# Why no periods in UK and U.S. requires them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 9, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439 "2011-07-09T19:53:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/1 "2011-07-09T19:53:22Z")
U.S. is properly written with periods because it is initials for United States. like the U.S. State Department uses it. > **[U.S. Department of State - United States Department of State](https://www.state.gov/)** > > Leading America’s foreign policy to advance the interests and security of the American people. Lazy people often omit the periods in U.S. My English teacher loved docking points for this slip up. 😃 But UK doesn’t seem to use periods at all? United Kingdom NOT= U.K.? At least, nothing pops up in google. Whats the straight dope? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/2 "2011-07-09T20:01:55Z")
There is no requirement for anything of this sort. You can use either mode, style guides might say you have to use one. IME most Americans leave them out in casual typing/writing. UK English leaves out the periods where US leaves it in, e.g. Doctor becoming Dr and Dr. Respectively. This is because the UK style only puts a period if the word is truncated and the last letter is removed, e.g. street --\> st. in both countries. That said, this may be a coincidence and have nothing to do with the cause of your observations, and there is a different reason. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/3 "2011-07-09T20:10:28Z")
Amazing how things taught as rules in my 1970’s English classes are now considered style guides. We had cast in stone rules. Kids these days have it so easy. At least we had bell bottom jeans. 😃 All my teachers counted points off for not using periods in abbreviations or initials. Trademarks were an exception. Dr Pepper never uses a period. I do recall the Brits don’t use periods after abbreviations. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/4 "2011-07-09T20:21:37Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I do recall the Brits don’t use periods after abbreviations. Nor do they use apostrophes in possessive business names. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/5 "2011-07-09T20:36:14Z")
I’m pretty sure women get periods regardless of what country they’re from. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/6 "2011-07-09T20:42:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Nor do they use apostrophes in possessive business names. Really? Because in one of Terry Pratchett’s books, it’s a minor plot point that a business does _not_ use an apostrophe, and this is seen as a bit unusual. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/7 "2011-07-09T20:53:35Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Amazing how things taught as rules in my 1970’s English classes are now considered style guides. We had cast in stone rules. Kids these days have it so easy. At least we had bell bottom jeans. 😃 Oh, I’m sure various contentious stylistic prescriptions are still taught as conflicting cast-in-stone rules to schoolchildren, no worries there. But we adults outside that racket can know better and see things for what they really are. ---
**Author:** ![Lil\_Ol\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@Lil\_Ol\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lil_Ol_Lady)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/8 "2011-07-09T21:01:37Z")
I would think because U.S. might be mistaken for the word us. But UK is not a word at all ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/9 "2011-07-10T00:11:54Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I do recall the Brits don’t use periods after abbreviations. Then you recall wrongly. ---
**Author:** ![Charley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/97f17d/32.png) [@Charley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charley)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/10 "2011-07-10T11:30:03Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Nor do they use apostrophes in possessive business names. Not really true at all, but dependent on the specific business. See for example, [Heal’s](http://www.heals.co.uk/), [Sainsbury’s](http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/index.jsp) and [Waterstone’s](http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/pages/about-waterstones/100000002/). ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/11 "2011-07-10T22:26:36Z")
British English does tend to use fewer full stops (periods) in abbreviations than American English. The style of most newspapers, for instance, is not to use them in initials. So we use ie, not i.e., eg, not e.g., US and UK, not U.S. and U.K., etc (not etc. 🙂 ). Similarly, it’s Mr AN Other, not Mr. A. N. Other. I think it’s part of a trend towards less fussy writing. Another example: acronyms (pronouncable abbreviations) tend to be written with just an initial capital, rather than all caps. So whereas in the 1950s we might have written N.A.S.A., and later switched to NASA, now we write Nasa. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Cornholio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Cornholio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Cornholio)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/12 "2011-07-11T14:07:39Z")
I’ve noticed that in British newspapers it’s now the norm to read that people have “Aids” rather than “AIDS” (or A.I.D.S) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/13 "2011-07-11T14:51:47Z")
Actually, since it’s not a proper noun, I see no reason to preserve the initial capital – “aids.” Just like “radar” and “laser” and “scuba.” > [@aceplace57](#): > > Lazy people often omit the periods in U.S. > > … > > Whats the straight dope? The straight dope is that this has nothing to do with “laziness.” It’s a matter of style. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/14 "2011-07-11T15:13:42Z")
This answer could be made a sticky. If you learned a rule in high school English, it’s wrong. Of course if I were a high school English teacher I would tell you miserable brats it’s my way or the F-way. You don’t get to argue style with me. In the adult world, there are rules only for formal grammar - many of which are furiously argued about in specific situations. Everything else is subject to opinion. That’s why there are so many competing style guides. I’ve mentioned before that when I sold my first book I was told to use the Chicago Manual of Style. (Nonfiction books are sold before they are written, unlike most novels.) My head in the clouds, I eagerly rushed out to buy the book. Then I got a letter from the publisher, giving me the 50 ways their house style differed from Chicago style. My head returned to earth. I shelved the Chicago Manual and said to myself, just write and let the copyeditor figure it out. Because no matter how much work I put into it, I would have to unlearn everything for the next editor. It wasn’t worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/15 "2011-07-11T18:31:50Z")
It’s a British thing. The Master speaks: [Is it true the British have abolished punctuation? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/496/is-it-true-the-british-have-abolished-punctuation) ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/16 "2011-07-11T19:21:52Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > UK English leaves out the periods where US leaves it in, e.g. Doctor becoming Dr and Dr. Respectively. This is because the UK style only puts a period if the word is truncated and the last letter is removed, e.g. street –\> st. How do you know that it’s the last “T” that was removed from “street?” How do you know that it’s no different from the “doctor” case you mention? ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/17 "2011-07-11T19:44:40Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > My head returned to earth. I shelved the Chicago Manual and said to myself, just write and let the copyeditor figure it out. Because no matter how much work I put into it, I would have to unlearn everything for the next editor. It wasn’t worth it. When I first worked as an editor in the book publishing business, I was surprised at how much effort went into fixing minor style issues. Consistency is what ultimately matters, in my opinion, rather than one style over another. If you want to use serial commas, two spaces after every period, and capitalize “Internet” in your book (or website), just make sure you do it throughout. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/18 "2011-07-11T20:01:52Z")
> [@anson2995](#): > > When I first worked as an editor in the book publishing business, I was surprised at how much effort went into fixing minor style issues. Consistency is what ultimately matters, in my opinion, rather than one style over another. If you want to use serial commas, two spaces after every period, and capitalize “Internet” in your book (or website), just make sure you do it throughout. Agreed. Consistency is far more important than any individual point. Except for two spaces after a period, which should be a firing squad offense. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/19 "2011-07-11T20:54:54Z")
Anyone want to take a crack at why they don’t put a comma after ‘i.e.’ or ‘e.g.’? Not saying it’s universal, but one of the subtler differences in style. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439/20 "2011-07-11T21:55:20Z")
because it would then be e.g., and i.e., which looks ugly. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-periods-in-uk-and-u-s-requires-them/588439.md?page=2)