Contractions are used when speaking and when writing in casual situations. In formal writing, they should be avoided. In formal writing, unusual phrasal verbs as well as idiomatic expressions should also be avoided.
Contractions of Question words are normally only used when speaking or quoting what was said, for example, a dialogue in a novel.
Informal contractions should only be used when speaking in very casual situations.
Contractions of Question words are normally only used when speaking or quoting what was said, for example, a dialogue in a novel.
Informal contractions should only be used when speaking in very casual situations.
Contractions with pronouns
- am - I'm writing a story.
- is - He's playing. She's working.
- are - you're trying hard, They're right.
- has - It's been very humid today.
- have - I've been happy. They've never seen the ocean.
- had - He'd been holding this table for us. We'd forgotten to wear our seatbelts.
- will - I'll do my homework after supper.
- would - She'd like a promotion. We'd go there if we could.
Contractions with nouns
- is - My book's on the desk. Josh's at the office.
- are - My books're on the desk. The Johnsons're at the family reunion.
- has - Her calculator's been broken. Judy's been tired since she started her new job.
- have - The books've been missing from the library. The students've forgotten their grammar!
- had - the books'd been sold before I got to the book store.
- will - The bike'll be fixed tomorrow. My neighbors'll be on vacation all week.
- would - His parents'd go to Detroit for the weekend if they had enough money.
Contractions with Question words
- am - What'm I going to do?
- is - Where's he going?, Who's she?
- are - What're they working on?, Where're they going for lunch?
- has - Where's she been working now?, What's been happening?
- have - Where've you been working?, How've you been?
- had - Where'd you working before? Who'd been working on this computer when the system crashed?
- did - What'd you talk about at the meeting?, How'd you do on the exam?
- will - Who'll be at the party?, Where'll you be in ten years?
- would - Where'd you like to go eat lunch?
Contractions can be made by joining pronouns, nouns, question words, and modals with the verb to be, auxiliary verbs, or would.
am - 'm, is - 's, are - 're, has - 's, have - 've, had - 'd, did - 'd, will - 'll, would - 'd, not - n't
Letters are removed and an apostrophe is added before the remaining letters.
Negative contractions are made by joining auxiliary verbs, to be, or modals with not (n't).
am - 'm, is - 's, are - 're, has - 's, have - 've, had - 'd, did - 'd, will - 'll, would - 'd, not - n't
Letters are removed and an apostrophe is added before the remaining letters.
Negative contractions are made by joining auxiliary verbs, to be, or modals with not (n't).
Contractions with modals (modal aux. verbs)
Some modal auxiliary verbs are contracted with the auxiliary verb have in conditionals.
could - He could've been eaten by a dragon if we lived in a fantasy world.
should - I should've been chosen as the new team leader.
would - She would've been a great president.
