Contraction word for might have - Word и Excel - помощь в работе с программами

In English grammar, we might use the contracted form of a verb when we are speaking or writing informally.

Let’s look at a list of contracted forms of verbs (with their expanded form) so you know how to use them:

What is the contracted form of a verb?

A contraction is a shortened form of a verb that is used when two words are combined to form one.

This involves removing one or more letters and adding an apostrophe to create a new word. For example, “I am” becomes “I’m.”

When are contracted forms used?

Contracted forms are used frequently in everyday spoken language and informal written language, such as e-mails and text messages.

They cannot be used in formal, academic writing, or professional documents where each word needs to be spelled out completely.

The following is a list of common contracted forms of verbs:

I am – I’m
I am not – I ain’t
Let us – Let’s
I will – I’ll
We will – We’ll
I would – I’d
We are – We’re
You will – You’ll
You would – You’d
He is – He’s
She is – She’s
It is – It’s
She has – She’s
He has – He’s
It has – It’s
We have – We’ve
They have – They’ve
Where is – Where’s
Who is – Who’s
There is – There’s
They are – They’re
They will – They’ll
Might have – Might’ve
Must have – must’ve

Negative Common Contractions

Is not – Isn’t
Are not – Aren’t
Can not – Can’t
Was not – Wasn’t
Could not – Couldn’t
Did not – Didn’t
Have not – Haven’t
Had not – Hadn’t
Has not – Hasn’t
Should not – Shouldn’t
Would not – Wouldn’t
Were not – Weren’t
Will not – Won’t

While contracted forms of verbs are usually informal in nature, it is always best to use the full form in a formal context.

Contractions With The Verb HAVE

Here are some shortened forms of the verb “have.”

I have – I’ve
You have – You’ve
He has – He’s
She has – She’s
It has – It’s
We have – We’ve
They have – They’ve
I have not – I haven’t – I’ve not
You have not – You haven’t – You’ve not
He has not – He hasn’t – He’s not
She has not – She hasn’t – She’s not
It has not – It hasn’t – It’s not
We have not got – We haven’t – We’ve not
They have not got – They haven’t – they’ve not

The contracted form “haven’t” is more common than the contraction with not. However, this may vary depending on the region you are living.

Example sentences:

We have not met. We’ve not met (less common). We haven’t met (more common).

Contractions With The Verb HAVE (Past Form)

I had – I’d
You had – You’d
He had – He’d
She had – She’d
It had – It’d
We had – We’d
They had – They’d
I had not – I hadn’t – I’d not
You had not – You hadn’t – You’d not
He had not – He hadn’t – He’d Not
She had not – She hadn’t – She’d Not
It had not – It hadn’t – It’d Not
We had not – We hadn’t – We’d Not
They had not – They hadn’t – They’d Not

In American English, instead of saying:

“I have a new toy” they prefer to say, “I’ve got a new toy.” This is informal. However, “I’ve a new toy” is also correct; it’s just less common.

However, “has” can never be contracted when it’s the main verb in the sentence and in the third person present tense (he, she, it).

For example:

She has food.

“She’s food.” This is incorrect. Instead, we can say, “She’s got food”

He has a bicycle.

“He’s a bicycle.” This is incorrect. Instead, we can say, “He’s got a new bicycle.”

However, if “have” is the auxiliary (helping) verb, then we can contract the verb:

He has arrived.

“He’s arrived.” This is correct, as the main verb is “arrive” and not have.

It has snowed.

“It’s snowed.” This is correct as the main verb is “snow” and not have.

Contractions With The Verb BE

I am – I’m
You are – You’re
He is – He’s
She is – She’s
It is – It’s
We are – We’re
They are – They’re
There is – There’s
How is – How’s
What is – What’s
Where is – Where’s
Here is – Here’s
You are not – you aren’t – you’re not
He is not – he isn’t – he’s not
She is not – she isn’t – she’s not
It is not – it isn’t – it’s not
We are not – we aren’t – we’re not
They are not – they aren’t – they’re not

The contracted form “isn’t/aren’t” and “not” are used interchangeably and you will hear both said.

If you want to emphasize that you are not involved in something, you might be more inclined to use the “not” contracted form when speaking, although either contracted form is perfectly fine.

For example, “she’s not a liar.”

Contractions with the Verb BE (Past Form)

I was not – I wasn’t
You were not – You weren’t
He was not – he wasn’t
She was not – she wasn’t
It was not – it wasn’t
We were not – we weren’t
They were not – they weren’t

You can also use the contracted form with a noun, for example, “the dog’s on the sofa” (the dog is on the sofa) and “Alice’s here” (Alice is here).

Again this is informal and is more common when speaking.

Contractions with the verb DO

I do not – I don’t
You do not – You don’t
He does not – He doesn’t
She does not – She doesn’t
We do not – We don’t
They do not – They don’t

Contractions with the Verb DO (Past Form)

I did not – I didn’t
You did not – You didn’t
He did not – He didn’t
She did not – She didn’t
It did not – It didn’t
We did not – We didn’t
They did not – They didn’t

Contractions With The Modal Verb WILL

I will – I’ll
He will – He’ll
She will – She’ll
It will – It’ll
We will – We’ll
They will – They’ll
I will not – I won’t – I’ll not
He will not – He won’t – He’ll not
She will not – She won’t – She’ll not
It will not – It won’t – It’ll not
We will not – We won’t – We’ll not
They will not – They won’t – They’ll not

Nowadays, most people say “won’t” instead of “not.

For example,

“I’ll not go to the dance.” (old-fashioned; not common)
I won’t go to the dance.” (more common)

Contractions with the modal verb WOULD

I would – I’d
He would – He’d
She would – She’d
It would – It’d
We would – We’d
They would – They’d
I would not – I wouldn’t – I’d not
He would not – He wouldn’t – He’d not
She would not- She wouldn’t- She’d not
It would not – It wouldn’t – It’d not
We would not – We wouldn’t – We’d not
They would not – They’d not- They’d not

“I’d not” is grammatically correct but sounds odd to native English speakers as it is not used. It is most more common to say I wouldn’t, he wouldn’t, she wouldn’t, etc.

Contractions with the modal verb WOULD (Past Form)

I would have – I would’ve – I’d have
You would have – You would’ve – You’d have
He would have – He would’ve – He’d have
She would have – She would’ve – She’d have
It would have – It would’ve – It’d have
We would have – We would’ve – We’d have
They would have- They would’ve – They’d have
I would not have – I wouldn’t have- I’d not have
He would not have – He wouldn’t have- He’d not have
She would not have – She wouldn’t have- She’d not have
It would not have – It wouldn’t have- It’d not have
We would not have – We wouldn’t have- We’d not have
They would not have – They would’ve – They’d not have

“I’d not have” is grammatically correct but sounds strange to native English speakers as it is not spoken. It is most more common to say I wouldn’t have, he wouldn’t have, she wouldn’t have, etc.

Short Forms of Other Modal Verbs

The modals can, may, must, should, and can also be contracted when used as auxiliaries. For example, “He can’t do it,” “She shouldn’t have come,” and “I wouldn’t have done it.”

Cannot – Can’t
Can Not Have – Can’t’ve
Must not – Mustn’t
Must not have – Mustn’t’ve
Should not- Shouldn’t
Should not have – Shouldn’t’ve
Shall not – Shan’t
Shall not have – Shalln’t’ve
Used not – Usen’t – Usedn’t
Could not – Couldn’t
Could not have – Couldn’t’ve
Might not – Mightn’t
Might not have – Mightn’t’ve
Ought not to – Oughtn’t to
Ought not have – Oughtn’t’ve
Need not – Needn’t
Need not have – Needn’t’ve
Will not – Won’t
Will not have – Won’t’ve
Dare not – Daren’t
Dare not have – Daren’t’ve
Had Not – Hadn’t

Some of the contractions are rare and awkward, like “oughtn’t’ve” and “usedn’t.”

In Conclusion

The contracted forms of verbs are informal and are used more commonly in speech.

It is good to know them in case you hear them in spoken English, and their usage varies depending on the region.

I’m an Irish tutor and founder of TPR Teaching. I started teaching in 2016 and have since taught in the UK, Spain, and online.

I love learning new things about the English language and how to teach it better. I’m always trying to improve my knowledge, so I can better meet the needs of others!

I enjoy traveling, nature walks, and soaking up a new culture. Please share the posts if you find them helpful!

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One physician suggested I might have fibromyalgia.

Именно в этот момент врач предположила, что у меня может быть фибромиалгия.

On my disk, I might have five separate databases.

На моем диске, например, может быть пять отдельных баз данных.

Write about any missed opportunities or errors you might have made while trading.

Напишите о любых упущенных возможностях или ошибках, которые вы могли бы совершить во время торговли.

The accounts might have overlapping audience.

Может быть, она скрывает аккаунты от публики.

She might have worried she said too much.

Может быть ей кажется, что она сказала слишком много.

This means you might have numerous outbreaks during your life.

Это означает, что у вас может быть несколько вспышек в течение жизни.

You might have discovered your passion early.

Может быть, вы нашли свою настоящую страсть рано.

You might have 1,000,000 different URLs all with virtually identical content.

У вас может быть 1000000 различных URL-адресов, все с практически одинаковым содержанием.

As for Real Madrid, they might have counted more on individual skill.

Что касается «Реала», они, может быть, больше рассчитывали на индивидуальное мастерство.

I think she might have taken Georgie home.

Они подумали, что, может быть, Джорджио дома.

They notice things others might have missed.

They might have different side effects.

У них могут быть свои побочные эффекты в том числе».

You might have thought hell was underground.

Anything that might have been precious to me.

И это другое вполне могло оказаться весьма ценным для меня.

We also might have some requirements.

В то же время мы тоже можем выдвигать определенные требования.

Forbidding of small areas might have a positive side.

Возможно, что у запрета на продажу маленьких участков, будет несколько положительных сторон.

I think the gas might have been methane.

По его словам, этим газом, вероятно, был метан.

For anything that might have upset you.

You might have a hidden talent you never realized.

We might have plans this evening.

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What is the difference between may have, might have and could have?

For example, are the three sentences correct and do they convey the same meaning?

You may have hurt him, but you didn’t.

You might have hurt him, but you didn’t.

You could have hurt him, but you didn’t.

I am also wondering can «may have» be used in negative sentences? Can we say «mayn’t have«?

What is the difference between may have, might have and could have?

For example, are the three sentences correct and do they convey the same meaning?

You may have hurt him, but you didn’t.

You might have hurt him, but you didn’t.

You could have hurt him, but you didn’t.

I am also wondering can «may have» be used in negative sentences? Can we say «mayn’t have«?

The three sentences are correct. They speak of something that was possible in the past. The difference is in the strength of the possibility that each modal verb communicates.

You may have hurt him. << This is a stronger possibility.

You might have hurt him. << This is a week or possibility.

You could have hurt him. << This is a neutral possibility. It is a possibility.

A larger topic is how we know this is so.

You may have hurt him but you didn’t makes no sense to me.

You could/might have hurt him, but you didn’t.
You may (or may not) have hurt him; we just don’t know.

What is the difference between may have, might have and could have?

For example, are the three sentences correct and do they convey the same meaning?

You may have hurt him, but you didn’t.

You might have hurt him, but you didn’t.

You could have hurt him, but you didn’t.

I am also wondering can «may have» be used in negative sentences? Can we say «mayn’t have«?

Yes either mayn’t have or may not have is fine. Another good thing to know is that an adverb, if present, is place before have. For e.g.:

If the firefighters had not been there, things could possibly have become worse.

You may have hurt him, but you didn’t — Doesn’t make sense; it’s self-contradictory:

~~it’s possible that you hurt him, but you didn’t~~

You might have hurt him, but you didn’t — What you did was dangerous, your action made it possible that he would be hurt, but he wasn’t.

You could have hurt him, but you didn’t — What you did was dangerous, your action made it quite likely that he would be hurt, but he wasn’t.

Last edited: May 25, 2019

I am also wondering can «may have» be used in negative sentences? Can we say «mayn’t have«?

No, we do not contract «may» and «not». And we do not contract «might» and «not». I would not do this. It’s not a good idea.

Whether or not they’re technically correct is besides the point. The fact is that we do not contract «may» and «not», and we do not contract «might» and «not».

___________

You may have hurt him, but you didn’t. <<

Come to think of it, this one sounds a little strange. If we add something after «didn’t», then it doesn’t sound as strange.

By itself, it’s a little strange. However, it’s not entirely impossible. The meaning that it contains is possible.

«You may have hurt him, but it turns out that you didn’t. You’d better not do anything like that again.»

This means, «There was a greater possibility for your action to hurt him».

There’s no context to tell us what the action is that «you did».

Sometimes, contextual information, or context, can make a sentence that sounds strange in isolation sound normal or at least more normal.

«I think that you may have hurt him. Let’s find out what happened. It turns out that you didn’t hurt him. You’re going to have to be much more careful than that from now on.»

Meaning: «Although I thought it was likely that you hurt him, it turns out that you didn’t hurt him.»

Whatever It Is that someone «may have done» is contained in context, which we do not have.

Although the original sentence sounds a little strange, I would not be so fast to dismiss it. And I wouldn’t be so fast to dismiss the meaning that it contains. It’s possible that context can change how we perceive this sentence.

Last edited: May 25, 2019

I am also wondering can «may have» be used in negative sentences? Can we say «mayn’t have«?

We don’t say ‘mayn’t have’, but we do say ‘may not have’.

1. You may have hurt him, but you didn’t.
2. You might have hurt him, but you didn’t.
3. You could have hurt him, but you didn’t.

In my dialect of BrE, [1] is not possible. You may have hurt him means It is possible that you hurt him. Following this with ‘but you didn’t’ clearly makes no sense.
However, I see these days more and more sentences such as Had it not been for the emails fiasco, Hillary Clinton may have won the 2016 election. For me that makes no sense — she did not win the election, and so only might have won is possible

You might have hurt him has two possible meanings:
a. It is possible that you hurt him. (Some people use may and might as if they had the same meaning; some use might to express a lower possibility that that expressed by may. Some use only one of the two modals.) If might is used with this meaning, [2] makes as little sense as [1].
b. It was possible that you would hurt him. This would makes sense.

You could have hurt him has two very similar meanings to those of You might have hurt him.

You may have hurt him but you didn’t makes no sense to me.

Why doesn’t it make sense to you? What’s the reason?

You may have hurt him, but you didn’t — Doesn’t make sense; it’s self-contradictory:

~~it’s possible that you hurt him, but you didn’t~~

.

How is this self-contradictory? If the speaker says something like this, how does the speaker contradict himself or herself?

Why doesn’t it make sense to you? What’s the reason?

Because it’s a contradictory statement. «May» implies that it’s possible that you hurt him, «but you didn’t», however, states it’s impossible.

Because it’s a contradictory statement. «May» implies that it’s possible that you hurt him, «but you didn’t», however, states it’s impossible.

No, «may have» does not imply that it was possible. «May have» means that it was possible.

So why is that contradictory?

Something was possible, but it didn’t happen.

How is that contradictory?

Where’s the contradiction?

So, if I had done the act, «may have» would be self contradictary.

But if I hadn’t done the act, in other words, there had just been possibility of my doing the act, all the three modals would be correct. Just «may have» would indicate higher possibility.

Have I understood it corrrectly?

So why is that contradictory?

Something

~~was~~

is possible, but it didn’t happen.

That’s where the contradiction lies.

So, if I had done the act, «may have» would be self contradictary.

But if I hadn’t done the act, in other words, there had just been possibility of my doing the act, all the three modals would be correct. Just «may have» would indicate higher possibility.

Have I understood it corrrectly?

«may have done» << This only tells us that something was possible. It does not mean that something happened.

Yes, that’s correct. Modal verb «may» is a higher or stronger possibility than modal verb «might».

That’s where the contradiction lies.

No, there’s no contradiction.

Yes, «may have done» means that something was possible. And if something was possible, and it didn’t happen, then that’s not contradictory.

«May have» means that it is possible that something happened in the past.

There’s no contradiction here.

Vronsky

You may have hurt him, but you didn’t.

1) «You may have hurt him» — I don’t know whether you hurt him, but you may have.
2) «but you didn’t.» — I know that you didn’t hurt him.

These two clauses contradict themselves.

You may have hurt him, but you didn’t.

1) «You may have hurt him» — I don’t know whether you hurt him, but you may have.
2) «but you didn’t.» — I know that you didn’t hurt him.

These two clauses contradict themselves.

No, these two clauses do not contradict themselves.

It’s possible to recognize something as being possible in the past, and then find out later it did not happen.

Because something was possible does not mean that it turned out to be so later on.

So there’s no contradiction here.

No, there’s no contradiction.

Yes, «may have done» means that something was possible. And if something was possible, and it didn’t happen, then that’s not contradictory.

«May have» means that it is possible that something happened in the past.

There’s no contradiction here.

I think what Vronsky says is we use «may have» only if we don’t know whether the action happened. If we know it happened, we should use «might».

I think what Vronsky says is we use «may have» only if we don’t know whether the action happened. If we know it happened, we should use «might».

I don’t know if that’s what Vronsky means to say.

_________________

We do not use «may have» only if we don’t know whether the action happened.

«If we know it happened, we should use «might». << No, we should not use «might have» when we know something happened. That’s not how it works.

We use both «may have done» and «might have done» to recognize that something was possible in the past or to recognize that it was possible for something to happen in the past.

«May» means a stronger or a higher possibility than «might».

That’s a whole other topic.

Vronsky

I think what Vronsky says is we use «may have» only if we don’t know whether the action happened. If we know it happened, we should use «might».

Yes, I think it’s the point. If you’re talking about possibility in the past, use «might have». If you’re guessing about the past, use «might/may have».

Yes, I think it’s the point. If you’re talking about possibility in the past, use «might have». If you’re guessing about the past, use «might/may have».

We use both «may have done» and «might have done» to speak of what was possible, which is to say a past possibility.

Guessing doesn’t apply in consideration of whether or not we use «may have done» or «might have done».

With «may have done» and «might have done», we only recognize that something was possible. This does not have anything to do with guessing.

I don’t know if that’s what Vronsky means to say.

_________________

We do not use «may have» only if we don’t know whether the action happened.

«If we know it happened, we should use «might». << No, we should not use «might have» when we know something happened. That’s not how it works.

We use both «may have done» and «might have done» to recognize that something was possible in the past or to recognize that it was possible for something to happen in the past.

«May» means a stronger or a higher possibility than «might».

That’s a whole other topic.

I had forgotten to type «have».

Maybe it is different in American and British English? Can «may» and «might» have the same meaning in American English but slightly differeny meaning in British English?

I had forgotten to type «have».

Maybe it is different in American and British English? Can «may» and «might» have the same meaning in American English but slightly differeny meaning in British English?

This has nothing to do with American English versus British English.

We’re talking about «may have done» and «might have done» here not «may» and «might». These are two different things.

Both «may have done» and «might have done» mean that something was possible in the past.

«May have done» tells us there is a higher or a stronger a possibility.

To speak further of this, would be getting into another topic. However, it is most definitely possible to speak further of this.

This has nothing to do with American English versus British English.

We’re talking about «may have done» and «might have done» here not «may» and «might». These are two different things.

Both «may have done» and «might have done» mean that something was possible in the past.

«May have done» tells us there is a higher or strong a possibility.

To speak further of this, would be getting into another topic. However, it is most definitely possible to speak further of this.

Let me give an example.

Let say I don’t know whether my brother passing the exam in the past. And I am guessing. In that case, I can say «He may have passed the exam» Because I don’t know whether he passed the exam, I don’t know whether he did the action. I am just guessing.

But let say my brother didn’t study much for exam. And he tells me he couldn’t pass the exam. In that case, I can say «He might have passed the exam if he had studied hard» Because I know he didn’t pass. But I can’t say «may have» in that scenario. Because I know the action didn’t happen.

I am saying maybe in American English, you can say «may have» in second scenario too. But I think in British English you can’t say «may have» in second scenario. That’s what I am trying to tell.

Last edited: May 25, 2019

Come to think of it, this one sounds a little strange. If we add something after «didn’t», then it doesn’t sound as strange.

I hope you didn’t edit that post after you read other members’ posts and finally realised that the sentence is illogical. «Strange» is one way of putting it, I suppose.

If we add something, we alter the sentence. We were asked to comment on the sentences a they stand, not go adding some context of our own.

Some good advice here:
https://www.dailywritingtips.com/may-have-vs-might-have/The one context in which might is always the better choice is one in which the event mentioned did not in fact occur:

If JFK had not been assassinated, civil rights legislation might have been delayed.
If the English had defeated the Normans at Hastings, we might have inherited fewer spelling problems.

I’ve noticed that the use of «may» in such cases is more commonly found in AE writing, but I see it in British journalism as well. It gives rise to such gems as:

If the Princess had not been killed in a car crash, Camilla may not now be Charles’ wife.

Vronsky

Guessing doesn’t apply in consideration of whether or not we use «may have done» or «might have done».

I’m not a linguist so my explanation is not precise by definition. Also I’m not a native speaker of English; it’s hard to explain things in a foreign language.

But I can’t agree with you that «guessing doesn’t apply in consideration». A language is not math. All things matter: a speaker awareness, level of certainty, etc. It’s not only about possibility/impossibility.

Let me give an example.

Let say I don’t know whether my brother passing the exam in the past. And I am guessing. In that case, I can say «He may have passed the exam» Because I don’t know whether he passed the exam, I don’t know whether he did the action. I am just guessing.

But let say my brother studied very hard for exam. And he tells me he couldn’t pass the exam. In that case, I can say «He might have passed the exam but he couldn’t» Because I know he didn’t pass. But I can’t say «may have» in that scenario. Because I know the action didn’t happen.

I am saying maybe in American English, you can say «may have» in second scenario too. But I think in British English you can’t say «may have» in second scenario. That’s what I am trying to tell.

No, you’re not guessing with this statement. You are recognizing a possibility. You are recognizing the possibility that your brother passed the exam.

________

But let say my brother studied very hard for exam. And he tells me he couldn’t pass the exam. In that case, I can say «He might have passed the exam but he couldn’t» Because I know he didn’t pass. But I can’t say «may have» in that scenario. Because I know the action didn’t happen. <<

The more likely, and logical statement, to follow is «he might have passed the exam but he didn’t».

There is an implied if clause here.

There could be a few possibilities. Here’s one possibility:

He studied hard, but it wasn’t hard enough. He might have passed the exam if he had studied harder.

______

Okay, I understand what you mean.

Contextual backgrounding could cause us to use «may have done» in the second scenario. However, in the second scenario, there would not be an explicit nor an implicit «if clause».

What I’m saying in reference to the original example is that we should not automatically dismiss the possibility of «may have done».

We have to understand that the original example sentence may sound strange on its own. However, the meaning that it communicates is not strange.

It communicates the idea that there was a greater possibility that something happened in the past, but it didn’t.

I hope you didn’t edit that post after you read other members’ posts and finally realised that the sentence is illogical. «Strange» is one way of putting it, I suppose.

What makes you suggest that possibility?

______________________

Yes, strange is the way to put it. It’s not illogical. A sentence can sound strange in isolation. We should consider this before we dismiss a sentence as not making sense, being impossible, or entirely illogical.

I don’t recall what the original post said. I had the impression you were perfectly happy with the sentence, but that may be my mistake.

I like it when members indicate exactly what has been edited (typo, spelling, something more substantial). Then we can see what has been going on in the thread.

I’m not a linguist so my explanation is not precise by definition. Also I’m not a native speaker of English; it’s hard to explain things in a foreign language.

But I can’t agree with you that «guessing doesn’t apply in consideration». A language is not math. All things matter: a speaker awareness, level of certainty, etc. It’s not only about possibility/impossibility.

Of course, language is not math.

This has to do with the meaning of «may have done» and «might have done».

These mean that something possibly happened in the past. A speaker that says one of these does not know whether or not something happened.

It’s possible for something not to have happened, as well, and for a speaker to simply recognize the possibility or recognize that it was possible. In other words, we can recognize that something didn’t happen, or did happen, in the past and, at the same time, recognize that it was possible. This is accompanied by an explicit (stated) or an implicit «if clause».

Speaker viewpoint within context tells us whether or not this is so.

It’s possible for one sentence to tell us this, as well. It depends on what the sentence is.

With «may have done» and «might have done» we can only recognize that something was possible. Whether or not something actually happened or not is something else.

I don’t recall what the original post said. I had the impression you were perfectly happy with the sentence, but that may be my mistake.

I like it when members indicate exactly what has been edited (typo, spelling, something more substantial). Then we can see what has been going on in the thread.

Yes, it could have been a mistake on your part.

It’s hard to say, however.

If you are referring to the following post, then you should first understand is that this is a second post. It came after my first post. This post is an update to the first post.

Your idea that I did something to the post after reading other people’s posts is completely unfounded and without justification.

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/may-have-might-have-could-have.3579718/post-18210688

Vronsky

This has to do with the meaning of «may have done» and «might have done».

These mean that something possibly happened in the past. A speaker that says one of these does not know whether or not something happened.

That’s not always the case. A speaker may definitely know what happened, and yet use «might have done.» This is called the conditional type 3.

«Well, I might have won the game, if it hadn’t been for that nasty Knight, that came wiggling down among my pieces.» (Through The Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll)

Alice does know that she didn’t win the game, and yet she says: «I might have won the game.»
As I can see, it is incorrect to say «I may have won the game» in such a case in British English, but is correct in American.

Last edited: May 25, 2019

That’s not always the case. A speaker may definitely know what happened, and yet use «might have done.» This is called conditional type 3.

I know that. I believe you’ve left something out of my post. I specifically accounted for that.

I would call it a third conditional, not type 3.

The following text is what you left out, and it accounts for the third conditional. What I speak of below causes a third conditional sentence.

Why are you talking about conditionals? The OP was very simple. A very ‘misleading’ response was given and discussed. End of.

Why are you talking about conditionals? The OP was very simple. A very ‘misleading’ response was given and discussed. End of.

Third conditional came to the poster’s mind because an implied «if clause» can go with «might have done». This creates third conditional.

This is, in fact, directly relevant to the original question. An implied «if clause» goes with «might have done».

Here’s one of the original sentences in question.

«You might have hurt him, but you didn’t.»

An afterthought could be this: «If you had had a bigger X then, … …»

In other words, with «might have done», we can automatically think that there was something possible to make it happen, thereby imagining a different result when we know the result clause counterfactual.
_______________

«End of.» <<

o_O

Last edited: May 25, 2019

Vronsky

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Introduction

We use the modal verbs «must have», «can’t have» and «might have» to make guesses or deductions about an action in the past that we believe has definitely happened, has definitely not happened or possibly happened, based on our knowledge, information or evidence, or lack of it.

We use «must have», «can’t have» and «might have» in the same way as the present perfect — the action we are describing happened, or did not happen, in the past and is still true in the present.

«must have»: we believe the action definitely happened.
- «She must have left the house by now; it’s nearly 11 o’clock.»
- She usually leaves her house before 11 o’clock so I deduce that she has definitely left the house.
«can’t have»: we believe the action definitely did not happen (the opposite of «must have»).
- «She can’t have left the house yet because her car is still outside.»
- She usually takes her car so I deduce that she has definitely not left the house because her car is outside (the opposite of «must have»).
«might have»: we believe it’s possible that the action happened, but we don’t know.
- «She might have gone to the shops.»
- It is possible that she has gone to the shops, but it is also possible that she has gone somewhere else.
«might not have»: we believe it’s possible that the action did not happen, but we don’t know.
- «He might not have finished his exams yet.»
- It is possible that he has not finished his exams, but it is also possible that he has finished them.
«might have» / «might not have» in the third conditional structure: to imagine the possible result of an unreal situation in the past.
- «If I had known about the traffic problems, I might have taken a different route.»
- The clause with might have describes the possible result of the unreal situation described by the «if» clause. The real situation and result: I didn’t know about the traffic problem so I am imagining the possibility of taking a different route if I had known.

Form

We use «must have», «can’t have» and «might have» with the past participle of the main verb:

subject + «must have» + past participle
subject + «can’t have» + past participle
subject + «might (not) have» + past participle

likelihood of the deduction	Subject	modal	main verb (past participle)
definite	I You We They He / She / It	must have	been seen taken spoken	to France. the movie. the medicine. to the manager.
definitely not	can’t have
possible	might (not) have

Positive and negative forms

We use «must have» in the positive form only: we believe that the action definitely happened.

We use «can’t have» in the negative form only: we believe that the action definitely did not happen (the opposite of «must have»).

We can make a negative form of «might have» with «not»: we believe it is possible that the action did not happen, but it is also possible that it did. «might not» can be contracted to «mightn’t».

Using «by now» and «yet»

We can use «by now» with positive forms e.g.

«He must have done it by now.»
«She might have done it by now.»

We can use «yet» with negative forms e.g.

«He can’t have done it yet.»
«He might not have done it yet.»

Question form

We don’t use «must have» or «can’t have» in question form because we use them for definite beliefs. We use «might have» for question forms:

Positive question form

modal	Subject	«have»	main verb (past participle)
Might	I you we they he / she / it	have	been	to France?

Practice

Complete the sentences with «can’t have», «must have» or «might (not) have» using the verb in brackets:

.

Further practice

Complete the sentences with the correct answer from a, b, c or d:

.

Sarah thinks she ____ her purse on the bus.

must has left

must have left

can has left

might has left

She ____ the train instead of the bus.

must has taken

must have took

might have taken

can’t have took

They ____ the project yet because they only started work on it this week.

must have finished

can’t have finished

might haven’t finished

She ____ received the invitation yet.

can’t not has

might not has

must not has

can’t have

If he had understood the consequences, he ____ the email.

might not have write

might not have written

must not have written

can’t have written

He is late for this appointment. His train ____ delayed.

must has been

might has been

might have been

can has been

Further language point — «might have» with «not»

«might have not»

In addition to the most common form «might not have» (described above), it is also possible to use the form «might have not»:

«He might not have invited me to the party.»
«But he might have not sent out the invitations yet.»

In the second sentence, «not» is used to emphasise the negative of the main verb; in this case, «might have» describes a positive possibility that he did not send the invitations.

Negative question form

We can also use «might not have» to form questions. We can change the position of «not» to make different emphases:

modal	Subject	«have»	main verb (past participle)
Might	I you we they he / she / it	not have	been	to France?
have not
Mightn’t	have

«Might they not have been to France?»
«Mightn’t they have been to France?»

In these examples, we are emphasising the possibility that they have been to France, for example in response to a suggestion or assumption that they have not.

«Might they have not been to France?»

Here, we are emphasising the possibility that they have not been to France, for example in response to a suggestion or assumption that they have.

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EM
Articles
Usage
Punctuation

Summary

Contractions are shortened forms of words, in which some letters are omitted. An apostrophe generally marks the omission. Standard contractions include those that shorten the word not, the verbs be and have, and modal verbs. Here is a list of commonly used contractions.

Contracted Forms in English

Contraction	Full form	Examples
n’t	not	don’t (do not), isn’t (is not)
’s	is, has	she’s (she is, she has), what’s (what is, what has)
’re	are	you’re (you are), we’re (we are)
’ve	have	I’ve (I have), could’ve (could have)
’d	had, would	I’d (I had, I would), we’d (we had, we would)
’ll	will	I’ll (I will), you’ll (you will)
I’m	I am
let’s	let us
ma’am	madam

(See also: List of standard contractions in English)

Contractions are often used in speech and lend an informal, personal tone to writing. Avoid using contractions in formal texts, such as academic papers.

Example

Informal: We haven’t accounted for changes in pressure in this study.
Formal: We have not accounted for changes in pressure in this study.

What is a contraction in grammar?

A contraction is a word in which some sounds or letters are omitted. An apostrophe generally replaces the omitted letters. Contractions are common in speech and informal writing.

Examples

What’s going on?
what is = what’s (an apostrophe replaces the “i” in is)
I don’t know.
do not = don’t (an apostrophe indicates the omitted “o” in not)

I’m happy to help.

I am = I’m (an apostrophe replaces “a”)

Common contractions in English shorten the word not (isn’t, shouldn’t), the be verb (I’m, she’s, we’re), the have verb (you’ve, could’ve), and modal verbs (we’ll, they’d).

When should contractions be used?

Contractions lend an informal tone to writing and replace talking to your reader. In messages and personal communication, contractions sound normal and natural.

Examples

I’m on my way.
That’s fine. Don’t worry.
It’s all right.
Sorry I couldn’t take your call.

In contrast, in academic and other formal texts, avoiding contractions lends an air of formality to the document.

Examples

Informal: We couldn’t collect sufficient real-world data.
Formal: We could not collect sufficient real-world data.
Informal: It’s important to account for bias.
Formal: It is important to account for bias.

In ad copy, marketing slogans, and other signage, contractions can help save space and make your message sound more friendly.

Examples

It’s finger lickin’ good. (KFC)
I’m lovin’ it. (McDonald’s)
Because you’re worth it. (L’Oreal)

In creative writing as well, contractions, which are common in speech, can make dialogue sound more natural.

Example

“Now you said you’d do it, now let’s see you do it.”
“Don’t you crowd me now; you better look out.”
“Well, you said you’d do it—why don’t you do it?”

— Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876)

Caution

Avoid using contractions in formal texts, such as academic papers, cover letters, and business proposals.

Example

Informal: We haven’t reviewed the financial statements of the subsidiaries yet.
Formal: We have not reviewed the financial statements of the subsidiaries yet.

In this article, we discuss common contractions in English and when they are used.

Contractions with not

Not can be contracted to n’t when it is used with an auxiliary verb like can and have.

Examples

I can’t believe you don’t have a phone. (cannot, do not)
Haven’t you pressed the button yet? (have not)
I won’t tell anyone what happened. (will not)
Nesbit shouldn’t spend all his time indoors. (should not)

Can, which already ends in n, combines with not to form can’t. Will and shall lose their endings and combine with not to form won’t and shan’t.

Here is a list of not contractions in English: note how the adverb not combines with both primary (be, have, do) and modal auxiliary verbs (like can and could).

Contractions with Not

Contraction	Full form
don’t	do not
didn’t	did not
isn’t	is not
wasn’t	was not
aren’t	are not (also am not)
weren’t	were not
hasn’t	has not
haven’t	have not
hadn’t	had not
can’t	cannot
couldn’t	could not
shan’t	shall not
shouldn’t	should not
won’t	will not
wouldn’t	would not
mightn’t	might not
mustn’t	must not
needn’t	need not

Be verb with not

The be verb contracts with not in two ways: you can either contract the verb form itself (is, are, am) or contract not.

Examples

Contracted not: Anita isn’t ready.
Contracted be verb: She’s not ready.

The word not is contracted more often with nouns.

Examples

Farley isn’t happy.
Seen more often than “Farley’s not happy.” (The name “Farley” of course is a noun.)
The books aren’t here.
Seen more often than “The books’re not here.” (“The books” is a noun phrase.)

The be verb is contracted more often with pronouns.

Examples

She’s not happy.
Seen more often than “She isn’t happy” (where “she” is a pronoun).
They’re not here.
Seen more often than “They aren’t here.”

Amn’t or aren’t?

With the pronoun I, use aren’t not amn’t to frame questions.

Examples

Aren’t I clever?
I’m your friend, aren’t I?

for “I’m your friend,

am I not

?”

However, when the sentence is not a question but a statement, “I am not” is usually contracted to “I’m not” rather than “I aren’t.”

Example

I’m not joking.
Generally preferred to “I aren’t joking.”

In some dialects (Scottish and Irish), amn’t is acceptable in speech but still avoided in writing.

Ain’t (nonstandard)

Ain’t is a nonstandard contraction used colloquially in some dialects, where it replaces the relatively more formal contractions isn’t and aren’t.

Examples

I ain’t dead.
They ain’t listenin’.
That ain’t important now, is it?
It ain’t done till I say it’s done.

It may occasionally also replace hasn’t or haven’t.

Example

They ain’t made a lock yet our Nesbit can’t pick.

Caution

The contraction ain’t is considered nonstandard and used only very informally.

Be and have contractions

Be and have, which take the verb forms am, is, are, has, have, and had, can contract and combine with a noun or pronoun (and occasionally, an adverb).

Examples

Lulu’s a dancer. (Lulu is)
Your order’s being processed. (order is)
I’m not ready. (I am)
They’re already here. (they are)
Lulu’s been baking again. (Lulu has been)
They’ve found the answer. (they have found)
She’d called me already before you got here. (she had called)
Here’s your money. (here is)
There’s no money in this purse. (there is)
That’s the restaurant I was telling you about. (that is)

Note that the have verb is not contracted in writing when it is the main verb and means “to possess.”

Example

Poor: Poco’s seven cars in his garage.

The main verb is has: Poco

has

. Don’t contract it.

Better: Poco has seven cars in his garage.
Poor: We’d no money.
Better: We had no money.

but

Acceptable: Poco’s bought another car.
The main verb is bought: Poco has bought. Has functions as an auxiliary (or helping) verb and can be contracted.
Acceptable: We’d discovered the cure by then.

Tip

Don’t use affirmative contractions at the end of a clause or a sentence.

Examples

Incorrect:“Have you ordered the shoes?” “Yes, I’ve.”
Correct:“Have you ordered the shoes?” “Yes, I have.”
Incorrect:“Are you ready?” “I don’t know that I’m.”
Correct:“Are you ready?” “I don’t know that I am.”
Incorrect:“Would you help me if you could?” “Of course I’d.”
Correct: “Would you help me if you could?” “Of course I would.”

In contrast, negative contractions are acceptable at the end of a clause or a sentence.

Examples

Correct: No, I haven’t.
Correct: Of course I wouldn’t.

Contractions with pronouns

Personal pronouns like I, you, and they combine with the be and have verbs (am, is, are, has, have) to form standard contractions. These pronouns also combine with the modal verbs will and would.

Examples

Hi, I’m Maya. (I am)
You’re coming with me. (you are)
It’s my first day at work. (it is)
We’re happy to help. (we are)
She’s had a long day. (she has)
They’ve all gone on a picnic together. (they have)
I knew he’d been fighting. (he had)
Of course I’ll help you. (I will)
She’d know if we were lying. (she would)

The following table shows how contractions for personal pronouns are formed.

Contractions with Personal Pronouns

Contraction	Full form	Pronoun contraction
’m	am	I’m
’s	is, has	she’s, he’s, it’s
’re	are	we’re, you’re, they’re
’ve	have	I’ve, you’ve, we’ve, they’ve
’d	had, would	I’d, you’d, he’d, she’d, it’d, we’d, they’d
’ll	will	I’ll, you’ll, he’ll, she’ll, it’ll, we’ll, they’ll

Note how contractions with ’s can be short for either is or has: “He’s” can mean “he is” or “he has.” Similarly, contractions with ’d can stand for either had or would: “I’d” means both “I had” and “I would.”

Caution

The contraction of “you are” is you’re, not your.

Examples

Incorrect: Your not wrong.
Correct: You’re not wrong. (you are)
Incorrect: Your your own worst enemy.
Correct: You’re your own worst enemy. (you are)

Your is a possessive that appears before a noun.

Examples

Your answers are not wrong.
The enemy of your enemy is your friend.

Tip

Insert an apostrophe in its only if it is a contraction of “it is” or “it has.” Omit the apostrophe when it is a possessive.

Examples

It’s raining.
it’s = it is (contraction)
It’s stopped raining.
it’s = it has (contraction)

The kitten is chasing its tail.

its tail = the kitten’s tail (possessive; no apostrophe)

Other pronouns like that, which, and who can also form contractions with be and have in informal usage.

Examples

That’s not true! (that is)
The report that’s being released today is misleading. (that is)
My friend Farley, who’s an astronaut, is afraid of heights. (who is)
The person who’s been eating all the cookies is me. (who has)
These reports, which’ve already been released, are misleading. (which have)

Contractions with nouns

In speech, nouns form contractions with is and has (singular forms of the be and have verbs). These contractions are not generally seen in writing, and never in formal texts.

Examples

Rita’s my sister. (Rita is)
Farley’s in quarantine this week. (Farley is)
Your money’s on the way. (money is)
My daughter’s going to Thailand in May. (daughter is)
The cat’s been eating all the cheese again. (cat has)
Anita’s found the answer! (Anita has)

It is rarer for the plural verbs are and have to join with nouns (cakes’re baked; the cats’ve been eating).

Contractions with adverbs

Adverbs like now, here, and there combine with is to form contractions in informal usage.

Examples

Now’s your chance! (now is)
Here’s the entrance to the cave. (here is)
There’s a slight chance I might be wrong. (there is)

There can also form a contraction with has.

Example

There’s been no change in status since we last spoke. (there has)

Plural contractions are rarer: there’re, there’ve.

Contractions with modal verbs

Modal verbs like could and would combine with have.

Examples

You could’ve done better, but you didn’t even try. (could have)
(would have)
You should’ve given her a chance to explain. (should have)

Caution

Could have and should have are contracted to could’ve and should’ve, not could of or should of. Could’ve is sometimes incorrectly written as could of because of how this contraction is pronounced.

Examples

You ~~could of~~/could’ve told me you had an extra phone.
I ~~should of~~/should’ve realized this would be a problem.

Will and would are contracted to ’ll and ’d in casual communication.

Examples

Anita’ll never believe what just happened. (Anita will)
I’ll buy the flowers myself. (I will)
You’ll call me, won’t you? (you will)
They’ll call us tomorrow. (they will)
You’d never know she was lying. (you would)
We’d like to cancel our membership. (we would)

Modal verbs can also form contractions with not.

Examples

Farley can’t find his shoes. (cannot)
She won’t tell anyone. (will not)
I wouldn’t know where to begin. (would not)
It shouldn’t be this hard. (should not)

Here is a list of contractions with modal verbs.

Contractions with Modal Verbs

Contraction	Full form
could’ve	could have
should’ve	should have
would’ve	would have
might’ve	might have
must’ve	must have
’ll	will (I’ll, you’ll, we’ll)
’d	would (I’d, she’d, they’d)
can’t	cannot
couldn’t	could not
shan’t	shall not
shouldn’t	should not
won’t	will not
wouldn’t	would not
mightn’t	might not
mustn’t	must not
oughtn’t	ought not
needn’t	need not

Contractions in questions

Negative forms using not are contracted in questions, not only in speech but also in formal usage.

Examples

Hasn’t Rita returned from Neptune yet?

Not “

Has not

Rita returned yet?,” which would sound odd and archaic.
Don’t you want to get paid?
Couldn’t you find the answer?
Can’t you see I’m busy?

Negative question tags are also always contracted.

Examples

Farley should be given another chance, shouldn’t he?
Not “Should not he?”
Rita has come back, hasn’t she?
Help me out, won’t you?

Forms of be and have can combine with question words like who and what in speech.

Examples

What’s going on? (what is)
What’s happened to him? (what has)
What’ve you done? (what have)
Where’s Anita when you need her? (where is)
Where’s she gone? (where has)
Where’ve you been? (where have)
Who’s that? (who is)
Who’s been eating all my porridge? (who has)
Who’ve you been talking to? (who have)

Contractions of words like what, where, and there with the plural verb are (what’re, where’re, there’re) are less common than singular forms (what’s, where’s, there’s).

Tip

Who’s is a contraction of who is, while whose is a possessive.

Examples

Who’s/~~Whose~~ that at the window?
who’s = who is (contraction)
Who’s/~~Whose~~ been sitting in my chair?
who’s = who has (contraction)
~~Who’s~~/Whose chair is this?
whose = whom does it belong to (possessive)

Double contractions

Double contractions with have occur in speech but not in writing.

Examples

Rita couldn’t’ve planned this all by herself. (could not have)
Poco shouldn’t’ve bought that new car. (should not have)
I’d’ve known if she’d been lying. (I would have)

The be verb doesn’t form double contractions.

Examples

Incorrect: She’sn’t not happy.
Correct: She’s not happy.
Correct: She isn’t happy.
Incorrect: I’mn’t going on holiday this year.
Correct: I’m not going on holiday this year.

Other contractions

Certain words like ma’am are contracted in speech. An apostrophe is used to signify the omitted sounds.

Examples

Yes, ma’am. I’ll send you the report today. (for madam)
Call the bo’s’n! (for boatswain)

Let’s

The contraction let’s, used often in speech, is a contraction of let us, not let is. Use let’s to make suggestions.

Examples

Let’s go watch a movie. (let us)
Let’s play a game, shall we? (let us)

O’clock (contracted of)

The contraction o’clock is short for “of the clock” and is used to indicate time.

Examples

Is it nine o’clock already?
I usually wake up at six o’clock.

The word of is also contracted in other terms like man-o’-war, will-o’-the-wisp, cat-o’-nine-tails, and jack-o’-lantern.

G-dropping

In some dialects of English, the final sound of a word ending in -ing is not pronounced. When such speech is transcribed, an apostrophe is used to indicate the omitted “g.”

Examples

We were just singin’ and dancin’ in the rain.
Well, you know he’s a ramblin’ man.

Relaxed pronunciation

Phrases such as kind of and sort of, commonly used in casual conversation, are often contracted to kinda and sorta.

Examples

I’m kinda confused about this layout.
I’m sorta impressed by what she has done here.
Would you like a cuppa tea?

In everyday speech, the infinitive marker to is sometimes combined with words such as going and want. Note that these are colloquialisms never used in formal writing.

Examples

I wanna fly like a bird.
I’m gonna go now.
I hafta find out what happened.

Aphaeresis, syncope, apocope

In informal speech, the first unstressed syllable of a word is sometimes dropped (by a process called aphaeresis.) An apostrophe marks the missing syllable.

Examples

I ain’t talkin’ ’bout that.
about
You’ll do it ’cause I asked you to.
because

When a syllable or sound from the middle of a word is dropped, it is called syncope. An apostrophe marks the elision. It is often found in poetry, where meter is helped by the dropping of a sound.

Examples

They flew o’er hills and mountains.
Yes, ma’am, we have rooms available.

The omission or elision of syllables at the end of a word is called apocope.

Examples

Did you watch the match on tele last night? (short for television)
Have you uploaded the photo? (for photograph)

Poetic contractions

Words may be contracted in poetry for the sake of rhythm and meter. Such contractions are not otherwise found in writing. These include words like o’er (over), ’tis (it is), ’twas (it was), e’er (ever), and ne’er (never). Note that modern poets do not often require or use poetic contractions.

Examples

It ate the food it ne’er had eat,
And round and round it flew.
I, smiling at him, shook my head:
’Tis now we’re tired, my heart and I.
Gliding o’er all, through all,
Through Nature, Time, and Space . . .

Note

A contraction is a form of elision, in which sounds or syllables are elided or omitted for ease of speaking or for the sake of meter.

List of standard contractions in English

Here is a list of over 70 commonly used contractions in English.

Standard English Contractions

Contraction	Full form
don’t	do not
didn’t	did not
isn’t	is not
wasn’t	was not
aren’t	are not (also am not)
weren’t	were not
hasn’t	has not
haven’t	have not
hadn’t	had not
can’t	cannot
couldn’t	could not
shan’t	shall not
shouldn’t	should not
won’t	will not
wouldn’t	would not
mightn’t	might not
mustn’t	must not
oughtn’t	ought not
needn’t	need not
could’ve	could have
should’ve	should have
would’ve	would have
might’ve	might have
must’ve	must have
I’m	I am
you’re	you are
she’s	she is, she has
he’s	he is, he has
it’s	it is, it has
we’re	we are
they’re	they are
I’ve	I have
you’ve	you have
we’ve	we have
they’ve	they have
I’ll	I will
you’ll	you will
he’ll	he will
she’ll	she will
it’ll	it will
we’ll	we will
they’ll	they will
I’d	I had, I would
you’d	you had, you would
she’d	she had, she would
he’d	he had, he would
it’d	it had, it would
we’d	we had, we would
they’d	they had, they would
that’s	that is, that has
that’ve	that have
that’d	that would
which’ve	which have
who’s	who is, who has
who’re	who are
who’ve	who have
who’d	who had, who would
who’ll	who will
what’s	what is, what has, what does
what’re	what are
what’ll	what will
where’s	where is, where has
where’d	where did
when’s	when is, when has
why’s	why is, why has
why’d	why did
how’s	how is, how has
here’s	here is
there’s	there is, there has
there’ll	there will
there’d	there had, there would
let’s	let us
ma’am	madam
o’clock	of the clock

Источник

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Last updated:

March 27, 2023

You have probably heard someone use phrases like won’t or y’all before. They are in songs and in quotes. They can be heard on TV and in everyday conversations.

These are all examples of common contractions in English. They help simplify the language.

In this post, we will show you useful English contractions that you can memorize to improve your listening and reading comprehension.

We will also explain how you should use these contractions in your own speaking and writing, to get you sounding fluent faster.

Can’t wait to get started? Let’s begin!

What Is a Contraction?
English Contractions with “Be”
English Contractions with “Will”
English Contractions with “Have”
English Contractions with “Would”
English Contractions with “Had”
Negative Contractions in English
Miscellaneous Contractions in English
How to Use Contractions in English the Right Way
Resources to Practice Using English Contractions

Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)

What Is a Contraction?

In English, a contraction is a shortened version of a pair of words where at least one letter is dropped and an apostrophe ( ’ ) is added. For example, instead of saying “I am,” English speakers frequently use the contraction “I’m.” It has the same meaning, but it is a little shorter.

Contractions help to simplify language (they are great for keeping your comments on Twitter under the maximum character count!). Knowing different examples of contractions and their meanings is crucial because they are used everywhere in English, especially in conversational or informal situations.

To recognize contractions when reading English, look for the floating punctuation mark called an apostrophe (“I’m”), which appears in most common English contractions. If you ignore the apostrophe, you may mistake a contraction for another word.

For instance, the word “she’ll” (she will) could be misinterpreted for “shell” (as in, “a shell on the beach”), which has a completely different meaning. Pay attention to spelling and how apostrophes are used in different words when you read English aloud or in your head. This will help avoid mixing up words.

Keep in mind that apostrophes are also used when showing possession in English. In the phrase “the cat’s toy,” the apostrophe is telling us the toy belongs to the cat. Always make sure to look at the context of the sentence so you can understand why and how the apostrophe is being used.

Below, we will take a look at several common English contractions you should memorize. They’re made with the following words:

Be
Will
Have
Had
Would
Not

And others! Then we will discuss different situations in which to use them and, finally, we will provide some resources to help you practice using contractions correctly.

English Contractions with “Be”

Original	Contraction	Example
I am	I’m	I’m trying to improve my English.
You are	You’re	You’re such a sweetheart!
He is	He’s	He’s so handsome.
She is	She’s	She’s very beautiful.
They are	They’re	They’re really cute puppies!
We are	We’re	We’re probably going to be late.
It is	It’s	It’s not a problem.
That is	That’s	That’s awesome!
Here is	Here’s	Here’s the car I told you about.
There is	There’s	There’s a fly in my soup!
Who is	Who’s	Who’s going to the party tonight?
Where is	Where’s	Where’s my key?
When is	When’s	Congratulations! When’s the wedding?
Why is	Why’s	Why’s he looking at me like that?
What is	What’s	What’s for dinner?
How is	How’s	How’s the new job?
Everybody is	Everybody’s	Everybody’s here now!
Nobody is	Nobody’s	Looks like nobody’s coming to the party.
Something is	Something’s	Something’s making a funny noise.
So is	So’s	I’m done with my food, and so’s he.

English Contractions with “Will”

Original	Contraction	Example
I will	I’ll	I’ll finish the project later.
You will	You’ll	You’ll regret that!
He will	He’ll	He should put on a coat or he’ll get sick.
She will	She’ll	She’ll love her birthday present.
They will	They’ll	I hope they’ll get home before dark.
It will	It’ll	Come to the party! It’ll be fun!
We will	We’ll	We’ll arrive around 3 p.m.
That will	That’ll	I’m not sure that’ll be enough.
This will	This’ll	This’ll only take a minute.
These will	These’ll	Those are too expensive. These’ll work just as well.
There will	There’ll	There’ll be about 30 people at the meeting.
Where will	Where’ll	Where’ll you go next?
Who will	Who’ll	Who’ll take care of you when you get older?
What will	What’ll	He lost his job last week. What’ll he do now?
How will	How’ll	Our phones don’t work here. How’ll we contact each other?

English Contractions with “Have”

Note: These contractions use “have” as a helping verb to indicate something that happened in the past.

In American English, contractions with “have” are only used in this situation.

Contractions are typically not used when “have” is the main verb showing possession. In other words, you could say I’ve seen that movie (I have seen that movie) but not I’ve a dog (I have a dog).

Original	Contraction	Example
I have	I’ve	I’ve been to his house before.
You have	You’ve	You’ve been trying to contact her for days.
He has	He’s	He’s been looking for a new job recently.
She has	She’s	She’s already booked her hotel room.
We have	We’ve	We’ve been wanting to visit for a long time.
They have	They’ve	They’ve just arrived.
Should have	Should’ve	We should’ve turned left at the last light.
Could have	Could’ve	She could’ve scored high on the test, but she didn’t study enough.
Would have	Would’ve	I didn’t know you were at the party. I would’ve said hello!
Might have	Might’ve	I might’ve missed the error if you didn’t point it out to me.
Must have	Must’ve	I must’ve forgotten the extra pens. I’m sorry.
What have	What’ve	Oh no! What’ve you done?
What has	What’s	What’s he been doing lately?
Where have	Where’ve	Where’ve they already traveled to?
Where has	Where’s	Where’s the cat been hiding?
There have	There’ve	There’ve been a lot of thunderstorms this summer.
There has	There’s	There’s been something different about you lately.
These have	These’ve	Wear your other shoes; these’ve got mud on them.
Who has	Who’s	Who’s got the marker?

Notice that the contractions in this table that end with “s” look exactly the same as contractions using “is.”

So, both “he has” and “he is” contract to form “he’s.” Same with “she has,” “what has” and more.

Pay attention to the context of the sentence to understand the difference between these forms!

English Contractions with “Would”

Original	Contraction	Example
I would	I’d	I’d love to visit, but plane tickets are expensive.
You would	You’d	I think you’d be a great salesman.
He would	He’d	He’d probably be happier in a different city.
She would	She’d	She’d like to get a dog.
We would	We’d	We’d love to go see that new movie.
They would	They’d	If my parents were here, they’d really like this hotel.
It would	It’d	It’d be cheaper to buy all the tickets together.
That would	That’d	Do you want to go to the circus? I think that’d be a fun experience.
These would	These’d	I love sunflowers! These’d look great in my garden.
There would	There’d	If he doesn’t come, then there’d only be five people for dinner.

English Contractions with “Had”

Note: The contractions for “had” and “would” look exactly the same!

So how do you tell them apart? It is all about the context.

Contractions that use “had” are usually followed by a past participle of a verb. For example: “When she called, I’d been eating.”

You can’t use these contractions as just a past tense (for instance, you wouldn’t say “She’d a dog” for “She had a dog”).

There are also some common phrases that use these contractions, like “had better,” which means something should happen or be done. For example: “She’d better call me back later!”

Original	Contraction	Example
I had	I’d	I’d never been to the beach until last summer.
You had	You’d	You’d better come look at this.
He had	He’d	She wanted to go to the movies, but he’d already seen the film.
She had	She’d	After searching for a month, she’d finally found the perfect bag.
We had	We’d	We’d practiced often so that we could win the soccer match.
They had	They’d	They’d already finished cooking by the time we arrived.
There had	There’d	They went to the house that morning, but there’d been no one at home.

Negative Contractions in English

All of these contractions use the word “not” to form a negative meaning.

Original	Contraction	Example
Do not	Don’t	I don’t know.
Cannot	Can’t	You can’t have any more cookies.
Must not	Mustn’t	You mustn’t touch that.
Are not	Aren’t	They aren’t coming to dinner tonight.
Could not	Couldn’t	She was so full that she couldn’t eat another bite.
Would not	Wouldn’t	My sister wouldn’t ride a bike until she was 11 years old.
Should not	Shouldn’t	You shouldn’t watch too much TV.
Is not	Isn’t	That building isn’t safe.
Does not	Doesn’t	He doesn’t understand what you said.
Did not	Didn’t	I didn’t go grocery shopping today.
Has not	Hasn’t	The mail still hasn’t come yet.
Had not	Hadn’t	I hadn’t thought of that solution.
Have not	Haven’t	They haven’t seen that movie.
Was not	Wasn’t	That wasn’t a good idea.
Will not	Won’t	I won’t be able to attend the meeting.
Were not	Weren’t	Luckily, we weren’t hurt in the car accident.
Am not; are not; is not; has not; have not	Ain’t	I ain’t interested in dance classes.

Note that the word “mustn’t” is most commonly used in British English.

You should also be aware that the word “ain’t” is regional, and is considered slang in many areas.

Miscellaneous Contractions in English

Original	Contraction	Example
Let us	Let’s	Let’s go shopping this afternoon.
You all	Y’all	Y’all need to pay attention.
Where did	Where’d	Where’d the dog go?
How did	How’d	How’d you know I was at the library?
Why did	Why’d	Why’d you throw that paper ball at me?
Who did	Who’d	Who’d you see at the store?
When did	When’d	I didn’t see you come in! When’d you get here?
What did	What’d	What’d you find?
Good day	G’day	G’day to you!
Madam	Ma’am	Have a good evening, ma’am.
Of the clock	O’clock	It’s five o’clock now.

Just like “ain’t,” the word “y’all” is regional and is considered slang in some places.

The contraction “g’day” is mainly used in Australia.

How to Use Contractions in English the Right Way

Okay, so now you know the common contractions in English—but you might not be comfortable using them yet. Here are some rules to help you speak or write confidently with contractions.

Do not double up on contractions. There should only be one apostrophe in a word. For example, “you’re’nt” is not proper English and is just plain weird.
With the exception of negative contractions, most contractions cannot go at the end of a sentence. Make sure to say the entire phrase. For example:
“Is the cold contagious?”

Correct: “The doctor said it is.”

Incorrect: “The doctor said it’s.”

However, negative contractions can end a sentence. Take a look at this example:

Correct: “If he goes to the party, I won’t.” (Here, we get a full understanding of the speaker’s intentions. The speaker will not go to the party.)

Incorrect: “If he goes to the party, I’ll.” (Here, the meaning is unclear. This sentence leaves the listener wondering: “You will what? You will go to the party, or you will avoid him?”)
Contractions that sound very much like other words (also known as homophones) typically are not used at the end of sentences, either. These include it’s (sounds like its), they’re (sounds like there or their) and you’re (sounds like your).
For example, if we ask the question: “Are they coming on vacation?”

Correct: “Yes, they are.”

Incorrect: “Yes, they’re.”

Most of the time, it is acceptable to use contractions in everyday English. People use them all of the time in both spoken and written English.

However, sometimes contractions are considered less formal than the full phrase. Saying “I can’t help you” is more casual than saying “I cannot help you.”

Also, be aware that the words “y’all” and “ain’t” may be considered slang, depending on where you are. Some American dialects consider these contractions acceptable and use them a lot. In other places and situations, these words are considered very poor English and should be avoided. If you are in an English class, it is probably better to not use these words.

Make sure to always assess the situation to see if using a contraction is appropriate. Most of the time, though, using a standard contraction will be just fine.

Resources to Practice Using English Contractions

To master contractions, you will first want to memorize the list provided above. But you also need to be exposed to different speaking styles or dialects.

Practice with as many language partners or native speakers as possible. Even native speakers from the same area may speak differently and use different contractions.

If you need to find an English speaker to practice with, try using Wyzant, where you can choose from hundreds of English tutors to find one that matches your goals, learning style and budget. Wyzant is a cool option because you can choose in-person lessons or virtual tutoring using a webcam.

Most Wyzant tutors are experienced, certified educators who will have no problem providing expert contraction guidance or help with any other language need. Browse the profiles to start exploring your options.

You should also watch movies, YouTube videos and listen to songs from people from different English-speaking places. They can show contractions as used by native speakers, which will help you learn how to use them naturally.

For example, here is a YouTube video that uses the popular song “Call Me Maybe” to help explain contractions. It also has some more examples of slang contractions that are sometimes used in English.

If you want to hear more sophisticated language, watch a movie with very proper English, such as “Pride and Prejudice.” If you want to hear dialects with a lot of contractions and slang, you could try watching the popular TV series “The Walking Dead.”

But again, try watching all kinds of different shows and movies. The more English you are exposed to, the more you will learn!

Another resource is the language learning program FluentU. It has a library of short authentic videos that cover different topics. Each clip has interactive captions, so you can spot contractions and see how they’re used in context. You can also click on a contraction, or any other word or phrase, to get information about its definition, grammar and usage in sentences.

You can also get some interactive practice with online quizzes. Here are three to try:

This quiz gives you a full sentence with a phrase that can be turned into a contraction. It gives you different answer choices to choose from and you need to pick the contraction that uses the apostrophe correctly.
This quiz gives you a sentence and a phrase that needs to be turned into a contraction. However, there are no answer choices given and you need to write the phrase in its contraction form. It is very good practice!
This site provides more examples of contractions being used in sentences. There is also a quiz at the very bottom where you need to choose the correct contraction based on the context of the sentence.
Unlike the other quizzes, this one does not tell you which phrase to use ahead of time. You have to figure it out yourself!

Now that you have learned the basics of contractions, use these resources and any others you can find to master contractions and improve your English!

Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Источник

What is the contracted form of a verb?

When are contracted forms used?

Negative Common Contractions

Contractions With The Verb HAVE

Contractions With The Verb HAVE (Past Form)

Contractions With The Verb BE

Contractions with the Verb BE (Past Form)

Contractions with the verb DO

Contractions with the Verb DO (Past Form)

Contractions With The Modal Verb WILL

Contractions with the modal verb WOULD

Contractions with the modal verb WOULD (Past Form)

Short Forms of Other Modal Verbs

In Conclusion

Add your answer:

Suggestions

Suggestions that contain might have

Introduction

Form

Positive and negative forms

Using «by now» and «yet»

Question form

Practice

Further practice

Further language point — «might have» with «not»

Summary

What is a contraction in grammar?

When should contractions be used?

Contractions with not

Be verb with not

Amn’t or aren’t?

Ain’t (nonstandard)

Be and have contractions

Contractions with pronouns

Contractions with nouns

Contractions with adverbs

Contractions with modal verbs

Contractions in questions

Double contractions

Other contractions

Let’s

O’clock (contracted of)

G-dropping

Relaxed pronunciation

Aphaeresis, syncope, apocope

Poetic contractions

List of standard contractions in English

Contents

What Is a Contraction?

English Contractions with “Be”

English Contractions with “Will”

English Contractions with “Have”

English Contractions with “Would”

English Contractions with “Had”

Negative Contractions in English

Miscellaneous Contractions in English

How to Use Contractions in English the Right Way

Resources to Practice Using English Contractions