4

It is time to rock, but don't be too loud.

Is it recommended to stay consistent with the use of apostrophes? Should it instead be:

It's time to rock, but don't be too loud.

If that is fine either way, what about using the same words with and without apostrophes such as do not and don't?

Improve this question
1
  • 2
    And by the way, congrats on asking the 14000th question here!
    – Daniel
    Commented Mar 16, 2012 at 3:20

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
10

Words like it's and don't are called contractions. There's no rule or reason why you should either contract all possible phrases in a sentence, or else keep them uncontracted. In fact, I read your examples several times before I figured out the difference between them. It's fine either way, and the same goes for don't/do not.

That said, there are some times when a contraction has a slightly different flavor than its uncontracted counterpart. Don't is an example of this, sounding more colloquial and less stilted in informal speech than do not.

Improve this answer
3
  • Great explanation, thanks. I thought it was a matter of style.
    – domino
    Commented Mar 16, 2012 at 2:10
  • 3
    It is a matter of style. Don't means the same as do not, but the style is different. (Or is that what you said?)
    – Daniel
    Commented Mar 16, 2012 at 2:13
  • 1
    @Daniel: Okay, I'll confess too! I only upvoted your comment to thank you for the chuckle on your recently deleted answer! Since I'm in confessional mode I should admit that since writing that last sentence I've re-read your comment in light of domino's preceding, and got another laugh! Without vocal inflection, how do we know which version he meant? "I had thought it was a matter of style (thanks for straightening me out)", or "I always thought it was a matter of style (thanks for confirming my thinking)". The text is not all!
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Mar 16, 2012 at 3:56

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .