The Usefulness of Contractions
Excerpt from “Why Knot?” Buy the book at Amazon
A point of style just occurred to me that I wasn’t aware of before, having followed it by instinct, without being conscious of why.
He is is subtlely but significantly different from he’s. And similarly with other contractions of “is”.
He’s puts the focus on what follows — adjective, participle of noun. But he is puts the focus on the fact of being, as if there could be some doubt, as in he knows who he is.
She knows it’s right. She knows she’s going to the city. The focus is on what comes after the contraction. She knows it is right — there was some doubt. She knows she is going — instead of not going.
The effect of this subtle difference is cumulative. When it’s done right, it feels right. When it’s done wrong, friction slows the reader down and puts the meaning of sentences a little out of focus.
