What Are Contractions in English?

Contractions are a way to make two words into one shorter word. We use an apostrophe (‘) to show where letters are missing.

English speakers use contractions all the time. They make conversations faster and more natural.

• You will hear them a lot when people speak.
• You will see them in informal writing, like emails to friends or text messages.

Common Contractions with 'to be' (am, is, are)

Many contractions use forms of the verb to be.

• I am становится I'm.
  Пример: I'm happy to be here.
• You are становится You're.
  Пример: You're a good student.
• He is становится He's.
  Пример: He's my brother.
• She is становится She's.
  Пример: She's going to the shop.
• It is становится It's.
  Пример: It's a beautiful day.
• We are становится We're.
  Пример: We're ready for the test.
• They are становится They're.
  Пример: They're coming later.

Common Contractions with 'have' and 'has'

We also make contractions with have и has, especially in the present perfect tense.

• I have становится I've.
  Пример: I've finished my homework.
• You have становится You've.
  Пример: You've seen this movie before.
• We have становится We've.
  Пример: We've been waiting for an hour.
• They have становится They've.
  Пример: They've already eaten.
• He has становится He's.
  Пример: He's got a new car.
• She has становится She's.
  Пример: She's never visited London.
• It has становится It's.
  Пример: It's been a long day.

Important: He's, She's, и It's can mean is или has. Look at the next word to know the meaning. If the next word is a past participle (like been, finished), it means has. If it's an adjective (like happy) или going, it means is.

Common Contractions with 'will'

We use contractions with will to talk about the future.

• I will становится I'll.
  Пример: I'll call you later.
• You will становится You'll.
  Пример: You'll be fine.
• He will становится He'll.
  Пример: He'll arrive soon.
• She will становится She'll.
  Пример: She'll help us.
• It will становится It'll.
  Пример: It'll rain tomorrow.
• We will становится We'll.
  Пример: We'll see you there.
• They will становится They'll.
  Пример: They'll probably win.

Contractions with 'would' and 'had'

The contraction 'd can mean would или had. Again, look at the next word.

• I would становится I'd.
  Пример: I'd like a coffee, please. (followed by a verb in base form)
• I had становится I'd.
  Пример: I'd already eaten when they arrived. (followed by a past participle)
• You would становится You'd.
  Пример: You'd better hurry.
• He had становится He'd.
  Пример: He'd never seen snow before.

Negative Contractions (not)

We often contract verbs with not. The o в not changes to an apostrophe (') and joins the verb with n't.

• do not становится don't.
  Пример: I don't understand.
• does not становится doesn't.
  Пример: She doesn't like pizza.
• did not становится didn't.
  Пример: We didn't go out last night.
• is not становится isn't.
  Пример: It isn't raining now.
• are not становится aren't.
  Пример: They aren't here yet.
• was not становится wasn't.
  Пример: He wasn't at home.
• were not становится weren't.
  Пример: You weren't listening.
• cannot становится can't.
  Пример: I can't swim.
• will not становится won't.
  Пример: She won't be late.
• could not становится couldn't.
  Пример: I couldn't find my keys.
• should not становится shouldn't.
  Пример: You shouldn't worry.
• would not становится wouldn't.
  Пример: They wouldn't agree.

When NOT to Use Contractions

While contractions are common, there are times when it's better to use the full forms.

• Formal Writing: Avoid contractions in academic essays, official reports, or formal letters.
• Emphasis: If you want to emphasize a word, use the full form.
  Пример: I AM going! (not I'm going!)
• Short Answers: Do not use contractions at the end of a short answer.
  Правильно: Yes, I am. (NOT Yes, I'm.)
  Правильно: No, she isn't. (NOT No, she's not.)

Примеры

• I'm tired, so I'll go to bed early tonight.
• They're not ready for the party yet.
• He's been waiting for you for an hour.
• It's a secret, so you mustn't tell anyone.
• We'd love to visit Spain again soon.
• She doesn't like coffee, but I do.

Практика

Распространенные ошибки у носителей испанского языка

Spanish speakers sometimes prefer to use the full forms of words, as contractions are not as common in Spanish grammar. However, in English, using contractions is natural and expected in most informal situations.

• Confusing similar-sounding words: Be careful with words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings.
  • It's (it is/it has) vs. Its (possessive, like su in Spanish).
    Неправильно: The dog wagged it's tail.
    Справа: The dog wagged its tail.
  • You're (you are) vs. Your (possessive, like tu/su in Spanish).
    Неправильно: Your a great friend.
    Справа: You're a great friend.
  • They're (they are) vs. Their (possessive) vs. There (place).
    Неправильно: Their going to the park.
    Справа: They're going to the park.
• Using contractions in formal writing: Remember to use full forms in academic essays or formal emails.
• Not using contractions in speech: While grammatically correct, always using full forms can make your English sound less natural to native speakers. Try to practice using contractions when you speak.

Часто задаваемые вопросы

What is a contraction in English?

A contraction is a shortened form of two words, usually a pronoun and a verb, or a verb and not. An apostrophe (') replaces the missing letters. For example, I am становится I'm.

Why do English speakers use contractions?

English speakers use contractions to make their speech faster, more fluent, and more natural. They are a common part of everyday conversation and informal writing.

Are contractions informal?

Yes, contractions are generally considered informal. They are perfect for speaking and casual writing (like emails to friends or text messages), but you should avoid them in formal academic writing or official documents.

How do I know if 'he's' means 'he is' or 'he has'?

You need to look at the word that comes after he's. If it's followed by a verb in the '-ing' form or an adjective, it means he is (например, He's running, He's happy). If it's followed by a past participle (e.g., been, finished), it means he has (например, He's been there, He's finished his work).

Can I use contractions in the A2 Key (KET) exam?

Yes, you can use contractions in the A2 Key (KET) exam, especially in informal writing tasks like an email to a friend. However, if you are asked to write something more formal, like a short story or an article, it's safer to use full forms.