The characteristics of optimal contract language -- The front of the contract -- Categories of contract language -- Layout -- The back of the contract -- Defined terms -- Sources of uncertainty in contract language -- "Reasonable efforts" and its variants -- "Material" and "material adverse change" -- References to time -- Ambiguity of the part versus the whole -- Syntactic ambiguity -- Selected usages -- Numbers and formulas -- Provisions specifying drafting conventions -- Typography -- Drafting as writing -- Amendments -- Letter agreements -- Drafting corporate resolutions.