How Do You Abbreviate the Word Additional?
This word can be abbreviated in three common ways. The most popularly used abbreviation for additional is add’l., but other abbreviations include addt’l. and add.
To use the correct additional abbreviation, you have to consider the context.
Here are some content topics, along with standard abbreviation commonly used for that topic:
- Military writing uses add.
- Construction writing uses add’l.
- Legal writing uses addt’l.
- US government writing uses addt’l.
- Transportation writing uses addt’l.
- Engineering and architecture writing uses add’l.
- Education writing uses addt’l.
- Business writing uses addt’l.
- Mortgage and housing writing uses add’l.
- Miscellaneous writing uses add’l.
As mentioned above, the add’l. abbreviation is the most commonly used because it’s appropriate for any miscellaneous topics in writing.
Synonyms for Additional
- Supplementary
- Further
- Increased
- Extended
- More
- Accumulated
- Appended
- Continuous
- Amplification
- Escalation
- Expanded
- Multiplied
- Added
- Other
Antonyms for Additional
When to Use the Abbreviation
As a general rule, abbreviations of any kind should be used sparingly. Even the common abbreviations for additional are not used in casual prose and are not prevalent. You’ll find them written mostly in reports, forms, and other texts that need to be summarized or shortened.
There are three standard abbreviations, and all feature the first three letters of the word.
Add. – This variation just uses the first three letters of the word, followed by a period.
Add’l. – This one uses the first three letters and the letter L with an apostrophe between the final D and L, followed by a period.
Addt’l. – This abbreviation has the closest resemblance in writing to the word additional, so it is the clearest of all three abbreviations.
Although the abbreviation addnl is sometimes used, it is not considered standard. Some style guides advocate for variations without apostrophes. Including the apostrophe can be helpful because it shows that certain letters have been omitted from the long word.
Rules to Remember
- It is best to use abbreviations when you know your target audience will understand the abbreviated word in context.
- Abbreviations for the word additional are not as popular or common in text as other abbreviations, like the Latin abbreviations for exempli gratia (e.g.), id est (i.e.), or et cetera (etc.). So, it may benefit your reader if you define the abbreviation and what it stands for. Write out the full word the first time you use it, and include the abbreviation in parentheses.
- The abbreviation can be written with the first letter in upper case and the rest in lowercase when it begins a sentence. The abbreviation for additional adheres to the standard rules for capitalizing abbreviations.
- Never use this abbreviation in the title of the text. Ensure the subject matter is clear for the audience.
Examples of Sentences Using the Word Additional
In standard prose:
- There was an additional amount of money in the bank.
- I have additional tasks for you to accomplish.
- How much additional time do you need?
- They have additional concerts over the weekend for people who couldn’t make it on weekdays.
- We need additional staff to make our department more efficient.
In poetic prose:
- I am the overseer of things additional in the play.
- There are only two things one can pray for—hope and love additional.
- We are concerned about the pending matters additional.
The word additional modifies nouns, providing the reader with more information. Unfortunately, the correct abbreviation for additional is not standardized across industries. Use the appropriate abbreviation in technical writing and other industry-specific reports. Addt’l., add’l., and add. may seem out of place in both casual and formal writing when the abbreviation is not properly defined.
Sources:
- https://dictionary.cambridge.org/pronunciation/english/additional
- https://grammarist.com/grammar/postpositive-adjectives/
- https://writingexplained.org/english-abbreviations/additional
- https://awc.ashford.edu/PDFHandouts/Style-Abbreviations.pdf
- https://fas.org/irp/doddir/army/ar310-50.pdf
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Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.
