Quick Start Shorthand Guide

TypeShort Shorthand – Quickly Learn the Basics

Shorthand is completely optional. TypeShort works great without it. Most users begin with just a few shortcuts. Many follow simple patterns, so you do not have to memorize hundreds of individual abbreviations.

Patterns

x equals ing

  • readx becomes reading
  • creatx becomes creating
  • folx becomes following
  • wrx becomes writing

; equals past tense

  • arg; becomes argued
  • augm; becomes augmented
  • exag; becomes exaggerated
  • und; becomes understood

Start with these two patterns. They work with hundreds of words, so learning just a few examples gives you a big head start.

Everyday Favorites

These are some of the shortcuts you’re likely to use most often:

  • afnn means afternoon
  • autly means automatically
  • avll means available
  • bc means because
  • blv means believe
  • bwn means between
  • bxx means beginning
  • comff means comfortable
  • cvnn means conversation
  • d't means doesn’t
  • idk means I don’t know
  • ivbn means I’ve been
  • lmk means let me know
  • obvy means obviously
  • pls means please
  • qn means question
  • qrr means remember
  • thoh means though
  • tmr means tomorrow
  • wdnt means wouldn’t
  • whh means which
  • wout means without
  • wyy means Wednesday
  • yy means yesterday

  • Shorthand saves time—and because you’re typing fewer letters, it often reduces typing mistakes.

  • Learn a little, a lot, or not at all—it’s entirely up to you.

  • There’s plenty more for the shorthand enthusiasts: typeshort.com/shorthand.2