8. SMS (texting)

SMS stands for Short Messaging Service. It is available on all mobile phones.

SMS on the mobile phone allows you to send short (up to 160 character) text messages to someone else's mobile phone. It is incredibly popular, with over 2 billion people using it around the world.

Typing out full word messages on a small crowded keypad can be slow and so a kind of shorthand called 'text speak' has come about that shorten longer words and phrases. For example here are a few popular shortcuts

• B4 Before
• BRB Be right back
• LOL Laugh out loud
• CYT See you tomorrow

The problem is that some people are using these shortcuts in their emails and written work as well, making their grammar skills appear poor.

Most businesses would frown if employees use text speak in their communication as it makes them appear unprofessional.