How do you get rid of contractions?

Scroll down in the Grammar Settings window that appears and uncheck the Contractions option under Formal Language. In other words, with the box checked, Word will warn you about contractions.

Is it OK to use contractions in college essays?

It’s totally okay to use contractions — in fact, it’s ideal. It will make your statement sound more personal, and it will reduce your word count. Would it be a bad idea to write a college essay critiquing the college application process?

What are contractions in writing?

A contraction is a shortened form of a word (or group of words) that omits certain letters or sounds. In most contractions, an apostrophe represents the missing letters.

Are college essays formal or informal?

College essays aren’t formal, academic pieces of writing like those you write in your English classes. Instead, they should sound like you so the reader can figuratively hear your voice and get a sense of your personality. Here’s a good way to strike the right tone without being too informal.