diff --git a/.emacs.d/abbrev_defs b/.emacs.d/abbrev_defs
index 0fd6893b..5520e8b0 100644
--- a/.emacs.d/abbrev_defs
+++ b/.emacs.d/abbrev_defs
@@ -60,7 +60,10 @@
 
 (define-abbrev-table 'select-tags-table-mode-abbrev-table '())
 
-(define-abbrev-table 'sh-mode-abbrev-table '())
+(define-abbrev-table 'sh-mode-abbrev-table
+  '(
+    ("null" "" sh-redirect-to-null 0)
+  ))
 
 (define-abbrev-table 'snippet-mode-abbrev-table '())
 
diff --git a/.emacs.d/mode-shell.el b/.emacs.d/mode-shell.el
index 3a3166cb..bff4f1cd 100644
--- a/.emacs.d/mode-shell.el
+++ b/.emacs.d/mode-shell.el
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ otherwise use 'sh-shell-file'."
 
 (define-skeleton sh-for
   "Insert a for loop.  See `sh-feature'. This overrides vanilla function."
-  nil
-  "for " (setq str (skeleton-read "Index variable: " "i"))
+  "Index variable: "
+  > "for " str | "i"
   '(setq v1 (skeleton-read "Index values: " ""))
   (unless (string= v1 "")
     (concat " in " v1))
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ otherwise use 'sh-shell-file'."
 }
 ")
 
-
 (define-skeleton sh-getopts
   "Insert a getops prototype."
   nil
@@ -92,9 +91,37 @@ if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
 fi
 ")
 
-(define-skeleton sh-cmd
+(define-skeleton sh-command
   "Insert a line that executes if command is found in path."
   "Command name: "
-  "command -v " @ str " >/dev/null 2>&1 && " @ _)
+  > "command -v " @ str " >/dev/null 2>&1 && " @ _)
+
+(define-skeleton sh-ifcommand
+  "Insert a test to check if command is found in path."
+  "Command name: "
+  > "if command -v " @ str " >/dev/null 2>&1; then" \n
+  > @ _ \n
+  "fi" > \n)
+
+(define-skeleton sh-command-or-die
+  "Insert a line that quits if command is not found in path."
+  "Command name: "
+  > "if ! command -v " @ str " >/dev/null 2>&1; then" \n
+  > "echo '" str " not found in PATH. Exiting.' >&2" \n
+  > "exit 1" \n
+  "fi" > \n)
+
+(define-skeleton sh-redirect-to-null
+  "Insert a null redirection."
+  nil
+  ">/dev/null 2>&1")
+
+(define-skeleton sh-while-read
+  "Insert a while read loop."
+  nil
+  > "while IFS= read -r i; do" \n
+  > @ _ \n
+  > "done <<EOF" \n
+  > "EOF" \n)
 
 (provide 'mode-shell)