INITIALISMS, ACRONYMS, CONTRACTIONS

In precise usage, initialisms, acronyms, and contractions are forms of abbreviations, which are used to save time and space. Initialisms refer to terms based on the first letters of their various elements and read as a series of letters: ABS-CBN for Alto Broadcasting System–Chronicle Broadcasting Network. Acronyms refer to terms based on the first letter or letters of their various elements and read as single words: Unesco for United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; Napocor for National Power Corporation. Contractions refer to terms based on the first and the last letters of words and read similarly: Mr for Mister.