Should We Be Using Contractions as Much as Possible?

1. 96

   eugbugposted 15 months ago

   I'm, you've, they're, we're, it'll etc?
   Could it have an advantage as regards Google seeing the content as being more natural?

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      OldRosesposted 15 months agoin reply to this

      As a reader, I am turned off by contractions in writing.  To me, it looks very childish or like someone who does not know how to write.
      
      Edit:  I would not read anything more by that writer which defeats the whole purpose of writing on HubPages where the goal is to build an audience.

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      1. 96

         eugbugposted 15 months agoin reply to this

         Hmm, I find when contractions aren't used, text is awkward to read.

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         1. 96

            eugbugposted 15 months agoin reply to this

            Crap, I've used "aren't" and "I've"!

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            1. 96

               eugbugposted 15 months agoin reply to this

               It is not acceptable.

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            bravewarriorposted 15 months agoin reply to this

            I agree with you, Eugene. We speak in contractions. The written word should sound natural, not stilted.

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      psycheskinnerposted 15 months agoin reply to this

      I think it makes sense to just use them naturally for the tone you are going for.  Any deliberate choice to goose the browser algorithm might work for a while, but eventually they fine tune it to look for genuine content.

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   3. 92

      Kenna McHughposted 15 months agoin reply to this

      I have a client that uses them for some topics based on their audience. These are major websites. What does HP say about them?

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      1. 96

         eugbugposted 15 months agoin reply to this

         The only mention of contractions here is the difference between "its" and "it's".
         
         https://hubpageshelp.com/standards/HubP … tyle-Guide

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         1. 92

            Kenna McHughposted 15 months agoin reply to this

            I write for a prominent content company. They encourage contractions. So I go with that.

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2. 96

   eugbugposted 15 months ago

   Grammarly says they shouldn't be used in formal writing such as academic papers or research reports, but that doesn't really cover content written here, does it?

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      PaulGoodman67posted 15 months agoin reply to this

      Tone is important here. I would be wary of using casual language and colloquialisms when writing about a topic of import. It can look bad.
      
      We're not as formal as academic papers, but more formal than many other everyday styles.
      
      Contractions don't always make the language easier to read either. They can make for harder work.
      
      Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath, for instance, can be hard work because of all the contractions he uses to express dialect. Here's an example:
      
      "Up ahead they's a thousan' lives we might live, but when it comes it'll on'y be one.”
      
      I think standard, formal English is easy by comparison. Too many apostrophes can be offputting and mess with the flow.

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      1. 92

         Justine Guiaoposted 15 months agoin reply to this

         I agree with all of your points. It does depend on the topic and tone of the article.
         
         As a general rule when I write, I try to use contractions in a balance way. Not too much, but I do use them. As previously mentioned, not using enough amount of contractions could make the article sound too formal and for readers who are searching for a certain answer to their quiry, it could be painstaking. On the other hand, too much contractions could make the article sound informal which could affect the trustworthiness of the article.
         
         As per the question tho, I'm not sure if  or how they are affecting Google traffic l.

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3. 96

   PaulGoodman67posted 15 months ago

   I wouldn't've thought so!
   
   Google isn't that sophisticated, it doesn't understand social contexts.
   
   Grammarly is talking about writing conventions.

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4. 91

   Zola Marsposted 15 months ago

   I use them sparingly. If we are too formal and not conversational enough it sounds pompous. Maintaining a balance between being relatable and sounding intelligent is my goal.

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      MizBejabbersposted 15 months agoin reply to this

      I agree with you. In my writing classes in college (I have a BA and an MA in journalism) we were taught to write like we speak. The exception, of course, was academic papers and formal writing. To write like I speak, huh, I would never say, "I have decided that I shall go to town." But even writing like we speak can get too folksy, so I think we have to exercise caution in so doing.

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5. 83

   psycheskinnerposted 15 months ago

   I don't think we are talking about contractions to communicate dialect here.
   
   We are talking about the way I used "don't" in the previous sentence.  If I had used "do not" most people would have read the sentence to have a more hostile tone than is actually the case.
   
   The old rule of never using contractions in "proper" communication applies to the United Kingdom many years ago. These days it just makes you sound like the late Queen - which is rarely the tone people are going for.

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6. 96

   PaulGoodman67posted 15 months ago

   I think that people are wondering off point.
   
   The question was whether using more contractions helps with search engine ranking.
   
   The answer to that question is no. Google is nowhere near that sophisticated.
   
   Google measures reader reaction in very crude ways and doesn't understand any of the subtleties of the English language. Just being able to count the number of keywords in a piece of text was a major leap forward for the Big G.
   
   In my opinion, adding in a few "don'ts" and "wouldn'ts" won't make any difference to ranking, but you're welcome to try!

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      bravewarriorposted 15 months agoin reply to this

      I found this on Google's developers website regarding contractions:
      
      https://developers.google.com/style/contractions
      
      They recommend using most types of contractions to create an informal tone. However, there are some exceptions as you'll discover in this short article.

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      1. 96

         eugbugposted 15 months agoin reply to this

         I do that thing with "is not" sometimes and underline the "not" if it's really important. I don't think I have ever used those double contractions.

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         1. 88

            bravewarriorposted 15 months agoin reply to this

            Eugene, "isn't" is perfectly acceptable. If you feel the need to spell out what would normally be contracted in the way you mention, kinda comes off as assuming the reader doesn't get what you are conveying.
            
            If you read the article, using verb contractions are acceptable and recommended. It's combining nouns with verbs that is not.
            
            In normal conversation, "is not" is most often used when trying to prove a point in an argument and the phrase is stated in conversational bold, if you get my drift . Write to your readers as you would as if you are having a conversation with them. Especially with the technical voice of the topics of which you write. Talk in layman's terms and you'll gain more views.

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            1. 96

               eugbugposted 15 months agoin reply to this

               Yes, that's pretty much what I do, writing in Plain English (or is it plain languish or Easy English?). In any case, I try to avoid "big words" and explain jargon if necessary.

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7. 80

   Brenda Arledgeposted 15 months ago

   They work quite well when writing poetry.

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