“A contraction is an abbreviated version of a word or words. We use contractions (I’m, we’re) in everyday speech and informal writing.”
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.
We make contractions with auxiliary verbs, and also with be and have when they are not auxiliary verbs. When we make a contraction, we commonly put an apostrophe in place of a missing letter.
How to Use Contraction Grammar Correctly?
Video Lesson
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Using Apostrophe to Replace Letters
In Type of that is the result of an Apostrophe look somewhat like this:
Word1 + Word2 = Word1’Word2
i.e. Have + Not = Haven’t
Apostrophe comes in place of missing letters. Like in the above case Apostrophe comes in place of ‘o’.
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Compressing or squeezing Word
Professor = Prof.
Above is the simple example of compressing words to make a contraction. In this method just shorten the word and add a Period (.) in place of those missing words.
Contractions with the verb ‘To Be’.
To make a contraction with a subject pronoun and the verb Be, join the two words and replace the first letter of the conjugated verb BE with an apostrophe.
Words | Contraction |
I am | I’m |
You are | You’re |
He is | He’s |
She is | She’s |
It is | It’s |
We are | We ‘re |
They are | They’re |
That is | That’s |
These are | These’re |
There are | There’re |
Who is | Who’s |
What is | What’s |
Where is | Where’s |
When is | When’s |
Why is | Why’s |
How are | How’re |
Without Contraction: They are Playing Cricket.
With Contraction: They’re Playing Cricket
Contractions with ‘Would’.
Contraction with would is very simple, just replace the letters ‘woul-‘ with an apostrophe (‘).
Words | Contraction |
I would | I’d |
You would | You’d |
He would | He’d |
She would | She’d |
It would | It’d |
We would | We‘d |
They would | They’d |
That would | That’d |
These would | These’d |
There would | There’d |
Who would | Who’d |
What would | What’d |
Where would | Where’d |
When would | When’d |
Why would | Why’d |
How would | How’d |
Without Contraction: How would you Justify this?
With Contraction: How’d you justify this?
Contractions with ‘Had’.
Contraction with had is exactly the same as with would, just replace ‘Ha-‘ of Had with Apostrophe.
Words | Contraction |
I had | I’d |
You had | You’d |
He had | He’d |
She had | She’d |
It had | It’d |
We had | We ‘d |
They had | They’d |
That had | That’d |
These had | These’d |
There had | There’d |
Who had | Who’d |
What had | What’d |
Where had | Where’d |
When had | When’d |
Why had | Why’d |
How had | How’d |
With Contraction: They’d two adopted children already.
Contraction with ‘Not.’
In most cases of Contraction with ‘Not’, we Mostly Replace ‘O’ of Not with an Apostrophe.
Note:
The contraction of ‘will not’ & ‘Shall Not’ is a little different.
Will Not —————– Won’t
Shall Not ——————-Shan’t
Words | Contraction |
Is not | Isn’t |
Are not | Aren’t |
Was not | Wasn’t |
Were not | Weren’t |
Must not | Mustn’t |
Will not | Won’t |
Would not | Wouldn’t |
Does not | Doesn’t |
Do not | Don’t |
Did not | Didn’t |
Can not | Can’t |
Could not | Couldn’t |
Shall not | Shan’t |
Should not | Shouldn’t |
Without contraction: He will not come here.
With Contraction: He won’t come here.
Contraction with Has/Have.
Have is used with I, you, we, and they, while has is used with he, she, and it. (Pronouns)
Words | Contraction |
I have | I’ve |
We have | We’ve |
You have | You’ve |
He has | He’s |
She has | She’s |
It has | It’s |
They have | They’ve |
Without contraction: It has been a Lovely Evening.
With Contraction: It’s been a Lovely Evening.
Common Contraction Example Words:
In English, there are a fairly small number of contractions, and they’re all made out of common words. You cannot invent your own contraction. Here are some of the contractions you’ll see the most:
Words | Contraction |
I am | I’m |
We are | We’re |
You are | You’re |
He is | He’s |
She is | She’s |
He will | He’ll |
She will | She’ll |
It will | It’ll |
They will | They’ll |
I have | I’ve |
We have | We’ve |
You have | You’ve |
He has | He’s |
She has | She’s |
It has | It’s |
They have | They’ve |
I had | I’d |
We had | We’d |
You had | You’d |
He had | He’d |
She had | She’d |
It had | It’d |
They had | They’d |
I would | I’d |
We would | We’d |
You would | You’d |
It is | It’s |
They are | They’re |
I shall | I’ll |
We shall | We’ll |
You will | You’ll |
He would | He’d |
She would | She’d |
It would | It’d |
They Would | They’d |
Do Not | Don’t |
Does not | Doesn’t |
Did not | Didn’t |
Am not | Ain’t |
Is not | Isn’t |
Are not | Aren’t |
Was not | Wasn’t |
Were not | Weren’t |
Shall not | Shan’t |
Will not | Won’t |
Has not | Hasn’t |
Have not | Haven’t |
Had not | Hadn’t |
Would not | Wouldn’t |
Should not | Shouldn’t |
Cannot | Can’t |
Could not | Couldn’t |
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