Contractions

Short forms like I'm, she's, don't and won't: what they stand for, where we use them, and it's or its.

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A contraction is a short form of two words: I am becomes I'm, do not becomes don't. The apostrophe (') shows where letters are missing. We use contractions all the time when we speak, so learn to recognise them even if you write the full forms.

Be, have, will and would

These verbs have short forms after a pronoun (I, she, they), and is also after what, where, who, there and that: what's, where's, there's, that's.

Full form	Short form	Example
am	'm	I'm tired.
is	's	She's at work.
are	're	We're late.
have	've	I've got a cold.
has	's	He's got two children.
will	'll	I'll call you tonight.
would, had	'd	I'd like a coffee, please.

In speech and informal writing we also use 's after a name or a noun: Sara's at home. The car's outside.

We're in the café on the corner.
They've got a flat near the river.
It'll be cold tomorrow.

's: is or has

's can mean is or has. The next word tells you which. Before got, it means has. Before a noun, an adjective, a place or an -ing form, it means is.

She's a nurse.
(She is a nurse.)
She's got a new job.
(She has got a new job.)
He's working today.
(He is working.)

Later, in the present perfect, you will see 's for has before forms like been and finished: He's finished his report. In the same way, 'd can mean would (I'd like) or had.

Not: n't

Not becomes n't and joins the verb before it.

Full form	Short form	Full form	Short form
is not	isn't	do not	don't
are not	aren't	does not	doesn't
was not	wasn't	did not	didn't
were not	weren't	cannot	can't
have not	haven't	could not	couldn't
has not	hasn't	will not	won't

Am not has no n't form: say I'm not. Will not changes its vowel: won't. For is not and are not both short forms are correct: he isn't or he's not, we aren't or we're not.

I don't eat meat.
Pablo doesn't like his new office.
I won't be home for dinner tonight.
Incorrect: I willn't be late.
Correct: I won't be late.
The short form of will not is won't.
Incorrect: She don't work here.
Correct: She doesn't work here.
Don't is do not. After she, use does not: doesn't.

When to use them

Use contractions when you speak and in messages, emails to friends and colleagues, and most everyday writing. Use full forms in formal writing, like a job application, and when you want to make a word strong: I did not say that.

Hi Ana, I'm at the station. I'll be there in ten minutes.
I am writing to ask about the job in your shop.
(A formal letter: full forms.)

Short forms at the end of a sentence

Don't use a short form of be, have or will at the end of a sentence. Negative short forms are fine there.

Are you ready? Yes, I am.
Is he coming? No, he isn't.
Do you know where she is?
Incorrect: Yes, they're.
Correct: Yes, they are.
Incorrect: I don't know where he's.
Correct: I don't know where he is.
A short form like 's, 're, 'm, 've, 'll or 'd can't be the last word.

It's or its, you're or your

Some contractions sound the same as other words. They are easy to mix up in writing.

Contraction	Sounds like	Meaning of the other word
it's = it is, it has	its	belongs to it
you're = you are	your	belongs to you
they're = they are	their	belongs to them
they're = they are	there	in that place
who's = who is, who has	whose	belongs to which person?

It's a nice hotel, but its restaurant is closed on Mondays.
You're right. Your keys were in the car.
They're from Glasgow. Their house is over there.
Incorrect: This city is famous for it's parks.
Correct: This city is famous for its parks.
Its (no apostrophe) means "of it". It's always means it is or it has.
Incorrect: Is this you're coat?
Correct: Is this your coat?
Incorrect: Their at the cinema tonight.
Correct: They're at the cinema tonight.
They're means they are.
Incorrect: Who's phone is this?
Correct: Whose phone is this?

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Where this rule sits

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