This & That Thursday: Contraction Words

The word “contract” means to squeeze together. A contraction is made up of two words that have been combined and shortened, with an apostrophe where letters have been omitted. A few common examples are I’ve (I have), don’t (do not), that’s (that is), and they’re (they are).

Is it acceptable to use contractions in writing? The answer to this question depends on the type of writing you’re doing. See how the contraction I just used gave the sentence a feeling of familiarity and informality? For another example, compare the following two sentences:

It won’t be long until I’m back.

Before you read the next example, think about who is speaking – try to envision their tone and the implied context. Now read example number two:

It will not be long until I am back.

See how the tone is different?

It’s fine to use contractions in informal writing. I use them to communicate an easy, familiar tone. In academic and scientific writing, however, use of contractions is usually frowned upon. Take the Associated Press Stylebook’s stance, for example: “Contractions reflect informal speech and writing. . . . Avoid excessive use of contractions.”