The most common continued abbreviation is cont., with a period. The second most common is cont'd, which uses an apostrophe in place of the missing letters. A third form, contd., shows up mostly in British and older writing.
All of them mean the same thing: this part goes on from an earlier page, column or scene, or it keeps going on the next one. You will see them at the bottom of a long form, at the top of a second page of a table, in a newspaper jump line and in screenplays.
Quick facts
Abbreviations
cont., cont'd, contd.Most common
cont.Period
Yes for cont. and contd.; cont'd uses an apostrophe insteadCapitals
Lowercase in text; Cont. at the start of a lineUsed in
Forms, tables, newspapers, scripts, lettersNot to be confused with
cont. for contents, contract or contact
The abbreviation for continued, three ways
| Form | How it is built | Where you see it most |
|---|---|---|
| cont. | First four letters plus a period | Forms, tables, page footers, notes |
| cont'd | Apostrophe stands in for the missing letters | Scripts, letters, informal notes |
| contd. | Letters from the start and end plus a period | British writing, older documents |
None of these is wrong. Pick the one your workplace or school uses, and keep it the same from the first page to the last. If you have no guide to follow, cont. is the safest choice in American writing. The general rules for making a short form like this are on how to abbreviate.
Where the continued abbreviation shows up
- Forms with extra pages. A box that runs out of room may say "see attached sheet," and the extra sheet is headed "Question 7 (cont.)".
- Long tables. When a table spills onto a new page, the repeated title often reads "Table 2 (cont.)" or "Table 2, continued."
- Newspapers and magazines. A story that jumps pages ends with a line like "Cont. on page 8" and picks up under "Cont. from page 1."
- Screenplays. When a character keeps talking after an action line, the script writes the name with (CONT'D) next to it.
- Bills and statements. A second page may say "Account activity, cont."
A form and a script, side by side
On a job application: "Work history (cont.) Use this page if you have more than three past employers." Here cont. tells you this page is the second half of the work history section, not a new question.
In a screenplay:
MAYA
I left the keys on the counter.
She opens the drawer and frowns.
MAYA (CONT'D)
Or maybe I did not.
In the script, (CONT'D) tells actors and readers that the same person is still speaking after a short break for action. It is written in capitals because character names in scripts are in capitals.
Periods, apostrophes and capitals
A few small rules keep the abbreviation clear:
- cont. always takes a period, because letters were cut off the end.
- cont'd takes an apostrophe and no period. Writing "cont'd." is a common slip.
- Inside a sentence, keep it lowercase; give it a capital C at the start of a line: "Cont. on back."
- In parentheses after a heading, lowercase is normal: "Section 4 (cont.)".
- There is no plural. You would never write conts.
When there is room, writing continued in full is always fine and never confusing.
Mix ups to watch for
The trouble with cont. is that several other words start with the same four letters. On a form, cont. could also suggest contents, contract, contact, continent or control. Context usually sorts it out, but if your reader might hesitate, write the word.
Some people also confuse continued with other page signals:
- P.S. adds a thought after a letter is signed, rather than continuing the body.
- PTO, often printed at the bottom of a page, means please turn over. It is not the same as the workplace term on the PTO page.
- etc. means the list goes on, not that the page does.
For more short forms that appear on paperwork, see the common abbreviations list.
Questions people ask
Is it cont'd or contd?
Both work. Cont'd, with an apostrophe, is more common in American writing and in scripts, while contd. is more common in British writing.
What does CONT'D mean in a script?
It means continued. It appears next to a character's name when the same character keeps speaking after a line of action.
Does cont. need a period?
Yes. Cont. is a shortened word, so it takes a period. The apostrophe form, cont'd, does not need one.
What is the abbreviation for continued?
The usual abbreviation is cont., with a period. Cont'd and contd. are also correct, with no change in meaning.
What is the abbreviation of continued on a form?
Most forms use cont., often in parentheses after a section title, such as "References (cont.)". It shows the section carries over from an earlier page.