English Texting & Chat Phrases

Level: B1. This is a phrasebook for the way people really write to friends — texts, WhatsApp, chat. Grab the short form you need, learn what it means, and see when it is fine (with friends) and when it is not (at work). Many of these are written, not spoken, so a few of the audio lines read the full phrase the short form stands for. For the whole skill of messaging — openers, replies and formal vs informal — follow the Phone & Messaging lesson, and for choosing the right tone see Formal vs Informal Register.

By the end of this page you can…

…read and write a casual English text: understand the common short forms and emojis, drop small words naturally, and judge when a message should stay full and formal instead.

Everyday texting abbreviations

These are the short forms you will see every day. They are informal — fine with friends, not for a job application.

Short replies and reactions

Quick, friendly one-liners keep a chat moving without full sentences.

Dropping words (text ellipsis)

Texts often leave out the subject and the auxiliary verb when the meaning is obvious. This is the same ellipsis & substitution used in speech, taken a step further.

Tone and emojis

Text has no voice or face, so small signals carry the tone your voice normally would.

Example phrases to say aloud

A few of these read the full phrase behind the short form, so you know how to say it. Play each line.

A short conversation

Mia: hey, still on for dinner tonight? 🙂 Jon: yeah! omw now, maybe 10 mins late Mia: no worries, I’ll grab a table Jon: perfect, thx 🙏 Mia: btw they only take cash Jon: good to know, got it. see you soon!

Common mistakes

• ❌ Using lol, omg, idk in a job application → ✅ keep abbreviations for friends; write full words in anything formal.
• ❌ Thx for the information, dear Sir (mixing casual + formal) → ✅ pick one register: casual thx with friends, or Thank you for the information in a formal email.
• ❌ Reading a plain k as friendly → ✅ a lone k often sounds cold; reply okay or sure.
• ❌ Your welcome → ✅ You’re welcome. (You’re = you are; see the its/it’s family in texting too.)
• ❌ Me coming? for Am I coming? → ✅ drop words from the start, not the middle: Coming? keeps the verb, not the subject.

Usage notes

• Register first: the single biggest texting error for learners is using chat style where full English is expected. When in doubt (a stranger, a boss, a teacher), write it out in full.
• Short forms are written, not spoken: you write brb, but you say “be right back”. Do not say “bee-arr-bee” aloud except as a joke.
• Ellipsis is natural here: dropping I am / Are you mirrors real speech; it is covered as grammar in ellipsis & substitution.
• Punctuation carries tone: in casual chat many people skip the final full stop because it can read as serious; a smiley or ! keeps it warm. In formal writing, punctuate normally.
• BrE vs AmE: short forms are shared worldwide online. cheers (BrE) is a casual “thanks” in texts; np and no worries are used everywhere.

Practice

Recap cheat-sheet

Quick recap before the quiz.

Quiz

Next

• Learn the technique: English: Phone & Messaging and Formal vs Informal Register
• Previous phrase set: English Agreeing & Disagreeing Phrases
• More phrases: the English phrases hub
• New here? Start with Start Learning English Here