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What is a contraction?
- A contraction is one word made up of two words.
- We do this to make things short and trim.
- The first word usually stays the same.
I will à I’ll (the first word remained the same)
- And in some cases, both the first word and the second word lose letters.
- Shall not à Shan’t (Both words changed)
- An apostrophe always fills the space of the missing letters.
Examples:
Where only the second word changes
- I have à I’ve
- I had à I’d
- You are à You’re
- Have not à Haven’t
- Is not à Isn’t
- Cannot à Can’t
Where both the first- and second-word changes
- Shall not à Shan’t
- Will not à Won’t
- Contractions are used in normal speech and informal writing (writing notes / writing to family and friends)
- Don’t use them contractions in formal writing.
- Use complete words.
Example:
‘Cannot’ rather than ‘can’t’
- We use contractions with not in sentences were of negation.
- I.e., we are refusing something/ expressing impossibility, etc.
- They are also used to ask questions.
Example:
- I can’t go to the show today.
- I won’t let you skip sleep.
- Won’t you help me?
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Usage
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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.
| 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).
| 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. - 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.
but
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.
| 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.
| 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/
Whosethat at the window?who’s = who is (contraction)
- Who’s/
Whosebeen 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.
| 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 |
Contractions
Negative Words for Class 3 English
This page assists learners to understand the contraction of words in English, especially negative words. These
words are used informally and adds a more personal tone.
The concept also details the rules pertaining to them and the mistakes students tend to make while using
contractions negatively in sentences as well.
In this learning concept, the students will learn:
- To form negative words using contractions.
- Formation of contraction words.
- To make sentences with negative contractions.
- List of contraction words.
The contractions in English grammar for class 3 has been explained in a grade appropriate manner using
illustrations, examples, and mind maps. Students can evaluate their learning by solving the two printable
worksheets given at the end of the page. Download for free, the concept worksheets and check their solutions
that are provided in PDF format.
Contractions are used informally or formally to shorten a written or a
spoken form of a word.
Negative contractions
Contractions written which have a negative meaning to verbs are called as
negative contractions. We can use ‘nt’ contractions with ‘to be’ verbs. They
are created using auxiliary verbs like be, have, do, would, can, should,
etc.
Sentences with Negative contractions
-
Negative contractions include the word ‘not’ that makes a verb negative.
In sentences, contractions appear right after the subject. For instance,
aren’t, isn’t, wasn’t, weren’t, can’t, couldn’t, mustn’t, shouldn’t,
won’t, wouldn’t, didn’t, doesn’t, don’t, hasn’t, haven’t, hadn’t. - She doesn’t like chocolates.
- These aren’t almonds.
- She won’t be attending the awards this year.
- Statements do end with negative contractions.
Examples :
Example:
Question: Have you been to the new restaurant yet?
Answer:
No, I
haven’t
Rules:
-
Contractions are joining two words together using an apostrophe. The
apostrophe replaces the letter ‘o’ in the word ‘not. -
While using negative contractions, there is no space used in between the
verb and the n’t. -
The word ‘not’ can be written as n’t when used with auxiliaries — can and
have. Notice the spelling of the word. -
I can’t believe you haven’t watched that movie. (cannot,
have not) - I don’t have money? (do not)
- I won’t tell anyone. (will not)
- You shouldn’t eat junk food. (should not)
- Contractions with the verb + negation are done in two ways.
- They’re not coming home today. (The contraction is they + are)
- They aren’t coming home today. (The contraction is are + not)
-
For some contractions the spelling of the word changes once the negative
word (n’t) is added. This change is observed in contractions like ‘shan’t’
and ‘won’t’. Will and shall combine with not to form won’t and shan’t. - I shan’t make that mistake again.
- I won’t stay up late at night.
-
Apply only one negative contraction in a sentence. It is grammatically
improper to use more than one contraction in a sentence that is not a
question. -
Do not use ‘ain’t’ as a contraction in spoken or written English. The
contraction ‘ain’t’ is informally used as a replacement for contractions
like aren’t, isn’t, and can’t. This usage of the word ‘ain’t’ is not
correct. Refrain from using it instead, use the correct contraction
whenever necessary. - Not all negative constructions are contracted with the form -n’t.
- I am not a thief becomes I’m not a thief.
- I may not come. (‘May not’ cannot be contracted)
-
A word that is an exception to what has been mentioned till now is won’t
– it comes from will + not = won’t.
Examples :
| Long-form | Contracted form |
|---|---|
| are not | aren’t |
| would not | wouldn’t |
| has not | hasn’t |
Examples :
Examples :
Examples :
Common Mistakes:
Example:
She’s
not completing her homework.
She’s n’t
completing her homework.
Exceptions:
Examples :
Example:
Will does not become willn’t.
Definition and Examples of Negative Contractions
Updated on November 04, 2019
A negative contraction is a negative verb construction that ends in -‘nt.
These are the negative contractions commonly used in speech and in informal writing:
- aren’t, isn’t, wasn’t, weren’t
- can’t, couldn’t, mustn’t, shouldn’t, won’t, wouldn’t
- didn’t, doesn’t, don’t
- hasn’t, haven’t, hadn’t
Shan’t (the contraction of shall not) is extremely rare in American English, but it can still be heard in British English. Contractions for may not (mayn’t) and might not (mightn’t) occur infrequently in contemporary English. Except in Hiberno-English (which uses amn’t), there is no negative contraction for am, though the nonstandard form ain’t is sometimes used in casual speech.
Examples and Observations
- «‘If you shouldn’t be defendin’ him, then why are you doin’ it?’
«‘For a number of reasons,’ said Atticus. ‘The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.'»
«‘You mean if you didn’t defend that man, Jem and I wouldn’t have to mind you anymore?'»
«‘That’s about right.'»
(Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird. J.B. Lippincott, 1960) - Stella: Oh, you can’t describe someone you’re in love with! Here’s a picture of him
Blanche: An officer?
Stella: A Master Sergeant in the Engineers’ Corps. Those are decorations!
Blanche: He had those on when you met him?
Stella: I assure you I wasn’t just blinded by all the brass.
(Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire, 1947) - «I’ll say, ‘It was an accident Mom . . . a mistake . . . it won’t happen again.’
«And Ralph will say, ‘If you hadn’t been thinking about that girl this never would have happened.'»
(Judy Blume, Then Again, Maybe I Won’t. Bradbury Press, 1971) - «I’m getting very deaf. I suppose I don’t hear people. Emily’s got a bad toe. We shan’t be able to start for Wales till the end of the month.»
(John Galsworthy, The Forsyte Saga, 1922) - «‘Don’t go to any trouble on my account,’ Paul D said.
«‘Bread ain’t trouble. The rest I brought back from where I work.'»
(Toni Morrison, Beloved. Alfred Knopf, 1987)
Negative Contraction and Auxiliary Contraction
- «[N]egative contraction is possible for a much wider range of verbs than the auxiliary (or non-negative) contraction in standard English. Practically every verb (except am) has a form with a contracted negative, whereas auxiliary contraction is only possible for a smaller number of verbs. For this reason, speakers have a choice between negative vs auxiliary contraction for the following verb forms only: is, are; have, has had; will, would; shall, should. Some of the auxiliary contracted forms are ambiguous: he’s not is the contracted form of both he is not and he has not (although this use is relatively rare); I’d not be derived from either I had not, I would not or I should not, and you’ll not can, at least in principle, be the contracted form of you will not or you shall not.
- «In addition, however, one has to consider different syntactic environments. The distinction between auxiliary and negative contraction is only relevant for declarative sentences. Only here and for those verbs listed above do speakers have a choice between negative contraction, auxiliary contraction and completely uncontracted forms.»
(Lieselotte Anderwald, Negation in Non-Standard British English: Gaps, Regularizations, and Asymmetries. Routledge, 2002)
Rogue Contractions
- «Negative contraction is not a possibility with am not (*I amn’t), and this causes a difficulty in questions (where inversion does not allow verb contraction). In colloquial English, aren’t I is sometimes substituted for the non-existent *amn’t I. (The full form am I not is generally avoided.)
I’m naughty aren’t I? (conv)
‘Aren’t I supposed to understand?’ (fict)
- «[Ain’t] is a very versatile negative contraction, capable of substituting for all negative contractions of be or the auxiliary have:
‘There ain’t nothing we can do.’ (fict) isn’t>
‘I’m whispering now, ain’t I?’ (fict) aren’t>
I ain’t done nothing. (conv) haven’t>
- Ain’t is common is the conversation of some dialects, and it occurs in representations of speech in writing. However, ain’t is widely felt to be nonstandard, and so it is generally avoided in written language, as well as in careful speech.»
(Douglas Biber, Susan Conrad, and Geoffrey Leech, Longman Student Grammar of Spoken English. Pearson, 2002)
The Case Against Ain’t
- «Long a shibboleth for 20th-century Americans, the negative contraction ain’t continues to be Substandard when used unconsciously or unintentionally. It is a word, though, and in Vulgar and some Common use, it replaces are not, is not, am not, has not, and have not in statements. Standard English replaces I ain’t with I’m not and the interrogative ain’t I (which is often added to statements, e.g., I’m safe, ain’t I?) with a choice of somewhat clumsy locutions: am I not? aren’t I? or an even more roundabout Isn’t that so? . . . The firm rejection of ain’t in Standard use is hard to explain, but clearly, Americans have come down hardest on it, and they have made the rejection stick in Standard American English. Consciously jocular uses are acceptable, but using ain’t in circumstances that do not suggest deliberate choice may brand you as a speaker of Vulgar English.»
(Kenneth G. Wilson, The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Columbia University Press, 1993)
Negative Contraction and Be Contraction
- «Whereas for all auxiliary verbs negative contraction (e.g. haven’t, hasn’t, won’t) is vastly preferred over auxiliary contraction (e.g. ‘ve not, ‘d not, ‘ll not), we get the reverse picture for be. Even isn’t (12.5%) and aren’t (3.5%) are used very rarely in the British Isles, so that the near absence of amn’t in standard as well as non-standard varieties is not a striking exception, but simply the tip of the iceberg.
«The motivation for this striking preference of be-contraction over negative contraction for all other auxiliaries is most likely a cognitive one, namely the extremely low semantic content of be.»
(Bernd Kortmann, Tanja Herrmann, Lukas Pietsch, and Susanne Wagner, Agreement, Gender, Relative Clauses. Walter de Gruyter, 2005)
Negative Contractions and Language Acquisition
- «[C]hildren will use some of the negative contractions prior to their acquisition of the rules for not in the verb phrase. The negative contractions don’t, won’t, and can’t are acquired early and may be used prior to the acquisition of the particular auxiliaries which they represent. Children appear to learn these negative contractions as single morphemes and use them to negate prior to learning the auxiliary plus not.»
(Virginia A. Heidinger, Analyzing Syntax and Semantics: A Self-Instructional Approach for Teachers and Clinicians. Gallaudet University Press, 1984)
By
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!
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
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)
These tables show you all the short forms of auxiliary verbs and modals followed by ’not’.
Auxiliary + not
We can use the present and past form of auxiliary verbs with ’not’ in the short form.
|long form
| short form | |
|---|---|
| have not | haven’t |
| has not | hasn’t |
| is not | isn’t |
| are not | aren’t |
| do not | don’t |
| does not | doesn’t |
Auxiliary + not (present)
There is no short form of ‘am not’.
| long form | short form |
|---|---|
| had not | hadn’t |
| was not | wasn’t |
| were not | weren’t |
| did not | didn’t |
Auxiliary + not (past)
Modal + not
| long form | short form |
|---|---|
| can not | can’t |
| could not | couldn’t |
| shall not | shan’t |
| should not | shouldn’t |
| will not | won’t |
| would not | wouldn’t |
| must not | mustn’t |
| might not | mightn’t |
Modal + not
Is it uncommon to use the short form of ‘may not’.
Learn more
- Making and using contractions;
- Subject pronoun contractions;
- Question word contractions.
Then I go in last at about 11 30pm, with really intense contractions, to not be put on the monitor and then be put in quite a bit of pain, when the midwife (different one) decides to wiggle her fingers to reach my cervix. It didn’t take the midwife this morning 5 minutes to check me. And then she said that my cervix is long and thick…. How can it so far back and become long and thick in the space of 16hrs!?
I don’t like the word myself BUT I do not have a bad problem if someone uses it as long as it’s not toward someone who does have any deficits if that makes sense.
if someone ever uses it toward my son they’ll have H*ll to pay.
When you can time the contractions regularly, you’re in labor. Regular being the key word. That’s when u go to the hospital. But if for any reason, the pain becomes unbearable and your water has broken, go anyway.
Hi!
USUALLY contractions cause dilation. That is most commonly the way it works, although some people can dilate without contractions, and others won’t dilate even with the strongest contractions. The nifedical should slow down the contractions, or at least make them milder. It may give you headaches or make you retain water. Depending on how far along you are though, it could be pretty important to keep them stopped, so follow your doctor’s good advice. Congratulations in advance.
Lol, I’m not trying to be rude, but while reading certain posts, everyone that says certain things ***** they are using asterisks. This is not a bad word, and I’m sure it throws the reader off as well. I understand that it F***ing ***** to be corrected.
t dropped, no contractions (not even bh). I have a csection scheduled for Friday. I wish I could go longer than that but we’re moving across the country 3 weeks from Friday. I have to drive so I need as much time to heal as possible.
work with him we bought this new learning system that is out called your baby can read and my son has learned lotes of new word but still not talking like a 3 year old should with sentances. my best advice to you would be go with your gut you know your son better than anyone. and don’t wait till he is 3 the he is way behind like my son. i knew with my son he ould try to talk to us and geet really frustraited when he could not get us to understand him and start troing fit.
also, how old are you and do you live at home with him? sorry for all the questions and if they are too personal please feel free to not answer, I will not be offended..I am just unsure how to tell you to handle him without a little knowledge of the situation…
So, are you excited about it? if you are extremely emotional right now, that is normal..Most pregnant women are really emotional due to the rising hormones…
Agreeing with adgal..
«In all honesty, I really don’t care one way or the other. To me any religious celebration, be it Christian or otherwise is a personal one and should be honored accordingly. In my house it is about celebrating the birth of Christ, and that is how it shall remain.»
I recognize though that that’s just the way the world is going. I don’t think it’s any surprise as many do not feel Christ is very important.
There are some birthing methods that think that using the word pain caused fear and stress, so they call it discomfort or other similar words. This doesn’t make it a «painless» experience, it just reframes it. Our minds are powerful. If you go into it believing that the pain will be more than you can bear, it most likely will be. And vice versa. I had a great natural birth experience. Even with pitocin I never had contractions that were more painful than menstrual cramps.
Hopefully you are receiving proper medications to stop your discomfort, because that should help you with your word thing, if that is the cause, and it’s the one thing I KNOW will cause aphasia, which I have it from injuries in a car wreck.
See, there are several causes of your symptoms, for example stroke, which apparently has been ruled out by your MRI.
I had a stress test the other day because I’m overdue and the monitor kept saying I was having steady contractions. The nurse kept asking if I felt any of them and I didn’t. She was kind of surprised. The ones I did feel were only a little painful…like menstrual cramps, but I had tightening with them too. So if that’s what you are feeling then maybe you are? Don’t take my word though…I have absolutely no clue.
I really like the term word sticks, but I don’t think it goes quite far enough for me. I sometimes wonder how anyone can understand me at all.
There are really 3 modes of operation for me in this area. The first one is like was described were you can’t think of a word and end up using another word that means the same thing. Second is but can’t figure out how to say the word. The final mode is where my mind just picks a random word to say.
Every Sunday my daddy calls me the F word FAT. It does hurt my feelings but i know he doesn’t really mean it. He probably dont want to picture me being pregnant because im his daughter n he is an pastor so he believes marriage should come first before you start having kids.
As soon as my water broke i felt nasuated the contractions hit me hard and got stronger each time i would shake uncontrollably myvlegs wanted to give out i felt like i couldnt breath trusttt you know when your in labor! I would uncontrollably scream as i hit the peak of the contractions. Practice your breathinf techniques now they are so helpful!
I thought I would share with you mommas some breathing techniques I was reading quickly for during labor 
For anyone who is trying to go full natural, like I am, or just to stay relax threw out the process, I thought it’d be nice to share a little.
I was given by my OB in early January when I was having painful contractions, which turned out to be real contractions… not BH.
This what I’m Experienceing now feels tight with alot of pressure uncomfortablenot painful and everytime it happens I get a hot flush
Ok so im on my second little man and for the past couple of times ive been having contractions after we do the deed lol. I didnt go through this with my first son but now were kinda scared to do it now. The contractions last til about morning which ***** and hurts like hell thought i was in labor but im only 30 weeks tomorrow. I googled it and it says it can either be from my husbands sperm or orgasms either way id like for it to stop so we can have adult time.
no contraction but just pressure & using the bathroom a lot really don’t know what this mean..
Totally off topic but I couldn’t help but notice that we are both 12 +5!
As for the constipation, I notice when I drink a lot of water, it helps my digestion.
I never felt the first stage of labor, better to get checked and then they can watch baby then wonder. With my son he was on his cord. I was lucky to be at the hospital when water broke. I would go get checked.
Hello there.
First off I in no way believe that you are trying to be insensitive, simply just asking a question which I will try my best to answer based on my experiences and socialization.
Depression is like a leech, it ***** on you and everything around you. You begin to pick up unhealthy patterns of living and so you start to exhibit harmful behaviours which makes the condition worse. Such as: Over sensitivity and Emotional dependence.
I only had 2 scans thru my pregnancy—1 about 18 weeks and a second one about 3 weekd later (because they couldn’t see the cord). Having or not having having a scan has no bearing on the outcome of ur pregnancy.
Agreed with bearhunter. So annoying. It’s the father of my child not baby daddy. I also hate when ppl ask me if I have «the glow» um mm ask my constipation nausea and hemmroids if I have it!