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<div class="pg_page_title">Contractions in English</div>
[[File:Contractions-in-English-Polyglot-Club-Wiki.png|thumb]]
Contractions are shortened words or groups of words, and they are always informal.  In most cases, they are formed by adding a contracted suffix, usually beginning with an apostrophe, to another word. Since contractions are not required in English, it is more important to be able to interpret them than to produce them.  In fact, contractions should be avoided altogether in formal texts. 


Here are the common contractions:
<div style="font-size:200%;">Contractions in English</div>


Upon acquiring a comprehensive understanding of this material, you might be intrigued by these relevant areas: [[Language/English/Grammar/Verbosity-or-Circumlocution|Verbosity or Circumlocution]], [[Language/English/Grammar/Irregular-Verbs|Irregular Verbs]], [[Language/English/Grammar/Nouns|Nouns]] & [[Language/English/Grammar/Definite-Article|Definite Article]].
Contractions are used to shorten words by adding a suffix to a word, usually beginning with an apostrophe, which will indicate expanded meaning to a word.
==-'d  (had / would)==
''Followed by an infinitive verb (without'' to'') (e.g.'' be'','' do'','' have'','' go'','' eat'','' open''),'' -'d ''is short for'' would''.  Followed by the past participle (e.g.'' been'','' done'','' had'','' gone'','' eaten'','' opened''), it is short for'' had''.  If the verb is irregular and the infinitive is the same as the past participle, you may have to use context to determine the best interpretation.''
* I'd put it there - I would put it there / I had put it there
* He'd left it behind - He had left it behind
* She'd found the last key - She had found the last key
* I'd trust you if you smiled more - I would trust you if you smiled more
* You'd have been better off if you'd finished what you'd started - You would have been better off if you had finished what you had started


==-'ll  (will)==
Common Contractions (Sorted Alphabetically by Contracted Word)


* He'll - He will
==Are - 're==
* I'll - I will
* It'll - It will
* She'll - She will
* They'll - They will
* We'll - We will
* You'll - You will
* What'll - What will


=== Examples ===
They're - They are
*Tomorrow I'll go to the store, because my refrigerator is almost empty!
*They'll start tomorrow - They will start tomorrow


==-'m  (am)==
We're - We are


I'm - I am
Where're - Where are


=== Example ===
What're - What are
*I'm utterly exhausted, but I'm not giving up.


==-'re (are)==
Why're - Why are


* They're - They are
How're - How are
* We're - We are
* Where're - Where are
* What're - What are
* Why're - Why are
* How're - How are


==-'s  (has / is)==
~~


Don't confuse this with the possessive marker 's!
==Had - 'd==


*Sam's a great friend - Sam is a great friend
I'd - I had


*Sam's found something - Sam has found something
You'd - You had


*Sam's dog is grey  ''(That is, Sam has a dog, which is grey - this is the possessive marker and it is not considered a contraction!)''
He'd - He had


==-'ve  (have)==
She'd - She had


* Could've - Could have
It'd - It had
* I've - I have
* Should've - Should have
* They've - They have
* Would've - Would have
* You've - You have


=== Example ===
You'd - You had
*I could've gone to the gym, I should've gone to the gym, and I would've gone to the gym, but I didn't. Now I've gained weight!


==-n't  (not)==
We'd - We had


''"Shall" and "will" change to "shan't" and "won't" when "-n't" is added.''
They'd - They had


''As a general rule, -n't takes priority over other contractions.  For example, "I have not" usually contracts to "I haven't" rather than "I've not".  However, "It is not" can contract to either "It isn't" or "It's not", "We/you/they are not" can contract to either "We/you/they aren't" or "We're/you're/they're not", and "I am not" usually contracts to "I'm not".''
Had-


* Ain't - Am not  ''(This one is very, very informal.  I would recommend avoiding it.)''
*Example: The restaurant didn't take credit cards, but , luckily, I'd just been to the bank, so I had the cash I needed.
* Can't - Cannot
* Couldn't - Could not
* Didn't - Did not
* Doesn't - Does not
* Hadn't - Had not
* Hasn't - Has not
* Haven't - Have not
* Isn't - Is not
* Oughtn't - Ought not
* Shan't - Shall not
* Shouldn't - Should not
* Wasn't - Was not
* Weren't - Were not
* Won't - Will not
* Won't ever - Will never
* Wouldn't - Would not


=='t-  (it)==
~~


''This contraction is archaic.  You may find it in old stories or in poetry, but it no longer exists in everyday speech.  If you like learning obscure features that you don't really need to bother knowing, this is for you.''
==Have - 've==


* 'Tis - It is  ''(Everyday equivalent:'' It's'')''
Could've - could have
* 'Twas - It was  ''(No everyday equivalent contraction; just use'' It was'')''
* 'Twill - It will  ''(Everyday equivalent:''  It'll'')''


=== Examples ===
I've - I have
*'Twas a cold winter's night, and all the stars did cry.
*'Tisn't as far as he thinks.  ''(Yes,'' -n't ''can be added to '<nowiki/>''tis ''and '''twas''.)''


==gonna  (going to)==
Should've - should have


''This contraction is very informal and generally used in speech rather than in writing.''
They've - They have


*I'm gonna go home now.
Would've - would have
*He gonna make it?


==wanna  (want to)==
You've - You have


''Like'' gonna'', this contraction is extremely informal, and it may also be associated with petulant childishness.''
*Example: I could've gone to the gym, I should've gone to the gym, and I would've gone to the gym, but I didn't. Now I've gained weight!


*You wanna try?
~~
*Don't wanna go to bed!  Wanna watch the movie!
 
==Is - 's==
 
Note: This contraction can be particularly difficult to learn for non-native speakers. Don't worry, with exposure and time you will learn how to apply it properly!
 
He's - He is
 
How's - How is
 
It's - It is
 
She's - She is
 
What's - What is
 
When's - When is
 
Where's - Where is
 
Who's - Who is
 
Why's - Why is
 
*Example:
 
Person 1 - What's up? How's it going?  
 
Person 2 - It's not bad. I'm just tired because of my baby. She's crying all night long, preventing me from sleeping!
 
*Tough Example:
 
Person 1 - What is that dog doing? Why is it running in circles like that?
 
Person 2 - It's chasing its own tail!
 
Note that in this case, "it's" means it is, while the possessive "its" does not use an apostrophe. This is one of the most common mistakes made by English speakers, even natives!
 
~~
 
==Not - n't==
 
Couldn't - Could not
 
Doesn't - Does not
 
Hasn't - Has not
 
Haven't - Have not
 
Isn't - Is not
 
Wasn't - Was not
 
Weren't - Were not
 
Wouldn't - Would not
 
~~
 
==Would - 'd==
 
I'd - I would
 
You'd - You would
 
He'd - He would
 
She'd - She would
 
It'd - It would
 
You'd - you would
 
We'd - we would
 
They'd - they would
 
*Example: We'd have to move the other boxes before we could reach the one in the back.
 
~~
 
==Will - 'll==
 
He'll - He will
 
I'll - I will
 
It'll - It will
 
She'll - She will
 
They'll - They will
 
We'll - We will
 
You'll - You will
 
What'll - What will
 
*Example: Tomorrow I'll go to the store, because my refrigerator is almost empty!
 
~~


Finally, I'm sure there are more that I've missed, but these should help get you started on using Contractions in English!
Finally, I'm sure there are more that I've missed, but these should help get you started on using Contractions in English!
==Other Lessons==
* [[Language/English/Grammar/Ask|Ask]]
* [[Language/English/Grammar/Nouns|Nouns]]
* [[Language/English/Grammar/Adjectives-ending-in-ly|Adjectives ending in ly]]
* [[Language/English/Grammar/Meanings-of-YET|Meanings of YET]]
* [[Language/English/Grammar/At:-place|At: place]]
* [[Language/English/Grammar/Miscellaneous-collocations|Miscellaneous collocations]]
* [[Language/English/Grammar/THE:-use-it-or-not|THE: use it or not]]
* [[Language/English/Grammar/Prepositions-of-Position|Prepositions of Position]]
* [[Language/English/Grammar/Mass-noun|Mass noun]]
* [[Language/English/Grammar/Countable-and-Uncountable-Nouns|Countable and Uncountable Nouns]]
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