[General] Use contractions to add a friendly tone?

[thedaffodils]

• • Write in a positive tone
    -When I complete the assignment versus If I complete the assignment
  • Avoid using negative words
    -Words that begin with “un, non, or ex” or end with “less”
  • Use smiles , winks and other graphical symbols only when appropriate
  • Use contractions to add a friendly tone

Hi! I am reading an article about 'email writing etiquette to a teacher'. The quote above is an excerpt of it about writing tone. But I can not understand what the point highlighted in blue refer to.

Would you please illustrate it? Thank you!

[Anglika]

Formally: "I regret that I shall not be able to complete my assignment on time, but I will do my best to finish by the following morning."

Informally: " I am sorry. I can't finish the assignment on time, but I'll do what I can to get it to you the next day".

The first puts a distance between you and the recipient; the second implies a closer relationship. I would advise being sure the teacher will be happy about informal approaches.

[thedaffodils]

Good morning, Anglika.

Thank you for your illustration. What does "contractions" mean? Does it refer to" shorten psychological distance" here?

I think Definition 1 will be suitable for "contraction" for this context Cambridge Dictionaries Onlines. But it is an uncountable noun. And why does the author use it in plural?

contraction
noun
1 [u] when something becomes smaller or shorter:
Cold causes contraction of the metal.
The contraction of this muscle raises the lower arm.

2 [C] one of the very strong and usually painful movements of the muscles in the womb that help to push the baby out of the mother's body during the process of birth:
She was having regular strong contractions every four minutes.

3 [C] a shortened form of a word or combination of words which is often used instead of the full form in spoken English:
'Won't' is a contraction of 'will not'.

Cambridge Dictionaries Online - Cambridge University Press

Would you please give me a hand again? Thanks a lot!

[Anglika]

Good morning!

Definition 3 is the one.

[thedaffodils]

Originally Posted by Anglika

Good morning!

Definition 3 is the one.

Thank you for your response!

Will the contraction of a word sound less formal and more friendly in an email to a teacher?

For example.

Dr. King,

I won't attend to your class this Thuesday. (friendly?)

I will not attend to your class this Thuesday. ( too formal?)

[tedtmc]

1. I won't attend to your class this Thuesday.

2. I will not attend to your class this Thuesday.


Contraction as in (1) is commonly used in conversational English which is informal and is perceived to be more friendly.

It should be 'attend your class', not 'attend to your class'.
You say 'attend to a person' meaning you deal with him/her or 'attend to a matter'(to deal with it).

[thedaffodils]

Hi Tedtmc

Thank you for your answer and correction. Well done! Please feel free to correct me any time.