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 ExchangeSan Jose State University
sjsu.edu › writingcenter › docs › handouts › Contractions.pdf pdf
San José State University Writing Center www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter
Contractions, Fall 2011. Rev. Summer 2014. ... Here they are used in sentences.
Videos
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Contractions in English - Contractions with SHE - YouTube
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How to pronounce she'll in English #contractions #pronunciation ...
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Learn Contractions using WILL | Pronunciation and Grammar - YouTube
Contractions / you're / he's / she's / it's / we're / they're / that's ...
What are contractions in grammar?
A contraction is a word that has been formed to shorten a word or group of words. One or more letters are typically omitted in the process and are replaced with a contractive apostrophe.
study.com
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Contractions in Grammar | Overview, Definition & Examples - Lesson ...
What are verb contractions?
Contractions are typically made with verbs. The most common verbs used in contractions include "to be," "can," "do," and "have."
study.com
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Contractions in Grammar | Overview, Definition & Examples - Lesson ...
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
Grammarly
grammarly.com › blog › grammar › contractions
What Are Contractions in Writing? Definition and Examples | Grammarly
August 10, 2022 - 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, must, should, would, could). Even though they represent multiple words, contractions act as a single word. Moreover, contractions all have a definite spelling, which means you can’t just combine words however you like. Be careful, though, because two different contractions can be spelled the same, such as I would and I had, which are both contracted as I’d. In sentence structure, contractions act in the same way as the words that make them.
Scribbr
scribbr.com › home › contractions (grammar) | definition & examples
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").
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 - For instance, “I will” becomes “I’ll” while “I did” becomes “I’d.” If you wanted to use a contraction in the sentence “You did not go to the store,” you would change it to “You didn’t go to the store.” When you're using pronoun contractions like "he's" or "she's, they generally stay the same regardless of if you're using past, present, or future tense.
Study.com
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Contractions in Grammar | Overview, Definition & Examples - Lesson | Study.com
April 30, 2016 - The contraction for "She is" is "she's," as in "She's my sister." The contraction for "mom will" is "mom'll," as in "My mom'll worry." The contraction for "you all" is "y'all," as in "Y'all should come over."
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.
WordReference
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She's [contraction 'she is' vs 'she was'] | WordReference Forums
November 29, 2016 - I can't remember ever seeing "she's" as a contraction for "she was" but I can't say it's impossible. Here you'll have to spell it out: "She was admitted..." ... It has no source. ... It has no source. Click to expand... Of course it has a source! Even if the source was you. Sentences don't just float around in space.
Langeek
langeek.co › home › grammar › punctuation and spelling › contractions
"Contractions" in English Grammar | LanGeek
4 days ago - Is she Sarah? → ✔No, she isn't. ✔No, she's not. Contractions are used to make informal texts and conversations.
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.
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Contraction_(grammar)
Contraction (grammar) - Wikipedia
3 weeks ago - In addition to ce → c'- (demonstrative pronoun "that"), these words are que → qu'- (conjunction, relative pronoun, or interrogative pronoun "that"), ne → n'- ("not"), se → s'- ("himself", "herself", "itself", "oneself" before a verb), je → j'- ("I"), me → m'- ("me" before a verb), te → t'- (informal singular "you" before a verb), le or la → l'- ("the"; or "he", "she", "it" before a verb or after an imperative verb and before the word y or en), and de → d'- ("of"). Unlike with English contractions, however, those contractions are mandatory: one would never say (or write) *ce e
University of Nevada, Reno
unr.edu › university › writing & speaking center › writing & speaking resources › contractions
Contractions | University Writing & Speaking Center | University of Nevada, Reno
Contractions are a way to mash together two words in order to make them shorter. Learn how and when to use them.
Espresso English
espressoenglish.net › home › english tips blog › 50+ contractions in english: list & examples
50+ Contractions in English: List & Examples - Espresso English
July 16, 2024 - 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 use the contracted form if “have/has/had” is the MAIN VERB of the sentence, meaning possession.
EC English
ecenglish.com › learnenglish › 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."
YourDictionary
yourdictionary.com › grammar › contractions & compound words › using contractions correctly
Using Contractions Correctly | YourDictionary
July 15, 2022 - Contractions can be used in any position in a sentence; however, homophone contractions such as "it's" and "they're" sound better when followed by another word or phrase. The reason is that the sounds of "its" and "it's" and "they're" and "their" are so similar that they can be confusing unless they are used with the context of an additional word.
The Editor’s Manual
editorsmanual.com › articles › usage › contractions
Contractions in English Grammar | The Editor’s Manual
December 4, 2024 - She’s funny that way. (she is) They’re waiting. (they are) It’s 3 a.m. (it is) Something’s wrong. (something is) Everyone’s here. (everyone is) The be verb can also join with nouns to form contractions.
BYJUS
byjus.com › english › contractions-in-grammar
Byjus
March 23, 2023 - That should help you comprehend that the verb in the contraction is ‘is’. On the other hand, in the sentence, ‘She’s completed her work’, it is ‘has’.
LanguageTool
languagetool.org › home › contractions: what they are and how to form them
Contractions: What They Are and How To Form Them
July 29, 2025 - It can be used to form future tenses, express ability or willingness, make requests, complete conditional sentences and more. It’s contracted by replacing the letters “wi” with an apostrophe. They’ll arrive at the train station at 10 AM. Would is the past-tense of will. However, it does not get contracted with question words. An apostrophe replaces the letters “woul–.” · She said I’d need more time.
Promova
promova.com › blog › what-is-a-contraction-in-english-grammar
What is a Contraction in English Grammar? | Promova Blog
For example, when you combine the subjective pronoun I with the verb have, you create the contraction I’ve. Here are some more examples of such contractions in sentences: I’ve been waiting for you for more than an hour. (I have been waiting for you.) She’s the best dancer in the class.