any words that have abbreviation errors. On the lineprovided, write the abbreviation correctly.
Example 1. Randolph Emerson, Junior
6. the writer WEB DuBois
7. Sen Kassebaum
8. Gen Carns
9. Mister Campbell
10. E B White
11. Col Adam Schroeder
12. Winton Reynolds, Sr
13. Dr Hope Morgan
14. Mrs Darrold Smith
15. Jeffrey Hellmer, Medical Dr
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Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics: Language Skills Practice 257
EXERCISE A For each of the following sentences, underline the words that are commonly written asacronyms and write the acronym on the line provided.
Example 1. Frederick joined the United States Air Force.
1. We installed a new sound card in the central processing unit.
2. Our class has just learned about the Central Intelligence Agency.
3. The University of New Orleans libraries are excellent.
4. Did you buy more random-access memory for your computer?
5. The Food and Drug Administration provided helpful statistics.
6. My report on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is finished.
7. Jeanette contacted Housing and Urban Development for information on area housing.
8. Forrest wanted to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
9. I read an interesting article about the United Nations.
10. Courtney spoke to the class about the American Medical Association.
EXERCISE B Consult a dictionary or a book of acronyms and abbreviations to find out what the followingacronyms represent. Write the words on the line provided.
Example 1. HTML
11. NAFTA
12. AAA
13. URL
14. MADD
15. SAT
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Abbreviations BAn acronym is a word formed from the first (or first few) letters of a series of words.Acronyms are written without periods.
EXAMPLES UCLA University of California at Los Angeles
SPCA Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
After spelling out the first use of the names of agencies and organizations, abbreviate these namesand other things commonly known by their acronyms.
EXAMPLES New Hope Education and Placement Center (NHEPC) is located downtown.
The goal of NHEPC’s staff is to train its students in Common Business-OrientedLanguage (COBOL) programming and then provide job placement services.
Abbreviations CUse a period after certain abbreviations.
You may abbreviate the following kinds of words in tables, notes, bibliographies, and letterand envelope addresses: names of states and other political units, names of months and days,words in an address, and names of units of measurement. Spell out such words in regular text.
REGULAR TEXT ABBREVIATION
Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln, Nebr. or Lincoln, NE 68502
millimeters per inch mm per in.
Abbreviate the era designations A.D. (anno Domini) and B.C. (before Christ) and the timedesignations A.M. (ante meridiem) and P.M. (post meridiem).
EXAMPLES 3000 B.C. A.D. 814 the ninth century A.D. 7:00 A.M. 1:30 P.M.
EXERCISE A Above each underlined item below, correctly abbreviate or spell out the underlined word orword group.
Example 1. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1. Who led the Germanic tribes during the third century anno Domini?
2. The store is located on Fifth Ave. in New York City.
3. Have you ever been to Minneapolis, Minn.?
4. Ngo and Lawanda met us at 8:30 post meridiem in front of the auditorium.
5. In 532 A.D., a monk created a system for recording dates.
6. We had always wanted to tour the coast in the San Diego, Calif., area.
7. Ned ran five mi. today to prepare for tomorrow’s benefit run.
8. First, Jacy poured three pts of water into a two-quart kettle.
9. 3402 Harwell Street, Austin, Texas 78705
10. The brochure stated, “Trains depart on the hr. and the half hr. every day.”
EXERCISE B On the lines provided, write the abbreviated versions of the following word groups.
Example 1. Starkville, Mississippi
11. two ounces of lime juice
12. 107 North Bear Avenue
13. January 15, 1995
14. Houston, Texas
15. 1190 before Christ
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Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics: Language Skills Practice 259
Commas with Nonessential Clauses and PhrasesUse commas to set off nonessential subordinate clauses and nonessential participial phrases.
A nonessential (or nonrestrictive) clause or participial phrase adds information that is not necessary to the main idea in the sentence.
EXAMPLES Dr. Laker, who drives a yellow van, is his advisor. [nonessential clause]
My brother, hoping to get a job, requested an interview. [nonessential phrase]
When a clause or phrase is necessary to the meaning of a sentence—when it tells whichone(s)—the clause or phrase is essential (or restrictive), and commas are not used.
EXAMPLES The girl who won third place is my teammate. [essential clause]
The jogger wearing the red shirt came in first! [essential phrase]
EXERCISE A Identify each underlined phrase or clause in the sentences below by writing above it E foressential or NE for nonessential. Insert commas where they are needed.
Example 1. The coconut,which is a remarkable gift of nature,grows on palm trees.
1. Would you like to meet some people who pick coconuts for a living?
2. The climbers all of whom wear loops around their ankles look like acrobats.
3. Who is the climber who just reached the top?
4. Isn’t he the person who gave us directions?
5. Dried coconut meat which is called copra is used for many products.
6. Coconut shells once cleaned and polished are carved into bowls, cups, or spoons.
7. I would like to have some cups and bowls that are made from shells.
8. Have you seen any stands that sell those items?
9. When my meeting is over, I plan to buy a few items made from shells.
10. My family who will meet me at the airport will be pleased with the gifts.
EXERCISE B Add or delete commas as needed in the following sentences.
Example 1. Our drama teacher,whom we admire, greatly, will be here soon.
11. Sri Lanka which is a country, in Southeast Asia has coconut trees.
12. What happens to the coconut fibers, that are ground up?
13. Made from the meat of the coconut candles and soap are important byproducts.
14. One of the shirts, that I bought, has buttons made from coconut shells.
15. This hat that I like, has been made from natural and dyed coconut fiber.
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Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics: Language Skills Practice 263
Commas After Introductory ElementsUse commas after certain introductory elements.
(1) Use a comma to set off a mild exclamation such as well, oh, or why at the beginning of a sentence.Other introductory words such as yes and no are also set off with commas.
EXAMPLES No, I’m not busy tonight. Well, let’s ask Su Ling to come along.
(2) Use a comma after an introductory participial phrase.
EXAMPLE Jogging along her usual path, Eloise was caught by surprise.
(3) Use a comma after two or more introductory prepositional phrases or after a long one.
EXAMPLE At the side of the road, she came upon a furry creature.
(4) Use a comma after an introductory adverb clause.
EXAMPLE Whenever I go to the bank, I stop at my aunt’s office.
EXERCISE A Add commas where necessary in the following sentences.
Example 1. Before we go to the park, let’s have a snack.
1. Lying on the ground Roberto admired the clouds in the sky.
2. In the corner of the room Julie found her lost earring.
3. Why I have always appreciated a good joke!
4. Even though Cynthia and Leslie were late they didn’t miss the beginning of the play.
5. Toward the back of the closet Nancy noticed a bright, shiny object.
EXERCISE B Underline the introductory element in each of the following sentences. Then, add commaswhere necessary.
Example 1. During the course of this project,we will see many interesting things.
6. Yes I know that Alexa Canady is a neurosurgeon.
7. At the age of twenty-six she became a neurosurgeon.
8. Why what an incredible accomplishment!
9. In her junior year of college she decided to become a doctor.
10. Oh when did she decide on her specialty?
11. According to a recent interview that incident happened a few years later.
12. Planning her career Dr. Canady was sure she wanted to work with children.
13. Well isn’t the branch of medicine dealing with children called pediatrics?
14. Yes she is a pediatric neurosurgeon.
15. After she set her goals Alexa Canady was determined to succeed.
Have a reason for every comma and other mark of punctuation that you use. When there is norule requiring punctuation and when the meaning of the sentence is clear without it, do notinsert any punctuation mark.
INCORRECT My friend, Alice, lent me her skates, but now, I can’t find them.
CORRECT My friend Alice lent me her skates, but now I can’t find them.
EXERCISE For each of the following sentences, add end marks where needed. Also, underline any errorsin the use of abbreviations and write the correction above the error.
Example 1. Will Mister Benson be our teacher next year?1. This organization’s headquarters have been on this ave. for five years.
2. Please help Mrs Walsh with the dishes
3. Are you originally from Madison, Wisconsin
4. Rogelio Martinez, Junior, is my classmate.
5. Gen. Larson spoke briefly to the soldiers.
6. Ms Barbara Ayala teaches ballet at our school.
7. Have you met Dr Caldwell
8. We saw illustrations of structures built before 200 before Christ.
9. We visited the office of James Koenecke, Medical Doctor.
10. Have you read the biography of Gov. Long
11. The specifications indicate that the unit weighs eight lbs.
12. Would you like a tsp of sugar in your coffee, sir
13. J R Jackson will be the new mayor.
14. What a wonderful speech Sen. Brown gave
15. Have the members of the task force driven through S. Carolina
16. The poet who gave readings last week was Dennis Ellington, Senior.
17. Did you know that Dvori’s family is from St. Louis, Missouri
18. The temple dated back to anno Domini 620.
19. Who were the earliest colonists to arrive in N. America
