How to Use Contractions in English.

English can be a very lazy language.  It doesn't like to use two words when one will do.  That is why there are so many contractions; it saves wear and tear on the tongue!  Most contractions, once the principle is understood, are easy to comprehend.  We've made the following list to help you use contractions correctly.  Remember, if in doubt, don't contract!

Short Form	Long Form
I'm	I am
I've	I have
I'll	I will / I shall
I'd	I had / I would / I should
You're	You are
You've	You have
You'll	You will
You'd	You had / You would
He's	He has / He is
He'll	He will
He'd	He had / He would
She's	She has / She is
She'll	She will
She'd	She had / She would
It's	It has / It is
It'll	It will
We're	We are
We've	We have
We'll	We will
We'd	We had / We would
They're	They are
They've	They have
They'll	They will
They'd	They had / They would

Negative Contractions:

Negative contractions are very common, and should be memorized, since they don't always follow standard English grammatical or spelling usage.  

Short Form	Long Form
aren't	are not
can't	cannot, can not
couldn't	could not
daren't	dare not
didn't	did not
doesn't	does not
don't	do not
hasn't	has not
haven't	have not
hadn't	had not
isn't	is not
mayn't	may not
mightn't	might not
mustn't	must not
needn't	need not
oughtn't	ought not
shan't	shall not
shouldn't	should not
wasn't	was not
weren't	were not
won't	will not
wouldn't	would not

Other Contractions:
These include less familiar usages, and are the ones that foreign language speakers usually find most difficult to adapt to using.  

Short Form	Long Form	Example
here's	here is	Here's your meal.
there'll	there will	There'll be nobody tomorrow.
there's	there is	There's a taxi!
that's	that is	That's my car!
that'll	that will	That'll be $10, please.
how's	how is?	How's your wife?
what'll	what will?	What'll people think?
when's	when is?	When's the wedding?
where's	where is?	Where is the cinema?
who's	who is?	Who's your teacher?
what's	what is?	What's the matter?
who'd	who would?	Who'd like ice-cream?
who'll	who will?	Who'll be there?