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In formal writing, including exams such as the TOEFL, we do not use abbreviations. However, when deciding what to abbreviate, consider the following:
Titles before names:
Mrs., Mr., Ms., Prof., Dr., Gen., Rep., Sen., St. (for Saint)
Titles after names:
Sr., Jr., Ph.D., M.D., B.A., M.A., D.D.S.
Note: These are standard abbreviations, though some publication styles such as APA format recommend not using periods with degrees. All formats discourage using both titles before and after a name at the same time (Dr. John Michaels, PhD). You should also not abbreviate titles that are not attached to a name.
Names of familiar institutions:
— MIT, UCLA, CIA, FBI, NATO
Countries:
— U.S.A., U.K.
Note: U.S.A. can also be written USA, but U.S. requires periods.
Corporations:
— IBM, CBS, CNN
Famous people:
— FDR, JFK
Familiar objects:
— TV, VCR, CD-ROM.
Mathematical units:
- 15 in., 15 ft, 15 kg, 15 m, 15 lb
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