Avoid the use of contractions

Formal Voice: Full Article

Table of Contents

1.        Formal Writing Voice

2.       Do not use first-person pronouns

3.       Avoid addressing readers as "you."

4.       Avoid the use of contractions

5.       Avoid Colloquialism and Slang

6.       Inaccurate Word Choice: Non-Standard

7.       Avoid abbreviated words

8.      AVOID overuse of short and simple sentences

9.       Final Comments

4. Avoid the use of contractions.

Contractions are shortened versions of 'real' words that use apostrophes in place of letters, such as "can't," "isn't," "she's," and "wouldn't." 

The more formal, non-contracted versions are "cannot," "is not," "she is," and "would not." 

You might be surprised by how much better a sentence can sound if non-contracted versions of the words replace the contractions. [Also, when using Standard English, you need to use 'true' words.  A contraction is a shortening of two 'real' English words and fusing them together with an apostrophe.  Therefore, a contraction is not a Standard English word.]

Example
The character isn't aware that he's surrounded by people he can't trust.
The character is not aware that he is surrounded by people he cannot trust.

Making your writing more formal by avoiding contractions is easy: just find the contractions and replace them with the non-contracted versions of the words.

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