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Luyện ngữ pháp English Grammar in Use Appendix 5: Short forms (I)


5.1

In spoken English we usually say I'm / you've / didn't etc. (short forms or contractions) rather than I am / you have / did not etc. We also use these short forms in informal writing (for example, a letter or message to a friend).

When we write short forms, we use an apostrophe(') for the missing letter(s):
I'm = I am
you've= you have
didn't= did not
5.2

List of short forms:

'm = am I'm
's = is or has he's    she's    it's
're = are you're    we're    they're
've = have I've    you've    we've    they've
'll = will I'll    he'll    she'll    you'll    we'll    they'll
'd = would or had I'd    he'd    she'd    you'd    we'd    they'd

 

's can be is or has:
  • She's ill. (= She is ill.)
  • She's gone away. (= She has gone)
but let's = let us:
  • Let's go now. (= Let us go)

 

'd can be would or had:
  • I'd see a doctor if I were you. (= I would see)
  • I'd never seen her before. (= I had never seen)

 

We use some of these short forms (especially 's) after question words (who/what etc.) and after that/there/here:
who's    what's    where's    how's    that's    there's    here's    who'll    there'll    who'd
  • Who's that woman over there? (= who is)
  • What's happened? (= what has)
  • Do you think there'll be many people at the party? (= there will)

 

We also use short forms (especially 's) after a noun:
  • Katherine's going out tonight. (= Katherine is)
  • My best friend's just got married. (= My best friend has)

 

You cannot use 'm / 's / 're / 've / 'll / 'd at the end of a sentence (because the verb is stressed in this position):
  • 'Are you tired?' 'Yes, I am.'   (not Yes, I'm .)
  • Do you know where she is?   (not Do you know where she's?)
5.3

Negative short forms

isn't (= is not)
aren't (= are not)
wasn't (= was not)
weren't (= were not)		 don't (= do not)
doesn't (= does not)
didn't (= did not)
haven't (= have not)
hasn't (= has not)
hadn't (= had not)		 can't (= cannot)
won't (= will not)
shan't (= shall not)
couldn't (= could not)
wouldn't (= would not)
shouldn't (= should not)		 mustn't (= must not)
needn't (= need not)
daren't (= dare not)

 

Negative short forms for is and are can be:
he isn't / she isn't / it isn't or he's not / she's not / it's not
you aren't / we aren't / they aren't or you're not / we're not / they're not


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