can i use contractions in my college essay

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6 Grammar Rules You Should Break When You’re Writing Your College Essay

June 14, 2018 by Sharon Epstein Leave a comment

“You can do that?” she asked. “I’ve always been told not to use contractions.”

Like my student, you’ve probably been given a list of grammar rules to follow when you’re writing an English paper. But here’s the catch:

Your college essay isn’t an English paper. You’re telling a story. You’re writing in your own voice. You’ve got creative leeway.

Now to be fair, grammar rules are important. They help us clearly express what we want to say. They allow us to reach our reader in an effective way.

But it’s a big, creative world out there.

Look at me, for example. I wrote dialogue for soap operas. My characters didn’t avoid slang or contractions. If I wanted them to say, “Are you friggin’ kidding me, Alice? I’m outta here! I’m getting a divorce!”—they said that. I love how words sound and how I can combine them to make an impact. This is my style. The college essay is your style.

6 Grammar Rules You Can Break While You’re Writing a Great College Essay:

1. Don’t  Use Contractions. Your essay should sound like you’re telling a story. It should be in a conversational tone. We all speak in contractions, so go ahead and use them. (Although, I avoid “would’ve” and “should’ve” because I think they’re too casual for college essays.)

2. Don’t   Use Sentence Fragments. Surprise! You might actually want to use a sentence fragment in your essay. A sentence fragment is short, so it’s like putting an exclamation mark on an idea. Think about using one when you want to emphasize a point. Here are three examples of sentence fragments:

I needed to find a new way to study. Because mine wasn’t working out .

The mountain was the tallest I’d ever seen. Which is why I knew I had to climb it . 

I finally remembered the answer. After the test had ended.

3. Don’t You Can Start Sentences With And , But and Or .  Want to start a sentence with a conjunction? Go ahead. In fact, you’ll be in good company. Here’s a quote from the Chicago Manual of Style , a guide that’s widely used in publishing:

“There is a widespread belief—one with no historical or grammatical foundation—that it is an error to begin a sentence with a conjunction such as and, but or so . In fact, a substantial percentage (often as many as 10 percent) of the sentences in first-rate writing begin with conjunctions. It has been so for centuries, and even the most conservative grammarians have followed this practice.”

4. Don’t End sentences with a preposition. We’ve been taught not to end sentences with prepositions, so we re-write our ideas to conform to this rule. For instance, when we want to say , “What space did you park the car in?” we change it to, “In which space did you park the car?”

This type of change often makes a sentence sound more formal. College application essays, though, should be more conversational, and that’s why ending sentences with prepositions is okay.

5. Don’t Use I. You probably know you should use “I” when you write your college essays. But it’s not always easy to write in the first person, especially if you’ve been taught not to voice your personal opinion. It can feel uncomfortable to make that transition.

You can disappear from your story if you write in the third person. For example, if you write, “A change in study habits was needed,” you’ve taken yourself out of the sentence. It feels like you’re a distant commentator, the outsider looking in. Put yourself back in your story. Use I. Instead, of saying, “A change in study habits was needed,” say, “ I decided that I needed to change my study habits.” And don’t be haunted by the third person.

6. No one-sentence paragraphs . One-sentence paragraphs can be amazing.

Toss the notion that all your paragraphs have to be at least three to five sentences. Sure, some paragraphs will be that long. But if a one-sentence paragraph will make your point, provide a transition, or be part of your creative flow, go for it. Don’t go overboard—you’re not writing a poem—but if it works with the rest of your essay, one-sentence paragraphs can do amazing things.

So, traveler, you’ve arrived in the territory of self-expression. You’ve traveled here to tell your story. You’ll still follow some important grammar rules: you’ll use descriptive words, choose the active voice, and make sure your subject agrees with your verb. But it’s time to stretch those creative limbs. And if you’re still not sure breaking these grammar rules is the right way to go, just open up one of your favorite books, by any good author, and read a few paragraphs. Some grammar rules are meant to be broken. So go right ahead.

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College consultant, teaching students how to write memorable college application essays, grad school and prep school essays, and succeed at job and college interviews.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, is using contractions in a college essay okay.

Hey guys, I've been working on my essay and I noticed I've been using contractions throughout the whole thing. It makes the essay feel more like a conversation, but I'm worried that it might come off as too informal. Should I go back and remove all the contractions or just leave them be? Thanks for any advice!

Hi there! It's great that you're working on your college essay and seeking advice on how to improve it. When it comes to using contractions, you're right that it can make the essay feel more conversational, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's too informal.

In fact, many admissions officers appreciate when students write in a more natural tone, as it helps them get to know the person behind the application. I remember when my child was applying to college, they used contractions in their essay, and it didn't hurt their chances at all. They were accepted into several competitive schools.

That being said, if you feel that the contractions are taking away from the overall quality of your essay or making it sound too casual, you can always revise and remove some of them. Trust your instincts and consider having a teacher, counselor, or even a friend read your essay to provide feedback on the tone.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to ensure that your essay accurately reflects your voice and personality. Good luck with your application!

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.

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College Essay Contractions: Some Grammar Rules to Follow

• by Joseph Kenas
• February 11, 2024

To write a good college essay, there are factors you have to put into consideration. There are guidelines worth following to the latter to get the right grade. Ensure you avoid mistakes that might cost you entry into the college of your choice. You need to be careful with the use of contractions. 

Contractions are the short form of two words : don’t instead of do not. Usually, there will be an apostrophe replacing the missing word. These contractions are mostly used in informal writing, such as dialogue and speech.

But avoid using them in formal writing such as essays. However, there are circumstances where the use of contractions in essays is acceptable , for instance, when quoting a speaker.

What are Contractions in an Essay?

A college essay is a form of formal writing. That being the case, as a student, you need to avoid contractions. They are less formal. However, you can use them in narrative essays or just sparingly in your writing.

When using the contractions, they tend to reduce the word count of your essay.

This might be a great way of ensuring you easily maintain your optimal word count.

You can reduce two words into one hence not exceeding the word count set by far.

Normally a college application essay ought to be personal. You have to tell a story that will fetch you good grades. In this regard, you can use the contractions.

However, there is always a catch. You should not overuse those short forms. Only use them when they make sense. Overusing them can turn your application as the worst essay to be received.

Can I Use Contractions in a College Essay?

Many tutors discourage the use of contractions when writing college essays. But there are circumstances whereby the use of contractions is acceptable.

For instance, you can heed that call when the instructions allow us to use short forms of words. Before you begin writing your essay, ensure you read the instructions thoroughly. You might find that clause allowing you to use contractions.

There is always a clause in the essay instructions that tells you how many words you should write. Know what universities look for in your application.

Unfortunately, when it comes to word count, a significant number of students are prone to having a challenge.

Either they might end up with a lower or higher word count. However, you can avoid facing such instances. Embrace the use of contractions to ensure you manage your word count.

If the essay is not clear about the language to use, it opens a window for you to use contractions. However, there will always be the need to be careful not to overuse them.

You can also choose to inquire from your tutor to ascertain if you can use contractions.

This prevents you from going against the tutor’s rules while assessing your essay. So do not just assume that since there are no instructions not to use shortened words, you can use them. 

Analytical, argumentative, extended, and compare and contrast essays are normally formal. Therefore, any student undertaking those essays should desist from the use of contractions.

But with college application essays, you can break some rules. Since they are less formal, you can insert some contractions. The admissions board might be lenient and not penalize you for using them.

When quoting speeches in your college essay, you can use contractions. This allows you to write the exact words said by the speaker. It brings authenticity to the message you are attempting to pass across. The message is raw without any form of manipulation. For direct speech, do not shy away from using words such as doesn’t.

If you want your college essay to be casual and connect with the tutor on a personal level, then use contractions. They provide personalization to your message. You can easily speak your mind and tell your story. And that is the essence of a college application essay. You have to make it personal to tell the admissions board about yourself.

Why Using College Essay Contractions is Not Recommended

As stated earlier, most college essays require you to use a formal writing format. For instance, if your essay is argumentative, you have to show the seriousness it deserves. You have to avoid using contractions.

They will not show the weight in the message you are passing across. This is also the case when writing an analytical essay.

You have to ensure that you avoid shortening words at all costs.

There is always the tendency of overusing contractions.

This is why most tutors do not recommend it. Even if the instructions allow you, ensure you use them sparingly.

The flexibility of using shortened words is not a go-ahead to overuse them. Take time and write words in full so that your essay does not seem like a text message.

Once you finish writing your college essay, read it aloud to ensure your tone is consistent. This is very important in making your essay appealing to the assessment team.

Shorten words are bound to derail the consistency of the tone you are using in your essay. So how do you avoid such an incidence from happening? Even if using shortened words is acceptable as per the instructions, make sure you maintain a formal tone.

Fulfilling the essay word count is not a walk in the park. At some point, the shortened words might make it hard for you to achieve the set word count. It will be prudent to write words in full so that you do not fall short of the threshold. So even if you want to prenasalize your essay, ensure you also consider the word count. 

And if your essay requires you to use a professional tone, then using short words is not a good idea. It is, therefore, your duty to avoid them as much as possible.

The use of contractions makes you sound less professional. Remember, contractions are popular in casual conversations and writings. Therefore, they might not be ideal if you want to present your message formally.

Tips on How to Avoid Contractions in College Essay

Most students find it hard to avoid contractions when writing college essays. Even worse, some go to the extent of overusing shortened words. However, there is always to avoid such a mistake. Here are some of the tips that you can use:

1. Normalize Writing Words in Full

This will give you the habit of not using short words. You will become a master in this art since practice makes perfect. And if you constantly practice not to overuse them, you will kill that tendency.

2. Reading the Instructions

Some students do not pay attention to the written instructions. This is where the rubber meets the rod. There might be a clause that requests you not to use contractions. So, if you do not read the instructions, you might make the mistake of using contractions.

3. Respect the Word Count

Maintaining your word count can be a problem. One of the reasons you might not achieve the word count is by using shortened words since they reduce the number of words. If you want to respect the set word count, then ensure you avoid contractions.

4. Seek your Tutor’s Guidance

Ensure you inquire from your tutor if you need to use contractions. You will get the guidance you need so that you do not make any mistakes in regard to shortening words.

Most students tend to use contractions in their college essays. If you intend to sound personal and casual, using contractions is not a crime. Do not just overuse them. But if you have to sound professional, avoid contractions like the plague.

Joseph is a freelance journalist and a part-time writer with a particular interest in the gig economy. He writes about schooling, college life, and changing trends in education. When not writing, Joseph is hiking or playing chess.

College Nut

Contractions in College Essays: To Use or Not to Use

As a high school student, you were probably taught to avoid contractions in formal writing. However, as you embark on your college essay writing journey, you may be wondering if using contractions is acceptable. The answer is not a simple yes or no – it depends on the context and tone of your essay. In this essay, we will explore the usage of contractions in college essays and the factors to consider before deciding whether or not to use them.

Understanding Contractions

Before we dive into the debate surrounding contractions in college essays, let us first define what they are. Contractions are shortened versions of words or phrases created by combining two words with the use of an apostrophe. For example, “it is” becomes “it’s,” and “I would” becomes “I’d.”

The Case for Using Contractions

Using contractions can make your writing sound more natural and conversational. This can be particularly effective if you are trying to convey a personal story or experience. Contractions can help you establish a connection with the reader and inject some personality into your writing.

Moreover, if your writing style is naturally more casual, using contractions can help you maintain your voice and keep your essay authentic. It is important to remember that college admissions officers are trying to get a sense of who you are as a person, and your writing style is a significant part of that.

The Case Against Using Contractions

On the other hand, some argue that using contractions can detract from the formality and professionalism of your writing. In academic writing, many professors prefer their students to avoid contractions because it can be seen as informal and not serious enough. This can be particularly important if you are trying to demonstrate your expertise in a particular subject.

Another point to consider is that contractions can often be ambiguous, and the meaning might not be clear. For example, “they’re” could be “they are” or “they were.” This could lead to confusion and potentially hurt your essay’s readability and effectiveness.

Factors to Consider

As we have seen, there are arguments for and against using contractions in college essays. Ultimately, the decision to use contractions should be based on the context and tone of your essay. Here are some factors to consider before making a decision:

1. Purpose of the Essay

What is the purpose of your essay? If your goal is to showcase your academic abilities and demonstrate your mastery of a subject, it might be best to avoid contractions. However, if you are telling a personal story or trying to connect with the reader on a more emotional level, contractions might be appropriate.

2. Target Audience

Who is your target audience? If you are writing for a formal academic audience, it might be best to avoid contractions. However, if you are writing for a more general audience, using contractions can make your essay more engaging and accessible.

3. Personal Style

What is your personal writing style? If you naturally use contractions in your writing, it might be difficult to avoid them without sounding stilted or awkward. It is important to maintain your voice and authenticity in your writing.

4. Instructions

Always be sure to follow the instructions provided by the college or university. If they explicitly state that contractions should be avoided, then it is best to follow their guidelines.

In conclusion, the usage of contractions in college essays is not a simple matter. It depends on various factors such as the purpose of the essay, target audience, personal style, and instructions. Ultimately, the best approach is to write in a way that feels natural and authentic to you while considering the context and tone of your essay. Remember, the goal is to showcase who you are as a person and a writer, and using contractions may or may not be the best way to achieve that.

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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Grammar Do's, Don't of College Application Essays

Wise use of words, grammar and punctuation can help you write a strong, compelling essay.

College Application Essay Grammar Tips

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When writing a college application essay it's best to avoid using contractions, slang or cliches.

Serious college applicants spend a lot of time crafting and telling their stories in application essays. But it’s also critically important that the essay is well written as much as it is well planned, because a few spelling, grammar or style mishaps can give the reader a poor view of an otherwise amazing personal statement.

Just like you could spend months designing the perfect outfit for the prom but have it ruined by wrinkles or stains, you’ll want to make sure that your application essays are free from distracting elements that detract from what you want your audience to see of you.

As you edit your college essay, use this checklist to ensure you produce your best work.

• Write in active voice.
• Vary punctuation.
• Balance paragraphs.
• Don't use contractions, slang or cliches.
• Don't try to sound like Shakespeare.
• Don't jump around chronologically.

Write in Active Voice

In English, many actions can be expressed in either passive voice or active voice. For instance, you can say, “I was accepted by NYU” (passive) or “NYU accepted me” (active).

While the passive voice has its place in writing, the active voice is usually more desirable on college applications. Not only is it more concise, but it also reads as more powerful and proactive.

Consider, for example, the difference in meaning between “I was offered an internship opportunity” and “I pursued an internship opportunity.” The active voice works better because it highlights the applicant’s take-charge attitude, an attribute that colleges value.

Vary Punctuation

A few less-common yet well-placed punctuation marks can give your application essay a sophisticated edge.

For example, consider adding a semicolon to connect two closely related sentences, a colon to introduce an explanation for a claim or a set of em dashes to enclose an important interruption within a sentence. The key is to not get carried away repeating the same mark too many times or using rarer marks where a simple comma or period would do the trick.

Before submission, check your essay for comma splices, the mistake that occurs when a comma is used to separate two full sentences.

Balance Paragraphs

Even though the content may be high quality, an essay containing some short paragraphs and some lengthy ones is visually unpleasing. Readers — admissions counselors, in particular — like to see relative uniformity, or balance, in writing. Because these individuals often skim hundreds of essays a day, coming across a particularly long paragraph can be daunting.

So, keep your paragraphs on the shorter end of the spectrum. Try to limit them to five to seven sentences each, or fewer if your sentences are long. Your paragraphs do not all need to be the same length, but you should avoid significant differences in length that could be jarring.

Don’t Use Contractions, Slang or Cliches

Avoid contractions like "don’t," "it’s" and "they’re" in your essay because they will give your writing an informal feel. Instead, separate and write out the full words.

For this same reason, avoid slang and overused words like “cool” or “amazing” and replace them with longer and less-common words, such as "exhilarating" or "memorable." Also, steer away from cliches, well-known expressions such as “the last straw” or “the light at the end of the tunnel.” Rather than using recycled language, try to express the idea in your own words.

Don’t Try to Sound Like Shakespeare

In response to the previous tip, students sometimes take formal language to an extreme, endeavoring to include as many four- or five-syllable words as possible in their essay. However, this is ill-advised because it will make your essay read as stuffy and unnatural.

Your essay should sound like something you wrote, but have a few sophisticated words peppered throughout it. To that end, you may wish to consult a thesaurus a few times as you craft your essay or after you are finished. This step will help you to substitute common words for more elegant ones. However, you should not change so many words that readers would need a dictionary to make sense of your essay.

Don’t Jump Around Chronologically

In a college application essay, it is inevitable that you talk about the past (your experiences), the present (your interests) and the future (your goals). As you outline your essay, give some thought to how you will order these ideas.

Many students prefer to start with the past and progress chronologically toward the future. Others may start with the present, then discuss the past and end with the future. There is no right or wrong sequence; the order of events should match the type of narrative you want to tell.

However, jumping around too often — for example, from past to future to present within the same paragraph — could dizzy your reader. Therefore, it may be best to limit each paragraph to one general time frame.

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Does the MLA allow the use of contractions in scholarly writing?

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

Yes. The MLA allows contractions in its publications. In professional scholarly writing, sometimes a formal tone is desired, but often a more conversational approach is taken. When overused, contractions can be distracting. But there is nothing inherently incorrect about contractions, which often keep prose from being stilted and make it more approachable and easier to read. However, clarity and context matter.

Contractions may not be suitable for all types of formal writing—like a research paper, where protocols for formal writing are being learned. After all, it’s easier to understand when to bend a rule once it has been mastered. There are countless other examples of formal writing when contractions would be unsuitable (e.g., if you are writing a judge requesting leniency in sentencing, contractions will seem dismissive).

When to avoid contractions in your prose:

If the contraction could have more than one meaning: she’d can mean she had or she would . If a contraction results in lack of clarity, avoid it.

If more than one word is contracted—for example, he’d’ve for he would have .

If have is pronounced “of” when elided: could’ve ( could have ). The consensus is to avoid such formulations in formal writing (Garner; O’Conner).

If the contraction can be mistaken for a possessive, even momentarily: The teacher’s key to the classroom and can’t be replaced (better: The teacher is key to the classroom and can’t be replaced ).

Works Cited

Garner, Bryan A. Garner’s Modern American Usage . Oxford UP, 2009.

O’Conner, Patricia T. Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English . E-book, Riverhead Books, 2009.

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Can You Use Contractions in a College Essay? (Quick Answer)

by  Antony W

February 16, 2023

A college application essay is one of the easiest to write. Sometimes it feels more like a personal statement   because it’s the essay in which you tell an admissions board about yourself and why you believe you make a good fit in their leaning institution.

We’ve given you the complete guide to write an admissions essay here   already. However, we’d like to address an issue that has to do with using contractions in this kind of an essay.

Put in another way, can you use contractions in a college essay or should you write all the words in full instead?

You can use contractions in a college application essay provided it makes sense to do so. Contractions are ideal in such an essay because it allows you to present a paper that sounds more personal. Contractions also reduce your word count, so it’s easy to keep your essay in just the right length.

The rule of thumb when it comes to writing a college application essay is to use your own authentic voice. Open it with a hook, tell a story and explain it if really have to, personalize the essay with personal pronouns, and use contractions if you wish.

As you write the essay, pay attention to the requested word count and make sure your work is on point. Your writing can be a little informal, only make sure that what you write doesn’t sound casual.

Can You Use Contractions in a College Essay?  (What You Should Know) 

Academics recommend avoiding contractions at all cost because they aren’t part of the formal academic language. While that’s often a rule that holds in academic writing, you may be able to use contractions in some instances.

To be clear, many types of essays, such as argumentative writing and the Theory of Knowledge Essay, require in-depth research, formulation of research questions ,  and formal writing. Therefore, the use of contractions doesn’t apply here and can as easily affect your overall scores.

It’s a different when it comes to creative writing, which is an aspect that we tend to see in personal as well as college application essays. Since contractions usually demonstrate a high level of personalization, it would be completely okay to use them in your college application essay.

What’s a Contraction in an Essay? 

A contraction is a combination of words, often a noun with a verb, linked with an apostrophe. Contractions shorten words, significantly lowering the number of word count in written as well as verbal communication.

Contractions, in both written and verbal communication stand out because they form part of the human vernacular. Not to mention that they’re simple in form and easy to pronounce.

As interesting as the use of contractions in verbal and written communication is, they tend to be less formal in nature, which means you shouldn’t use them in formal academic writing. They’re fine to include, at least sparingly, in personal and narrative essays, in which case it’s fine to use them in a college essay.

How to Use Contractions in a College Essay

As much as you can use contractions in a college essay since it’s a personalized kind of writing and usually less academic in form, it’s important to check if you really can shorten words in your writing.

• The brief provided by the admissions committee can be handy. The document has all the instructions you need to write the essay, including the kind of language to use (whether formal or informal).
• If the brief isn’t clear about the kind of language to use, consult the admissions board. It’s better to ask and get the essay done right than to assume and fail the test altogether.

Keeping the two points above into consideration will definitely help to point you in the right direction as you write your college essay.

Is the Use of Contractions Necessary in College Essays? 

Think of it from the point of view of a face-to-face conversation with a friend. Would you really use a forma language to talk to them in a standard setting that doesn’t require any kind of formality?

You wouldn’t.

From what we understand, an essay that’s about you is hard to write without some level of personalization. So while we appreciate the structure and value of formal writing in academic papers, it’s odd not to use contractions in a college application essay.

There’s an important caveat to using contractions in a college essay that you need not forget. Remember that while you have the flexibility to shorten words in the essay, you should avoid overusing this style of writing. Do it only when it’s absolutely necessary because a little surely does go a long way.

What We Think About Contractions in College Essays 

College application essays are usually less formal in nature than the likes of:

• 1 Compare and contrast essays
• 2 Extended essays
• 3 Argumentative essays
• 4 Analytical essays

 Given that they’re casual and familiar, you shouldn’t hesitate to bend some of the rules. That means the admissions board won’t penalize you for writing something like “I’m” instead of “I am”.

The most important thing to do once you finish writing your college essay is to read it out-loud to determine whether it’s consistent in voice and tone.

Can I Get Help With College Essay?

There’s no one right way to write a college essay, but your work has to be good enough to grab the attention of an admission committee.

Unfortunately, it can be hard to write an admissions essay if you haven’t touched a pen and paper to write anything significant for a long time after graduating from high school.

Don’t worry, though, because we’re here to help. Through our college admission essay service ,  you can get a comprehensive and interesting college essay completed in less than half a day.

All you have to do is to get in touch with us and we’ll do the best we can to point you in the right direction and get the essay written, delivered, and submitted in good time.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

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Essential Grammar Rules For Your College Apps

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How to Use Rhetorical Devices in Your College Essay →

There’s significant variation, in terms of advice, on what grammar to use on your college essays and free-response sections. We’ve already covered what you could talk about in your essay and how your should frame it , so now let’s dive into the way you should speak to your experience.

Some think that a college essay should resemble an academic essay (don’t use the word “I” and only use formal language, for example) but in our opinion, that’s impractical. These topics are about you. You have to speak from personal experience.

The same idea goes for a conversational style. We think that an easygoing, non-stiff tone works best. In essence, be somewhat casual while still using correct spoken grammar conventions. Luckily, since college admissions officers get applications from around the world (and since students have vastly different ways of writing and speaking) they’re used to a variety of styles. There isn’t one correct way to do it, so long as it sounds like you.

Below, we provide some examples of ways to write casually without sacrificing grammar; these are also some of the most common mistakes we see. These rules are applicable for a college essay but can also be used elsewhere in your application—the key here is consistency. Your voice needs to sound the same across essays, free-response, and short answers, otherwise it’ll sound like someone else is writing it for you.

Use Contractions

This one can generate some passionate dialogue (i.e., it’s a bit controversial) but we say go for it. Contractions are an important part of the spoken English language, and they instantly help readers get into a casual, conversational voice as they read the essays to themselves. Admissions officers may play an official role, but they’re people too. They like know that you’re confident and clear, and that you’re bringing them into the story instead of isolating them.

Take a look at these two sentences. Which makes you feel like you have a better connection with the writer?

• I do not have to provide an extra receipt, so I did not—and that is my mistake.
• I don’t have to give an extra receipt, so I didn’t—and that’s my mistake.

The shortened words of #2 help the language seem less stiff and ease the flow of the sentence. Since most people read out loud in their own voice, it reads more smoothly as a spoken, conversational sentence. It’s a small distinction, but an important one.

You won’t be able to use contractions for everything, especially if it sounds weird to do so. The best rule of thumb is to read out loud. When you’re tempted to make a contraction, do it. When it sounds weird or it sounds better to place emphasis on each word by separating them (That is my mistake), do that instead.

Focus on Active Voice

You may have heard this one before, because it’s also a tactic you’d use in more formal English. If you have never heard of this rule, in a nutshell:

• A sentence in passive voice takes the actor (the person or thing doing the action) and places it at the end of the sentence: “The ball was thrown by the boy.”
• A sentence in active voice takes the actor and places it at the front: “The boy threw the ball.”

Notice how the active sentence is shorter and clearer. Whenever you can ask the question: by whom? Or by what? That’s often a clue of passive voice. In the example above, the ball was thrown… by whom? The boy. So the boy is the actor and therefore should be the subject.

Occasionally, it won’t be very clear who the actor is. “He is under stress right now.” (by what? It might not be anything) “The racer was uninterested in running.” (by what? Unclear.) What if no actor exists? Sometimes passive construction doesn’t have an easy fix. There are better ways to create a more active sentence, though.

For example: “Right now, the stress affects him.” “The racer didn’t want to run.” In both cases, I chose a more active verb to show movement, instead of the “is (verb)” construction of passive voice. So beware of passive construction even when there’s no actor.

We also understand that sometimes passive voice is necessary. When you need to put focus on the object, not the actor, passive voice makes sense. For example, “I was led by the hand to the stage.” The essay is about you, so we don’t need to know who the actor (the hand-holder) is in this case. Just make sure that every sentence isn’t passive voice. Short, punchy, to-the-point language is a hallmark of effective casual writing.

Watch Your -Ings

In case you want to get into the details, here are the rules: a gerund is a word that adds “-ing” to a verb and uses it as a noun. “I enjoy swimming.” A present participle is a word that adds “-ing” to a verb and uses it as an adjective or part of a verb. “I’m playing soccer tonight.” But the more important point is to watch out for them, particularly the present participle. They can make sentences awkward and interrupt the flow. See the difference:

• “I enjoy swimming” (gerund) vs. “I love to swim”
• “I’m playing soccer tonight” (present participle) vs. “I play soccer tonight”

In both cases the new phrase implies action. Now, there are times when “-ing” makes sense: if the sentence sounds weird without it or if you are literally in the middle of doing something. “I’m doing my homework” makes sense because you haven’t yet completed it. Sometimes you’ll need an “-ing” to show that you were doing something when something else happened.

Again, as before, vary up your structure. If this is something you use a lot, write a first draft and then hit Command/Control+F to find all the places you use it. If it’s a lot, find other ways to convey your ideas using strong verbs.

The Pronoun Problem

This one’s a common but easily fixable problem. Whenever you use a pronoun, it should have a clear antecedent, which is just a fancy word for whatever the pronoun refers back to. So: “My sister swam in a race, and she placed third.” The antecedent for “she” is your sister.

In the case of “I,” the antecedent is already pretty clear. But it’s easy to confuse the reader by not making it clear who’s who:

• “My friends Ashley and Tamra decided to skip the event because she couldn’t miss her sister’s birthday.” (whose sister? Ashley or Tamra?)
• “Once the schools start teaching and the students come back from summer break, they need help with their studies.” (Who is they? The schools or the students?)

In the second example, the answer might seem obvious, but you still have to make it clear. This might add a little awkwardness to a sentence: “My friends Ashley and Tamra decided to skip the event because Tamra couldn’t miss her sister’s birthday.” It’s repetitive. But, now it’s also understandable. To put your reader at ease, you have to make it abundantly clear what you mean. You should never confuse the admissions officer.

One other common problem is a mismatch between antecedent and pronoun. For example, “Every time a student takes a test, they have to use their memory.” “A student” is singular, “they” is plural. You could change “they” to “he or she” or you could change “A student” to “students.” This can make construction a bit awkward, but again it’s more jarring if it looks like you don’t know the rule.

Don’t Use “You”

As we said, feel free to use “I” or “we” in your college essays. This is your story, so tell it. But it would be very rare for you to have a reason to address the admissions officer directly, unless you are somehow writing a note to a specific person. The same is true with imperative construction, a.k.a. telling someone to do something. “Please accept me!” Even though the word “you” isn’t used, the sentence directs the action to the admissions officer.

In the case of the sentence above, there are a bunch of reasons why you shouldn’t say it (don’t beg to be accepted, tell them why you deserve to be selected instead). From a grammar perspective, it takes the reader out of whatever story or anecdote you’re sharing. They expect you to write about yourself, not tell them what to do. Imperative implies an authority that you just don’t have.

It’s easy to fix this problem:

• “Please look at my attached resume for more details.” (implied: You, please look at my resume.)
• “My resume is attached for more details.”

It’s just an easier way to convey information with being overly invasive.

Proofread A Ton

For each rule we could tell you about, there are a million more that might or might not help you, depending on your own unique style. The best way to strike a conversational tone is to pretend you’re saying it to someone else, write it down exactly as you said it, and then clean it up. That might be harder for visual learners who aren’t used to processing information in an auditory way, but it comes with practice.

You could even say an entire paragraph out loud and then use talk-to-text to transcribe it, then fix your content as you go. Again, this doesn’t work for everyone, but try it out. Once you’ve got a draft, read it out loud to yourself a couple of times. Make sure it flows nicely and makes sense in your voice.

Then, because you’re presumably not an expert in English and grammar yet, you need to show it to someone who does. An English or history teacher. A friend of the family. Someone else at school who excels at writing. Ideally, you’d show it to a few people. The more eyes on this essay, the more you’ll understand how others read and interpret it. When someone reads your essay in their voice, how do they say it? What do they hear? If it helps, have someone read the essay out loud back to you to make sure you haven’t structured anything in a confusing way.

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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?

Share this article

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.

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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. 

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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. 

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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.

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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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3 Grammar Mistakes That Make Admissions Officers Cringe

“But, CEA,” you might be thinking, “what mistakes should I be looking for? How can I possibly comb through every word and weed out every error?” The truth, dear students, is that you may not be able to catch every last mistake, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try! (Note: use double negatives with caution.) Some mistakes are more damaging than others, so to help you prioritize, we’ve put together a list of the grammar faux pas to avoid at all costs. Plus, we’ve pointed out a few so-called “mistakes” that you can let slide without fear.

1. Basic Spelling Issues

There are a handful of little everyday words that people mix up all the time because they sound exactly the same (to, too, and two, for example). We totally understand how, when you’re quickly typing out a draft, you might type the wrong word without even thinking about it, but these are the kinds of errors that can make an admissions officer scratch their head. Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the most common mix-ups:

• You’re = the contraction form of “you are” (Example: You’re awesome!)
• Your = the possessive form of “you” (Example: Your cat is awesome!)
• It’s = the contraction form of “it is” (Example: It’s a T-Rex!)
• Its = the possessive form of “it” (Example: The T-Rex could not scratch its head.)
• There = a place that isn’t here (Example: My burrito is over there.)
• They’re = the contraction form of “they are” (Example: They’re going to steal my burrito!)
• Their = possessive form of “they” (Example: I am going to steal their nachos.)
• Affect = generally used as a verb (Example: My healthy suggestions affected the school lunch options.)
• Effect = generally used as a noun (Example: My attempt to make her laugh did not have its intended effect.)
• Effect = used as a verb in very particular instances (Example: I’d like to become a doctor to effect change in my community.)

2. Capitalization

This is a tricky one! When should a word be capitalized and when should it just be treated like any other word in a sentence? Students have a lot of trouble with capitalization in their college essays because the rules for capitalizing certain academic disciplines, programs, majors, and degrees are not consistent. To help clear up the rules, remember these two simple tips:

• Your major should only be capitalized in three (3) specific cases: (1) it is a proper noun (like languages or continents: English or East Asian studies), (2) you are referring to the specific name of the department, school or course (like the School of Engineering, the Department of History, or “Anthropology 101”), (3) it is the first word in a sentence. In all other cases, do not capitalize.
• Degrees should only be capitalized when you refer to their full formal name, like Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, and so on.

3. Punctuation Problems

Hyphens, apostrophes, and quotation marks are some of the most commonly used – and easily confused – punctuation marks that come with their own sets of rules, so listen closely.

• Hyphens (-) are the dash-like punctuation marks that help you combine individual words into longer threads (like “never-before-seen footage”). When you are combining words to form an adjective, they should be hyphenated when they come BEFORE the thing they are describing, but not when they come AFTER. For example: “I was a 17-year-old student,” BUT: “I was 17 years old.”
• Apostrophes are used to make contractions, which combine two words (like you’re and I’m) and possessives, which demonstrate ownership. They are almost never used to make plurals SO DON’T DO IT. For example: “I like Beyoncé’s dance moves. They’re awesome.”
• Double quotation marks are the American English standard for designating quotes. Periods and commas should go inside quotation marks. For example: As Beyoncé always says, “I woke up like this.” On the other hand, question marks should go inside the quotation marks if the question is part of the quote and outside if it’s not. For example: Who said, “Beyoncé isn’t flawless”?

4. Contractions and Informal Language

You may have heard that contractions are a no-no in formal writing, but we beg to differ. The whole point of the personal statement is for you to speak to admissions in your own voice. We say, use contractions where they feel natural. If you’d rather say “I’m” than “I am,” go for it. Of course, you still need to keep in mind that the person reading your essay is evaluating you, so your personal statement should not read like a string of text messages to your friend, but more like an email to a teacher who knows you very well. Informal language is also welcome when it comes in dialogue if it helps you capture the way a person speaks and acts. It’s all a matter of degree and deciding which risks are worth taking for the sake of your story.

As you edit, infuse your essay with vivid details.

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Category: Essay Tips

Tags: college essay , college essay advisors , college essay help , college essay writing , grammar help , grammar mistakes , writing tips

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What I’ve Learned From My Students’ College Essays

The genre is often maligned for being formulaic and melodramatic, but it’s more important than you think.

By Nell Freudenberger

Most high school seniors approach the college essay with dread. Either their upbringing hasn’t supplied them with several hundred words of adversity, or worse, they’re afraid that packaging the genuine trauma they’ve experienced is the only way to secure their future. The college counselor at the Brooklyn high school where I’m a writing tutor advises against trauma porn. “Keep it brief , ” she says, “and show how you rose above it.”

I started volunteering in New York City schools in my 20s, before I had kids of my own. At the time, I liked hanging out with teenagers, whom I sometimes had more interesting conversations with than I did my peers. Often I worked with students who spoke English as a second language or who used slang in their writing, and at first I was hung up on grammar. Should I correct any deviation from “standard English” to appeal to some Wizard of Oz behind the curtains of a college admissions office? Or should I encourage students to write the way they speak, in pursuit of an authentic voice, that most elusive of literary qualities?

In fact, I was missing the point. One of many lessons the students have taught me is to let the story dictate the voice of the essay. A few years ago, I worked with a boy who claimed to have nothing to write about. His life had been ordinary, he said; nothing had happened to him. I asked if he wanted to try writing about a family member, his favorite school subject, a summer job? He glanced at his phone, his posture and expression suggesting that he’d rather be anywhere but in front of a computer with me. “Hobbies?” I suggested, without much hope. He gave me a shy glance. “I like to box,” he said.

I’ve had this experience with reluctant writers again and again — when a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously. Of course the primary goal of a college essay is to help its author get an education that leads to a career. Changes in testing policies and financial aid have made applying to college more confusing than ever, but essays have remained basically the same. I would argue that they’re much more than an onerous task or rote exercise, and that unlike standardized tests they are infinitely variable and sometimes beautiful. College essays also provide an opportunity to learn precision, clarity and the process of working toward the truth through multiple revisions.

When a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously.

Even if writing doesn’t end up being fundamental to their future professions, students learn to choose language carefully and to be suspicious of the first words that come to mind. Especially now, as college students shoulder so much of the country’s ethical responsibility for war with their protest movement, essay writing teaches prospective students an increasingly urgent lesson: that choosing their own words over ready-made phrases is the only reliable way to ensure they’re thinking for themselves.

Teenagers are ideal writers for several reasons. They’re usually free of preconceptions about writing, and they tend not to use self-consciously ‘‘literary’’ language. They’re allergic to hypocrisy and are generally unfiltered: They overshare, ask personal questions and call you out for microaggressions as well as less egregious (but still mortifying) verbal errors, such as referring to weed as ‘‘pot.’’ Most important, they have yet to put down their best stories in a finished form.

I can imagine an essay taking a risk and distinguishing itself formally — a poem or a one-act play — but most kids use a more straightforward model: a hook followed by a narrative built around “small moments” that lead to a concluding lesson or aspiration for the future. I never get tired of working with students on these essays because each one is different, and the short, rigid form sometimes makes an emotional story even more powerful. Before I read Javier Zamora’s wrenching “Solito,” I worked with a student who had been transported by a coyote into the U.S. and was reunited with his mother in the parking lot of a big-box store. I don’t remember whether this essay focused on specific skills or coping mechanisms that he gained from his ordeal. I remember only the bliss of the parent-and-child reunion in that uninspiring setting. If I were making a case to an admissions officer, I would suggest that simply being able to convey that experience demonstrates the kind of resilience that any college should admire.

The essays that have stayed with me over the years don’t follow a pattern. There are some narratives on very predictable topics — living up to the expectations of immigrant parents, or suffering from depression in 2020 — that are moving because of the attention with which the student describes the experience. One girl determined to become an engineer while watching her father build furniture from scraps after work; a boy, grieving for his mother during lockdown, began taking pictures of the sky.

If, as Lorrie Moore said, “a short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage,” what is a college essay? Every once in a while I sit down next to a student and start reading, and I have to suppress my excitement, because there on the Google Doc in front of me is a real writer’s voice. One of the first students I ever worked with wrote about falling in love with another girl in dance class, the absolute magic of watching her move and the terror in the conflict between her feelings and the instruction of her religious middle school. She made me think that college essays are less like love than limerence: one-sided, obsessive, idiosyncratic but profound, the first draft of the most personal story their writers will ever tell.

Nell Freudenberger’s novel “The Limits” was published by Knopf last month. She volunteers through the PEN America Writers in the Schools program.