Search from various Engels teachers...
Anas D
Hi!
I was writing an email to an HR team for my internship, and a question came to my mind, is it correct to use contractions in formal emails? When I checked online, I found it’s somewhat debated. Some older websites advise to never use contractions in formal emails, while more recent websites recommend using certain formal contractions.
So I feel a bit stuck between these opinions. Could you please help me with your advice?
Thank you ;)
17 nov. 2025 10:23
Antwoorden · 3
I tend to go with what I was taught and avoid contractions in professional writing.
18 november 2025
You may use contractions. It can seem very stilted in our day to use: cannot, will not, should not. It does depend on the country - perhaps some non English -speaking countries when using written English might prefer that.
However, we are generally quite relaxed.
18 november 2025
Hello,
To be safe, I would not use contractions in your formal emails. The work culture and formality of emails can depend on the job or internship. Some companies would be fine with contractions, but others would expect formal English without contractions.
I would be conservative in your case and refrain from using them, at least for now. If you see in several emails from management or other “higher ups” in the company that they are using contractions, then perhaps you could use them a bit more.
17 november 2025
Heb je je antwoorden nog steeds niet gevonden?
Schrijf je vragen op en laat de moedertaalsprekers je helpen!
Anas D
Taalvaardigheden
Arabisch, Engels, Frans
Taal die wordt geleerd
Engels
Artikelen die je misschien ook leuk vindt

Same Word, Different Meaning: American, British, and South African English
22 likes · 17 Opmerkingen

How to Sound Confident in English (Even When You’re Nervous)
17 likes · 12 Opmerkingen

Marketing Vocabulary and Phrases for Business English Learners
14 likes · 6 Opmerkingen
Meer artikelen
