Summary
In-depth Explanation
Contractions are used to make speech and writing more casual, concise and fluid. They are a common feature of informal spoken and written English.
Types of Contractions
Contractions with Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs (also known as helping verbs) like “am,” “is,” “are,” “has” and “will” are often contracted with pronouns or other words. For example:
I am → I’m
He is → He’s
They are → They’re
She has → She’s
You have → You’ve
I had → I’d
We will → We’ll
They would → They’d
Here are a couple of examples to show how these contractions are used in sentences:
I am going to the store. → I’m going to the store.
It has been a long day. → It’s been a long day.
Negative Contractions
Negative contractions combine auxiliary verbs with the word “not.” This is a way to express negation more succinctly. Examples include:
Do not → Don’t
Does not → Doesn’t
Is not → Isn’t
Are not → Aren’t
Have not → Haven’t
Will not → Won’t
Were not → Weren’t
Cannot → Can’t
Should not → Shouldn’t
Here are a couple of examples in context:
He is not coming to the party. → He isn’t coming to the party.
Do not forget to call me. → Don’t forget to call me.
For some negative contractions, there are two different ways to express the same thing. For example:
To contract “he is not,” we can use “he’s not” or “he isn’t.”
To contract “you are not,” we can use “you’re not” or “you aren’t.”
Contractions with Questions
We can contract question words like “who,” “what” and “where” with the auxiliary verb “is.”
Who is → Who’s
Where is → Where’s
When is → When’s
Why is → Why’s
How is → How’s
For example:
Where is the remote? → Where’s the remote?
How is your mom? → How’s your mom?
Common Mistakes with Contractions
“It’s” vs. “Its”
“It’s” is the contraction for “it is” or “it has,” while “its” is a possessive adjective.
It’s going to rain today. (contraction for “it is”)
The cat chased its tail. (possessive)
“Your” vs. “You’re”
“You’re” is the contraction for “you are,” while “your” is a possessive adjective.
You’re my best friend. (contraction for “you are”)
Is this your book? (possessive)
“They’re” vs. “Their” vs. “There”
“They’re” is a contraction of “they are,” “their” is a possessive adjective and “there” refers to a place or is used with the verb to be to express existence.
They’re going to the beach today. (contraction for “they are”)
Their car is brand new. (possessive)
There are many apples on that tree over there. (expresses existence, refers to a place)