Apart from a few exceptions (such as the sale of land) a contract may take any form. It may be oral or in writing, and may be made as a casual statement or accompanied by anything from a handshake to an elaborate ceremony. Often the form of agreement is suggested by the value of the contract in money terms, although this is not always the case, and it is certainly not a legal principle. However, buying a newspaper would not normally take place in the same manner as an agreement to deal in gold bullion! The basis of contract law The main aim of the law of contract is to ensure that these agreements are made in a fair way, and to enforce them, whether it is on behalf of the owner of a large company or a consumer buying a bar of chocolate. The rules of contract law are built on fairness and reasonableness, as cases have been decided in court, and on top of these Parliament has formed statutes where issues are of general concern