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 FormLong Form
I'mI am
I'veI have
I'llI will / I shall
I'dI had / I would / I should
You'reYou are
You'veYou have
You'llYou will
You'dYou had / You would
He'sHe has / He is
He'llHe will
He'dHe had / He would
She'sShe has / She is
She'llShe will
She'dShe had / She would
It'sIt has / It is
It'llIt will
We'reWe are
We'veWe have
We'llWe will
We'dWe had / We would
They'reThey are
They'veThey have
They'llThey will
They'dThey 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 FormLong Form
aren'tare not
can'tcannot, can not
couldn'tcould not
daren'tdare not
didn'tdid not
doesn'tdoes not
don'tdo not
hasn'thas not
haven'thave not
hadn'thad not
isn'tis not
mayn'tmay not
mightn'tmight not
mustn'tmust not
needn'tneed not
oughtn'tought not
shan'tshall not
shouldn'tshould not
wasn'twas not
weren'twere not
won'twill not
wouldn'twould 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 FormLong FormExample
here'shere isHere's your meal.
there'llthere willThere'll be nobody tomorrow.
there'sthere isThere's a taxi!
that'sthat isThat's my car!
that'llthat willThat'll be $10, please.
how'show is?How's your wife?
what'llwhat will?What'll people think?
when'swhen is?When's the wedding?
where'swhere is?Where is the cinema?
who'swho is?Who's your teacher?
what'swhat is?What's the matter?
who'dwho would?Who'd like ice-cream?
who'llwho will?Who'll be there?

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