using contractions in a narrative essay

Writing academically: Contractions

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Contractions occur when you use an apostrophe to indicate missing letters in the abbreviated forms of many short phrases. You should avoid using contractions in academic writing as they are too informal. This page gives examples of common contractions and what to use instead.

What to avoid and what to use instead

* It is a common misconception that the non-abbreviated form of could've and should've is 'could of' and 'should of' . Please note this is not the case and the full form uses the word 'have' . You would never dream of using 'I of' as the full form of I've.

** Note that who's  is a contraction of who is  whilst whose is the possessive form of who (e.g. Darwin, whose theory of evolution was groundbreaking, was ...)

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Contractions

While contractions are used in everyday speech, there are certain situations where you can use them effectively and other situations where you may choose not to. For example, using contractions in academic writing, such as a research paper, is usually not encouraged because it can make your writing sound informal. In writing situations that are informal, such as blog posts or personal narratives, using contractions is acceptable, unless your professor states otherwise. Informal pieces also have a more conversational tone to them compared to an academic paper that has an authoritative tone.

How to Use Contractions

Contractions are a way to mash together two words in order to make them shorter. They also are a way to make your writing seem more conversational and have the reader feel included in the writing. Apostrophes are a necessary when creating contractions; apostrophes replace letters that are dropped from the second word of the contraction.

Contractions that take out the first letter of the second word:

I’m = I am

They’re = They are

I’d = I had

She’s = She is

How’s = How is

Contractions that take out the second letter of the second word: Note: Contractions that use the word “not” will replace the “o” with an apostrophe (‘).

Shouldn’t = Should not

Wouldn’t = Would not

Couldn’t = Could not

Don’t = Do not

Isn’t = Is not

Wasn’t = Was not

Hasn’t = Has not

Contractions that drop the first two letters of the second word: Note: Words using “will” replace the “wi” with an apostrophe (‘).

It’ll = It will

He’ll = He will

Exceptions: Contractions that do not follow rules:

Won’t= Will not

Contractions vs Possessive Pronouns

The English language includes words that sounds the same but have different spellings and meanings. Often contractions can be confused with possessive pronouns. While contractions use apostrophes, possessive pronouns do not.

Your = Possessive pronoun for “you”

Example: Your dog is very cute.

You’re = Contraction for “you are”

• You’re the best student in the class.

Its = Possessive pronoun for “it”

The spider ate the fly that was in its web.

It’s = Contraction for “it is”

• It’s fine that you cannot come into work tomorrow!

They’re = Contraction for “they are”

• They’re coming into town tomorrow.

Their = Possessive pronoun for “they”

• Their dog ran away but thankfully they found him.

There= Shows location of an idem

The stapler is over there .

Contributor: Sierra Becze

Contractions in Writing: When To Use and When To Avoid These Conversational Words

by Joe Bunting | 55 comments

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If you've ever written an essay or research paper, you've probably been told not to use contractions. However, what about contractions in writing? When you're writing a book, can you use them? Does this differ in academic writing and scholarly writing?

Contractions are a type of informal writing, and yet, they sound far more natural in conversations or narrative driving a fiction book.

But first, what are contractions? Is there a contractions list?

Knowing how to use contractions is an important grammar rule. And when you know how to use them properly—and when to ignore them—you'll probably write a better story.

What Are Contractions? Contractions Definition

A contraction is the shortened form of a word. It combines two words—almost always a noun with a verb—linked with an apostrophe into one, shortened word.

Examples of contractions include it's, wasn't, haven't, and hundreds more (see our contractions list below ).

We use contractions every day, usually without noticing them. Why? Because contractions are simple, easier to pronounce, and part of our vernacular.

However, if you think contractions are a modern invention, proof that the English language is going to the dogs, you couldn't be more wrong.

A Brief History of Contractions

Contractions have been around for a very long time—in English, as far back as the creation of the language itself, when the Angles and Saxons invaded the British Isles and mixed the local Celtic dialects with their Germanic languages (the Germans love contractions and compound words ).

Since then, the list of contractions continued to expand, usually brought by invaders or imported during cultural movements. For a full history of contractions, read this excellent article .

Should Contractions Be Used in Writing?

You might think contractions can't be used in the canons of literature, but this conversational approach appears in literary masterpieces, from Beowulf to Moby Dick to Great Expectations to Ulysses  to modern bestsellers and more (see examples below ).

Even the Chicago Manual of Style recommends the use of contractions in writing, saying, “Most types of writing benefit from the use of contractions” ( 5.103 ).

Most English teachers say contractions should never be used in writing, at least not in formal writing (see here , here , and here ).

However, the reality is that contractions have been used in English writing for over 1,400 years. And yes, they're even used in scholarly articles ( it's about 2,750,000 times, can't about 3,290,000 times, don't about 4,270,000 times).

What are some of the most common contractions? I'm glad you asked:

Top 50 Contractions List

Unsure about which contractions you're using or should be using or what they mean? To help your narrative carry a conversational tone, you can use the list of commonly used contractions below, complete with the full phrase, and an example sentence.

3 Word Contractions List

The following three-word-contractions aren't as common (at least in writing), but they are  awesome:

• He'd've = He would have
• They'd've = They would have
• You'd've = You would have
• We'd've = We would have
• I'd've = I would have
• She'd've = She would have
• Might not have = Mightn't've
• Should not have = Shouldn't've

While experts often discourage the use of contractions in formal communication, you'll probably find contractions of verb phrases used in business or casual conversations—or scenes like these in books—since contractions make for an easier, more casual tone.

Sentences like these sound more natural, and therefore more personal. Like everyday speech.

Let's look at some examples of contractions in literature.

Examples of Contractions Used in Classic Literature

Contractions can be frequently found in literature, both modern and classic.

Here's a list of contractions we found in the literary canon.

Please note that while some say contractions should only be used in dialogue, these examples of contractions were found both in dialogue and  normal prose.

From Herman Melville's Moby Dick,  Chapter Three:

It's the Black Sea in a midnight gale.— It's the unnatural combat of the four primal elements.— It's a blasted heath.— It's a Hyperborean winter scene.— It's the breaking-up of the icebound stream of Time.

From the fourth paragraph of Great Expectations  by Charles Dickens:

I earnestly expressed my hope that he wouldn't , and held tighter to the tombstone on which he had put me; partly, to keep myself upon it; partly, to keep myself from crying.

From Benjamin Franklin's memoir, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin :

He reply'd ,* that if I made that kind offer for Christ's sake, I should not miss of a reward. And I returned, “ Don't let me be mistaken; it was not for Christ's sake, but for your sake.”

From The Picture of Dorian Gray  by Oscar Wilde:

It's absurd to talk of the ignorance of youth.

Ulysses by James Joyce:

Twelve. I'm thirteen. No. The chap in the macintosh is thirteen. Death's number. Where the deuce did he pop out of? He wasn't in the chapel, that I'll swear. Silly superstition that about thirteen.

*Anyone know what this is a contraction of, if it is a contraction at all? I found this by chance and am not familiar with it.

Examples of Contractions in Contemporary Literature

Contemporary literature all but throws out the so-called “rule” not to use contractions in writing. Here are several examples of the way many bestselling and prize-winning authors use contractions.

The first two sentences of Neil Gaiman's American Gods :

Shadow had done three years in prison. He was big enough, and looked don’t -[mess]-with-me enough that his biggest problem was killing time.

From the first chapter of The Name of the Wind  by Patrick Rothfuss:

They’d been coming to the Waystone every Felling night for months and Kote had never interjected anything of his own before. Not that you could expect anything else, really. He’d only been in town for a year or so.

From Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Michael Cunningham's By Nightfall :

There’s no accounting, in retrospect, for this lapse in the Harris tradition.

From The Dinner  by Herman Koch**:

Unhappiness can’t stand silence—especially not the uneasy silence that settles in when it is all alone.

From the Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel, Wonder Boys,  by Michael Chabon:

Over the years I’d surrendered many vices, among them whiskey, cigarettes, and the various non-Newtonian drugs…

**This is an English translation from the original Dutch, but since Dutch is a Germanic language, I think it's safe to assume the original uses contractions .

Should YOU Use Contractions In Your Writing?

If you're like me, you learned not to use contractions in school. In fact, I spoke with a friend who was trained as an elementary school English teacher, and she was taught to actively discourage students from writing with contractions.

Personally, I think the no contractions rule is outdated and actually ignorant of the historical foundations of the English language (again, contractions were in Beowulf , people!).

I will say that if you're writing formal essays in high school, college, and grad school, you should probably avoid contractions, if only so you don't ruin your grade.

However, if you're writing something creative, and especially if you're writing dialogue , you need to be using contractions.

Real people use them, and so should you.

More Contractions Resources

• Cool Chart of Common Contractions
• Exhaustive List of Contractions (Wikipedia)
• Did the Coen Brother's Get Contractions Right in True Grit (Grammar Girl)
• 9 English Contractions You Should NEVER Use

How about you? Do you think contractions should be used in writing? Why or why not?  Let us know in the comments section .

To get a sense of how weird it is to not  use contractions, write a scene using the following prompt without using a single contraction.

Prompt : A couple is on their first date at a trendy restaurant. One is allergic to shellfish, the other can't stand brussel sprouts.

Write for fifteen minutes . When you’re finished, share your work in the Pro Practice Workshop here . 

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Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

55 Comments

He reply’d,— I’m pretty sure that is just how they wrote back then. Back in the day S’s used to look like f’s without the line crossing the middle of it. So who knows. English is weird. <3

‘Tis indeed! Thanks Kevin.

Yes, Joe. By your definition of contractions (a combination of two words) this is not one. It is, however, a contraction in the sense of the apostrophe serving in place of dropped letters. Spelling in Franklin’s time was still in flux; this is the word we would now spell as “replied.”

I’ve always loved contractions. It makes your writing look more human, not too formal for regular people. I use them all the time in my novel, especially in dialogue (It sounds so weird without them!) But what about in articles and blog posts? Do contractions belong there, or should that be more formal? “Whatsoever ye do, do unto the glory of God”, Reagan Colbert

I think they absolutely belong, Reagan. As you can see, I use them frequently in my posts. I also use them when writing for newspapers and magazines. The only time I would consider avoiding them is if I had to write a scholarly paper or went back in time to write an essay for school (and even then, I’d probably still use them for the former).

That’s a relief! I’ve used them in my articles (I think I even used them in the guest post I sent in!) I’m glad it’s alright! Thanks, Joe!

I use them in dialogue all the time, but it can get confusing in articles and blog posts. I guess clarity is the rule.

When contractions aren’t used, writing sounds stiff and unnatural. It’s a pet peeve of mine. People, please use contractions!

Preach, Michelle!

I disagree. If it is written well, I do not notice if there are or aren’t contractions. I know every editor I have ever worked with has removed them.

It’s great that you found Boz, a.k.a. Charles Dickens using contractions, Joe. He was paid by the word. Great resources here!

I thought of that, too, Lee! I figured he would have avoided them to make a little more $.

It is possible that a modern printer added the contractions and they are not what Dicken’s actually wrote. You would need to read a first edition to see if that was how it was originally printed and an actual manuscript to see if it is what Dicken’s wrote. Never assume.

I don’t see as using contractions is any better or worse than not using contractions. And it’s been long enough since I was in a high school English or grammar class that I don’t honestly remember what the rules were!

I find myself writing without contractions in first drafts of almost everything (blog posts, journals, novels). Sometimes I convert to contractions during the editing phase and sometimes I don’t. It depends entirely on the purpose for the post or article or the person who is telling the story if it’s a novel. Some of my characters are very formal and would never think of using a contraction!

I think that’s great, Carrie. It all depends on the character and you’re own voice! I think it’s fascinating that you write completely without them in first drafts, though. Impressive!

I suppose that is my natural writing voice. I do hear complete words (not contractions) when I’m writing. Usually there’s emphasis on one or the other in my mind. “That IS” in the sentence above, for example.

Besides, I’m old enough to find comfort in non-contractions, odd though that may sound.

I write without them except in dialogue.

Thank you! Yes, I used them all through my book even though Word 2010 and 2013 didn’t like them at all. I first only used them in quotes. They didn’t care for those either, so I began using them as I would talk naturally. Others liked it and I continued the use. I was taught in both high school and college not to use them. However, in doing research for my dissertation, there were contractions. I only used them in quotes then.

Thanks for this article. Yep, you made my day.

Very interesting that you found contractions in scholarly research! Isn’t that interesting that they say don’t use them in formal, APA writing and yet they’re clearly used by the pros.

I asked for student beta readers for my first book. I had used no contractions except in dialogue. My students all said it sounded like a teacher wrote it, stiff. contractions are goo.

Contractions are good indeed! Thank you Sandra!

My thought on contractions is, we use them in everyday speech, why should we not use them in everyday writing? That said, I also feel that if we are using formal writing, such as official correspondence, legal documents and the like, then perhaps contractions should be avoided. In dissertations or other submissions for grades, one should follow the standards of whatever form (APA, etc.) required by the school, and in addition it might be best to cater (pander?) to the taste of the particular professor who will be doing the grading. As for my own writing (a series of SciFi novels), it always depends on the particular character. My main character, Ari, is a professor of ancient languages who grew up in rural Florida, so her usage depends on whether her speech is in a more or less formal setting. My aliens (also human, but transported to another planet millennia ago) in the first novel tend to be of the upper class, and so their speech is a little more educated and formal. Thus, I rarely use contractions for them, as that automatically sets them somewhat apart and points up the fact that they are not from the same background and culture as my MCs. My second MC, Danny, grew up on the streets in Brooklyn, so his speech patterns differ wildly from Ari’s; much less formal, and full of contractions and street slang. He was reasonably well educated before being out on the streets, though, and in later books he makes the effort to use correct English, although under stress he tends to revert to street-speak. So it all depends on the character, and on the situation as well.

I definitely agree. You have to match your use of contractions to your own voice and the voice of your characters. Thanks for the great discussion!

Good article, Joe! I love contractions! They make words flow better. I am careful not to over use them, though.

That’s great, Katina. Thank you for your comment!

Reply’d is the contracted form of ‘replied’ from Early Modern English (which is sometimes called ‘Elizabethan’ or even ‘Shakespearian English’).

Many contractions are now considered archaic, but to be found in poetry and older literature.

I researched older Englishes whilst I was developing a short comedy-horror story about a travelling troupe of dead writers.

Very interesting David! It seems so strange that they would contract a single word in a way that wasn’t really more efficient (it’s the same number of characters if you count the apostrophe). Why do you think they did it? Anyway thank you for the info!

Also that would be a fun story to research!

That story was a hoot to both research and to write.

There was actually a fad about apostrophes back then.

Although I have never found anything to confirm this idea, I suspect that the Elizabethan rage for contractions was motivated in part by the need to fit in so much information on promotional posters for theatrical performances. This was the time of the major reforms of theatrical performance law in Britain, and the theatre was a boon industry.

Although there is not much of a savings to be found when contracting ‘replied’ (or ‘replyed’, one of many alternative spellings which were acceptable back then) by the time you add the plethora of other word contractions that were available back then, the space savings could be considerable.

Contractions were, at the time, thought to give the impression (pronounced im-preh-shee-on, by the way — many words were also pronounced differently in Early Modern English) of sophi-is-tick-ay-shee-on and wit.

Th’re b’ n’ccountin’ f’r taste, Sirrah!

And let us not forget the Elizabethan belief that “more is more”.

They loved to pump up their posters with florid prose and grandiose word counts.

To an Elizabethan, many contracted words were to be preferred to fewer full-length words.

Contractions made the fashionably high word counts viable.

Ha! So interesting. THANKS David.

It had to do the number of letters a printer owed. The less ruptable printers had lower quality letters and fewer of them so they could only use 1, 2, 3, 4 letter A’s on a single page. In old fashioned type, the ‘ used as much space as a letter unless it was fudged by the printer, which also happened to save space.

There is that as well! I forgot the old typographer’s cheats!

My blog post on this should be out on Wednesday. I don’t go to much in depth on this, but maybe a few articles on it would be fun. I used to a typography nut. I worked as a typesetter for a few years and got hooked.

Consider me part of your waiting fanbase!

May be the same number of characters, but an apostrophe takes up less space than an e… Also, let’s not forget that language itself goes through fads. Sometimes certain things are “in” and then things change…

Joe, back in “the day,” Shakespearian English tended to sound each syllable. For example, we still use the archaic but still trendy spelling “shoppe” for boutique type stores. Back in Chaucer’s day, it would have been a two syllable word, pronounced shop-peh. So Replied would have been a three syllable word, which also points up Franklin’s spelling: it would have been replyed — re-ply-ed. Using the apostrophe removes the third syllable by elision, giving us our modern-day “replied.”

Wow. I did not know that! Fascinating. Thanks Warjna!

It had to do with the number of each letter contained in a typeset. Remember the type was manually set per page and they would sometimes run out of the most frequently used letters like e and I. It wasn’t they could run to the letter store and buy more.

Contractions can be used to identify individuals. Whose talking, Data or Lore? If a contraction is used, it’s Lore because Data did not use contractions. I have also noted some cultures ted to avoid contractions when speaking English.

Great blog post. I love that Beowulf used contractions. Just to avoid any unnecessary confusion: he’d is also he had, and she’d is also she had. I think—depending on one’s writing style—those are probably used more for “had” than “would” in most fiction. But I certainly could be wrong.

Indeed, Paul!

Here is another reason to be very careful when if using contractions in fiction.

I gauge the use of contractions by what tone I want to come through to the reader. Example: I don’t want that. – The tone is casual and relaxed. — I do not want that. — The tone is pointed, maybe even angry depending on the sentences around it.

Totally, Glynis. It affects where the emphasis is placed in that example.

It depends on the piece. And you really have to be consistent too. In some cases–especially nonfiction–it can appear lazy. In fiction it almost always works well.

Give me an example of where it appears lazy. I think that’s the myth we repeat, but I don’t think it plays out in real writing.

I must dig up that eBook I was asked to review. It used so many contractions it was hard to follow some paragraphs.

Good point. I’m sure I can find some examples, but the problem alone wouldn’t be contractions–rather it would be the overall writing. (One of the main issues lack of clarity.) The overuse of contractions would just be a symptom of the bigger problem.

Joe, very good information on contractions and great discussion on this subject. However, I believe you missed an interesting part of the history of contractions. They were employed by printers because they only had so many vowels to set a page so they would replace vowels with apostrophes. The contraction ‘reply’d’ is most likely replied only the typesetter ran out of vowels,that is, if you were looking at an accurate reproduction.

What you do not touch on is the reason for the no contraction rule in schools, it is because students will use them out of laziness to boost word count while doing less writing. Their use in fiction should be a considered choice and not simply because it is the way people talk or just because. I will cover this more in my own blog post.

In the days of Dickens, Franklin, Shakespeare , contractions were a function of the constraints of typesetting and because people have always used them in speech, actors especially. If you look at your examples, the contractions are used to create a tone. If the tone of your work is conversational, use them, but do it sparingly.

My last point and one that causes the most problems are the use of negative contractions like Don’t and Can’t. Using these causes sentences to be written in a negative construction and that can be confusing. Along with that be very careful of the ‘ve contractions because they put you in the past perfect tense that leads down the road to wordiness and awkward paragraphs.

It boils down to this, make it choice not a habit and know what the contraction is that you are using. As with any writing rule, you have decide when it applies and when throw it out the window.

Excellent analysis. I believe the greatest problem with rules in schools is that nobody takes the time to explain why they exist!

I am not certain, but I believe the use of “reply’d” was to simply eliminate writing out the entire word, “replied.” I have noticed in some writings, the use of contractions being implemented to show how we pronounce words, sorta speak; used in dialogue mostly. To make it a bit more informal perhaps?

Very sorry but you are TOTALLY wrong.

Contractions should NEVER be used in WRITING to imitate speech UNLESS it is NARRATIVE used in a novel.

Whilst we use contractions in our speech the use of contractions in writing actually makes it MORE DIFFICULT to read documents concisely.

Using contractions in writing has ALWAYS been regarded as sloppy or simply lazy as is the use of slang or expletives.

The continual use of expletives shows a TOTAL disrespect for other people.

Hence the NO CONTRACTIONS rule is the ultimate in 100% correct usage.

However there are some 147 different forms of the English language globally including very many different dialects.

The USA also uses different spellings (e.g. honour versus honor) and different wording.

e.g. UK English calls a car luggage compartment a boot whereas US English calls the luggage compartment a trunk. Similarly bonnet versus hood.

There are many other examples.

Ian McGregor

What’s even MORE wrong is people using ANNOYING capitalization, thus PATRONIZING the readers and implying their inability to discern emphasis, while at the same time UNDERMINING their own ability to write comprehensible text. Not to mention that it’s typographically WRONG to misuse capitalization for emphasizing.

This is ESPECIALLY true if said person claims superiority by having the ONE AND ONLY 100% correct answer to a literary discussion, yet is UNABLE to use a god damn comma.

I SUGGEST you pay a visit to your nearest ironmonger and have him give you an introduction to POTS and KETTLES.

Gregor McIan

Gregor McIan (I see what you did there), your reply made me smile, so thanks. I totally agree with you.

Ian McGregor sounds like a pompous nitwit. If he ever wrote for me, I’d definitely insert contractions into all his work. If he complained, he’d simply be dropped. His loss.

You didn’t mention usage of He’d as he had

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How to Use Contractions in a College Essay

M.t. wroblewski, 21 jul 2017.

From an early age, students are taught to write “like they talk.” This is good advice and often means that writers rely on contractions to convey the verbal shorthand that is so evident in most people’s speech patterns. College essays pose an interesting challenge since academic writing is known as “formal” writing in which contractions are frowned upon or even prohibited. There are exceptions, however, and learning how to use contractions effectively will polish your skills and bolster your confidence.

Check with your instructor about her “written rules of the road.” Some English teachers follow the dictates of formal English at all times and make no exceptions, no matter what the assignment. Keep your essay — and your grade — on track by following her rules.

Always use contractions when you are quoting someone directly or paraphrasing their words in a college essay. Quotes are an important way of capturing a writer’s manner of speech. Consider what would be lost if you spelled out the contractions — and smoothed the language — in this earthy quote: “I’m tellin’ you: They’re not gonna do what they don’t wanna do.”

Use contractions in college essays in which you are allowed to use the first-person “I.” These personal, revealing essays include the narrative and descriptive essays and might also include the comparison-contrast and example essays. In personal essays especially, contractions reflect the way people really speak.

Use contractions consistently throughout your essay and especially within the same sentence. For example, notice the inconsistency in writing: “I’ll tell them when we are together: we’ll persevere or we are doomed.”

Listen to the cadence of your words. When you wish to capture enthusiasm, it might be better to say, “It’s great!” than “It is great.” Likewise, when you wish to express urgency, saying, “No, they don’t!” might be preferable to saying, “No, they do not.”

• Just as some parents pronounce their child’s full name – “John Michael Smith” – when they are angry, so should a writer spell out two words for emphasis instead of using a contraction. Spell out those words you wish to emphasize. The “not” in the sentence “I have not crossed the line” packs greater assertion than saying, “I haven’t crossed the line.”
• 1 Purdue University Online Writing Lab: Contractions
• 2 The New St. Martin’s Handbook; Andrea Lunsford and Robert Connors; 1999.
• 3 The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers; Maxine Hairston and John Ruszkiewicz; 1991.
• 4 Step by Step Writing; Randy Devillez; 1992.
• 5 The Writing Center at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill: Writing Concisely

About the Author

With education, health care and small business marketing as her core interests, M.T. Wroblewski has penned pieces for Woman's Day, Family Circle, Ladies Home Journal and many newspapers and magazines. She holds a master's degree in journalism from Northern Illinois University.

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• Contractions

When to Use (and Not Use) Contractions

Contractions, which are words in which some letters or sounds are omitted (e.g., don’t for do not ), are common in speech and informal usage but generally avoided in formal writing.

• Informal: We don’t know what happened.
• Formal: We do not have sufficient information yet to form a hypothesis.

Contractions are often used and completely acceptable in everyday speech.

• I’m happy to help.
• She’s here.
• I don’t know.
• What’s that?

Only if you want to stress a certain word would you not use a standard contraction in speech and informal usage.

• You do not want to get involved in this. The use of do not instead of the contraction don’t helps stress the adverb not .

In informal writing

In writing, contractions convey an informal tone and replace talking to the reader. They sound normal and natural in creative writing and personal communication.

• I’m on my way.
• That’s fine. Don’t worry.
• It’s all right.
• Sorry I couldn’t take your call.
• Maya knew she shouldn’t answer, but she did.

In ad copy, marketing slogans, and other signage, contractions can help save space and make your message sound conversational and friendly.

• Because you’re worth it. ( L’Oreal )
• Let’s go places. ( Toyota )
• There are some things money can’t buy; for everything else, there’s MasterCard. ( Mastercard )

In creative writing as well, contractions, which are common in speech, can make dialogue sound more natural.

• “Now you said you’d do it, now let’s see you do it.” “ Don’t you crowd me now; you better look out.” “Well, you said you’d do it—why don’t you do it?” — Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876)

In formal texts

Avoid using contractions in academic and other formal writing. Using the complete instead of contracted form lends an appropriate air of formality to the document.

• Informal: We haven’t accounted for changes in pressure in this study. Formal: We have not accounted for changes in pressure in this study.
• Informal: We couldn’t collect sufficient real-world data. Formal: We could not collect sufficient real-world data.
• Informal: It’s important to account for bias. Formal: It is important to account for bias.
• Informal: We haven’t reviewed the financial statements of the subsidiaries yet. Formal: We have not reviewed the financial statements of the subsidiaries yet.

Avoid using contractions in cover letters, personal statements, academic papers, business proposals, and legal documents.

• Informal: I’d appreciate the opportunity to discuss this further with you. Formal: I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this further with you.
• Informal: I’m hardworking and self-motivated. Formal: I am hardworking and self-motivated.

In negative questions

An exception is negative questions, in which contractions are used in both formal and informal usage.

• Shouldn’t / Should not we wait until morning? “Should not we wait until morning?” would sound odd and archaic, even in formal usage.
• Isn’t / Is not the sample ready yet?

Again, you may use the word not separately if you want to stress it.

• Unstressed not : Aren’t you listening? Stressed not : Are you not listening? But not “ Are not you listening?”

Finally, always use the contracted instead of full form in negative question tags.

• Poco said he’d call, didn’t he?
• We should call back, shouldn’t we?

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Standard contractions are common and sound natural in everyday speech.

Will not is generally used in its contracted form in speech and informal usage ( won’t ). To emphasize the word not , the full form is used instead.

Contractions sound natural in dialogue, which represents a real conversation.

Contractions, which lend an informal tone to writing, are generally avoided in formal texts.

Negative contractions are used in questions in both formal and informal usage.

How to Use Contractions: Rules and Examples

by Yen Cabag

In grammatical terms, a contraction is a shortened form of two combined words (such as can + not = can’t ).

We use contractions regularly in conversation and in casual writing. Most contractions use an apostrophe to indicate that some letters from one or both of the original words are missing.

Function of Contractions in Grammar

We use contractions for several reasons: 

1 . They save time and space. 

Because contractions remove letters from words and squeeze them together, they save space on the written page (or screen). In conversation, they also allow you to say one word instead of two, which saves time and effort. 

2 . Contractions indicate a casual tone.

Formal academic works like essays , term papers, research papers , or other forms of business writing typically refrain from using contractions. 

In contrast, more casual writing, like blog posts and opinion pieces, tend to use more contractions, which make them sound more personal and conversational. 

Additionally, using contractions in fiction helps to portray the time period of a given story. For example, more dated stories tend to use the contraction “’Tis” for “It is” instead of the more contemporary “It’s.” 

What Are Some Examples of Contractions? 

Here is a list of some of the most common contractions used in everyday conversation and writing: 

1. Contractions that remove a letter and replace it with an apostrophe

2. contractions using the word “not” .

The word “not” is commonly contracted as – n’t , as seen below: 

Some contractions with “not” replace more than just the ‘o,’ such as the following:

One thing to remember about contracting words with “not” in question form is that you have to move “not” to join the verb, as follows: 

Not contracted: Did I not tell you?  Incorrect: Did In’t tell you? Correct: Didn’t I tell you

Not contracted : Have you not talked to him?  Incorrect : Have youn’t talked to him?  Correct : Haven’t you talked to him? 

3. Contractions used in poetic language 

Some contractions have also changed their form over the years. Many of these were used widely until the middle of the 19th century, and since then, only in poetic works.

Examples include: 

In addition, we also have some words that we normally see contracted in poetry or song lyrics, particularly hymns, or other old songs and Christmas carols: 

4. Multiple contractions 

Sometimes, we can make multiple contractions, which normally look strange in writing or in print. But in conversation, they are fairly common, such as: 

• I would have = I’d’ve or I’d’a

Example sentence: If you’d told me your plans, I’d’ve told you it wasn’t going to work. 

• Would not have = wouldn’t’ve 

Example sentence: I wouldn’t’ve told him if I were you. 

5. Contractions used in informal language 

Other contractions change their entire form, and used mainly in speech or very casual writing, such as: 

• going to = gonna
• want to = wanna

6. Contractions that compress or truncate a word

Some contractions are compressed versions of their full words, and usually do not use an apostrophe. Here are some examples: 

Contractions Quiz 

To test your knowledge about contractions, take this free Contractions Quiz PDF . Rewrite the sentence using the correct contraction or contractions: 

• She does not know French.
• Alfie will not go to the party. 
• The man is all crazy! 
• The delivery guy would not have caught up with her if she had left on time. 
• Did I not tell you not to touch anything in this room? 
• The email was not sent. 
• I do not think that is a wise decision. 
• You must not think it is a burden. 
• Why can you not remember important dates like our anniversary? 
• Her baby cannot walk yet. 
• She doesn’t know French. 
• Alfie won’t go to the party. 
• The man’s all crazy!
• The delivery guy wouldn’t have caught up with her if she’d left on time. OR The delivery guy wouldn’t’ve caught up with her if she’d left on time.
• Didn’t I tell you not to touch anything in this room? 
• The email wasn’t sent. 
• I don’t think that’s a wise decision. 
• You mustn’t think it’s a burden. 
• Why can’t you remember important dates like our anniversary? 
• Her baby can’t walk yet. 

When to Use Contractions 

A good rule of thumb when using contractions is first to determine the formality of your piece, whether written or spoken. For very formal writing, refrain from using contractions; but for more casual, conversational pieces, you can use contractions. 

In addition, determine which type of contractions match the kind of material you are writing. For a poem, hymn, or song lyrics, you can use the poetic contractions, but for other writings such as an opinion piece, a story, or a blog, you may want to use the contractions suitable for contemporary writing. 

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

• The Most Important Basic Grammar Rules to Know
• To or Too: Grammar Explained
• Which or That? Grammar Explained
• The 10 Most Common Grammar Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.

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Can you Use Contractions in Essays: College or Formal writing

Contractions in Essays

Most students tend to confuse that it is acceptable to write the way they talk. That is so because these students utilize the patterns from the spoken language to write down their points. Unfortunately, the situation may change as you switch to academic writing.

Before you write an essay, it is wise to consult your professor regarding the writing rules. Some will allow the use of pure formal English without making any exceptions. Knowing the teacher’s position on this matter will make your work easier. 

People Also Read: Types of Paragraphs in Essay or Academic Writing: With Examples

What Are Contractions?

A contraction happens to be a short form of a given word. It usually combines two words. Some people prefer to avoid a contraction in their formal writing because they will weaken their sentence structures or make the sentence appear too casual. 

However, contractions are helpful when you are handling professional writing. Furthermore, some people use them to add style and the entire format of the text. Generally, many have been using contractions when giving a speech. 

In many cases, when you are using contractions, use a noun and a verb with an apostrophe as a link. For example, here is the list of such words:

• Do not = don’t
• Would have = would’ve 
• Cannot = Can’t
• Is not = isn’t
• I am = I’m 
• They are = they’re 

Furthermore, you can still have a three words contraction as indicated below:

• Should not have = shouldn’t’ve 
• Might not have = mightyn’t’ve 

So, why use contractions? We use them in plain English since it is the way you can express yourself as you talk. When you write using contractions, the document will flow better and make the reading easier. 

Contractions will make the writing seem natural. Also, research says that the use of contractions enhances readability. If your writing sounds too strange without contradiction, then you should use them. 

Can you use Contractions in Essay Writing

Ideally, contractions in essay writing may not be welcome but are used by students if their instructor accepts them. Use the contraction as you paraphrase one’s work or when you are using a direct quote.

The quotes are necessary to enable readers to know the unique writing style of the author. When you eliminate contraction, it will be hard to deliver the author’s speech well.

Ideally, you cannot use contractions in writing essays, whether in college or formal writing because they are informal elements. It is highly encouraged not to use them. However, you can insert contractions in college essays if you are representing a direct quote from another writer or a source.

Again, you can use the contractions when using the first person in the same essay. You will encounter personal essays which use descriptions or a narrative approach. When you are writing personal essays, you can use contractions to indicate the real way of speaking. 

Ensure you are consistent as you use contractions. For example, the sentences will be inconsistent if you use a standard form like “I will “and then use a contraction. 

People Also Read : Writing a 400 Word Essay: Length and How to write it Well

How to use Contractions in College Essays

At the early ages of students, their teachers taught them to write as like they talk. As such, it implies that authors rely on contractions to promote verbal shorthand, which is evident in people’s speech patterns. 

When it comes to college essays, the colleges pose an exciting challenge.

We all know that academic writing is formal; hence using contractions has its limits, or other colleges prohibit them. 

The best way is to learn how to use contractions and polish your skills to bolster confidence. 

Before you begin to write your college essay, confirm with your instructor concerning the writing rules. 

As earlier captured, some instructors will adhere to the dictates of formal English without making any exceptions no matter the nature of the assignment. As such, you will have to keep the rule for you to secure good grades.

A contraction is informal writing which one should avoid using in scholarly writing unless except for given circumstances. Such situations could be:

1. When Quoting

You can use contractions when you are quoting someone directly. Alternatively, you can use them as you paraphrase their words in the essays.

You involve quotes when you are capturing the manner of speech or the writer. 

You should consider what is going to get lost if you eliminate contractions.

You must not lose the meaning when you are removing the contractions.

For example, you can quote a direct speech as follows, “We don’t wanna do such tasks.” 

2. When Using First Person 

It is in the right direction to use contractions as you use the first person. It comes true when you are writing personal and revealing essays.

Those are narrative and descriptive essays which might also include comparison and contrast. When you are using contractions in personal essays, you are reflecting on how one speaks.

It is a way of expressing an individual voice. That is why it is not right to use such words. Therefore, consider replacing first-person language in academic writing unless when you are writing a personal narrative or an individualized story.

3. Footnotes 

One can use contractions when writing footnotes in the formal piece of writing. It is a way of making your writing have a stylish format. 

Read our comprehensive guide on how to write essays and learn more about the tenets of essay writing that make it inappropriate to use contractions.

People Also Read: Is Using an Essay Writing Service Cheating: It’s Legal

Effects of Contractions in Essay Writing

1. pace and voice .

Authors use contraction to deepen the character and the voice. You can use a contraction form to enable the readers to know the regional accents. Furthermore, it promotes the personality traits and the person’s social status when you are passing your message in the essay.  

2. Narration Style 

Contractions are key aspects of allowing the author to narrate a story. It will enable the writer to speak to the audience directly. It makes the reader feel a sense of belonging by knowing that the writer was addressing them.

When to Avoid Contractions 

The writer should refrain from using contractions when writing professional reports, formal essays, and other scholarly writing.

Although you can find contractions in many writing pieces in life, you should never use them if you want to restore a professional tone.       

People Also Read: Writing an Essay about Someone Who Inspires or you Admire

FAQs on Contractions

Are contractions bad in essays.

Contractions are okay when you are doing formal writing. They become essential when you are communicating a message in effortless style and tone. It makes the audience think that you are talking to them directly.  As such, the contraction makes the essay appear personal and friendly. 

Also, it could be authentic to use the contraction when you are writing dialogue. It is good to replicate the style of talking when you are quoting people from their speech. For instance, if you are giving a client testimonial, it is vital to use contractions. 

Should You Use Contractions in a Personal Essay?

It is much acceptable to use contractions in personal essays. You need to use contraction since you will be describing a key lesson that you extracted from your life experience. Such a report will be representing a key event from the first-person angle. 

When you use contraction in the personal essay, it compliments a conversational tone to express the writer’s talking style. The personal essay could be any memorable moment that changed you to have a different opinion.

What should you not Use in a College Essay?

We have a set of contractions that one should avoid in life. They include words like ain’t, should’ve, could’ve, etc. Instead, you can use a two-word version since it makes your writing appear awkward. 

When you are writing a college essay, avoid passive voice. Again, you should not use abbreviations. You should only use concrete and literal language. Avoid repetition as it makes the essay dull. 

Contractions are part of your writing process when you are working on your college essay.  As a rule of thumb, you should only use them once your lecturer gives you a nod. You should never apply them if the lecturer dislikes them lest you face cancellation of the paper. 

When not handling complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

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FOR EDITORS, PROOFREADERS AND WRITERS

• Jeeves’s speech is often uncontracted. This moderates the pace of the dialogue and helps to render his voice as serious, formal, patient and long-suffering.
• Bertie’s speech is often contracted. This accelerates the dialogue and helps to render his voice as flighty, foolish and careless.
• ‘I can’t believe you said that,’ Louise said.
• ‘I cannot believe you said that,’ Louise said.
• ‘Aye, though there is worse,’ said Mrs Stevenson.

Excellent article, as usual. Shame the only one you've done that I haven't got my dyslexic head round is the head-hopping one :)

Thank you for this very clear post. It would have been useful to me when trying to explain to a recent French client why I had used contractions sometimes but not always. Saying "It sounds better that way" simply does not cut it! She wanted to know which way was correct. As you have shown so thoroughly, it's not that simple! I had been consistent though; I had used them in dialogue or when the text was expressing the narrator's thoughts. For the rest of the narrative I had not used them.

'Correct' and 'fiction' - two words that tend to rub up against each other uncomfortably!

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A Quick Guide to Contractions

3-minute read

• 1st January 2018

Are you in the final stages of pregnancy and experiencing tight feelings in your lower abdomen? Those are contractions. However, they’re not the contractions we’re talking about. This is a proofreading website . You need something about parenthood .

The contractions we can help with are words. But they are a special type of word, so you need to know how they work and when to use them in order to avoid errors . In this post, we explain the basics.

What Are Contractions?

A ‘contraction’ is a term made up of two other words. Usually, this involves dropping at least one letter from the terms being combined, which is marked with an apostrophe . For instance:

Do not = Don ’ t

I have = I’ve

Has not = Hasn’t

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Two words are combined in all of these examples, with an apostrophe added to show where a letter has been left out. Most contractions work like this, so the key is knowing which letter to drop!

When Should You Use Them?

Contractions are common in speech and in less formal writing. As such, they’re often used when trying to strike a friendly or informal tone. We use them in these blog posts, for example, because we don’t want to sound too stuffy: a tricky task when your main topics are spelling and grammar!

However, contractions shouldn’t be used in formal writing , including in essays and business reports. If you find yourself using contractions in a formal document, write out the words in full instead.

Tricky Terms to Look Out For

Certain contractions cause more problems than others. We’ve picked out a few common offenders so that you know what to look for:

• It’s – This word is short for ‘it is’. Make sure you don’t mix it up with the possessive pronoun ‘its’ (no apostrophe), which is used when referring to something that belongs to an ‘it’.
• Can’t – This is a contraction of ‘can’ and ‘not’. However, when you write these words out in full, they should be written without a space (i.e. the single word ‘cannot’), not as two words.
• They’re/We’re/You’re – These are all combinations of pronouns and the word ‘are’ (i.e. ‘they are’, ‘we are’ and ‘you are’). But they are easy to mix up with similar-sounding terms if you’re not careful (e.g. ‘there’, ‘were’ and ‘your’). If you are unsure whether you’re using these words correctly, try writing them out in full to check.
• Won’t – This is short for ‘will not’. But if this is true, why isn’t it spelled ‘willn’t’? There used to be two forms of ‘will’ in English, one of which was spelled with an ‘o’. The popular negative form of this term was ‘wonnot’. This word isn’t used any more, but the modern contraction is still spelled ‘won’t’ (because English doesn’t always make sense).

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Narrative Essays

Narrative: The spoken or written account of connected events; a story

Narrative Introductions

The introduction of a narrative essay sets the scene for the story that follows. Interesting introductions—for any kind of writing—engage and draw readers in because they want to know more.

Since narratives tell a story and involve events, the introduction of a narrative quite often starts in the middle of the action in order to bring the reader into the story immediately, as shown in examples 1, 3, and 5 below. Other effective introductions briefly provide background for the point of the story—often the lesson learned—as in 4 below and the first example on the reverse side.

Below are some strategies for writing effective openings. Remember your introduction should be interesting and draw your reader in. It should make your audience want to read more. If it's a person , begin with a description of the person and then say why that person mattered. If it's an event , begin with the action or begin by reflecting back on why the event mattered, then go into the narrative.

• "Potter...take off!" my coach yelled as I was cracking yet another joke during practice.
• Why do such a small percentage of high school athletes play Division One sports?
• It was a cold, rainy night, under the lights on the field. I lined up the ball on the penalty line under the wet grass. After glancing up at the tied score, I stared into the goalkeeper's eyes.
• My heart pounds in my chest. My stomach full of nervous butterflies. I hear the crowd talking and names being cheered.
• Slipping the red and white uniform over my head for the first time is a feeling I will never forget.
• "No football." Those words rang in my head for hours as I thought about what a stupid decision I had made three nights before.
• "SNAP!" I heard the startling sound of my left knee before I ever felt the pain.
• According to the NCAA, there are over 400,000 student-athletes in the United States.

Narrative Story

• Unified: Ensure all actions in your story develop a central idea or argument.
• Interesting: Draw your readers into your scene(s), making them feel as if they're experiencing them first-hand.
• Coherent: Indicate changes in time, location, and characters clearly (even if your story is not chronological).
• Climactic: Include a moment (the climax) when your ending is revealed or the importance of events is made clear.
• Remember the 5 W's : Who? What? When? Where? Why?
• Write vividly : Include significant sensory information in the scene (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste) to make readers feel they are there
• Develop " Thick Descriptions "

Clifford Geertz describes thick descriptions as accounts that include not only facts but also commentary and interpretation . The goal is to vividly describe an action or scene, often through the use of metaphors, analogies, and other forms of interpretation that can emote strong feelings and images in your readers' minds.

"The flatness of the Delta made the shack, the quarters, and the railroad tracks nearby seem like some tabletop model train set. Like many Mississippi shacks, this one looked as if no one had lived there since the birth of the blues. Four sunflowers leaned alongside a sagging porch. When the front door creaked open, cockroaches bigger than pecans scurried for cover [...] walls wept with mildew."

—from Bruce Watson's Freedom Summer

Narrative Checklist

• Does the story have a clear and unifying idea? If not, what could that idea be?
• If the story doesn't include a thesis sentence, is the unifying idea of the story clear without it?
• Is the story unified, with all the details contributing to the central idea?
• Is the story arranged chronologically? If not, is the organization of ideas and events still effective and clear?
• Do the transitions show the movement from idea to idea and scene to scene?
• Are there enough details?
• Is there dialogue at important moments?
• Is there a climax to the story—moment at which the action is resolved or a key idea is revealed?

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Most Common Writing Mistakes, Pt. 53: No Contractions in Dialogue

I’ll admit I fell prey to this as a young writer (who not so coincidentally read a lot of Austen and Dickens). Contractions were informal, hence they must be unprofessional. And I was far too smart to be anything less than polished in my first novel.

The result, however, was more along the lines of what blog reader Jim Prall mentioned in a recent comment:

“I just finished [an] audiobook…. All the dialogue was rendered with no use of contractions at all. It really stood out and seemed quite jarring, perhaps especially when read aloud. Real people naturally speak in contractions all day long. Dialogue composed without them seemed really stiff and artificial—almost as if English were not the speakers’ first language.”

Today, let’s examine why contractions in dialogue should absolutely find a place within your writing—along with a few exceptions, in which it is actually best to avoid them.

How to Avoid Contractions in Dialogue and Sound Like Pompous Buffoon

Contractions, of course, are shortened words or phrases, usually created by combining two words and noting the juncture (and usually some deleted letters) with an apostrophe.

For example:

• Can’t for cannot
• Won’t for will not
• She’ll for she will
• He’d for he would or he had

They’re all slang— glorious slang! —and because almost everyone commonly uses contractions in almost all forms of communication, writers can hardly avoid contractions in dialogue without also sacrificing realism. What’s arguably even worse is that, because about the only times we do naturally avoid contractions is in super-formal usage, contraction-less writing inevitably comes across as forced, prim, even supercilious.

Take a look:

Billy galloped in from the cornfield, kicking the old mule forward. “The bandits is coming, Ma! They are coming for sure this time!”

Josephine looked up from the washtub and shaded her eyes. “Well, it is about time, is it not? We cannot keep hiding all this gold forever and a day.”

“But that is not all.” Billy dragged the old mule to a dusty stop. He gulped for air. “Pa is with them. White horse, white hat. I am sure it is him, Ma, I am just sure.”

Her heart stopped. “Good Lord. That cannot be. It just… that marshal said he died for sure.” He could not have lied… could he?

Do these folks sound like dirt-poor Old West farmers with dubious backgrounds? For that matter, do they sound like anybody you’ve ever heard of outside of Victorian British society (more on that in a sec)? Was the reading easy? Was it fun?

Or did it sound pompous and stilted?

How to Use Contractions in Dialogue to Rock Your Dialogue and Narrative Voice

Even aside from the fact that their prevalence necessitates their use in any sort of realistic dialogue or narrative voice, contractions are a tremendous tool for writers. A clever use and choice of contractions in dialogue will allow you to flavor your characters’ voices in unique and specific ways. Consider two lines from my historical superhero work-in-progress Wayfarer , set in early 19 th -century England:

Example #1:  “It is such a beautiful day, is it not? I love these genial September days in the country.”

Example #2:  “Want my advice? Don’t be taking lodgings here. Post yourself straight from London. This ain’t no place for the innocent, if you know what I mean.”

Bet you can tell straight off which is the daughter of an earl and which is the street waif.

Now, take another look at our original example, but with a few choice contractions sprinkled into the dialogue:

Billy galloped in from the cornfield, kicking the old mule forward. “The bandits is coming, Ma! They’re coming for sure this time!”

Josephine looked up from the washtub and shaded her eyes. “Well, it’s about time, ain’t it? We can’t keep hiding all this gold forever and a day.”

“But that ain’t all.” Billy dragged the old mule to a dusty stop. He gulped for air. “Pa’s with ’em . White horse, white hat. I’m sure it’s him, Ma, I’m just sure.”

Her heart stopped. “Good Lord. That can’t be. It just… that marshal said he died for sure.” He couldn’t have lied… could he?

They sound like totally different people, don’t they?

But What About Contractions in Narrative?

Every now and then, I’ll run into a writer who received a critique (usually from a fellow unpublished author), in which they were advised to use contractions, but  only in dialogue. Is that accurate?

Yes and no. Ultimately, it depends upon how formal you want your narrative to be. But if you’re writing deep within your character’s head—in first-person or deep third —then the narrative voice you’re creating will follow the same basic principles as dialogue. The first and foremost of those principles is: Make it sound alive!

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson (affiliate link)

Here’s a third-person example from Brandon Sanderson’s  Mistborn :

It wasn’t a hard rain, but it seemed to clear the mist slightly. Vin shivered, pulling up her hood, crouching beside Kelsier on a rooftop. He didn’t pay the weather much heed, so neither did she. A little dampness wouldn’t hurt—in fact, it would probably help, as the rainfall would cover the sounds of their approach.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (affiliate link)

And a first-person example from John Green’s  The Fault in Our Stars :

That is probably true even if you live to be ninety—although I’m jealous of the people who get to find out for sure. Then again, I’d already lived twice as long as Van Houten’s daughter. What he wouldn’t have given to have a kid die at sixteen.

In short, please , use contractions.

4 Exceptions: When You  Shouldn’t Use Contractions in Dialogue

With all that said, there absolutely  are instances in which foregoing contractions in dialogue is a good choice. Here are four:

1. When Writing Historical Dialogue

One of the reasons we still instinctively feel contractions are less than sophisticated is because, for centuries, they  were . Particularly prior to the 20th century, contractions were used only by the lower classes . (Hence, my earl’s daughter in the previous excerpt and her hoity “is it not?”.)

This does not mean you can never use contractions in historical dialogue, but it does mean you must be aware of the conventions of the times and which characters would and would not be using contractions in their everyday speech.

Medicus by Ruth Downie (affiliate link)

Again, however, another exception: when writing very ancient historical fiction, you can often get away with putting surprisingly modern words in your characters’ mouths, since you’re not going to be able to accurately replicate their true forms of speech with any intelligibility to today’s readers. Ruth Downie’s  Medicus , set during the Roman Empire, is a good example:

“Merula isn’t going to hurt you, Tilla. She’s no fool. She wouldn’t dare touch someone else’s slave.”

2. When It Suits the Character’s Personality

Contractions are a valuable tool in conveying dialect and informality (such as Billy and his mom or my Cockney street waif from the above examples), but it works in reverse too. When you’re purposefully writing a character who is elegant, educated, pompous, or reserved, foregoing at least some of his possible contractions may be a good choice.

3. When the Character Is Not a Native Speaker

Storming (Amazon affiliate link)

As Jim Prull noted in the comment I shared at the top of the article, a lack of contractions in dialogue often makes characters (or the author) sound like a non-native speaker. When this is the  intended effect, it can be used to great advantage. I chose this trick for the mysterious woman who falls out of the sky in my aviation-adventure novel  Storming :

“To Groundsworld I am falling. Now I am having to go home before time is too late. Please. But you cannot be talking of this to any persons on ground.”

4. When the Situation Is Formal

When you’re in a situation where you want to make a good impression, appear professional, or cover your nerves, you’re more likely to speak precisely and avoid contractions. Same goes for your characters. When one of them is nervous or giving a speech (or both), you might want to consider stiffening his language choices just a bit.

In your quest to bring your characters and stories to life, you need to access every possible tool. Contractions in dialogue are a comparatively small trick, but they can also be a powerful one when used with knowledgeable intent. I can’t sum it up better than Jim Prull did in his comment:

So whatever you feel you must do in your own voice as narrator, please don’t artificially distort your characters’ dialogue to satisfy some imagined requirement for “proper” grammar.

>>Click here to read more posts in the Most Common Writing Mistakes Series.

Wordplayers, tell me your opinion! How do you feel about contractions in dialogue and narrative? Tell me in the comments!

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K.M. Weiland is the award-winning and internationally-published author of the acclaimed writing guides Outlining Your Novel , Structuring Your Novel , and Creating Character Arcs . A native of western Nebraska, she writes historical and fantasy novels and mentors authors on her award-winning website Helping Writers Become Authors.

My wife informed me that I am guilty of this!

Wives know. 😉

I am British, thus I know whereof you speak. Hahaha! (With my tutor hat on) the mangling of the English language gets me all fired up when I see text speak; the improper use of there, their, and they’re, etc.; and hear my grand daughter saying: “It’s totes amaze balls, Nanny!” As for the word ‘like’ that peppers every sentence…don’t get me started. However, if I’m setting a story at this time in our history, my imaginary friends must use current speech patterns. Otherwise, what chance does my novel have of becoming a huge, runaway success? Or, to put it another way: “like totes amaze balls like”?

Like you, Lita, I’m British, and like you too, I detest ‘txt spk’.

There are many words and word usages in today’s speech, and increasingly in published language, that make me cringe.

My personal bête noir is the misuse of ‘awesome’ everywhere. The word has become devalued, but if dialogue is to replicate the speech of our characters, then we have to include the ‘likes’, ‘whatevers’, and ‘awesomes’, that those characters would naturally use… Yes, even ‘totes’ and ‘amazeballs’ (is it one word or two?).

It’s easy to blame it all on the use of technology, but slang and misuse has always gone on, often leading to words changing their meaning (e.g. ‘presently’). However, on the subject of contractions, one regularly found error that can be blamed on technology is the reversed apostrophe when the missing letter is at the beginning of the word. Because most people use computers to write, contractions like ’cos, ’bout, and ’em often get an opening single quotation mark (‘) rather than a true apostrophe (’) because the computer’s default is to put the comma that way round after a space.

I did a basic IT for idiots course to familiarise myself with a ‘Windows’ system, as I was a self taught user of an ancient Mac, and even the tutor couldn’t tell me how to type accented letters and apostrophes at the start of a contraction (yet as a task, we were supposed to prepare a brochure for a café). I know where they are on a Mac keyboard, but still haven’t a clue on a Windows PC.

I’m Canadian. I use American spelling (no letter ‘u’ in certain words), but I also loathe ‘txt spk’ and even worse ‘L33T’. I’ll use it if a character in my fiction needs it, but otherwise, it annoys my eyes.

Jeffrey, you raise a good point in that these shorthand versions have absolutely no place in written fiction, save in character communications when appropriate–and only to be used sparingly.

I’m American, and I don’t mind ‘txt spk’, I think it’s funny. As language evolved into the formal speak and proper spelling you all prefer, so too is modern language evolving to fit its time and people. It’s easier to type ‘txt spk’ than ‘text speak.’ As long as people understand what’s being said, I don’t see a problem with it. What’s wrong with faster communication? In fiction I think we need to be a little more strict. First, your language has to fit your story and your audience. ‘Amazeballz’ wouldn’t work well in Historical fiction, or from a character who would never use that word outside of irony. And second, it has to be legible. Most educated people know the difference between the yours, thus it’s just jarring when people use the wrong one. Other than that, I like that people are making new words, and I think many of them could have a place in fiction.

I’m not a big fan of text speak, but I don’t disagree with. Language evolves. It’s just how it rolls. It’s what makes it alive and exciting and, ultimately, useful.

Just in case you did not find it yet: in MS Word you can get the accents on your letters by holding ctrl+ accent you want to apply and then type the required letter, or (if the accent is in an ‘upper case position on the keyboard) ctrl+shift+accent and then type the letter… Very useful when you want to type in French or another accented language…

Hah. This made me laugh, Lita. It probably shouldn’t have. But it did. 😉

I wrote it for laughs, Katie 😀 😀 it’s the quickest way I know to get over my old-fashioned attitudes!

I think it’s a particularly key part of making most dialog sound “natural” and also in distinguishing voices apart. Some people use contractions differently to others in real life, so why not in a story?

One thing I loved about the remake of True Grit is that the characters for the most part spoke without using contractions – the juxtaposition of “the wild west” without the more modern laziness of contractions (I have no idea if it’s true of not, but it definitely made for a distinctive ‘feel’!).

I also think contractions (or not) are not always paid due attention by writers, and so by being very conscious of their effect on the reader, one can introduce subtleties otherwise missed.

Then we get contractions that become slang, and introduce an entirely new voice: “Thankee sai,” for example … love it.

Thanks again, Katie!

That was something I really appreciated about Charles Portis’s True Grit novel as well. The stylized narration, in the voice of the period, is one of its greatest charms.

I quite agree that, in most cases, writing using contractions is necessary to relate to the reader. (Even the most sophisticated person I ever met used contractions.) However, in a story I’m currently uploading to a website I use, I created a language that doesn’t use contractions. Yes, it sounds a bit stilted but the speakers of this language are on a technological stage equivalent to the Medieval Ages of Earth. I bounce back and forth between using contractions (during the narration by the protagonist who is from 25th Century Earth) and not (when relating conversations with the natives of the world the protagonist finds himself stuck on). However, I did find myself, at times, forgetting which I was supposed to be writing and wouldn’t use contractions during the narration and using contractions during the translation of the language. I finally finished the story and I’m sure that I’ve made numerous mistakes, especially in using contractions where I shouldn’t have.

Nothing wrong with that! As long as there’s a story-driven reason for choosing to go contraction-less, it’s a solid tool in your writing toolbox.

Another post filled with good advice, Katie. I’ve always said this. It’s one of the easy ways to spot a less experienced writer’s work. Fortunately, most editors will deal with it before it goes to print.

Like you, I use contraction free dialogue for characters whose English is less than natural… I often have foreign characters speaking English as a foreign language in my novels.

Another time when the ‘full fat’ versions of phrases would be used in dialogue is when a character is emphasising something.

“I’m just goin’ out for a moment, Mum… OK?”

“Hold it right there… You will not leave this house until you’ve done your homework. Do you understand me?”

“You heard me… Homework first… Now!”

Going sans contractions is a really great trick for letting foreign dialects come across without descending into mangled spellings.

Perfect advice! You wouldn’t think something as simple as an apostrophe would make such a difference, but it really does. I’ll have to take note of this more as I write. One book I read quite a while ago (historical fiction set on the Oregon trail) had very few contractions, and it needed them badly! A good book, but it was very disjointed at times.

Thanks for the great words of wisdom!

When in doubt, in writing historical fiction or anything else, I say always go with the option that makes the reading the most intuitive for readers. Sometimes that means putting contractions in the mouths of characters who might not really have used them in their own period.

I use two forms of narrative prose: without contractions and with contractions. The first is formal and aloof. The second is informal and companionable. To me, the first feels like an official telling of the story that provides a bit of isolation and a sense of precision and accuracy. The second is more like being casually told a story that might be full of hyperbole or other manipulations of the facts.

Once, a beta reader marked every opportunity for contractions in one of my stories. That changed the feeling of the story significantly, and it was not the feeling I was after.

These two sentences feel different.

Flurfy did not care and did not help.

Flurfy didn’t care and didn’t help.

In my dialogue, contractions abound where appropriate regardless of contraction use in the narrative prose.

It’s all about authorial intent. If you’re getting the effect you want by avoiding contractions, that’s all that really matters.

When I was a much younger writer I thought it’d be brilliant to have a species that spoke Middle English (i.e. Shakespearean. ) Turns out that was too distracting to keep up (especially when two of the characters were teenagers. Who spoke like characters from a Shakespeare play). I did realize something interesting (maybe everyone else already knew this). The Middle English had contractions too- but some are backwards from ours, like ’tis instead of it’s.

Yeah, I’ve done experiments like that and forgotten halfway through that I was supposed to avoiding contractions. It’s always a mess. :p

I’ve found it best, whatever my current work in progress might be, to read it back out loud to myself. Of course, this isn’t a new thing. I thought I’d mention it in case it might help someone else.

Doing this definitely gives me a better feel for so many elements of the dialog! Errors in how I’ve written that particular character’s choice of contractions, lack of them, words chosen, inflections, colloquial words, even pauses and otherwise will jump out and grab me by the shoulders to point out EXACTLY how unlike that particular character it is. Or how that character’s interaction with another character, a situation, action, etc. is not quite clicking.

Anyone standing outside the door of my bat cave would think I’m totally nuts though, having conversations entirely by myself in different voices and accents… This technique definitely helps get me into my storyline’s ‘zone’ as well which makes the words just write themselves at times it seems.

Reading aloud is incredibly valuable technique. It’s amazing how much a new perspective it can give you on just about everything in your story.

Another good time to avoid contractions is for emphasis.

I AM sorry. It IS a good time. You WILL go to bed.

Even low-brow mamas use that last one. 😉

I agree. Good point!

Here in Australia – Victoria specifically – the word grouse became a popular slang term in the 1980’s to describe something that was “cool” or “really good”. We kids used to say that’s grouse!

I don’t know why or how it took a hold but, for years, posses of children and teens adopted it into their lexicon.

When I moved interstate in my 20’s, I happened to drop the term into a conversation one day. The people I was with glared at me like I was some sort of loon!!

For years, I didn’t use the term but then I reconnected with some childhood friends via social media and I was delighted to discover that they still used it in conversation. I’ve snuck it back into conversation here and there and delight in confusing people who aren’t familiar with it.

I’ve tried using it in my writing but have chickened out in keeping it there. There’s only so much regional dialogue one can get away with.

Hah. That’s kinda like how hip Americans say something they admire is “sick.” Crazy how language evolves sometimes.

Sick! Yes!! There’s an Australian variation on that in which people sometimes say “Fully Sick!!” to describe something awesome.

How did *that* happen??

Or “wicked.” That’s another one that’s now used to mean something excellent.

People don’t use 100% grammatically correct English when they speak. I believe that, if an English teacher graded our conversations, the final grade would be around a C minus. It’s enough that everyone understands each other. Contractions are part of that. If you actually tried to write dialogue that would get an A from your English teacher for correctness, it would sound incredibly stilted. Some of it could almost sound backwards, like Master Yoda from the Star Wars movies. (“Looking? Found someone you have, hmm?”) It’s good to know the rules, but it’s also good to know when to break them. In dialogue and first-person narration, you almost have to.

It’s the truth! Even the most articular among us rarely talk in perfect sentences. And how boring would it be if we did? The best dialogue is always the rough stuff: the chopped sentences, the slang, the inferences.

I know what you mean. I do the same thing by simply re-reading what I’ve written. Sometimes, I catch spelling or grammar mistakes (that this wonderful Microsoft Office software misses), along with missing contractions that I could use, and have to correct them. I’m still trying to figure out, for example, why Microsoft Office seems to thing that Your Highness should be You’re Highness. LOL.

I really love having programs read aloud *to* me as well. Forces me to listen to what’s really on the page, instead of what I think is there.

Yes!! Word does that to me all the time! It has this strange idea that “himself” and “herself” aren’t words, too. Word processors and their idiosyncracies.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’ve done the same thing with the story I’ve been uploading. That’s why I re-read my stories several times to try to catch those mistakes.

” … It’s all about authorial intent …’ You said it, Katie. That summarizes it–what is the intent? Oops –what’s the intent? It’s true that the writing can come over as “lazy,” if used without contractions. But then again, how dogmatic should we become? English is not my first language, (can you tell?), and I find it interesting and enlightening to read all the comments, opinions and viewpoints. Afrikaans, and I believe, German and Dutch, have less of an issue with contractions. Then again–we’re using English. Back to my thesis about being dogmatic. The best way out of the conundrum is, as Katie said it, “It’s all about authorial intent.” Thanks, Katie!

Totally agree about dogma being the death of creativity. It’s important to understand standards and guidelines, because in so doing, we will also understand when they apply and when they don’t.

Thanks for this post Katie. I found it very interesting (like all your posts and books). In my first completed novel, I had two characters who were the same person from different lifetimes. For the character from the past, I didn’t use any contractions in her dialogue or when writing in her POV, but for the present day character I used contractions. I think this worked well in my story and helps readers to keep track of the characters.

Sounds like a very intuitive and logical approach!

Always thought sick was the opposite of well or healthy.

That too. 😉

This was encouraging to read. I was afraid for a moment that you were going to say all characters should use contractions! But thankfully I’ve been using them as a specific character distinctions. Especially characters that were born in different centuries.

What I need to keep in mind now is not to get too carried away with having every single person using them completely differently. There is always room for personality differences, but there should also be some type of indication that certain characters are from the same time and socio-economic ranking.

Being a writer is kinda like being a Jedi–you have to avoid absolutes. 😉

“Wipes sweat from brow.”

Phew, that’s one bullet dodged. I use contractions in almost all dialogue already. In fact, I was thinking of having a military character in my next book not use contractions at all, specifically to help her stand out in the reader’s mind, and help underline certain aspects of her character.

Uptight characters are often good choices for going sans contractions, but I would recommend not being *too* strict on the consistency. Write for what sounds best. You may find some instances where even your uptight character sounds better with the occasional contraction–and without sacrificing her voice.

Luckily for me, I somehow always knew to use contractions in my novel-writing. I suppose, this was because I adopted a very ‘simple’ style when it came to writing. At least, when I was working on contemporary pieces.

In some ways, I think the writers that fall into the trap of avoiding contractions, are those that want to seem as eloquent and well-spoken as possible. But, at the end of the day.. A reader isn’t really looking for that. They’re looking for realism, and a story that’s gonna’ rock their socks off!

I’m glad though, that literature is adopting contractions to a larger extent. It allows for easy-reading, and doesn’t hinder the flow of narrative. However I must say, I will always cherish the classics which in most cases – knew nothing about contractions!

Very well said, and a good thing for me to keep in mind. Now to decide which sort of contractions to use. Do you think it would be jarring to the reader if I used contractions like ’tis, ’tisn’t, ’twas, etc instead of the modern forms? I can’t decide if it will come off as stilted when used with language that is rather more modern than that from which the contractions came. Also, just wanted to add that contractions did exist in other timeperiods, but they were often different than modern ones, and, though avoided by the upper classes in some periods, were often present even in the most high ranking mouths. For example, in the 18th century you wouldn’t say it’s, you would say ’tis (by Jane Austin’s day this was beginning to shift to the modern form) and an interesting one that has disappeared completely, “an’t” for “and it” (this comes from “Roderick Random”, published in 1748, and put in the mouth of a rich man of property). They had several we still use, like “there’s”, “that’s” and “I’ll”, but most interstingly, they would quite often contract words ending in “-ed”, like “tuck’d” for “tucked”, because they usually pronounced the ending.

Funny you should ask this, actually. I just dinged by critique partners for overusing “’tis” in a period historical. So… short answer is: they’re fine to use, but with restraint.

anger. control. threats.

“you had better stay right here, and do not follow me where i am about to go. believe me, you do not want to get in my bad side.”

(framed with an icy, unblinking stare, possibly after removing glasses to make penetrating eye contact.)

*on my bad side.

I very seldom use contractions when I speak, but I know that is not true for the majority of people. So I made an agreement with myself – I use contractions in dialogue and I leave them out of the narrative.

I’m writing a character who only recently learned to speak the language, and my trick to illustrate that he thinks in a different language is that he often misses articles, and tends to ask questions by ending an affirmation with “yes?” … He also tends to miss verb tenses or use them as nouns, such as saying “eat” instead of “food” and “drink” instead of… Well, we call them “drinks” too 😉 … “Men treat you good, yes?” he asked, his grave voice surprising [character], who didn’t expect to understand. “Men bring you eat and drink, yes? “No,” she answered, realizing how hungry she was. She had not been fed since they brought her to the stronghold. “I bring you eat,” he said, turning to the soldier who still stood by the door and grunting two syllables to him in their language. … I thought it was interesting, but may be too much, so for the most part, I state that the man finds communicating in the woman’s language too cumbersome, so he employs an interpreter most of the time, even though he can understand her reasonably well. … I still have to see how the readers react when I reach that part of the serial.

Well, in the example you described and showed, that kind of lack of contractions isn’t what is being described above. There are situations where a lack of contractions is acceptable, someone who’s new to English for example especially if their language doesn’t use contractions. In the example you provided, the interrogator (I assume he’s an interrogator) doesn’t speak English as a first language therefore, by learning English and adding a lack of contractions in his native language it comes out the way you depict. Also, the exchange of words of similar meaning to depict this shows you may have inadvertently created a language for your story.

I’ve posted a story online where I created a language and, after the protagonist learns the language and I start translating into English, I show that that language doesn’t use contractions by not using them and, naturally, explain the reasons for a lack of contractions. First, in their language, words like don’t (do not) actually translate into not do, the negative or opposite of doing something.

What K. M. Weiland is referring to is when we write and our character speaks English as a first language and we don’t use contractions. I know I did that when I started the story I mentioned. Fortunately for me, I proofread the story, saw that situation and corrected it.

I agree that contractions in dialogue and narrative make for a more comfortable reading experience, but they also depend on the character and time period. What I find irksome is when there is no verb-subject agreement in contractions, e.g., “There’s boats on the water.” (shudder) I know that can be a character choice, but I hear it so much in everyday speech that I want to shout, “Are! There are boats on the water!”

This is a fabulous site! Thank you so much for the wealth of information here.

This issue can be a sleeper at a party. As a writer and editor I lean towards contractions in dialogue–how we actually speak–and non-contractions in narrative to lend emphasis to the negative. Readers are 98% oblivious. But as I read, “I do not know” is read emphatically, a pause in the absorption of the narrative. Unnatural in dialogue, true. But not always. “She said to Billy, ‘I cannot be more clear. You are not going to the party.'” Use the contractions and Billy thinks, “Maybe I am and maybe I’m not.” Chicago tells us basically the same thing. I see contractions as sidestepping due diligence with syntax. The writer who believes the work is greater than my petty interest in arcane habits.

That’s the problem, it seems syntax (a bunch of rules) trumps emphasis or the flow of natural narrative or dialogue. Maybe it’s just, however, I refuse as a fellow writer to use: “I’d”, “he’d,” or “she’d.” Before I stumbled upon this article it wasn’t done on purpose, rather subconsciously, as I’ve never heard anyone use those contractions that you see in every novel to replace (for first person, I’d = I would or I had. For third person, he’d and she’d = he/she would or he/she had). I never hear anyone say, “I’d like a glass of water please?” It’s always “I would like a glass of water please?” When I Say: “I’d, he’d, she’d,” a loud in a sentence it isn’t something I hear in movies or daily communication. For the life of me, I can’t understand why every “he would” has to be he’d in dialogue/narrative of practically every novel, as I refuse to use that in mine. Nobody uses those contractions on a day to day. Just this morning, I paid attention to every word spoken to me. All other typical contractions were used “don’t,” “isn’t,” etc . . . . But “I would rather go home” was spoken instead of “I’d rather go home.” Just my two cents.

The only contractions that, I as a writer, leave out are (he’d, she’d, I’d). I haven’t heard many people use that in speech. For example: “I would like a glass of water.” If you say that a loud it sounds natural. Now, try to say, “I’d like a glass of water.” Not only does the second not sound as natural, but I’ve never heard anyone say “I’d” instead of “I would.” Just food for thought. Like I said, I use all other contractions in my narrative and dialogue except (he’d, she’d, I’d).

Thanks for this, I’ll make sure I check the narrative as I’m writing in deep pov.

How about doing an article on the frustrations of getting any real writing advice for people who are doing deep pov? From other writers fighting your pov (wanting it to be another type, to tell you not to use contractions in the narrative finding it hard to find examples of characters just doing ordinary stuff like body beats, dialogue and not enough articles stating that you don’t and shouldn’t be in deep all of the time! This last one caused me a lot of pain and several revisions fixing this due to thinking it always needed to be in deep pov. People need to state that it’s an extra for when needed!

Not so sure about wives, but this contraction business is one I deal with frequently. Chicago is fairly mute on the topic offering the grey in which we live. As an editor I can say this. IN dialogue, OK. We jumble our words anyway. In fact, most dialogue in text reads like a prepared speech anyway. in narrative my first impression is “first draft” and then “lazy”. It is a matter of emphasis. EG, Sally said to her friend, “I can’t go.” Or, Sally said to her friend, “I cannot go.” Emphasis. I tell the writers I work with, if the story is set AS IF an oral reading before an audience, contractions are appropriate. When the narrative lines up for the dénouement, an unraveling, avoid contractions. My simple farm boy view” It is really a matter of the disciplined writer over the writer who has convinced him/herself immortality is one sentence away.

PS love the blog and writing resources

[…] Our stories ride on our characters. Melanie Conklin discusses creating characters that feel real, Ruth Harris shows how to create memorable characters using details, and James Scott Bell explains why plot is essential to character. Meanwhile, Zoe M. McCarthy warns against character overload in first chapters, and K.M. Weiland tackles the common writing mistake of not using contractions in dialogue. […]

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, can i use contractions like 'don't' in a college essay, or is that too informal.

Quick query for y'all: Are contractions like 'don't' and 'won't' a big no-no in a college essay, or are they okay to use? I want my essay to sound conversational, but I'm worried about coming across as unprofessional.

Hey there! Your question is something many students ponder over while writing their essays. The use of contractions in college essays isn’t a strict taboo. In fact, if contractions will make your essay sound more natural and conversational, they can actually be a plus. While the college essay is a formal piece of writing, you don't want it to sound too academic, as that may make admissions officers lose focus. The key is to ensure your tone matches the message you’re trying to convey.

If you’re sharing a personal story, contractions are entirely appropriate. For instance, if you're writing about a casual conversation with a friend that led to an epiphany, using contractions would match the tone of that experience. However, if you’re discussing a more formal or serious topic, like your work nursing animal back to health during your volunteer work at an animal shelter, it might be better to avoid them.

A good rule of thumb is to read your essay out loud. Does it sound like you? If there are any places where you stumble, there's probably a wrinkle there that needs to be ironed out—you shouldn't be tripping over your own story! Your essay is a chance to showcase your authentic self, so your voice should be naturally yours. So, as long as you feel you're telling the story in the way that feels natural to you, don't agonize over how many or how few contractions you use.

If you're wondering how your essay will come across to other readers, you can check out CollegeVine's free peer essay review service, or submit your essay for a paid review by an expert advisor. Asking friends or teachers to read it over can also be a good idea, but having someone who doesn't already know you take a look can help give you a clearer sense of how admissions officers will read it.

Best of luck with your writing!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.