Contractions

Examples of contractions:

• I have = I’ve
• You will = You’ll
• We are = We’re
• They have = They’ve
  
  

Contractions are:

• easier to scan
• easier to process
• an easy way to write with a friendly tone

Which of the following sentences feels natural, easier to read, friendlier, and less formal?

1. I am going to grab a coffee. I will only be 10 minutes because I have got that meeting.
2. I’m going to grab a coffee. I’ll only be 10 minutes because I’ve got that meeting.
   
   

The second one, hands down.

So why do people suggest not to contract verbs?

The argument against doing it in writing has always been that it’s unprofessional or improper. I disagree. It helps a reader glide through the sentence as if they were hearing someone speak it. I think it’s natural.

When people say write like you speak, contracting is one of the things they mean, because when we read, we hear the words in our head. Expanded verb forms are jarring because they halt the melodic flow of language like an off key note.

Here's another example.

1. You are crazy! I cannot come out now, it is raining and I have got to catch up on Netflix!
2. You're crazy! I can't come out now, it's raining and I've got to catch up on Netflix!
   
   

So, my suggestion is to contract verbs to mirror the slippery flow of natural, spoken language. You can be both natural and professional. And, it’s not unprofessional to write like we speak.

It’s simply efficient. I've contracted verb forms all the way through this guide, and I don't think I sound unprofessional.

There are a few cases where contracting might be:

1. Confusing
2. Misleading
3. Too much like we speak

• I’d = I would and I had
• You’d = You would and You had
• We’d = We would and We had 
• They’d = They would and They had
  
  

Readers can be a long way through a sentence before they realise they understood the wrong one, and writers should work hard to remove that burden from the reader.

If it’s obvious, then contract. If you’re unsure, default to not contracting.

Be considerate and guide them through carefully.

If we contract:

• do not
• could not
• would not
  
  

Or any other variant with the negative "not", we hide the important word and the important action.

It may be blunt but it is clear. And for people scanning, we must not hide messages, where understanding the message is crucial.

Examples:

Before: Please don’t miss the deadline
After: Please do not miss the deadline

Before: Remember, you won’t get access without your code
After: Remember you will not get access without your code

Clarity for the reader’s benefit trumps a friendly tone. Because if they misunderstand, and overlook something important, you’ll be dealing with their unfriendly tone.

Even though we might roll some sounds together when we talk, it’s odd to see them written down.

Examples:

• The dog’ll bite
• My phone'll ring soon
• Your sister'll come with us
  
  

It'll trip readers up and as they come to their feet again, we give them pause to think about the one billion other things they could be doing.