Contractions
What are they?
A contraction is a word that is made when you combine two words together and replace one or more of the letters with an apostrophe.
What do they look like?
Can not = can't Is not = isn't Would not = wouldn't Do not = Don't
What should I know about them?
- Don't confuse them with a possessive apostrophe.
- Don't use them in formal writing, unless they are part of a quote or dialogue.
Why can't I use a contraction in formal writing?
Smooshing two words together into a contraction is very casual. We do it when we are talking, because it makes things easier. In a formal essay, we take the time to write our words out. It's like wearing a tie to work: does the tie affect your work performance? Of course not! But it does send the message that you are serious about your job. Avoiding contractions does the same thing: it sends the message that you are serious about your essay.
But, wait! This page is full of contractions!
To paraphrase Maria from The Sound of Music, yes, well, sometimes we do that. A less glib response is this: I didn't create this website as a formal essay. Its purpose is to give you quick and easy tips for fixing common compositional errors. The tone is intended to be light and conversational. A formal essay (pretty much any analytical piece you write for school) should have more gravitas.