Contractions in English: the list, how they sound and when to use them
A contraction joins two words into one with an apostrophe: “do not” becomes “don’t”. In speech, native speakers use them nearly every time, and an answer without them can sound stiff. Here is the full list, how the endings sound, the rules, and a short drill.
By The YoFluent teamUpdated 8 min read
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Negative contractions (verb + not)
| Full form | Contraction | Example |
|---|---|---|
| do not | don’t | “I don’t know.” |
| does not | doesn’t | “She doesn’t work here.” |
| did not | didn’t | “We didn’t see it.” |
| is not / are not | isn’t / aren’t | “They aren’t ready.” |
| was not / were not | wasn’t / weren’t | “It wasn’t me.” |
| have not / has not | haven’t / hasn’t | “I haven’t finished.” |
| will not | won’t | “He won’t come.” |
| would not | wouldn’t | “I wouldn’t say that.” |
| cannot | can’t | “I can’t hear you.” |
| should not | shouldn’t | “You shouldn’t worry.” |
Note: will not becomes won’t (not “willn’t”), and cannot becomes can’t. There is no standard contraction for “am not” in formal writing; in speech people say “aren’t I?” in questions.
Positive contractions (pronoun + verb)
| Full form | Contraction | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I am | I’m | “I’m tired.” |
| you are / we are / they are | you’re / we’re / they’re | “They’re late.” |
| he is / she is / it is | he’s / she’s / it’s | “It’s ready.” |
| I have / you have / we have | I’ve / you’ve / we’ve | “We’ve met before.” |
| I will / you will / she will | I’ll / you’ll / she’ll | “I’ll call you.” |
| I would / I had | I’d | “I’d like some water.” |
| let us | let’s | “Let’s go.” |
| there is / that is / what is | there’s / that’s / what’s | “What’s your name?” |
How contractions sound
| Contraction | Sound | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| I’m, you’re, we’re | /aɪm/, /jɔːr/ or /jʊər/, /wɪər/ | One syllable. Don’t say “I am” in two clear beats. |
| it’s, that’s, what’s | ends in /s/ | After a voiceless sound (t, k, p) the ending is /s/. |
| he’s, she’s, who’s | ends in /z/ | After a vowel the ending is voiced: /z/. |
| I’ll, we’ll, you’ll | /aɪl/, /wiːl/, /juːl/ | The “l” is a dark, short sound at the end. |
| I’ve, we’ve, they’ve | /aɪv/, /wiːv/, /ðeɪv/ | End with a clear /v/ (teeth on lip), not a “b”. |
| I’d, he’d, we’d | /aɪd/, /hiːd/, /wiːd/ | “d” can mean “would” or “had”: context tells you which. |
| don’t, can’t, won’t | /doʊnt/, /kænt/ (US) or /kɑːnt/ (UK), /woʊnt/ | The final “t” is quick and often almost silent: “I don’ know”. |
Telling can and can’t apart is hard. In American English, “can” is weak (/kən/) and “can’t” has a full vowel (/kænt/). Listen for the full vowel and the stronger stress on “can’t”.
Even shorter in fast speech
| Written | Often sounds like | Where |
|---|---|---|
| could have, would have, should have | “coulda”, “woulda”, “shoulda” | Informal speech. Write “could’ve”, never “could of”. |
| going to | “gonna” | Informal speech and songs. |
| want to | “wanna” | Informal speech. |
| do not know | “dunno” | Very informal. |
You don’t need to say these, but you do need to understand them. Use “gonna” and “wanna” only in casual talk, and avoid writing them in emails or exams.
Rules: when to use them and when not to
- Speaking and informal writing: use them. Interviews and meetings are fine with contractions too.
- Formal writing (reports, academic essays, legal): write the full form.
- Short answers: don’t end with a positive contraction. “Yes, I am.” (not “Yes, I’m.”) But negative ones are fine: “No, I haven’t.”
- Emphasis: use the full form to stress a point: “I do not agree.”
- ’s is two things: “is/has” (“She’s late”, “She’s finished”) or possession (“Sara’s book”). Possession is not a contraction.
- “Let’s” means “let us”, used to suggest something: “Let’s start.”
- Don’t mix up their / there / they’re, and your / you’re, and its / it’s. In writing, “it’s” always means “it is” or “it has”.
A 3-minute drill
- Read these in full form, then with contractions: “I do not know what they are doing.” → “I don’t know what they’re doing.”
- Say five true sentences about your day using “I’m”, “I’ve”, “I’ll”, “don’t” and “can’t”.
- Record and listen: is “I’ve” one quick syllable? Is the final “t” light?
- Shadow a clip: play a short real conversation and repeat it with the same speed. See shadowing English.
Contractions are part of connected speech. See linking sounds, the schwa sound and word stress. Practise them in conversation with an AI tutor.
Frequently asked questions
What is a contraction in English?
A contraction is a shortened form of two words, with an apostrophe where letters are missing: do not → don’t, I am → I’m, they have → they’ve.
Should I use contractions when speaking?
Yes. Native speakers use them almost all the time in conversation. Using the full form in every sentence can sound stiff or very emphatic.
Can I use contractions in formal writing?
Usually no. In essays, reports and legal documents, write the full form. In emails to colleagues and in most business speaking, contractions are fine.
Why can’t I say “Yes, I’m”?
A positive contraction needs a word after it to carry the stress. At the end of a sentence use the full form: “Yes, I am.” Negative contractions can end a sentence: “No, I don’t.”
Is it “could’ve” or “could of”?
It is “could’ve” (could have). “Could of” is a spelling mistake that comes from the way it sounds.
How do I pronounce the apostrophe-s?
It depends on the last sound of the word before it: /s/ after voiceless sounds (it’s, that’s), /z/ after voiced sounds and vowels (he’s, John’s), and /ɪz/ after s, z, sh, ch (the church’s, Alice’s).
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