Students somehow do not understand that short forms of words and contractions (I'm, didn't, can't, etc.) should not be used for proper writing. If they are to appear, they should always appear within quotes.
If you were to abbreviate a term, you should write it out in full the first time it is mentioned and provide its abbreviation in brackets. For example, I had been to the United States of America (the USA). The USA is a very very big country.
You simply should not use words like 'didn't', 'couldn't', etc., in proper writing, lest you are writing them in dialogue.
Also, the usage of informal words should be shunned. I am not sure if there is a proper stand on this but when I was teaching in school, words like 'mom', 'dad', etc., are always marked as spelling errors. True, even the tuition centre that I teach in has its model compositions using 'mom' and dad' outside quotes. However, I always caution the children that I teach that I believe that school teachers frown upon the usage of those words in proper writing.
Last but not least, I do not like to use the word 'kids' to meant 'children'. Check in the dictionary if you do not know what I mean!
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