Abbreviations

We usually write abbreviations without full stops in British English.

• Mr (NOT -Mfr) = Mister
  


• Ltd = Limited (company)
  


• kg = kilogram


• the BBC = the British Broadcasting Corporation


• the USA = the United States of America


• NATO = the North Atlantic Treaty Organization


• OPEC = the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

Some abbreviations are made from the first letters of several words.
We usually pronounce these with the stress on the last letter.

• the BBC / bi:bi:'si:/


• the USA / ju:es'ei/

Some of these abbreviations are pronounced like one word.
We do not usually use articles with these.

• NATO (NOT the NATO)


• OPEC (NOT the OPEC)