When should an acronym be used?

When should an acronym be used?

Please remember that acronyms should only be used for words or phrases that are repeated a number of times throughout your document. If you use too many initialisms and acronyms, readers will become confused.

When can you use acronyms in an essay?

Initialisms and acronyms can be used in academic essay writing in limited circumstances. The general rule of thumb is that you spell out an acronym on first reference and then use the acronym after that. Do not place the acronym in parentheses after the initial reference. Readers can be trusted to recognize it.

Do you put the before an acronym?

They require “the”, because they are pronounced letter by letter. An acronym, on the other hand, is a word made up from the first letters of the name of something such as an organization.

What article is before Ma?

The abbreviation “MA” starts with a vowel sound, like “em”, so we use “an” rather than “a”. This rule is complicated somewhat by variations in pronunciation. For example, in the USA you would write “an herb”, while in the UK you would write “a herb”.

Do you use a or a abbreviations?

The general rule for indefinite articles is to use a before consonants and an before vowels. The trick here is to use your ears (how the acronym is pronounced), not your eyes (how it’s spelled). HIV (pronounced “aitch eye vee”) begins with a vowel sound, so an HIV patient is correct.

Do you use a or an before L?

The “a” v. “an” distinction is phonetically based. If you say L T I, when you pronounce the letter L is pronounced “el” (as in the proper name “Eleanor”) which starts with a vowel. If the acronym had been dispensed with, you would have used “A” instead.

Do you use a or an before M?

That’s why “a,” not “an,” goes before the “European.” Though “European” starts with the vowel “e,” it’s pronounced as though it starts with the consonant sound of “y.” Similarly, that’s why “an” goes before “MBA.” Yes, “m” is a consonant. But the letter is pronounced “em,” beginning with an “e” sound.

Why don’t we use an before u?

The real rule is this: You use the article “a” before words that start with a consonant sound and “an” before words that start with a vowel sound. The “u” in “unique” makes the “Y” sound—a consonant sound—therefore you use “a” as your article, while the “h” in “hour” sounds like it starts with “ow”—a vowel sound.

Do you always use an before a vowel?

The rule is: Use an before a word beginning with a vowel sound (not letter). It doesn’t matter how the word is spelled. Use a before a word with a consonant sound as well as y and w sounds.

When would you not use an in front of a vowel?

Here’s the secret to making the rule work: The rule applies to the sound of the letter beginning the word, not just the letter itself. The way we say the word will determine whether or not we use a or an. If the word begins with a vowel sound, you must use an. If it begins with a consonant sound, you must use a.

What are the rules of articles?

Definite and Indefinite Articles (a, an, the)

	COUNT NOUNS	NON-COUNT NOUNS
Rule #1 Specific identity not known	a, an	(no article)
Rule #2 Specific identity known	the	the
Rule #3 All things or things in general	(no article)	(no article)