Table of Contents
- Is there a contraction for they are?
- What is the contraction of the verb to be they are?
- How do you use would and had?
- Would have been or had been?
- Is I’ve a proper contraction?
- What two words make up I ve?
- How do you use the word Ive?
- How do you use Ive?
- Have been meaning to meaning?
- Is Ive past tense?
- Is have a past tense?
- What is a past tense of wear?
- What tense is have?
- What are the three forms of verbs?
- What is V1 V2 V3 v4 v5?
- What is 1st form 2nd form and 3rd form?
They’re is a contraction that means “they are.” You can remember that apostrophes indicate the possessive only when used of ‘s, such as “the writer’s thoughts.” Otherwise, it’s generally a contraction of two words, as in can’t = cannot, or won’t = will not, or an omission of a letter or letters, as in singin’ for …
What is the contraction of the verb to be they are?
Contractions with the verb ‘to be’
| Uncontracted | Contracted |
|---|---|
| You are | You’re |
| He/She/It is | He’s/She’s/It’s |
| We are | We’re |
| They are | They’re |
How do you use would and had?
When to use “Would Have Had” “Would have had” is a type 3 conditional phrase that is used for situations that did not happen – an unreal, past situation. It’s used to describe a situation that “would have” happened if another situation were to take place.
Would have been or had been?
We use would have in past conditionals to talk about something that did not happen: He would have been very angry if he had seen you. Would had been is never used. It’s incorrect.
Is I’ve a proper contraction?
What are contractions? A contraction is a word made by shortening and combining two words. Words like can’t (can + not), don’t (do + not), and I’ve (I + have) are all contractions. People use contractions in both speaking and writing.
What two words make up I ve?
Only Use Apostrophes to Replace Letters in Standard Contractions
| Contraction | Original |
|---|---|
| I’d | I had, I would |
| I’ll | I will, I shall |
| I’m | I am |
| I’ve | I have |
How do you use the word Ive?
Use “I’ve” in a sentence when you are either speaking or writing informally. “I’ve is very conversational and casual. Of course, “I’ve” is a contraction of the words “I have” and contractions are used in informal speech or writing. So no business letters or academic essays.
How do you use Ive?
I would only use “I’ve” as a contraction for “I have” when have was serving as an auxiliary verb, and not the main verb of the sentence. Thus, it would be natural for me to say “I’ve seen that show three times”, or “I’ve never had kippers for breakfast before”, or “I’ve not yet begun to fight”.
Have been meaning to meaning?
It’s a phrase that simply means that you wanted to do something for a long time and just repeat it. “I’ve been meaning to do something. I’ve been meaning to.
Is Ive past tense?
You are asking (whether you realize it or not) the difference between the simple past tense (“I had”) and the present perfect tense (“I’ve had”). The simple past tense indicates that something happened in the past—pretty simple.
Is have a past tense?
The verb have has the forms: have, has, having, had. The base form of the verb is have. The present participle is having. The past tense and past participle form is had.
What is a past tense of wear?
the past tense of wear can be wore (past tense) and worn (past participle).
What tense is have?
Present Tense
What are the three forms of verbs?
Have is an irregular verb. Its three forms are have, had, had.
What is V1 V2 V3 v4 v5?
Answer: v1 is present ,v2 past ,v3 past participate ,v4 present participate, v5 simple present. Smenevacuundacy and 145 more users found this answer helpful. Thanks 92.
What is 1st form 2nd form and 3rd form?
1st form = base form, 2nd form = past form, 3rd form = Past Participle Form, s /es/ ies form, Ing form.
What is the contraction word for they are?
This is an explanatory supplement to the Wikipedia:Manual of Style guideline.
| Contraction | Meaning |
|---|---|
| they ‘d | they had / they would |
| they ‘ll | they shall / they will |
| they’re | they are / they were |
| they ‘ve | they have |
Is there a contraction for they are?
They’re is a contraction that means » they are .» You can remember that apostrophes indicate the possessive only when used of ‘s, such as «the writer’s thoughts.» Otherwise, it’s generally a contraction of two words, as in can’t = cannot, or won’t = will not, or an omission of a letter or letters, as in singin’ for …
What is the contraction of the verb to be they are?
Contractions with the verb ‘to be’
| Uncontracted | Contracted |
|---|---|
| You are | You’re |
| He/She/It is | He’s/She’s/It’s |
| We are | We’re |
| They are | They’re |
What is the contraction for they did?
This is an explanatory supplement to the Wikipedia:Manual of Style guideline.
| Contraction | Meaning |
|---|---|
| they ‘d | they had / they would |
| they ‘ll | they shall / they will |
| they ‘re | they are / they were |
| they ‘ve | they have |
What are contraction words examples?
A contraction is a word made by shortening and combining two words . Words like can’t (can + not), don’t (do + not), and I’ve (I + have) are all contractions . People use contractions in both speaking and writing.
What is the contraction for I have?
In most contractions , an apostrophe represents the missing letters. The most common contractions are made up of verbs, auxiliaries, or modals attached to other words: He would=He’d. I have =I’ve. They are=They’re.
How many contractions are there?
Contraction words are made out of common words, and there are a little over 90 standard contractions .
Is who’re a proper contraction?
Technically, it’s a legitimate contraction (provided, as Dan Smith notes, that you put the apostrophe in the correct place). In practical speech, the difference sound-wise between »who are» and »who’re» is fairly minimal, which perhaps explains why »who’re» isn’t in more common use.
What is should ve?
Should ‘ ve or should have is defined as something that would have been beneficial to do. An example of should ‘ ve is realizing that wearing elbow pads would have been a good idea after you’ ve fallen off a bike. verb.
Their, there, and they’re are all pronounced the same way. Their is the possessive pronoun, as in «their car is red»; there is used as an adjective, «he is always there for me,» a noun, «get away from there,» and, chiefly, an adverb, «stop right there»; they’re is a contraction of «they are,» as in «they’re getting married.»
Homophones — words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings — can be tricky. There are three in particular that commonly confuse people. They’re very tricky, in part because of their usefulness, which means that we call on them over and over in our writing here and there.
There’s no need to confuse there, they’re, and their. While they’re not an easy group of words, with practice you can master their distinctions.
«There» Usage
And we’ll start there. That one has the word here in it, which is helpful. It can remind us that this particular there is often about location:
There it is.
Put it there.
Stay there.
We’ll be there soon.
It’s about location in the more abstract sense too:
There you go.
There is where we disagree.
Friends who are always there for you.
It’s also the one to use as the first word in sentences that have the subject after the verb:
There is a nice hotel in the town.
And it’s the one used with the verb be at the beginning of sentences and questions:
There are plenty available.
Is there a hotel in the town?
The other two are trickier because they both have the idea of the plural in them. They key is discerning between the contraction for «they are» (they’re) and the possessive of «belonging to them» (their).
«They’re» Usage
They’re is a contraction that means «they are.» You can remember that apostrophes indicate the possessive only when used of ‘s, such as «the writer’s thoughts.» Otherwise, it’s generally a contraction of two words, as in can’t = cannot, or won’t = will not, or an omission of a letter or letters, as in singin’ for singing and ’em for them in stick it to ’em.
They’re (=they are) funny people.
They’re (=they are) the cutest puppies ever.
It can be used of non-living things too:
They’re (=they are) both really good books.
They’re (=they are) two of our biggest problems.
«Their» Usage
The last of this trio, their, is the possessive form of they, so it has to do with what belongs to, relates to, or is made or done by certain people, animals, or things:
It’s their house.
We’re their neighbors.
The trees are losing their leaves.
Their also has a long history of being used as a singular pronoun. Associate Editor Emily Brewster explains its usage in this video.
And there you go. They’re not an easy group of words, but with practice we know you can master their distinctions.
In summary:
There is the most common. It has the word here in it, which is helpful because it’s often about location. They’re always means «they are.» Their is the possessive form of they.
Want More Commonly Confused Words?
‘Then’ vs. ‘Than’
‘Who’ vs. ‘Whom’
‘Affect’ vs. ‘Effect’
‘Further’ vs. ‘Farther’
they’re
List of Common Contractions
| Contraction Word | Base Words |
|---|---|
| they’re | they are |
| they’d | they would |
| they’ll | they will |
| they’ve | they have |
Is there a contraction for they are?
Their means “belongs to them.” They’re is a contraction of “they are” or “they were.”
Is Let us let’s?
Let’s is a contraction of “let us.” You use it to make suggestions about what you and someone else should do. Let’s go to the movies. Let’s invite Mom. Lets is the third-person singular present tense form of verb let, which means to allow or give permission.
What does ‘i’ve stand for?
I have
I’ve is the usual spoken form of ‘I have,’ especially when ‘have’ is an auxiliary verb.
Which is the correct word for a contraction?
They’re, Their and There. They’re, their and there are also quite commonly confused words among students who are learning about contractions. They’re is a contraction for they are. For example: They’re happy to see me. I think they’re very nice boys. In my opinion, they’re a fine group of athletes.
Is the word their a contraction or a pronoun?
They’re, their and there are also quite commonly confused words among students who are learning about contractions. They’re is a contraction for they are. For example: They’re happy to see me. I think they’re very nice boys. In my opinion, they’re a fine group of athletes. Their is a possessive pronoun.
Is it OK to use contractions in a sentence?
This is because won’t is based on a much older form of the word will. Even though the word changed, the contraction stayed the same! Writing with contractions. If anyone tells you that you should never use contractions in writing, they’re wrong. It’s perfectly OK to use contractions in most writing, including newspapers, fiction, and instructions.
When do you use double contractions in English?
These are the most common contractions you’ll hear or use when speaking English. Contractions like these that include the word “not” negate a verb. From double contractions to slang and old fashioned words, some contractions don’t look exactly like all the others.
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EM
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Articles
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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 |