I want to say:
First, let's see what is the concept of (a word).
The question is how can I write this part of the sentence (let's see) in a formal manner?
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1Your sentence is not grammatical as written, so the contraction is the least of your worries.– tchristCommented Apr 23, 2019 at 5:52
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2Formality is somewhat subjective. For instance, different people have different opinions about what's acceptable in an essay. There is no single rule that everybody follows. Perhaps it would be sufficient to avoid the contraction—and use let us see. (Although even that wouldn't be necessary in some cases.) Or, it could be rephrased as Step one is to identify the concept of [word]. But that's all stylistic and open to interpretation.– Jason BassfordCommented Apr 23, 2019 at 6:50
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@Mari-LouA just removed!– OmGCommented Mar 27, 2023 at 14:50
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"Let us see" :)– MarcInManhattanCommented Mar 27, 2023 at 15:01
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1 Answer
There really is no clear definition of 'formal' speech, except perhaps to avoid informal, or slang terms. There is nothing particularly informal about the expression "let's see".
Two things you could consider to make it more formal:
- Remove the contraction and say "let us see..."
Contractions are not strictly informal, but they mostly come about through everyday speech and so removing them arguably adds some formality.
- Use a more specific term, for example "let us consider..."
These suggestions may give an impression of more formal speech, as there is a widely-held concept that formal language is more verbose, and that educated or well-read people have wider vocabularies and would choose lesser-used words and expressions. But really, any speech that is clear and as free from slang as possible could be acceptable in a formal setting.
answered Mar 27, 2023 at 15:50
