Answers to Questions About Abbreviations

Answers to Questions About Abbreviations Answers to Questions About Abbreviations Answers to Questions About Abbreviations By Mark Nichol Responses to some reader queries about abbreviation issues follow. 1. Which is the preferred abbreviation for â€Å"United States,† US or U.S.? Both forms are correct, but, in the interests of consistency with the decline of the use of periods in abbreviations, the trend is to use US. (Note that the abbreviation should be used only as an adjective, not as a noun: â€Å"She was born in a US territory,† but not â€Å"She was born in the US.†) 2. When one abbreviates states, should there be any punctuation after, say, TX? And are both the T and the X capitalized? The short form of state names based on US Postal Service usage and technically considered a symbol rather than an abbreviation omits periods, and both letters are capitalized. However, the symbol should be used only when listing an address or in a chart or other graphic element where space is at a premium. Newspaper style is to abbreviate according to The Associated Press Stylebook (for example, Tex.), but in many other periodicals and in most books, state names are usually spelled out in regular text. 3. I am teaching a business-writing course, and I want to know how to approach terms like SOP or any other abbreviation. Does one say â€Å"an SOP† or â€Å"a SOP†? I guess the same would apply to â€Å"getting a MA† or â€Å"getting an MA.† Because we pronounce each letter in these terms (â€Å"ess-oh-pee† and â€Å"em-ay†), rather than treating them as words (â€Å"sop† and â€Å"mah†), the first sound determines whether we use a or an when we speak or write the abbreviation. As with other words starting with the â€Å"ess† sound (especially or essential, for example), we precede SOP with an. The same goes for MA, just as in, say, eminent or embellishment. Testing phrases vocally is usually reliable (an seems easier to say before these terms than a does), though there are exceptions: â€Å"An historic occasion† is easier for me, at least to say than â€Å"a historic occasion,† though an is â€Å"wrong.† See this post for more information. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely?7 Patterns of Sentence StructureParataxis and Hypotaxis

7 Steps to Finding Success If You Drop Out of College

7 Steps to Finding Success If You Drop Out of College Think you can’t be successful if you drop out of college? Think again. Some of the biggest companies in the world were started by entrepreneurs who never finished school. While there are skills and experiences and accomplishments that any aspiring successful person will acquire in college, if you happen not to have finished (or you find yourself having dropped out and spiraling in a fit of panic), remember that it isn’t necessarily the end of the world. Here are a few things you can do if you dropped out to get yourself back on a good track to success.1. Breathe.First take a deep breath and realize it’s your life. You are in control. If this is what you need and you can still accomplish what you want to in life without this degree? Then great. Start making concrete plans and working towards that goal.2. Keep learning.Education doesn’t necessarily end with school. Neither should yours. Continue learning as voraciously as possible- following what interests y ou most and what you’d need to know to expand your career outside of school. Don’t fall into ignorance or stagnation just because you needed to stop attending college.3. Keep taking risks.Dropping out to pursue other options is a big risk. If it pays off for you, continue thinking of other ways you can take calculated risks in pursuit of your destiny. Keep pushing for your dreams. You’ve already shown you have the guts. Persist!4. Find your real-life community.Just because you aren’t in college anymore doesn’t mean you don’t need professors and â€Å"classmates.† Find yourself mentors. Present yourself to people in your desired field  and show your willingness to learn. You’ll probably get a good recommendation out of it at some stage in your career. Similarly, find your crew of like-minded, similarly-oriented people who you can build your empire (or at least a business) with. Learn from each other and promote each other†™s work.5. Don’t ditch responsibilities.Whatever your new class equivalent is- show up for it. Don’t blow things off just because you aren’t technically required to show up anymore. Push yourself and give yourself grades! This is equally important for work. Get a job and show up at it- on time and consistently.6. Don’t be defensive.You can’t have it both ways. If you didn’t finish school, you can’t very well complain that other people did and it makes you feel bad. Remember you chose your priorities and your life. It was your choice. Be honest about why and don’t take any negativity  from anyone if they react unfairly.7. Be humble.Be willing to work from the bottom up. Get in on the entry level of whatever field you most want to work in. Be willing to start low on the totem pole. With a little humility and dedication, you probably won’t be down there long.