contractions

contractions
A contraction is a shortened form in which a subject and an auxiliary verb, or an auxiliary verb and `not', are combined to form one word.

I'm getting desperate.

She wouldn't believe me.

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You use contractions when you are writing down what someone says, or when you are writing in a conversational style, for example in letters to friends.
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The contracted forms of `be' are used when `be' is a main verb as well as when it is an auxiliary. The contracted forms of `have' are not usually used when `have' is a main verb.
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The following table shows contractions of personal pronouns and `be', `have', `will', `shall', and `would'.
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You cannot use any of the above contractions at the end of a clause. You must use the full form instead. For example, you say `I said I would', not `I said I'd'.
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◊ negative contractions
The following table shows contractions of `be', `do', `have', modals, and semi-modals with `not'.
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There is no contracted form of `am not' in standard English. In conversation and informal writing, `I'm not' is used. However, `aren't I?' is used in questions and question tags.

Aren't I brave?

I'm right, aren't I?

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In standard English, a pronoun followed by a negative contraction of a modal or `have' is more commonly used than a contraction followed by `not'. For example, `I won't', `I wouldn't', and `I haven't' are more common than `I'll not', `I'd not', and `I've not'.
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However, in the case of `be', both types of contraction are equally common. For example, `you're not' and `he's not' are used as commonly as `you aren't' and `he isn't'.

You aren't responsible.

You're not responsible.

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◊ modals and 'have'
The auxiliary `have' is not usually pronounced in full after `could', `might', `must', `should', and `would'. The contractions `could've', `might've', `must've', `should've', and `would've' are occasionally used in writing when reporting a conversation.

I must've fallen asleep.

You should've come to see us.

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Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • contractions — see abbreviations 2 …   Modern English usage

  • Contractions — ◊ GRAMMAR A contraction is a shortened form in which a subject and an auxiliary verb, or an auxiliary verb and not , are combined to form one word. I m getting desperate. She wouldn t believe me. You use contractions when you are writing down… …   Useful english dictionary

  • contractions — n. to time (labor) contractions * * * to time (labor) contractions …   Combinatory dictionary

  • Contractions of negated auxiliary verbs in English — The contraction of negated auxiliary verbs in English is most often achieved by suffixing n t , an abbreviated form of not , to the root of a verb with or without changes to the root. In nonstandard or colloquial language, the form ain t has… …   Wikipedia

  • Contractions, Braxton Hicks — Irregular contractions of the womb (the uterus) occurring towards the middle of pregnancy in the first pregnancy and, earlier and more intensely, in subsequent pregnancies. These contractions tend to occur during physical activity. The uterus… …   Medical dictionary

  • Contractions de Braxton Hicks — Contraction de Braxton Hicks La contraction de Braxton Hicks (ou fausse contraction) est une contraction isolée de l utérus qui survient à partir de la sixième semaine de grossesse, quoique la plupart des femmes la ressente seulement à partir du… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Contractions de braxton hicks — Contraction de Braxton Hicks La contraction de Braxton Hicks (ou fausse contraction) est une contraction isolée de l utérus qui survient à partir de la sixième semaine de grossesse, quoique la plupart des femmes la ressente seulement à partir du… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Contractions haustrales — Les contractions haustrales sont des contractions musculaires involontaires du côlon (péristaltisme). Elles se produisent localement, au niveau d une haustration, lorsque celle ci est remplie de matière fécale, ce qui a pour effet de pousser son… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • contractions — n. strong and usually painful movements of the muscles in the womb that help to push the baby out of the mother s body during the process of birth con·trac·tion || kÉ™n trækʃn n. act of contracting; spasm; shortening, shrinking; shortened… …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Contractions — The shortening of a word or phrase, Eg. don t for do not; abbreviations …   Ballentine's law dictionary

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