yr

Meanings

1. 1abbreviationinformal

   Short for year, used in dates, ages and lengths of time in notes, tables and forms.

   Grammar: Written after a number: 5 yr, plural 5 yrs.

   Patterns

   • 5 yr
   • yr of birth

   The warranty lasts for 2 yr from the date of purchase.

   Enter your yr of birth in the first box.

   The course is a 3-yr program.

2. 2abbreviationinformal

   A texting shortcut for your, used in quick informal messages.

   Grammar: Appears before a noun in text messages: see yr mom later.

   Patterns

   • yr turn
   • yr message

   Thanks for yr help last night.

   Is yr phone charged?

Word forms

Common combinations

10-yr

We offer a 10-yr guarantee on the roof.

5 yrs old

My daughter is 5 yrs old.

per yr

Fees are $200 per yr.

1st yr

She is a 1st yr student at the college.

yr end

Reports are due at yr end.

Synonyms and how they differ

yrs

Yrs is simply the plural abbreviation of yr, used after numbers greater than one.

year

Year is the full word and should be used in formal writing, while yr saves space in notes.

y.

A single y is rarely used and may be confused with other meanings, so yr is clearer.

Word family

year noun

a period of twelve months

yearly adjective

happening once a year

yearly adverb

once every year

annual adjective

happening every year, more formal

Commonly confused: yr or yrs? yr or your?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “yr”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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