Simple answer: because that's the way English works.
I am -> I'm || I have -> I've
You are -> You're || You have -> You've
He is -> He's || He has -> He's
She is -> She's || She has -> She's
It is -> It's || It has -> It's
We are -> We're || We have -> We've
They are -> They're || They have -> They've
There is a certain amount of ambiguitity here, but the precise meaning can usually be determined by context. You'll notice that the same ambiguity exists with he and it is/has.
Furthermore, it's (it is / it has) can also be confused with the possessive its (note no apostrophe)!
There are no contractions (that I'm aware of) for was (the past tense). She was is always She was, but She had can be contracted to She'd.
Answer from Mike Harris on Stack ExchangeWordReference
forum.wordreference.com › english only › english only
She's [contraction 'she is' vs 'she was'] | WordReference Forums
November 29, 2016 - She's can also been a contraction of she has. She's been admitted to Standford University. However, I've never seen it used for she was. I think your sentence is wrong. ... To Andygc-san I didn't creat the sentence. I just found the example online. The example is isolated because it is an exampe ...
Videos
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Learn Contractions using WILL | Pronunciation and Grammar - YouTube
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👑 English Grammar: Contractions of HAVE | Improve your English ...
What are some examples of contractions?
Some of the most common contractions in English include can’t, it’s, they’ve, what’s, and would’ve.
grammarly.com
grammarly.com › blog › grammar › contractions
What Are Contractions in Writing? Definition and Examples | Grammarly
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
scribbr.com › home › contractions (grammar) | definition & examples
Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
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
scribbr.com › home › contractions (grammar) | definition & examples
Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
Grammarly
grammarly.com › blog › grammar › contractions
What Are Contractions in Writing? Definition and Examples | Grammarly
August 10, 2022 - Contractions are a kind of abbreviation that combines two or more words by removing certain letters and usually adding an apostrophe. Only certain words can be contracted: typically small and common words (not, is/are), especially pronouns (I, he/she/it, they), and modal verbs (can, will, might, ...
San Jose State University
sjsu.edu › writingcenter › docs › handouts › Contractions.pdf pdf
San José State University Writing Center www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter
It’s nice outside today. It is nice outside today. The dog ate its food. (The food belongs to the dog.) ... Each of the following sentences can be rewritten to contain one or more contraction(s).
Langeek
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"Contractions" in English Grammar | LanGeek
2 weeks ago - If the contractions are confusing, it's better to avoid them. For example: "she'd" can be both "she had" and "she would", so if the context of the sentence cannot clarify which meaning is intended, it's best to avoid using it.
Scribbr
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Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
May 2, 2025 - Scribbr customers enjoy an ad-free experience! An apostrophe followed by an "s" may indicate possession (e.g., "Dave's house") or contraction (e.g., "Dave's here" = "Dave is here").
Enchanted Learning
enchantedlearning.com › grammar › contractions › index.shtml
Contractions - Enchanted Learning
March 9, 2006 - A multiple choice comprehension printable quiz about Contractions for early readers. Words: I’ll, we’re, you’d, don’t, isn’t, it’s, you’re, she’d, they’re, won’t.
University of Sussex
sussex.ac.uk › informatics › punctuation › apostrophe › contractions
Contractions : The Apostrophe
But I advise you not to use the more colloquial contractions like she'd've in your formal writing: these things, while perfectly normal in speech, are a little too informal for careful writing. Such contractions represent the most useful job the apostrophe does for us, since, without it, we would have no way of expressing in writing the difference between she'll and shell, he'll and hell, can't and cant, I'll and ill, we're and were, she'd and shed, we'll and well, and perhaps a few others.
LanguageTool
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Contractions: What They Are and How To Form Them
July 29, 2025 - Singular words can be contracted. For example, can’t is the contracted version of cannot and ma’am for madam. It’s even possible to combine three or more words (she would have = she’d’ve), although this is only found in colloquial speech and shouldn’t be used in writing.
EnglishClub
englishclub.com › vocabulary › contractions-positive.php
Positive Contractions | Learn English
she has/ she is she'll ... she will she'd ... she had, she would it's ... it has/ it is it'll ... it will we're ... we are we've ... we have we'll ... we will we'd ... we had/ we would they're ... they are they've ... they have they'll ... they will they'd ... they had/ they would Oh yeah.
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Contraction_(grammar)
Contraction (grammar) - Wikipedia
3 weeks ago - The preposition de contracts with the pronouns ele and ela (he, she), producing dele, dela (his, her). In addition, some verb forms contract with enclitic object pronouns: e.g., the verb amar (to love) combines with the pronoun a (her), giving amá-la (to love her). Another contraction in Portuguese that is similar to English ones is the combination of the pronoun da with words starting in a, resulting in changing the first letter a for an apostrophe and joining both words. Examples: Estrela d'alva (A popular phrase to refer to Venus that means "Alb star", as a reference to its brightness); Caixa d'água (water tank).
Preply
preply.com › preply language learning hub › learn english online › english writing › contractions in english: how to use them confidently when speaking and writing english
Contractions in English: Correct Use in Speaking & Writing
September 18, 2025 - Pronoun (e.g., “I”/“he”/“she”/“it”/“they”) Modal verb (e.g., “can”/“will”/“might”/“must”/“should”/“would”/“could”) Other common word (e.g., “is”/“are”/“not”) To create a contraction, these short and common words are combined, and some of the letters are removed and replaced with an apostrophe. Words like “can’t” (made up of “can” and “not”) and “don’t” (made up of “do” and “not”) are examples of contracted words.
Study.com
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Contractions in Grammar | Overview, Definition & Examples - Lesson | Study.com
April 30, 2016 - Like most other contractions, they make for more informal speech and writing. The contraction for "I will" is "I'll," as in "I'll be there soon." The contraction for "She is" is "she's," as in "She's my sister."
University of Nevada, Reno
unr.edu › university › writing & speaking center › writing & speaking resources › contractions
Contractions | University Writing & Speaking Center | University of Nevada, Reno
The English language includes words that sounds the same but have different spellings and meanings. Often contractions can be confused with possessive pronouns. While contractions use apostrophes, possessive pronouns do not. ... Example: Your dog is very cute.
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 ...
Learn English
learnenglish.ecenglish.com › lessons › contractions
Contractions | Learn English
We make contractions by connecting two or more words together. One or more letters are removed from the words when they are connected. ... There would → There'd → "There'd have been more people here if the party had been on the weekend." That had → That'd → "That'd better be the last time she calls me."
Espresso English
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50+ Contractions in English: List & Examples - Espresso English
July 16, 2024 - (She is busy) 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) Note: ‘s can also be used in possessive nouns (John’s kids, Mary’s car). We use contractions with had in the past perfect tense, as in these examples:
Reddit
reddit.com › r/grammar › can "she's" mean "she has" in written english?
r/grammar on Reddit: Can "she's" mean "she has" in written english?
December 19, 2013 -
My teacher says that when you write out "she's", it can only mean "she is", though when saying "she's" it can mean both "she is" AND "she has". Anyone have any insight on this?
Top answer 1 of 5
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Nonsense, but not every instance of has can be contracted to 's. I disagree with u/nihilcupio , you can't write "She's two apples"; people also don't say that, as far as I know. "Has" in the sentence "She has two apples" is the main verb, meaning "possess". But if "has" is just an auxiliary verb to indicate tense ("She has found her dream guy"), it's perfectly OK to contract: "She's found her dream guy" is OK in spoken and written English. Here's a wikipedia link, not the most authoritative, but carries some weight: Contracted auxiliaries The section also explain that 's for does is very informal: "I like that guy. What's he do?" And this is indeed a sentence I would not write down unless rendering speech.
2 of 5
4
Nonsense. "She's" can mean either "she is" or "she has," and the meaning is derived from context: She's fourteen. = She is fourteeen years of age. She's got class. = She has got class. r/zeptimlus 's expansion is excellent. There are some unwritten rules about actual usage.
Wikihow
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How to Use Contractions: 12 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow
August 14, 2025 - She will tell me not to eat breakfast and to run for the bus instead. On my walk to school, I will see my friend Lola. Lola is one of my best friends at school.” · If you adjust this paragraph so it has contractions: “I’m going to wake up and brush my teeth. Then, I’ll get dressed and curl my hair. My mom isn’t going to be happy because I’m late for the bus.