ENGLISH GRAMMAR

STANDARD 1.3   English Language Conventions w Level 1

CONTRACTIONS

A contraction is two words combined into one, with an apostrophe taking the place of a missing letter or letters. (Since the apostrophe indicates a missing letter or letters, do not make the mistake of placing the apostrophe between the two words, as in the case of -- should’nt-- which is incorrect. In this case, the apostrophe takes the place of the missing “o” in the word “not,” so the correct spelling is: shouldn’t.)

Contractions are most often used in informal or personal types of writing but usually not in more formal types. Here are some common contractions...

1. Verbs with “not” contracted or shortened:

aren’t    don’t    isn’t    wasn’t    can’t    weren’t    weren’t   

wouldn’t    doesn’t    hasn’t    haven’t    couldn’t

(Note: The word won’t is a contraction of will not -- in older dialects will was often spelled with an o.)

2. Pronouns with “will.”

I’ll    you’ll    he’ll    she’ll    they’ll

3. Pronouns and nouns with the verb “to be.”

I’m    you’re    who’s (i.e., who is)   he’s    she’s    it’s    we’re    they’re

4. Pronouns with the verb “to have.”

I’ve    he’s    you’ve    we’ve    they’ve

5. Pronouns with “would” or “had” contracted.

I’d    he’d    she’d    you’d    we’d    they’d

Please note four confusing contractions:    who’s    it’s    you’re    they’re

Remember that the apostrophe indicates letters have been left out!

• Don’t confuse who’s (who is/has) with the possesive pronoun whose.
  

• Don’t confuse you’re (you are) with the possesive pronoun your.
  

• Don’t confuse it’s (it is/has) with the possesive pronoun its.
  

• Don’t confuse they’re (they are) with the possesive pronoun their or with the preposition there.
  

Objective: Students will identify and correctly use contractions.

Copyright © 2006 by Fred Duckworth