'I've got a new TV. You've seen it, haven't you?'
In spoken English and casual written English, contractions are very common. In these words the apostrophe ( ‘ ) tells us that letters are missing.
Contraction | Meaning |
I’m going home |
I am |
I’ll see you later |
I will |
I’ve got a headache | I have |
It’s raining | It is |
It's finished | It has |
Let's open it | Let us |
Paul’s here | Paul is |
Tracey's gone | Tracy has |
You’re the oldest |
You are |
I’m here | I am |
You’ll be next | You will |
We’ve been waiting | We have |
I’d love a coffee | I would |
He'd lost his key | he had |
-n't makes the negative form:
Contraction | Meaning |
He isn’t coming | is not |
We aren’t interested | are not |
Tim wasn’t listening | was not |
They weren’t good enough | were not |
I can’t believe it | can not |
Paul won’t eat | will not |
I shan’t take a day off | shall not |
Don’t open it | do not |
Tina doesn’t understand | does not |
I didn’t remember | did not |
I couldn’t open the door | could not |
They wouldn’t believe me | would not |
You shouldn’t smoke | should not |
I haven’t been to |
have not |
Andre hasn’t seen it | has not |
We hadn’t heard the news | had not |
You mustn’t talk | must not |
You needn’t come | need not |
I daren’t watch | dare not |