GCFGlobal
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Grammar: Contractions
A contraction is a word made by shortening and combining two words. Words like can't (can + not), don't (do + not), and I've (I + have) are all contractions.
Scribbr
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Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
May 2, 2025 - Eliminate grammar errors and improve your writing with our free AI-powered grammar checker. ... Published on September 9, 2023 by Kassiani Nikolopoulou. Revised on May 2, 2025. Contractions are words or phrases that have been shortened by omitting one or more letters. Typically, you can identify a contraction by the apostrophe that is used to indicate the place of the missing letters. Examples: ContractionsI can’t speak Spanish. It’s getting dark. They’re not coming for dinner.
Videos
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The COMPLETE Guide To Contractions in English - YouTube
04:41
How to pronounce couldn't in English #contractions #pronunciation ...
05:30
Learn English Contractions using HAVE | Could've, Would've, ...
04:27
Contractions | Negatives “not” | isn't, aren't, don't, doesn't ...
01:33:58
CONTRACTIONS in ENGLISH - Complete List & Natural Pronunciation ...
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Can you Say... These CONTRACTIONS? 👉English Pronunciation - YouTube
What is the difference between an abbreviation and a contraction?
Abbreviations and contractions are both used to shorten a word, but in different ways. · An abbreviation is formed using the initial letters (or sometimes other parts) of a longer word or phrase to represent the whole. Common examples include “Mr.” for “Mister,” “Dr.” for “Doctor,” and “NASA” for “National Aeronautics and Space Administration.” They are used in formal writing as well as everyday conversations. · A contraction, on the other hand, is formed by combining two words and omitting one or more letters. The deleted letters are replaced with an apostrophe (e.g., “cannot” becomes “can’t”
scribbr.com
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Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
What is the difference between a contraction and a portmanteau?
Contractions and portmanteaus are similar in that they are both formed by combining two words and omitting some letters. However, there is a difference between them: · Contractions usually combine two words that are often used together (e.g., “do not” becomes “don’t”). A contraction has the same meaning as its uncontracted form. · A portmanteau is formed by blending two words together to create a new word with a different meaning. For example, “brunch” is a combination of “breakfast” and “lunch.” This is also called a neologism.
scribbr.com
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Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
What are contractions (words)?
Contractions are short words that are made by combining two words. This is often done by deleting certain letters and replacing them with an apostrophe (e.g., “do not” becomes “don’t”). · Although contractions are common in everyday speech, they should generally be avoided in formal or academic writing. However, there are exceptions (e.g., when writing dialogue in a story or directly quoting an author who uses contractions in your paper). · A good rule of thumb is to consider your audience and the intended effect of your writing when deciding whether to use contractions.
scribbr.com
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Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
San Jose State University
sjsu.edu › writingcenter › docs › handouts › Contractions.pdf pdf
San José State University Writing Center www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter
Each of the following sentences can be rewritten to contain one or more contraction(s). Using the · provided list as a reference, rewrite the following sentences. 1. I have been studying for hours, but I still do not feel ready for the exam.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/grammar › is “cannot” a contraction of “can not?” should you stick with “can not” in formal writing?
r/grammar on Reddit: Is “cannot” a contraction of “can not?” Should you stick with “can not” in formal writing?
May 11, 2015 - It is a contraction of "can not," but the contraction is perfectly acceptable in formal writing. Moreover, the long and short versions are no longer exactly equivalent in meaning.
Gymglish
gymglish.com › homepage › online english lessons › grammar rules: learn and improve - gymglish › forming contractions (aren't, can't, i'd, you're, etc.)
Forming contractions (aren't, can't, I'd, you're, etc.): How and When to Use - Gymglish
📚 English grammar tips: how to use Forming contractions (aren't, can't, I'd, you're, etc.): how and when to use properly in English.
Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › us › grammar › british-grammar › contractions
Contractions - English Grammar Today - Cambridge Dictionary
The following are the most common contractions. ... She is not is contracted to she isn’t or she’s not. I am not is only contracted to I’m not. Not: I’m n’t or I am n’t. They are not is contracted to they aren’t or they’re not. The isn’t / aren’t contractions are more common after nouns.
Merriam-Webster
merriam-webster.com › grammar & usage › commonly confused › ‘cannot’ vs. ‘can not’: is there a difference? | merriam-webster
‘Cannot’ vs. ‘Can Not’: Is there a difference? | Merriam-Webster
April 19, 2022 - The only difference between don’t and do not, isn’t and is not, etc., is that the contractions tend not to be used in formal writing. (This is true of can’t as well.) There is one set of circumstances in which can not is preferred over cannot—when the not is functioning as part of a different phrase: Now I can not only smell the pie, but I can also see it. If you’re unsure about the phrasal status of the not, try the sentence with can’t instead and see if it works:
Grammarly
grammarly.com › blog › grammar › contractions
What Are Contractions in Writing? Definition and Examples | Grammarly
August 10, 2022 - Contractions are a unique type of word that combines two or more other words in a shortened form, usually with an apostrophe. Contractions take words that usually go together, like can not or I have, and then remove certain letters to shorten them and make other words, like can’t or I’ve.
University of Hull Library
libguides.hull.ac.uk › writing › contractions
Contractions - Writing academically - Library at University of Hull
This page gives examples of common contractions and what to use instead. * It is a common misconception that the non-abbreviated form of could've and should've is 'could of' and 'should of'. Please note this is not the case and the full form uses the word 'have'.
University of Sussex
sussex.ac.uk › informatics › punctuation › apostrophe › contractions
Contractions : The Apostrophe
The apostrophe is used in writing contractions — that is, shortened forms of words from which one or more letters have been omitted. In standard English, this generally happens only with a small number of conventional items, mostly involving verbs. Here are some of the commonest examples, with their uncontracted equivalents: ... Note in each case that the apostrophe appears precisely in the position of the omitted letters: we write can't, not *ca'nt...
QuillBot
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Is cannot a contraction?
March 7, 2025 - “Cannot” is not a contraction. It is the full negative form of the modal verb “can” (e.g., “I cannot attend the meeting today”).
Wikihow
wikihow.com › education and communications › studying › english › english grammar › how to use contractions: 12 steps (with pictures) - wikihow
How to Use Contractions: 12 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow
August 14, 2025 - In common speech, we use contractions all the time. “Don’t run in the hallways,” “I can’t get this bottle open,” “She won’t stop texting during the show.” Many grammar experts argue for the use of these shortened forms in writing to improve flow and to create a natural, conversational style, especially in a casual email, a letter, or a piece of fiction.
Enchanted Learning
enchantedlearning.com › grammar › contractions › index.shtml
Contractions - Enchanted Learning
March 9, 2006 - Some contractions are: I’m (I am), can’t (cannot), how’s (how is), and Ma’am (Madam).
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Wikipedia:List_of_English_contractions
Wikipedia:List of English contractions - Wikipedia
This list is part of the internal Wikipedia Manual of Style. For encyclopedic information see English auxiliaries and contractions. This is a list of contractions used in the Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Abbreviations; these are to be avoided anywhere other than in direct quotations in encyclopedic ...
Quora
quora.com › Is-can-t-always-a-contraction-of-cannot-If-so-does-that-mean-a-question-such-as-What-can-t-you-live-without-is-grammatically-incorrect-You-wouldn-t-ask-What-cannot-you-live-without
Is “can’t” always a contraction of “cannot”? If so, does that mean a question such as, “What can’t you live without?” is grammatically in...
Answer (1 of 28): Yes, “can’t” exists in the English language only as a contraction of “cannot.” It has no other meaning. The same is true of isn’t (is not), aren’t (are not), doesn’t (does not) and haven’t (have not). Contractions exist for these very common verbs in the negative form because th...
BYJUS
byjus.com › english › contractions-in-grammar
Byjus
March 23, 2023 - For example, ‘your’ and ‘you’re’. Very often, English language users are seen to make this mistake out of carelessness. So, here are a few rules you should keep in mind when you use contracted forms in writing. When you need to form negatives, you just have to add ‘not’ to the verb.
Quora
quora.com › If-would-ve-could-ve-and-should-ve-are-proper-English-contractions-why-aren-t-wouldn-t-ve-shouldn-t-ve-and-couldn-t-ve
If would’ve, could’ve, and should’ve are proper English contractions, why aren’t wouldn’t’ve, shouldn’t’ve, and couldn’t’ve? - Quora
Answer (1 of 83): I use those words (wouldn’t’ve, shouldn’t’ve and couldn’t’ve) all the time, usually only in speech. But that is only because my writing (although I flatter myself that I try to mime the spoken word) does not often use those words, (Too hard to type for a lazy like ...