What are Contractions?
You know how you use terms like 'we're,' 'I'll,' 'can't,' 'hasn't' and several others? These are contractions in English grammar. These are very common in the English language, in both scenarios; speaking and writing. These were born out of a practice of not taking the time to pronounce the words precisely. Contractions are short-term of word or group of words. While using these, you are omitting certain letters or sounds. Exactly at the place where we omit a sound or a letter, we insert an apostrophe, which is often referred to as the contractive apostrophe. These are part of informal writing and casual conversations. When it comes to formal or professional writing or verbal discussion, the usage of contractions is highly discouraged.
How to Use Contractions
Contractions in the English language are part of informal writing and speaking. These are shortened terms which are created after omitting specific sounds or letters. The most common contractions in the English language include can’t, we’re, I’m, they’re, don’t, ‘aren’t, ‘hasn’t, and several others. Now that we know what contractions are let us know exactly how to use them when writing or speaking. Before you decide to use a contraction, make sure you are aware of the purpose of the contraction you are planning to use. There are different cases where you can use these terms; sometimes, it is not just appropriate to use contractions. The three cases where using contractions are acceptable include; Talking directly to a reader. Writing dialogue in a play or a novel. Creating a slogan or an advertisement. All this resonates with the fact that the usage of contractions in formal documents or conversations is not appropriate. Another thing that you need to keep in mind is always to use an apostrophe when writing contractions. Several contractions hold double meaning; one example is that of ‘she’d’ or ‘he’d.’ Here this can be used in place of ‘she would’ or ‘she had.’ Know this before you use a contraction. Also, try to recognize the type of contractions. There are two types; positive and negative. Positive are the ones that are used when a pronoun is written with a verb. Negatives are ones that are used when a verb is being written with a ‘not.’
When to Use Contractions and When Not To...
Contractions are shortened words that you use together with an apostrophe. It's a useful element and makes a tone quite friendly. However, you can't use contractions if you're writing formally or devising your research paper. The proper use of contractions lies when you're trying to incorporate a conversational tone.