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Free PDF 50 Contractions List and Examples

The document provides a comprehensive list of 50+ English contractions along with their definitions and examples of use. It explains what contractions are and covers contractions with not, be verbs, have/has/had, will, would, and other words. It also discusses when to use contractions in speaking versus writing.

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Ahmed Boussoffara
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95 views10 pages

Free PDF 50 Contractions List and Examples

The document provides a comprehensive list of 50+ English contractions along with their definitions and examples of use. It explains what contractions are and covers contractions with not, be verbs, have/has/had, will, would, and other words. It also discusses when to use contractions in speaking versus writing.

Uploaded by

Ahmed Boussoffara
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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50+ Contractions: List & Examples

Contractions combine two words into a short form with an apostrophe – for
example, I am becomes I’m; could not becomes couldn’t… and many more that
you’ll learn in this lesson!

Contractions are extremely common in spoken English and informal written


English, and today you’re going to learn 50 of them – yes, we do have that many
contractions in English!

CONTRACTIONS WITH NOT


▪ are not – aren’t
▪ cannot – can’t
(note that cannot is the only one of these that’s a single word, without a
space between can and not)
▪ could not – couldn’t
▪ did not – didn’t
▪ do not – don’t
▪ does not – doesn’t
▪ had not – hadn’t
▪ has not – hasn’t
▪ have not – haven’t
▪ is not – isn’t
▪ must not – mustn’t (not common in American English)
▪ should not – shouldn’t
▪ was not – wasn’t
▪ were not – weren’t
▪ will not – won’t
▪ would not – wouldn’t

EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023


A few example sentences:

▪ I didn’t go to the gym today.


▪ We haven’t finished the project yet.
▪ You shouldn’t drive so fast.
▪ He wasn’t at the party.

One thing you might notice when I say these sentences is that the final “t” almost
disappears. I don’t say “He wasn’t at the party,” it sounds more like “He wasn’at
the party.”

This is just something that happens when speaking naturally, and I want you to
be aware of it when you’re listening to native English speakers talking fast.

Contractions with "not" are often used in tag questions:

• You're tired, aren't you?


• That was fun, wasn't it?
• He lives there, doesn't he?

CONTRACTIONS WITH BE (AM – IS – ARE)


▪ I am – I’m
▪ he is – he’s
▪ she is – she’s
▪ it is – it’s
▪ John is – John’s
▪ you are – you’re
▪ we are – we’re
▪ they are – they’re

EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023


And some examples:

▪ I’m hungry.
▪ It’s raining.
▪ She’s good at math.
▪ We’re learning contractions.
▪ They’re from Brazil.

Note that we’re (we are) often sounds like “were” when speaking fast.

CONTRACTIONS WITH HAVE, HAS, AND HAD


HAVE
▪ I have – I’ve
▪ you have – you’ve
▪ we have – we’ve
▪ they have – they’ve
▪ should have – should’ve
▪ could have – could’ve
▪ would have – would’ve

Note that it’s always should’ve, could’ve, would’ve and never should of, could of,
would of.

HAS
▪ he has – he’s
▪ she has – she’s
▪ it has – it’s

HAD
▪ I had – I’d

EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023


▪ you had – you’d
▪ he had – he’d
▪ she had – she’d
▪ we had – we’d
▪ they had – they’d

We use have/has in the present perfect tense, as in these examples:


▪ I’ve finished the book.
▪ You’ve been working hard.
▪ She’s already eaten dinner.
▪ He’s been sick all week.
▪ We’re going to be late – we should’ve left earlier.

We do NOT form the contraction if “have/has/had” is the MAIN VERB of the


sentence, meaning possession. We only use the contraction when have/has/had
is acting as a helping verb.

▪ Main verb: I have a dog. (not “I’ve a dog”)


▪ Helping verb: I‘ve adopted a dog.
▪ Main verb: He has an old car.
▪ Helping verb: He’s been driving that car for 20 years.
▪ Main verb: We had a good time last night.
▪ Helping verb: We helped him because we‘d promised to do so.
▪ Main verb: The pharmacy should have that medicine.
▪ Helping verb: You should’ve apologized for being rude.

Also, you might notice that she’s could be “she is” or “she has” – how can you
know which one? Look at the whole sentence.

If it’s followed by an -ING verb or by an adjective or noun, that means “she is”:
▪ She’s preparing a lesson. (She is preparing)
▪ She’s a teacher. (She is a teacher)
▪ She’s busy. (She is busy)

EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023


If it’s followed by a past participle, that means “she has”:
▪ She’s told everyone the news. (She has told)
▪ She’s been planning her vacation. (She has been)

We use contractions with had in the past perfect tense, as in these examples:
▪ By the time I arrived, he’d already left.
▪ We’d been thinking about selling our house, but we changed our minds.
▪ They said they’d gotten a dog.

CONTRACTIONS WITH WILL


A lot of these sound a bit different when spoken fast, as you’ll see in the example
sentences)

▪ I will – I’ll (often sounds like “all”)


▪ you will – you’ll
▪ he will – he’ll (often sounds like “hill”)
▪ she will – she’ll (often sounds like “shill”)
▪ it will – it’ll

EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023


▪ we will – we’ll (often sounds like “will”)
▪ they’ll – they’ll

Let’s look at and listen to the examples:

▪ I’ll get back to you later.


▪ I think he’ll like the gift.
▪ We’ll be traveling next week.
▪ Talk to Jane – she’ll help you set up your account.

CONTRACTIONS WITH WOULD


▪ I would – I’d
▪ you would – you’d
▪ he would – he’d
▪ she would – she’d
▪ we would – we’d
▪ they would – they’d

For example:

▪ I’d like to see the dessert menu, please.


▪ If he ate healthier food, he’d feel better.
▪ When we were kids, we’d go to the beach every summer.

Again, we have a problem – they’d can mean they had or they would – how can
you know which one? By looking at what comes after it.

They’d + past participle means “they had,” and they’d + base form means “they
would”:
▪ I wanted to see them, but they’d already left. (they had already left)
▪ They told the host they’d leave early. (they would leave)

EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023


▪ He was disappointed because he’d gotten a bad grade on the test. (he had
gotten)
▪ If he studied more, he’d get better grades. (he would get)

CONTRACTIONS WITH OTHER WORDS


We’ve been focusing on contractions with subjects that are people – I, you, he,
she, etc. but we also have some common contractions with other words – so let’s
finish this lesson by looking at some of those.

Here is and there is become here’s and there’s. For example:


▪ Here’s the book you asked for.
▪ There’s no more milk in the fridge.

We do not make contractions in writing with here are and there are, even though
they might sound shorter when speaking:
▪ Here are the magazines you asked for.
▪ There are no more eggs in the fridge.

That is becomes that’s, and that would becomes that’d:


▪ You got promoted? That’s great!

EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023


▪ If you can pick up some groceries on your way home from work, that’d be
helpful.
(note that when speaking, that’d almost sounds like “thad”)

This will and that will become this’ll and that’ll:


▪ This’ll be the first time my son travels by himself.
▪ She wants to make all the decorations by hand, but I think that’ll take too
long.

We also see a lot of contractions with question words:

▪ What is/has – what’s


▪ What’s your name?
▪ What’s he been doing lately?
▪ Where is – where’s
▪ Where’s the nearest gas station?
▪ Where did – where’d
▪ Where’d you go last night?
▪ When is – when’s
▪ When’s your birthday?
▪ When’s a good time for a meeting?
▪ Who is/has – who’s
▪ Who’s the best student in the class?
▪ How is/has – how’s
▪ How’s your family?
▪ How’s everything been at work?
▪ How did/would – how’d
▪ How’d you finish your homework so fast?
▪ How’d you like to go out for dinner?
▪ Why is/has – why’s
▪ Why’s the TV on if nobody’s watching?
▪ Why did – why’d
▪ Why’d he leave work early?

EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023


WHEN TO USE AND WHEN NOT TO USE CONTRACTIONS
When we’re speaking English, we use contractions very often – pretty much
anytime there’s an opportunity to use one, we use it. Otherwise, your speaking
would sound kind of strange and robotic – plus it takes longer. Compare these:

▪ I would love to help tomorrow, but there is a good reason I cannot – my car
is not working, so I will be taking it to the mechanic.
▪ I’d love to help tomorrow, but there’s a good reason I can’t – my car’s not
working, so I’ll be taking it to the mechanic.

We avoid contractions in formal writing – so that would be business reports and


letters, contracts, academic essays and research papers.

We can use contractions in informal writing – casual emails, blog posts, social
media posts/comments, text messages, etc.

What about e-mails at work – are those considered formal or informal?

It depends – contractions are fine in e-mails to people who you regularly


communicate with, like your co-workers, supervisors or employees, clients with
whom you already have a relationship, etc.

But you should avoid contractions if it’s the very first time you’re contacting
someone, such as in an e-mailed cover letter inquiring about a job you want, or
when you’re reaching out to a brand new client or someone at another company
when you’re beginning a business relationship with them. In those situations we
tend to write a little more formally, and then the communication style becomes
more casual over time as more messages get exchanged.

EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023


Now you know all about contractions in English, and you’ve seen lots of
examples! Here are some contractions worksheets and activities to help you
practice.

To learn more English grammar, get my Basic & Intermediate English Grammar E-
Books and join my Advanced English Grammar Course!

EspressoEnglish.net © Shayna Oliveira 2023

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