Page 207 - English Vocabulary in Use (Pre & Intermediate)

00 Abbreviations and abbreviated words

A Letters or words?

Some abbreviations are read as individual letters:
BBC British Broadcasting Organisation MP Member of Parliament
UN United Nations PM _ Prime Minister
UK United Kingdom EU European Union
USA United States of America
Some abbreviations are read as words.
OPEC /aupek/ Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries
AIDS /eidz/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Occasionally an abbreviation can be read as individual letters or a word.
VAT /vet/ or V-A-T Value Added Tax (= a tax on goods/products in EU countries)

B- Written forms only
Some abbreviations are written forms only; they are still pronounced as full words.
Mr /misto/ St. Mark (Saint Mark)
Mrs /misiz/ (= a married woman) Dean St. (Dean Street)
Ms /moz/ (= a woman who may be single or married) Dr (Doctor)

C Abbreviations as part of the language
Some abbreviations (from Latin) are used as part of the language.
Abbreviation Pronunciation Meaning* Latin
etc. /et'setra/ and so on et cetera
e.g. E-G for example exempli gratia
i.e. 1-E that’s to say, id est
in other words
* Note: This is also how we say them in spoken English; we write ‘e.g.’ and we say ‘for
example’.

D Shortened words
Some English words can be shortened, and it is very common to meet them in this form,
particularly in spoken English Here are some of the most common:
phone (telephone) fridge (refrigerator) bike (bicycle)
maths (mathematics) exam (examination) TV/telly (television)
board (blackboard) plane (aeroplane) a paper (newspaper)
case (suitcase) photo (photograph) mum (mother)
dad (father) ad/advert (advertisement) sales rep (sales representative)
vet (veterinary surgeon) PC (personal computer)
flu (influenza) (= an illness like a cold but more serious)
lab (laboratory) (= a special room where scientists work)
language lab (= room where students can listen and repeat using recording equipment)
Note: Most of these words are explained in other parts of the book. Use the index on pages
248-265.

204 English Vocabulary in Use (pre-intermediate & intermediate)