Today, I'm answering a question that I've been asked many many times and that is
can you use contractions in written English?
well can you? to find out stay tuned
Hello and welcome to LetThemTalk so can you use contractions in written
English? The answer is yes I'll say it twice - yes I'll say it thrice - yes! most
contractions are acceptable even in formal writing. Absolutely you can there
is a myth that you shouldn't use contractions in writing that's not true
and if anybody tells you that then you should ignore their advice even if it's
your teacher. Shakespeare used contractions Dickens used contractions
Mark Twain used contractions George Orwell who in "Politics and
the English language" wrote "contractions helped close the distance between writer
and reader". Yes and this is true for almost all types of English including
formal written English including CVs emails
covering letters business communication. now there are one or two possible
exceptions where convention dictates that you should use fewer contractions
and we'll look at that in a moment. There are also one or two types of
contractions that you might want to avoid sometimes and we'll look at that
too. So when you are writing English the rule is write for the reader, yes that's
right, write for the reader and if you bear this in mind then
you'll have no doubts when writing. So what do I mean by this? When you are
writing, how do you want your words to be said in the head of the reader this will
of course depend on what you are writing if you're having an informal chat with
your friends or if you're up applying for a job or if it's an
academic paper it's going to be different in each case but the same rule
applies write for the reader then use your ear and your instinct to decide
when to contract. So if you're chatting with your friends you might use slang
colloquial words and that's perfectly ok in formal English you won't do this
but yes you can still use contractions. So don't write "I am writing for the
position of Finance Director I have got five years experience" do right "I'm
writing for the position of finance director I've got five years experience"
sounds more natural and this is what your reader will want to read don't
write "Do you not agree?" It sounds strange do right "Don't you agree?"
Don't write "it is important, is it not?" that's weird do right "it's important isn't it"
don't write "can we not decide tomorrow?" bizarre do
write "can't we decide tomorrow?" don't write "let us look at another example"
do write "let's look at another example" it sounds better.
Don't write "we are supposed to learn this by heart, are we not?"
Do write "we're supposed to learn this by heart, aren't we?"
That sounds better, sounds more natural. Don't write "I shall be available next week"
do write "I'll be available next week" of course if you want to stress
WILL or SHALL (because we could use SHALL here in formal English) and for the
difference between WILL and SHALL we have a video about that and I'll put
link in the description, then don't contract. "I confirm that I SHALL be
available next week but only from Tuesday onwards..." that's ok
I'm stressing it because I want to emphasize I SHALL. So write for the
reader. Write how you want the words to be read in the head of the reader if you
don't want them to read the uncontracted words then don't contract but in fluent
speech it's used most of the time and so it should be in formal writing. Now some
types of English are more formal than others. In formal academic writing a
legal text or something like an article in a medical journal when you want to
slow down the reader avoid any possibility of ambiguity and get them to
linger on every word you might contract much less or perhaps not at all in a
legal document, though there is some dispute about that, if you're writing a
notice or a warning sign then you probably won't use contractions so for
example "The establishment IS NOT responsible for any damage theft or loss
of your items" instead of "the establishment isn't responsible..." So
you're slowing it down and stressing every word so don't contract write for
the reader. Remember there is no Academy for the English language. Other languages
such as French, German, Spanish have their own Academy in the English
language there are style guides but that is all they are - style guides. At the end
of the day you have to use your instinct when to contract but certainly there are
no rules against using the most common contractions. Now in business English
in a cover letter or job application or all other forms of formal English you
should contract business is about engaging with other people making a
connection with the reader so I strongly advise you to use contractions in a
natural way as you do in speech. Now these contractions are fine in formal
writing and almost all situations except, as I said, in a legal document this is
our "green list": I'M, WE'RE, HE'S, SHE'S CAN'T, DON'T, WON'T, I'LL. some
contractions I would avoid in academic writing this is our "yellow list" WOULD'VE,
SHOULD'VE COULD'VE MIGHT'VE however in business English job
applications they are generally. Finally here is our "red list" never use
informal contractions in formal writing so never use GONNA, WANNA, GOTTA, DUNNO
it's okay with friends or instant messaging if you are quoting dialog but
otherwise avoid it. So just to recap: In formal English
you're going to write in a more formal language use a rich elegant vocabulary
full of well-chosen adjectives avoid slang but as for contractions yes it's
ok. In legal English or academic English use your own judgement but you
will probably contract much less. So there you are
I hope that answers your question and remember the one rule above all others:
Write for the reader
you are beautiful but can we not
have a little quiet around here we are trying to work
let us consider the case of the panda bear it is a beautiful animal, is it not?
I am right, am I not? I shall be much obliged if you are here on time