The Contraction Police have been spotted at Intellishop!
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God help me if they catch me diagramming a sentence!
Her Serene Majesty, Cettie - Goat Queen of Zoltar, Sublime Empress of Her Caprine Domain
From reading this forum, I've decided not to use contractions in any report. They want stilted, they'll get stilted. Has anyone gotten marked down yet on a report for poor literary style?
Yes! Well, not poor, per se, but they marked me down for using a contraction. However, I used the contraction in a direct quote from an employee per their instructions! Very unfair, IMO. I got a 9, no big deal, but still...
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I'm "Sandi" in the Middle!
I'm "Sandi" in the Middle!
That is more than a little crazy considering how much they love direct quotes and lots of them. How many people do you hear speaking every day without using contractions?
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
SandiAigo Wrote:
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> Yes! Well, not poor, per se, but they marked me
> down for using a contraction. However, I used the
> contraction in a direct quote from an employee per
> their instructions! Very unfair, IMO. I got a 9,
> no big deal, but still...
Scratching my head.....If you didn't use a contraction, it wouldn't be a direct quote, would it?
(heart)
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> Yes! Well, not poor, per se, but they marked me
> down for using a contraction. However, I used the
> contraction in a direct quote from an employee per
> their instructions! Very unfair, IMO. I got a 9,
> no big deal, but still...
Scratching my head.....If you didn't use a contraction, it wouldn't be a direct quote, would it?
(heart)
I intend to live forever. So far, so good.
LisaSTL Wrote:
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> That is more than a little crazy considering how
> much they love direct quotes and lots of them. How
> many people do you hear speaking every day without
> using contractions?
I'm sure it's true that you'd never hear me speaking in contractions, and that's something there's no proof of which you'll find.
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> That is more than a little crazy considering how
> much they love direct quotes and lots of them. How
> many people do you hear speaking every day without
> using contractions?
I'm sure it's true that you'd never hear me speaking in contractions, and that's something there's no proof of which you'll find.
stilllearning Wrote:
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> SandiAigo Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yes! Well, not poor, per se, but they marked
> me
> > down for using a contraction. However, I used
> the
> > contraction in a direct quote from an employee
> per
> > their instructions! Very unfair, IMO. I got a
> 9,
> > no big deal, but still...
>
>
> Scratching my head.....If you didn't use a
> contraction, it wouldn't be a direct quote, would
> it?
>
> (heart)
Nope. A direct quote is just that, a direct quote and one must include the contraction.
-------------------------------------------------------
> SandiAigo Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yes! Well, not poor, per se, but they marked
> me
> > down for using a contraction. However, I used
> the
> > contraction in a direct quote from an employee
> per
> > their instructions! Very unfair, IMO. I got a
> 9,
> > no big deal, but still...
>
>
> Scratching my head.....If you didn't use a
> contraction, it wouldn't be a direct quote, would
> it?
>
> (heart)
Nope. A direct quote is just that, a direct quote and one must include the contraction.
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What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. -Henry David Thoreau
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Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out. -Frank Clark
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What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. -Henry David Thoreau
**********************************
Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out. -Frank Clark
**********************************
LisaSTL Wrote:
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> That is more than a little crazy considering how
> much they love direct quotes and lots of them. How
> many people do you hear speaking every day without
> using contractions?
I refuse to use contractions when I speak.
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> That is more than a little crazy considering how
> much they love direct quotes and lots of them. How
> many people do you hear speaking every day without
> using contractions?
I refuse to use contractions when I speak.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
Whenever I get the comment "1 point taken off for grammar", I never really know what it was for. I ask what grammar mistake I made so I won't do it again....and they NEVER answer. How did you know what they took it off for?
Please do not (or don't) use contractions, but be sure to include a detailed narrative of your entire interaction, remember proper grammar, paragraphs, and punctuation are important. Also, do all of this in 500 characters or less.
Oh, and for added fun, we are not going to tell you ahead of time how many characters you have to work with so you can type something in MS Word with great detail and all of the proper grammar you learned getting your journalism and communications degree, then after you cut and paste it into the shop report you'll get to have a lot of fun paring it down and getting rid of about two thirds of the details that we told you were crucial to receiving a good rating.
Then we'll ding you for something anyways.
Happy shopping!
Oh, and for added fun, we are not going to tell you ahead of time how many characters you have to work with so you can type something in MS Word with great detail and all of the proper grammar you learned getting your journalism and communications degree, then after you cut and paste it into the shop report you'll get to have a lot of fun paring it down and getting rid of about two thirds of the details that we told you were crucial to receiving a good rating.
Then we'll ding you for something anyways.
Happy shopping!
Ellie in Ohio - trying to get those ends to meet...
I ca'nt believe this compan'ys rules ar'ent more realistic.
My wife had lot's of contractions when she gave birth. We never had any problems with that....
My wife had lot's of contractions when she gave birth. We never had any problems with that....
.
Mike T
Looking for shops in Western Canada
"Life is good because the alternative is forever "
Mike T
Looking for shops in Western Canada
"Life is good because the alternative is forever "
I've gotten points of because I used words the editor didn't know. They called it "non standard English"
Her Serene Majesty, Cettie - Goat Queen of Zoltar, Sublime Empress of Her Caprine Domain
miketfse Wrote:
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> I ca'nt believe this compan'ys rules ar'ent more
> realistic.
>
> My wife had lot's of contractions when she gave
> birth. We never had any problems with that....
Are you sure your wife did not have any problem with those contractions? I have a lot of experience with THOSE contractions, and they WERE NOT ALWAYS FUN! Fortunately, I can hardly remember them due to postnatal amnesia......
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> I ca'nt believe this compan'ys rules ar'ent more
> realistic.
>
> My wife had lot's of contractions when she gave
> birth. We never had any problems with that....
Are you sure your wife did not have any problem with those contractions? I have a lot of experience with THOSE contractions, and they WERE NOT ALWAYS FUN! Fortunately, I can hardly remember them due to postnatal amnesia......
I know the last time I had contractions, and in an elevator at that, my doctor said we almost lost our lives. 
Hallellujah! Just got a 10 from the very same company, without any mention of my 'illiterate handandpecker' style. It pays to take a break from it for over a year.
Hallellujah! Just got a 10 from the very same company, without any mention of my 'illiterate handandpecker' style. It pays to take a break from it for over a year.
I had a Bare editor recently mark me down for contractions, abbreviating that bank's name to the exact four letters it named its own website, and failing to capitalize the associate titles (Teller, Banker). So I copied and pasted back to him the instructions where they randomly called the teller either "Teller" or "teller" with no apparent pattern. I told him they shouldn't be holding us to a higher standard than they hold themselves.
The only one of those standards that was conveyed was the capitalization one. Nothing about contractions or abbreviations. And the document that mentioned the capitalization was full of examples of how not to do it. Pot --> Kettle
The only one of those standards that was conveyed was the capitalization one. Nothing about contractions or abbreviations. And the document that mentioned the capitalization was full of examples of how not to do it. Pot --> Kettle
Time to build a bigger bridge.
I've been dinged for contractions at BARE. Meanwhile, over at MarketForce I've used the words "@#$%&" and "ho" in reports (while reporting direct quotes for inappropriate language) and not had a word said about it. (I'm sorry, if you ask me what's inappropriate, I'm not going to tell you the associate was "having a personal conversation in front of customers," and I'm not going to say "the associate was having a personal conversation and used the B-word/b***." I'm damn well going to spell it out.)
Stilllearning and rsglenn--THANK you! That's what I said! (Or: That is what I said.)
I'm going to start using "shan't" every chance I get.
I'm going to start using "shan't" every chance I get.
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I'm "Sandi" in the Middle!
I'm "Sandi" in the Middle!
I was taught in high school never to use contractions in formal writing. Since I consider reports to be formal writing, I do not use contractions. I would, however, include them in a direct quote. Maybe I should include (sic) after the contraction to show my understanding that the server did not follow the mystery shopping company's guide when speaking.
We can't use contractions but we should've used them the last time, when we needed to.. but next time we'll use them even though we shouldn't 
Contractions are normal, unless you're Data (remember him?) hahaha
I believe that one editor that works for Intelli never gives you a 10. He/she has the most ridiculous reasons. Mostly grammar. Like; your-you're, ambiguous terminology, score 7. (I never knew what she meant.) The only company I have ever gotten a 7 on.
How is your-you're ambiguous? The words aren't interchangeable.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
For some people they are :/
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
All the "youngin"say "How you doin?" Which I report as a quote. Reveiwer comes back 'watch the spelling or use spellchecker'. I reply, if he said "doing" I would have wrote doing, but that's not what he said. No response. Maybe I shouldn't have added WTF!!!!
mmmfong, I'm a young'un (relatively . . . I'm 25 . . . don't disabuse me of my notions of my own age yet) and I will tell you that the appropriate way to spell that quote is "doin'."
Also--since I say this a lot and I've heard clerks about my age use it too--it's "Imma," not "I'mma" or "Im'ma" and it means "I am going to." It's so widespread I wouldn't be surprised if it actually makes it into general usage as a new portmanteau word, so it's worth learning, but at this point if I quote it in a report I still [sic] it. (I know what it means, I use it on a daily basis, that doesn't mean editors know.)
Also--since I say this a lot and I've heard clerks about my age use it too--it's "Imma," not "I'mma" or "Im'ma" and it means "I am going to." It's so widespread I wouldn't be surprised if it actually makes it into general usage as a new portmanteau word, so it's worth learning, but at this point if I quote it in a report I still [sic] it. (I know what it means, I use it on a daily basis, that doesn't mean editors know.)
25?! You're just a kid. And I mean that in the most complimentary (i.e., jealous) way possible.
Practitioner of the Nerdly Arts.
Hello!
I really didn't read all of the messages here, just the couple top posts, but I would very much like to add a bit of food for thought to this discussion.
Some of our clients are EXTREMELY particular about the way the reports are written and ask to not have any contractions in the reports. Some of our clients don't care and we usually like to keep that "local flavor" in reports. So if someone is from the South, is shopping in the South and uses "y'all," we keep that.
When you see restrictions like us asking you to not use contractions, include a detailed narrative, etc. in 500 or less characters, that is because that is exactly what the client asked for. When a client asks for something extremely descriptive and detailed like that, it is hard to tell them no. Something about that "The Customer is Always Right" rule...
If you have any questions about this, please email your scheduler or myself at sara.petersen@intelli-shop.com. You can also send me a PM.
Thanks!
I really didn't read all of the messages here, just the couple top posts, but I would very much like to add a bit of food for thought to this discussion.
Some of our clients are EXTREMELY particular about the way the reports are written and ask to not have any contractions in the reports. Some of our clients don't care and we usually like to keep that "local flavor" in reports. So if someone is from the South, is shopping in the South and uses "y'all," we keep that.
When you see restrictions like us asking you to not use contractions, include a detailed narrative, etc. in 500 or less characters, that is because that is exactly what the client asked for. When a client asks for something extremely descriptive and detailed like that, it is hard to tell them no. Something about that "The Customer is Always Right" rule...
If you have any questions about this, please email your scheduler or myself at sara.petersen@intelli-shop.com. You can also send me a PM.
Thanks!
If the client does not want contractions they also cannot ask for direct quotes. Changing what the target said is paraphrasing.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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