Contractions in Informal English: They're Where's Here's

STUDY NOTES
EPISODE 9: EYE TESTING
CONTRACTIONS IN INFORMAL ENGLISH

Its quite common and natural in everyday
English to use such forms as its / ts/, Ive
/a v/, isnt / znt/, theres / z/ and
others. These are contractions and are
shortened forms of a word or words. They
represent the grammar or spelling of
informal writing, and the pronunciation of
informal speech. Though found in informal
language only, they are, nonetheless,
important when writing informal letters,
postcards and notes to friends or even
informal emails. Of equal importance is not
only using but pronouncing contracted
forms correctly when speaking English.
Contractions help make your speech sound
natural.
STUDY TIPS
Communicating effectively and
naturally in English means using
contractions in everyday
conversational speech.
It is also beneficial to put this into
practice for the IELTS Speaking test
to capture the rhythm of English in
your speech.
Extending the use of contracted
forms to informal writing is
important because it is common,
correct and natural for that style of
writing.
Identifying contractions
Contractions are formed with auxiliary verbs be, have and do, and modal
auxiliaries, including can, could, might, shall, should, will, would, ought, must and
the semi-modal need. They are also formed with irregular verbs be, have and do
when theyre not auxiliary verbs.
There are two kinds of contractions.
For example:
pronoun
noun
question word
other
(auxiliary) verb
Theyre travelling in China.

The weathers cold.
Wheres the party?
Heres the book.
(auxiliary) verb
not
She wont be attending the meeting.

John cant have the car tomorrow.
Page 1 of 6
Here is a list of contracted forms.

IRREGULAR VERBS
BE /bi/
Forms
Contractions
Pronouns
present tense 1st person singular

am /m/
m /m/
3rd person singular
is / z/
s /z/ or /s/
other
are /a/
re // or /r/
Past tense
1st and 3rd person
singular
was /w z/ or /wz/
other
were /w / or /w /
Im /a m/
hes /hiz/
shes / iz/
its / ts/
youre /j (r)/
were
/w (r)/,
/w / or
/w (r)/
theyre
/ (r)/ or
/e (r)/
Negative
Contractions
Nouns
Question
Words
friends
/fr ndz/
Jacks / ks/
other words:
heres /h rz/
theres / z/
nows /na z/
friendsre
/fr ndzr/ or
/fr ndz/
sistersre
/s stzr/ or
/s stz/
other words:
herere
/h rr/ or
/h r/
therere
/ rr/ or
/ r/
wheres
/w z/
isnt / znt/
she isnt
compare: shes
not
whatre
/w t/ or
/w tr/
arent /ant/ or
/arnt/
they arent
compare:
theyre not
wasnt /w znt/
I wasnt
he wasnt
she wasnt
it wasnt
werent
/w nt/ or
/w rnt/
you werent
we werent
they werent
Page 2 of 6
HAVE /HV/
Forms
Contractions
Negative
Contractions
Pronouns
Nouns
Question
Words
wheres
/w z/
present tense 3rd person singular

has /hz/, /hz/ or
/z/
s /z/, /s/
hes /hiz/
shes / iz/
its / ts/
friends
/fr ndz/
Jacks / ks/
other singular and

plural
have /hv/, /hv/ or
/ v/
ve /v/ or / v/
Ive /a v/
youve /juv/
weve /wiv/
theyve
/e v/
tablesve
/te blzv/
sistersve
/s stzv/
whatve
/w tv/
havent /hvnt/
they havent
compare:
theyve not
Past tense
singular and plural
had /hd/, /hd/ or
/d/
d /d/ or /d/
Id /a d/
youd /jud/
hed /hid/
shed / id/
itd / td/
wed /wid/
theyd /e d/
friendsd
/fr ndzd/
sisterd
/s std/
other words:
thered / d/
whod /hud/
hadnt /hdnt/
he hadnt
compare:
hed not
other words:
theres / z/
hasnt /hznt/
he hasnt
compare:
hes not
DO /DU/
Forms
Contractions
Pronouns
Negative
Contractions
Nouns
Question
Words
present tense 3rd person singular

does /d z/ or /dz/
other singular and

plural
do /du/ or /d /
Past tense
singular and plural
did /d d/
doesnt /d znt/
he doesnt
compare:
he does not
dont /do nt/
I dont
you dont
we dont
they dont
compare:
they do not
didnt /d dnt/
I didnt
you didnt
he didnt
she didnt
it didnt
we didnt
they didnt
compare:
he did not
Page 3 of 6
MODALS
WILL /W L/
Forms
Contractions
singular and plural

will /w l/ or /w ll/ ll
/l/ or / l/
Negative
Contractions
Pronouns
Nouns
Ill /a l/
youll /jul/
hell /hil/,
/h l/
shell / il/
itll / tl/
well /wil/,
/w l/
theyll /e l/
friendll
/fr ndl/
Jimll / ml/
Question
Words
wholl /hul/
wont /wo nt/

he wont
compare:
he will not
other words:
therell / l/
WOULD /W D/, /WD/

Forms
Contractions
singular and plural

would /w d/
d /d/ or /d/
Negative
Contractions
Pronouns
Nouns
Id /a d/
youd /jud/
hed /hid/
shed / id/
itd / td/
wed /wid/
theyd /e d/
friendsd
/fr ndzd/
Sallyd /slid/
Question
Words
whered
/w d/
wouldnt /w dnt/
he wouldnt
compare:
he would not
other words:
thered / d/
OTHER MODALS
Form
stressed and unstressed
pronunciation
can /kn/, /kn/
could /k d/, /kd/

might /ma t/
shall / l/, / l/
should / d/, / d/
ought / t/
must /m st/, /mst/
need /nid/
Negative Contraction
Meaning
cant /knt/ (Australian English,

North American English), /kant/
(Australian English), /k nt/
(British English)
couldnt /k dnt/
mightnt /ma tnt/
shant / ant/ (British English)
shouldnt / dnt/
oughtnt / tnt/
mustnt /m snt/
neednt /nidnt/
cannot
could not
might not
shall not
should not
ought not
must not
need not
Here is a summary of question and other words, which are commonly contracted.
whats
whatll
whens
whenll
heres
theres
whos
wholl
whod
thats
wheres
wherell
hows
howll
Page 4 of 6
therell
thatll
Stress in contractions
In spoken English the following type of contraction is unstressed. These contractions
are pronounced shorter and quicker, and, therefore, sometimes difficult to hear. It is
an important aspect of casual, conversational English.
pronoun
noun
question word
other
(auxiliary) verb
Theyll /e l/ be living in Thailand.
The weathers /w z/ been warm.

Howve /ha v/ you been?
Theres / z/ been a fire.
When an auxiliary verb is stressed at the end of a sentence or clause, contractions

cannot be formed. For example,
Is he upset?
Yes, he is. Yes, hes.
The other type of contraction can be stressed. These are auxiliary verbs in negative
contractions, which can, in distinction, be stressed at the end of sentences or
clauses. Negatives are stressed in English, and so a contraction containing a
negative is usually stressed.
(auxiliary) verb
not
He wont /wo nt/ be sitting the test.

You were late today?
No, I wasnt /w znt/.
Page 5 of 6
Contractions confusing forms

Though spelt differently some contractions have the same pronunciation as other
grammatical forms. This can cause confusion and misspellings.
Here is a list of such forms.
Word
its =
it is or
it has
its
youre =
you are
your
theyre =
there are
their
there
whos =
who is
whose
Pronunciation
Grammar
Example
contraction
Its been raining all day.
possessive
contraction
The tree lost its leaves.

Youre driving too fast.
possessive
pronoun
contraction
Your drivers licence expires today.
possessive
adverb
contraction
Theyve postponed their holiday.

Theyll be travelling there tomorrow.
Whos going tonight?
possessive
Whose tickets are these?
/ ts/
/j /
Theyre sightseeing today.
/ /
/huz/
Remember that is (to be) and has (to have), as well as had (to have) and
would (would), when used as auxiliary verbs contract to the same form s and d,
respectively. For example:
Its burnt. It is burnt. Im sorry, Ill lower the setting on the toaster.
Its burnt. It has burnt. Im sorry, I wasnt watching the time.
Theyd travelled to China. They had travelled to China.
Theyd travel to China. They would travel to China.
If there is any confusion, the context and grammar would make the meaning clear.
Page 6 of 6

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STUDY NOTES

EPISODE 9: EYE TESTING

CONTRACTIONS IN INFORMAL ENGLISH

Theyre travelling in China.

She wont be attending the meeting.

Here is a list of contracted forms.

present tense 1st person singular

present tense 3rd person singular

other singular and

present tense 3rd person singular

other singular and

singular and plural

wont /wo nt/

WOULD /W D/, /WD/

singular and plural

could /k d/, /kd/

cant /knt/ (Australian English,

Theyll /e l/ be living in Thailand.

The weathers /w z/ been warm.

Theres / z/ been a fire.

When an auxiliary verb is stressed at the end of a sentence or clause, contractions

He wont /wo nt/ be sitting the test.

Contractions confusing forms

Its been raining all day.

The tree lost its leaves.

Your drivers licence expires today.

Theyve postponed their holiday.

Whose tickets are these?

Theyre sightseeing today.

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