Harvey's Elementary Grammar and Composition · Lesson 9 · Part 1: Part I: The elementary course

7. Abbreviations

Goal: Your child writes common abbreviations with a period and a capital letter, and knows what they stand for.

⏱ About 25 minutes · 7 steps

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You'll need

  • The book, open to this lesson
  • Paper and a pencil (or a slate)

What's in the book

Lesson 9 explains abbreviations such as Dr., Gen. and Mrs., gives lists of abbreviations to write with their meanings, and sentences to shorten. It continues onto the next page.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Review

    Ask for the plurals of baby, knife, box and child.

  2. The new idea

    Show the book's example:

    Dr. Vinton is a brother of Gen. Vinton, and the father of Mrs. Noble.

    SayDr. is a short way of writing Doctor. That is called an abbreviation. Read the rule:

    A period should be placed after an abbreviation.

  3. Oral practice

    Look at the book's lists (Esq., Gov., Rev., Prof., Capt., P.M., A.M., U.S., P.O., No.). Say each abbreviation and let your child say what it stands for, using the page as a key.

  4. Write it shorter

    Rewrite some of the book's sentences using abbreviations:

    Major Whipple lives in Saint Louis.

    Doctor Metz lives on Wood Street, next door to Colonel Clark.

    Were Mister Jones and President Tappan in the city to-day?

  5. Days, months and states

    The book asks your child to write abbreviations for the days of the week and the months of the year. Do the days today.

  6. Check together

    Check each abbreviation for its period and capital letter.

  7. Use it today

    Look at an envelope, a calendar or a sign outside. Find an abbreviation and say what it stands for.

Tip

Some abbreviations in the book are old-fashioned (Ult., Prox., Admr.). Your child doesn't need to memorize those. Focus on the ones still in use.

Answers to the book's problems

Maj. Whipple lives in St. Louis. Moses Johnson, Esq., is an uncle of Prof. Collins. Lieut. Wilson is a guest of Supt. Furness. Dr. Metz lives on Wood St., next door to Col. Clark. Were Mr. Jones and Pres. Tappan in the city to-day? Days: Sun., Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs., Fri., Sat. (other short forms are also used).

Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.

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