CONTRACTIONS

CONTRACTIONS



By definition, a contraction is an abbreviated version of a word or words. 

 

Examples of Contractions 

In English, there are two main types of contractions:   

 

(1) Contractions that replace the missing letter(s) with an apostrophe ('). 

These contractions are formed by shortening a word or combining two words into one. 

Examples of these contractions: 

- I am - I'm  

- do not - don't 

- can not - can't 

- should not - shouldn't 

- he is - he's 

- he has - he's  

 

These kinds of contractions are also grouped into: 

(i) Positive Contractions. For example: I'm, He's, we've. 

(ii) Negative Contractions: For example: Doesn't, isn't, aren't, haven't.  

 

(2) Contractions that are formed by compressing or cutting off a word.  

 

These contractions do not use apostrophes. Most of these contractions end with a full stop.  

Examples of these contractions: 

- Doctor - Dr.  

- Mister - Mr.  

- Mistress - Mrs.  

- Professor - Prof.  

- Reverend - Rev.   

 

LIST OF COMMON CONTRACTIONS IN ENGLISH  

Here is a list of common contractions in English: 

 

Contraction       Full Version of Word  

  • aren't - are not 
  • can't - cannot 
  • couldn't - could not 
  • didn't - did not 
  • doesn't - does not 
  • don't - do not 
  • hadn't - had not 
  • hasn't - has not 
  • haven't - have not 
  • he'd - he had, he would 
  • he'll - he will, he shall 
  • he's - he is, he has 
  • I'd - I had, I would 
  • I'll - I will, I shall 
  • I'm - I am 
  • I've - I have 
  • isn't - is not 
  • it's - it is, it has 
  • let's - let us 
  • mustn't - must not 
  • shan't - shall not 
  • she'd - she had, she would 
  • she'll - she will, she shall 
  • she's - she is, she has 
  • shouldn't - should not 
  • that's - that is, that has 
  • there's - there is, there has 
  • they'd - they had, they would 
  • they'll - they will, they shall 
  • they're - they are 
  • they've - they have 
  • we'd - we had, we would 
  • we're - we are 
  • we've - we have 
  • weren't - were not 
  • what'll - what will, what shall 
  • what're - what are 
  • what's - what is, what has 
  • what've - what have 
  • where's - where is, where has 
  • who'd - who had, who would 
  • who'll - who will, who shall 
  • who're - who are 
  • who's - who is, who has 
  • who've - who have 
  • won't - will not 
  • wouldn't - would not 
  • you'd - you had, you would 
  • you'll - you will, you shall 
  • you're - you are 
  • you've - you have 

 

THINGS TO CARE ABOUT CONTRACTIONS 

 

There are seven (7) common issues about contractions. 

(1) Use a period if the last letter of the contraction and the full word are different. For example: Prof and Professor do not share the same letters, so we put the period at the end of 'Prof.'  

 

(2) Do not use a period if the last letter of the contraction and the full word share the same letter. For example: Dr and doctor share the same last letters. Therefore, this contraction doea not require a period. 

 

(3) In the UK, truncated contractions (For example: "Prof.") attract periods, but the compressed ones (e.g. "Mr") do not.). So, in UK, only the truncated versions are written with a period. 

 

(4) Using contractions in business writing. 

Many people still consider contractions to be informal and inappropriate for business writing. Therefore, contractions are best avoided in business documentation, especially if you're writing about something serious and you're unsure of your readership.  

 

(5) Pick a convention for putting periods (full stops) after contractions like Dr/Dr. and Mr/Mr. and stick to it. 

 

(6) If you think you can get away with using contractions in business writing, do it. 

 

(7) Confusing contractions with other words. 

The following contractions are often confused with other words: 

It's/its. 

You're/your. 

They're/there/their. 

 

REFERENCE 

 


GET THE PARTS OF SPEECH BOOK ("Elevate your Basic English Grammar: Parts of Speech")  (pdf) for TZS 2,000/= Only Or the THE FULL GRAMMAR BOOK ("Elevate Your Basic English Grammar") (pdf) for TZS 8,000/= Only. 

Contact us: WHATSAPP: +255 622 009 566

OR BUY IT HERE!

 

GET MORE BOOKS FROM KACHELE ONLINE:


CONTACT US:

Call/SMS: +255622 009 566/+255765 884 936

WhatsApp: +255622 009 566/+255765 884 936

All Social Media Platforms: @mannykachele

Emailkacheleonline@gmail.com 


See Also:

ENGLISH STRUCTURE QUESTIONS:

[1] Academic Words Questions 1 - 50

[2] Academic Words Answers 1 - 50

[3] Adjective Questions 1 – 50

[4] Adjective Answers 1 - 50

[5] Adjective Questions 51 – 100

[6] Adjective Answers 51 - 100

[7] Adverbs Questions 1 – 50

[8] Adverb Answers 1 – 50

[9] Article Questions 1 - 50

[10] Article Answers 1 – 50

[11] Conjunction Questions 1 – 50

[12] Conjunction Answers 1 – 50

[13] Vocabulary Questions 1 - 50

[14] Vocabulary Answers 1 - 50

[15] Vocabulary Questions 51 - 100

[16] Vocabulary Answers 51 - 100

[17]  English Grammar questions

[18] 51-100 General Grammar Questions

[19] 51-100 General Grammar Answers

[20] 1-50 General Concessions Questions

[21] 1-50 General Concessions Answers

[22] 1-50 General Sentence Structure Questions

[23] 1-50 General Sentence Structure Answers

[24] 1-50 General Tense Questions

[25] 1-50 General Tense Answers

[26] 1-50 General Literature Questions

[27] 1-50 General Literature Answers

[28] 1-50 General Grammar Questions

[29] 1-50 General Grammar Answers

 

 

Related Articles:

-Growing Up with Poetry

Summons

Selected Poems

Passed Like a Shadow

Unanswered Cries

Black Hermit

The Lion and the Jewel

-This Time Tomorrow

"A Comprehensive Handbook for Ordinary Level Literature" book (PDF)

"A Comprehensive Handbook for Ordinary Level Literature in English" book (PDF)

 

For copies of these books,

CONTACT US:

Call/SMS: +255622 009 566/+255765 884 936

WhatsApp: +255765 884 936

Email: kacheleonline@gmail.com

Social Media: Manny Kachele  

Emmanuel Kachele

Emmanuel Kachele is a founder and Blogger of KACHELE ONLINE Blog, an educational blog where 'O' Level English - 'OLE', 'A' Level English (ALE) and other related teaching and life skills are shared extensively. This is an online center for all Tanzanian Secondary School English Language students and teachers (Forms I-VI) and all interested English Language learners and teachers worldwide.

Post a Comment

Please share your thoughts

Previous Post Next Post