79   I can understand abbreviations and short forms

A    Numbers and measurements

metric weight

1 g / gm (gram) = 1000 mg (milligrams)

1000 g = 1 kg (kilo/kilogram)

1000 kg = 1 t (tonne) 

metric length

1 cm (centimetre) = 10 mm (millimetres)

100 cm = 1 m (metre)

1000 m = 1 km (kilometre)

metric capacity

1 cl (centilitre) = 10 ml (millilitres)

100 cl = 1 l (litre)

money

UK £1 (pound) = 100 p (pence) (a sum of money); penny PL pennies (coins)

USA $1 (dollar) = 100 c/ct (cents)

speed

metric: 80 kph (kilometres per hour) = non-metric: 50 mph (miles per hour)

B    Shortened forms

The shortened forms in the table are used commonly in spoken English.

Short form  Full form / Meaning     

ad, advert  advertisement    

paper  newspaper

pub  public house  FML a place where you can buy and drink alcohol and meet friends.

deli  delicatessen  a shop or part of a supermarket that sells special or unusual foreign food.

flu  influenza FML

TV, telly  INF television

gym  gymnasium     

board  blackboard: notice board.

lab INF laboratory  a place used for scientific research, testing, etc.

vet  veterinary surgeon, a doctor for animals.

pop (music)  popular music   

bike  bicycle or motorbicycle

motorbike   motorbicycle

fridge   refrigerator  

plane   aeroplane

C    Abbreviations

The abbreviations marked * are pronounced like words, e.g. AIDS is pronounced ‘aids’. Other abbreviations are pronounced as individual letters, e.g. BBC is pronounced ‘b-b-c. It stands for British Broadcasting Corporation.

NATO*  North Atlantic Treaty Organization   

UFO*  unidentified flying object

AIDS*  acquired immune deficiency syndrome (often called ‘SIDA’ in other languages)

PIN*  personal identification number (you use this with a credit card, for instance)

UEFA*  Union of European Football Association  

VAT  value added tax (a tax added to goods and services)

ATM  automatic teller machine (a cash machine)   

ISP  internet service provider, e.g. AOL

EU  the European Union      

DVD*  digital versatile disc

UN  the United Nations

IT  information technology

CV  curriculum vitae (a formal list of your education or work experience that you need when you apply for a job)    

ID card  identity card (a card with your name and photo which is proof of who you are)

6     Test yourself. Cover the full forms and meanings in the tables in sections B and C, and look at the short forms and abbreviations. What are the full forms?