Why we mash words together, and when we should and shouldn’t do so

Contractions. No, not the kind women get when giving birth to a baby. In this blog post, we refer to the kind that seamlessly sews words together to give them a more human, more natural essence. We’re speaking of English language contractions, where we take two words and combine them into one, omitting one or more letters along the way and usually replacing them with an apostrophe (‘), e.g., “don’t” and “we’re”.

While a seemingly minor transformation, this handy construct has a major impact on the feel of our writing and speech. Without contractions, the tone of most texts tends to sound somewhat robotic and anemic. This is acceptable in certain cases, such as formal or academic writing, but most human communication isn't wired that way.

Somewhere in our evolution we not only developed language, but also the art of expression, a cornerstone of social interaction. When we use contractions, we convey a more relaxed atmosphere, make others feel more comfortable in voicing their thoughts, and help facilitate smooth, fluid conversations.

Consequently, contractions have become ingrained in day-to-day language. In fact, contractions are so integral to speech that they aren’t even noticed until they’re removed. Their absence changes the tone of our dialogue, making it seem aggressive or soulless. This harshness subtly carries over to writing as well, and we know that social interactions are defined by the subtleties we discern.

To better illustrate this effect, here are 3 examples where contractions make a difference:

Example #1: The second version sounds genuinely inviting, whereas the first sounds cold, almost like spam mail.

I would like to invite you to take a look at our facilities. If you are not able to make it, please let me know and I will schedule it at your convenience.

I’d like to invite you to take a look at our facilities. If you’re not able to make it, please let me know and I’ll schedule it at your convenience.

Example #2: Here, the first version sounds slightly accusatory, and the second, more concerned – a big difference to the recipient.

I noticed you were not at the meeting. I do not need an excuse, but I would like you to please let me know ahead of time.

I noticed you weren’t at the meeting. I don’t need an excuse, but I’d like you to please let me know ahead of time.

Example #3: It’s all about the flow. Our brains can register rhythmic fragmentation in text creating discomfort, while fluidity has a soothing effect.

I can not see the file you had said was attached, but do not worry about it. Avi mentioned that he has already got it in print.

I can’t see the file you’d said was attached, but don’t worry about it. Avi mentioned that he’s already got it in print.

Use them, don’t use them, definitely don’t abuse them

As these examples show, using contractions makes our discourse and written exchanges feel more familiar, and avoiding contractions gives a more formal air to correspondence. It's almost intuitive, as well. Indeed, most mavens on the topic will tell you to stay away from contractions in legal and contractual texts, academic writing, and official communications.

On the other hand, more style guides than not advocate liberal (but not extreme) use of contractions in casual conversation and in less formal types of writing. For example, the (US) Government Style Manual instructs us to “Write as you talk”, to make our written texts more readable and understandable. Since most of us are used to hearing contractions in spoken language, we’re more likely to understand the message conveyed in written texts if these also employ contractions.

That being said, whether to use contractions or not boils down to knowing your audience.

Here are a few very broad guidelines on the matter:

When to use contractions

• In most conversational settings – in private, at work, or publicly.
• In daily business communications with other English speakers.
• In personal communications.
• When giving a speech in informal settings.
• When writing an article or some other text in non-academic or official settings (e.g., a blog post for a tech company).
• In formal writing when avoiding a contraction will sound stranger than using one, e.g.:
• In a formal letter to a customer when you want them to feel that you are speaking directly to them.
• To make written dialogue (e.g., a customer testimonial) sound more authentic.

When to avoid contractions

• In formal writing, especially in legal texts, to avoid any possible confusion.
• In academic writing, e.g., a thesis, a scientific paper, etc. (this is actually more of a preference that has become custom – many academic papers could actually benefit from the use of contractions).
• Similarly, in cases of submissions to professional publications.
• In documents whose target audience may include people for whom English is a second language, and may not, therefore, be familiar with contractions.

Whatever you do, don’t abuse contractions

• Colloquial contractions – The primary example that comes to mind here is the word “ain’t”, which most English speakers consider street English. The only caveat is that if “ain’t” is commonly used in your social circles, then feel free use it with your friends, but you should still avoid using it in writing outside your group of pals.
• Don’t confuse contractions with other similarly sounding words, e.g., “you’re” vs. “your”.
• When a contraction might be ambiguous. For example, “I’d never run that fast” could mean “I had never run that fast” or “I would never run that fast.” Although the context might clear things up, it’s easier just to use “I had” or “I would”.

To sum things up, contractions aren’t meaningless constructs, in speech or in writing. As we’ve learned over the past year, humans require each other. Our words, very much including contractions, have the power to extend compassion and comradery, useful qualities for every interaction.