When is an abbreviation an acronym? Does your first language distinguish between the two? Find out more here!
An abbreviation is used to shorten a long word or phrase.
When you look for an ESL class, you are looking for English as a Second Language. In this phrase, the first letter of each word is taken to form the abbreviation. You pronounce each letter: “E.S.L.”, or / ē. es. el. /.
In textbooks, you often see “ex.” This stands for “example”. You say “example’”, or /iɡˈzampəl/ .
An acronym /ˈakrəˌnim/ is an abbreviation formed from the first letter of other words, which can then be pronounced as a word:
NASA is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Say NASA, or /ˈnasə /
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Say UNESCO, or /yo͞oˈneskō /.