Writers are advised to refrain from using contractions in formal essays, professional reports, and other scientific writings; However, there is not really a fixed rule as to when contractions are allowed and when they are not. Contractions are found in writings over time, from classical to contemporary literature, as well as in scientific articles and professional compositions, and yet many of these writings are still considered professional and formal in tone. According to the APA, you should refrain from using contractions for classroom writing assignments, theses, dissertations, etc. These are formal tasks, and your writing style and tone should reflect that. Cambridge Dictionary agrees, noting that “the use of contractions in formal writing is generally unacceptable.” The exception? Sometimes I want to invite readers to move on with me to a new topic of discussion, and if so, the word “let`s” is much more fluid and appropriate than writing “let`s.” Some people would recommend that if the authors can replace the contraction with the two-word version, they should do so to keep the piece formal and correct in tone. However, contractions are used in real life, and if they are not included in a document, the text may seem inauthentic and forced. It really all depends on the voice you want to convey and the overall tone of your writing. From two books, I learned that contractions challenge people who read English as a foreign language: Use contractions whenever you want to adopt a conversational tone, contractions are the way to go. When writing dialogues for a short story, a phrase like “Don`t you have it?” seems more natural than “Don`t you have it?” In marketing, it has been common for decades to use everyday language models to communicate effectively with customers. (Compare McDonald`s slogan “I`m lovin` it” to “I am loving it.”) People have been using contractions in language for some time, since about the 16th century, for more or less the same reason we use them today – to save time and spread ideas faster. The use of contractions in writing originated around the 17th century, when printers could only use a limited number of vowels per page of text as they began replacing vowels with apostrophes.

By the end of the 18th century, contractions in formal writing began to lose favor, although they persisted in the language. Traditionally, the use of contractions in academic writing has been strictly prohibited. You may eventually remember a teacher who told you never to use them. However, great academic style guides have different opinions on whether contractions are acceptable. The Modern Language Association also sees no problem with the use of common contractions. “The MLA allows contractions in its publications. In professional scientific writing, a formal tone is sometimes desired, but often a more talkative approach is chosen. MLA argues that contractions are easier to read and seem more natural in most cases. There are other situations where contractions are unacceptable. If you know that your teacher is old school and hates ending sentences with prepositions, you should err on the side of caution and keep your formal language. To use an example of a member of Parliament when writing to a judge to ask for clemency in sentencing, the use of contractions may seem dismissive.

Like everything in writing, audience and context are essential. Many people make terrible mistakes with contractions. For example, they use the contraction it is as the possessive of the pronoun it. I discuss this issue in the pronouns section (see Parts of the speech). You will also find a discussion in the Common Grammatical eBook Mistakes.As another example, sometimes you will see the abuse of contraction. Since this contraction sounds like “could be from,” you will sometimes see, “I could make a fortune.” Really nasty. As a final example, people regularly abuse the contraction that exists. It`s a contraction from there. The expression is followed by a noun or pronoun. If that noun or pronoun is plural, you can`t even use it. The verb must be plural. The right contraction would be there, which is impossible to pronounce.

You can find a discussion of this problem in the Common Grammatical eBook Mistakes.So, yes, use contractions in formal writing. But do it carefully. Consider your readers. If they were to faint, it is probably better to write down all the words and avoid contraction. Printed copyYou can download our entire discussion on the parts of the speech. Just download the grammar e-book Understanding the parts of the speech. Previous: Conjugation in the progressive aspect Next: A summary of verbs I am a fanfiction writer and I was recently told that it was wrong to use contractions in the narrative (where a character explicitly does not speak in the dialogue) when I read an article for someone and commented that the lack of contractions made the sentences a little too long and unnatural. Since then, I`ve tried to apply this to my own work, and I`m becoming more and more unhappy because my writing now seems abnormally stunted.

It almost looks like I learned the language from a book, with all its rules, like a foreign language, which is not the case. I agree not to use contractions if the sentence always flows naturally from the tongue and side, but is it acceptable to use them if the sentence just seems wrong? – If you use a sentence that already contains a contraction (removing the contraction would probably affect the simplistic attraction of the idiom) Although contractions are used in everyday language, there are some situations where you can use them effectively and other situations where you may decide not to. For example, the use of contractions in academic writing, such as . B a research paper, is usually not recommended as it can make your writing informal. In informal writing situations such as blog posts or personal stories, the use of contractions is acceptable unless otherwise directed by your teacher. Informal articles also have a more talkative tone compared to an academic article that has an authoritative tone. – If you write yourself about contractions (obviously you need examples to discuss) If have is pronounced “by” when it is debauched: could (could have). The consensus is to avoid such formulation in formal writing (Garner; O`Conner). Asking if you should use contractions in formal academic writing is like asking if you should wear a swimsuit to a party – it depends on the type of party. Is it a pool party or a fancy dinner? That is your answer.

If a written version seems too formal or cumbersome, don`t use it. Are there any other grammar rules that confuse you, or do you have some great tips and tricks for using contractions in formal writing? Do you have more questions about “What are written contractions?” Well, that`s what comments are for! Please let us know below if there are any other topics you want us to cover or if you have any other advice for us regarding contractions in formal form.. .