Shortform words do not require any special braille symbol. They are simply shortened forms of common words. They follow the same guidelines as the previously taught shortform words.
Guidelines:
Shortform words can be used as both whole-word and part-words.
Part-word usage is permitted for both compound and divided words.
They can also be used for proper names, as long as the short-form word represents the entire proper name.
Avoid using a shortform word if it would cause confusion in pronunciation.
Three-Letter Shortform Words
This group of shortform words uses three letters or braille characters from the word it represents.
| Word | Short Form | Braille | Word | Short Form | Braille |
| above | abv | ⠁⠃⠧ | always | alw | ⠁⠇⠺ |
| across | acr | ⠁⠉⠗ | braille | brl | ⠃⠗⠇ |
| afternoon | afn | ⠁⠋⠝ | great | grt | ⠛⠗⠞ |
| afterward | afw | ⠁⠋⠺ | neither | nei | ⠝⠑⠊ |
| against | ag(st) | ⠁⠛⠌ | perhaps | p(er)h | ⠏⠻⠓ |
| almost | alm | ⠁⠇⠍ | together | tgr | ⠞⠛⠗ |
| already | alr | ⠁⠇⠗ | immediate | imm | ⠊⠍⠍ |
| although | al(th) | ⠁⠇⠹ | necessary | nec | ⠝⠑⠉ |
| altogether | alt | ⠁⠇⠞ |
Examples:
They play together every afternoon.
⠠⠮⠽⠀⠏⠇⠁⠽⠀⠞⠛⠗⠀⠑⠀⠁⠋⠝⠲
Neither choice is good, although I like the second or perhaps the last choice best.
⠠⠝⠑⠊⠀⠡⠕⠊⠉⠑⠀⠊⠎⠀⠛⠙⠂⠀⠁⠇⠹⠀⠠⠊⠀⠇⠀⠮⠀⠎⠑⠉⠕⠝⠙⠀⠕⠗⠀
⠏⠻⠓⠀⠮⠀⠇⠁⠌⠀⠡⠕⠊⠉⠑⠀⠃⠑⠌⠲
Above all, stand against evil.
⠠⠁⠃⠧⠀⠁⠇⠇⠂⠀⠌⠯⠀⠁⠛⠌⠀⠑⠧⠊⠇⠲
That is altogether impossible.
⠠⠞⠀⠊⠎⠀⠁⠇⠞⠀⠊⠍⠏⠕⠎⠎⠊⠃⠇⠑⠲
It is almost dark already!
⠠⠭⠀⠊⠎⠀⠁⠇⠍⠀⠙⠜⠅⠀⠁⠇⠗⠖
We ran across the snowy lawn, and afterward we drank hot chocolate.
⠠⠺⠑⠀⠗⠁⠝⠀⠁⠉⠗⠀⠮⠀⠎⠝⠪⠽⠀⠇⠁⠺⠝⠂⠀⠯⠀⠁⠋⠺⠀⠺⠑
⠙⠗⠁⠝⠅⠀⠓⠕⠞⠀⠡⠕⠉⠕⠇⠁⠞⠑⠲
These two examples show shortform words used as part of a word.
It is necessary to braille this immediately.
⠠⠭⠀⠊⠎⠀⠝⠑⠉⠀⠞⠕⠀⠃⠗⠇⠀⠹⠀⠊⠍⠍⠇⠽⠲
Love is always greater than riches.
⠠⠇⠕⠧⠑⠀⠊⠎⠀⠁⠇⠺⠀⠛⠗⠞⠻⠀⠹⠁⠝⠀⠗⠊⠡⠑⠎⠲