86 Of The Most Common English Abbreviations You Should Know

Abbreviations are short forms of words you can use when writing or speaking. They’re a great way to simplify your written and spoken English. Think of them like shortcuts. They keep your messages short and on point, and help you get to the point quicker.

In this article, we’ve got 86 of the most common abbreviations in English.

Types of English abbreviations

There are five types of English abbreviations. Let’s take a look:

• Acronyms: "NATO" (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is an example of an acronym. It’s a word made from the first letters of other words, normally the name of an organisation.

• Initialisms: These are also words made from the first letters of other words. But unlike acronyms, you say each letter separately. For example, "FBI" (Federal Bureau of Investigation) is pronounced as F-B-I. But “NATO” is pronounced as “nay-tow”

• Contractions. These are short forms of words. You make them by combining words or leaving out letters, and they often need an apostrophe. Common examples include "can't" from "cannot" or "you're" from "you are."

• Truncations. Also known as shortened forms or clippings. These abbreviations leave out part of a word. For example, "math" for "mathematics” or “Sat” for “Saturday”. In fact, all of the days of the week can be truncated.

• Symbols and numeronyms. Symbols like “&” or numeronyms (words which include a number) like “B2B” for “business to business.” These are common in texting slang.

List of abbreviations in English

Here are some abbreviations listed in the table below, that you can use in everyday communication.

Common abbreviations in English used in texting

Social media, emojis and texting has really changed the way we communicate. New abbreviations are being created all the time. Here are some of the most common English abbrevations.

Common business English abbreviations

Unlock the world of business English abbreviations to understand everything written in your work emails. Want to learn more business vocab. Check out these 45 words for leveling up your business English vocabulary.

Common technology English abbreviations

Educational and academic English abbreviations

Here is a list of English abbreviations that can help you understand academic English and education. Perhaps you might add some of these to your resume.

Medical and scientific English abbreviations

Bonus English abbreviations that you’ll see everywhere

English pound abbreviation: GBP, symbolized by the pound sign (£)
Etcetera abbrevation in English: etc
Example abbreviation in English: Eg

English abbreviations: Next steps

English Abbreviations are a fantastic way to communicate more effectively and efficiently. All of the examples above, whether they’re acronyms or truncations, allow you to say more in less time. You’ll hear English abbreviations used daily at school, work or chatting with friends.

Don’t overuse them though. If you only speak in abbreviations, it will be difficult to understand what you’re saying. Use them sparingly when you speak, and as often as you like when texting or chatting on social media.

TL;DR: Use English abbreviations to get your message across quicker. This articles lists 86 common ones!