Can't or cannot? which is more appropriate in an essay?

At school I was always taught that when writing essays or exams it's better to write 'cannot' rather than 'can't' and 'do not' instead of 'don't', and for years i've stuck to doing this because I thought it was the right way, but now i've started thinking about it it seems a bit weirdly formal. :s-smilie:

Is it better to be more formal than casual or is it just a matter of taste?

Reply 1

Lindsey123

12

Never use abbreviations in essays or exams! They are formal work.

Athough having said that, maybe if you're quoting someone and they use an abbreviation? I don't know.

Reply 2

wallflower*

OP

11

Lindsey123

Never use abbreviations in essays or exams! They are formal work.
Athough having said that, maybe if you're quoting someone and they use an abbreviation? I don't know.

Well see, thats what I always thought, but I've noticed that in recent journal articals even academics are staring to use abbreviations so maybe it's becoming more acceptable?

Reply 3

Hala.

Definitely cannot. You should never use slang language in an exam unless you're quoting.
In English exams you actually get marked down for using abbreviations.

Perhaps the articles you were reading were informal? There are quite a few informal journals/articles around that are more for expressing thoughts than anything else.

Reply 4

hali0112

15

wallflower*

At school I was always taught that when writing essays or exams it's better to write 'cannot' rather than 'can't' and 'do not' instead of 'don't', and for years i've stuck to doing this because I thought it was the right way, but now i've started thinking about it it seems a bit weirdly formal. :s-smilie:

Is it better to be more formal than casual or is it just a matter of taste?

i did history at AS and for our essays we were told never to abbreviate. essays have to be formal so 'cannot' is better than 'can't' it gives an impression of a stronger candidate.

Reply 5

sakuj0

Hala.

Definitely cannot. You should never use slang language in an exam unless you're quoting.
In English exams you actually get marked down for using abbreviations.

Perhaps the articles you were reading were informal? There are quite a few informal journals/articles around that are more for expressing thoughts than anything else.

This, exactly.

Cannot

Cannot, for sure. You definitely shouldn't use abbreviations in exams, even if it isn't a hard and fast absolute rule, you are still going to come across as the stronger and more eloquent candidate compared to someone writing with abbreviations.

To be honest though, I only really paid attention to this for English exams. Your thread just reminded me that I don't think I have been doing it in in essays for my other subjects!

Reply 8

stinky--pete

11

cannot!! you shouldn't write how you speak in essay, full prose is the way to go!!

Reply 9

redorange

As others have said, it is generally frown upon to use contractions in formal work. The only exception is if you are quoting. It might be acceptable in creative work (such as on English courses), but you need to consider purpose and audience with care. For example, if you are writing an informal letter to a friend, you may use the abbreviated version. However, this would not conform to the genre features of an article for a broadsheet newspaper, for instance.

Reply 10

Nick_000

16

Can't, Won't, Don't etc is fine. The English language changes and adapts. Maybe ten years ago markers would care but I can't envisage people being marked down for writing can't unless it is an actual English exam.

Reply 11

StartSomething

16

Cannot!!
As has been said, never use abbreviations in essays.

Reply 12

Kaykiie

15

Nick_000

Can't, Won't, Don't etc is fine. The English language changes and adapts. Maybe ten years ago markers would care but I can't envisage people being marked down for writing can't unless it is an actual English exam.

Its not fine at all! I used one contraction in the whole of a 2500 word essay by accident and had a lecture about it from my lecturer ( :p:

).

Although I don't know if people are referring to A Level or University work but its definitely not acceptable at University.

EDIT: Just looked at the forum :p:

So yes, never use contractions in University work

Reply 13

Fuzzpig

16

Use "cannot" in anything academic. I got marked down in a damn A Level paper for this. (Classics)

Cost me an A. :frown:

Reply 14

Black Mammoth

11

I never realised how petty markers were.

Reply 15

redorange

Sadly, yes. I got a marked deducted in an essay for the incorrect use of a comma, even though this was more due to a lack of proof-reading than grammatical skills. This was an English essay though.

Reply 16

Marshyy

10

Only reason why i'ma start using 'does not' 'was not' etc. is because that's an extra word towards my count.

Reply 17

username94219

20

Cannot. . . never use short hand - asking for marks to be knocked off!

Reply 18

coldwind

The latter. Always.
I doubt you'd be referencing a 'can't' if it was a published source as they would be quite formal also.

Reply 19

Dann

15

Well, obviously if people are saying they got marked down, then that's what happened. But it's a load of rubbish that academic work never uses compressions like 'can't'.

If you think that, you probably need to read more, because the examples are abundant. (I speak only for English lit.) I use it fairly often, in my opinion, better a usage like that to maintain a bouncy argument than make it unnecessarily torpid by sticking in what you perceive to be 'correct' or 'formal' usage.

Can't or cannot? which is more appropriate in an essay?

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