Using Contractions in Business Writing

Many business people believe using contractions in business writing is a big “no-no.” They think of contractions as a breach of formality, or as unprofessional, or sloppy. It’s commonly assumed that using contractions in business documents creates risks like:

·         No one will respect you.

·         Your message (or credibility) is somehow diminished as too informal, breezy and unprofessional.

This notion about avoiding contractions in business prose is rooted in a flexible half-rule applied inflexibly. Avoiding contractions in business writing is one aspect of stiffness and formality some business people conform to because “that’s the way it’s always done and it’s what our readers expect.”

But, people don’t talk without contractions (and if they did it would sound very unnatural to our ear). At all levels of discourse and in all circumstances we use contractions a lot—it’s normal and natural to our speech and dialog. We usually use contractions with common word sequences, like negations (can’t, shouldn’t, don’t, won’t, isn’t) and with pronouns and adjacent verbs (I’m, you’re, they’ve, they’re, we’re, we’ve, we’ll, I’ve). They’re perfectly well understood and serve to improve efficiency and streamline the flow or cadence for the reader. Using contractions allows your writing to resemble idiomatic, spoken English.

The head of an investment banking firm recently told me they discourage their in-house memorandum writers from using contractions. This earnest professional group (attending my business-writing class) was also convinced that their audience expected formality in informational selling documents addressing big issues and big dollars, and that the formality signaled their professionalism. A number of the team members insisted that in their business contractions are perceived as “informal” and presumed unacceptable. They believe using contractions in business writing compromises their professional stature. While uncertain of the no-contraction notion’s (perceived rule’s) origin, they were sure it was a rule. And they always follow it. As I informed them that contractions are perfectly acceptable even in formal business prose, they resisted, clearly believing that breaking their rule makes them look bad in the eyes of their business community.

I wondered why using contractions is considered informal or unprofessional, was surprised by their position, and thought the issue deserved a close look. I wasn’t aware this informal rule remains so persistent in business halls. Let’s think about this for a minute.

Why be so inflexible? Ultimately your job as business writers isn’t to conform to perceived standard formalities (like no contractions). It is instead—first—to communicate your ideas in the clearest way possible and ensure that your audience understands quickly and easily without confusion. Your second (or third) consideration should be conforming to industry style conventions, but you should do this not for the sake of conforming, but as one means of ensuring you meet your first priority—clarity and ease of understanding.

Don’t Ban Contractions—Instead, Use Them Wisely

Is it wrong to use contractions in business writing? The short answer is “no.” Go ahead and use them, but use them intelligently and don’t overuse them. Readers will thank you because your writing will flow better and you’ll actually—in my opinion—look more like a professional writer, not less.

Avoid rigid rules like: “never use contractions in business writing.” It’s overkill and burdens/limits your writing. When you do not use contractions, you are forced into a rigid, stilted and unnatural formality. You make your readers work harder.

Better rules:

·        Don’t overuse contractions in business prose, and be careful to use them judiciously and appropriately to improve readability and flow.

·        Don’t overuse contractions in a way that makes the writing inappropriately informal or casual.

·        Limit use of contractions to combinations that are common and clearly understood, and not subject to confusion.

Contractions aren’t “slang,” though some equate them with slang. And I would argue they’re not even informal. They’re just contractions. But, it’s clear that overusing them can make writing seem too casual—which isn’t appropriate in some business contexts, especially those in which writers want to convey a high level of professionalism or conform to rigid presentation protocols.

You shouldn’t overdo it by using too many contractions, but selectively using them to make your writing flow better and more naturally/conversationally for the reader is fine. Speaking/writing in a warm friendly tone is appropriate in any business context because it serves your purpose of improving readability and relatability. Effective use of common contractions isn’t “sloppy” or “casual” if it improves the reader’s experience and understanding.

As writers we should want to use contractions to communicate in a flowing, easy style that allows readers to sense that the words come easily. Communicating in a rigidly formal way is unnatural to many readers—even in formal business presentations you want the reader to feel at ease, not tense. Stilted, burdensome business prose doesn’t make readers comfortable or confident—and it may just annoy them.