Contractions (Grammar) | Definition, List & Examples
Contractions are words in English grammar that are usually shortened versions of two-word pairs (e.g., “could’ve” for “could have”). Each contraction has an apostrophe (‘) to indicate where one or more letters have been omitted (e.g., “h” and “a” in “could’ve”).
Contractions in writing save space and create an informal, conversational tone. For some academic writing assignments (e.g., essays and dissertations), they’re too informal (depending on the guidelines you’re following). In workplace writing, they’re usually perfectly acceptable.
Sarah’s working a night shift, and Devin’s staying home. (Sarah is and Devin is)
The musician who’s headlining the festival won a Grammy. (who is)
I wish we would’ve visited the aquarium when we were in Monterey. (would have)
What are contractions in English?
A contraction in English is a word with an apostrophe that combines two words that often go together (e.g., “won’t” for “will not”). The apostrophe represents one or more letters in the second word (e.g., the “o” in “not”). Only certain words can be part of contractions. Most contractions include frequently used verbs (e.g., “is” or “could”).
The chart below includes an alphabetical list of the contractions in English. The most common contractions are in bold font.
| Aren’t (are not) | Isn’t (is not) | Weren’t (were not) |
| Can’t (cannot) | Mightn’t (might not) | What’ll (what will) |
| Could’ve (could have) | Mustn’t (must not | What’re (what are) |
| Couldn’t (could not) | Must’ve (must have) | What’s (what is or what has) |
| Didn’t (did not) | Shan’t (shall not) | What’ve (what have) |
| Doesn’t (does not) | She’d (she had) | Where’s (where is) |
| Don’t (do not) | She’ll (she will) | Who’d (who had) |
| Hadn’t (had not) | She’s (she is or she has) | Who’ll (who will) |
| Hasn’t (has not) | Should’ve (should have) | Who’re (who are) |
| Haven’t (have not) | Shouldn’t (should not) | Who’s (who has or who is) |
| He’d (he had) | That’s (that is) | Who’ve (who have) |
| He’ll (he will) | There’s (there is) | Won’t (will not) |
| He’s (he is) | They’d (they had) | Would’ve (would have) |
| I’d (I had) | They’ll (they will) | Wouldn’t (would not) |
| I’ll (I will) | They’re (they are) | Y’all (you all) |
| I’m (I am) | They’ve (they have) | You’d (you had or you would) |
| It’ll (it will) | We’d (we had or we would) | You’ll (you will) |
| It’s (it is or it has) | We’re (we are) | You’re (you are) |
| I’ve (I have) | We’ve (we have) | You’ve (you have) |
I’m excited to apply for the electrical engineering position. (I am)
The restaurant should’ve hired more servers for the holiday season. (should have)
- “Won’t” is a contraction for “will not,” and it abbreviates the first word “will” to “wo.” It’s the only contraction that changes the first word’s spelling.
- “Can’t” is the only contraction for a compound word—“cannot.”
- “Y’all” for “you all” is the only contraction that doesn’t include one or more verbs.
- “Ain’t” (a very informal contraction) can represent a few different word pairs (e.g., “is not,” “am not,” or “are not”)
How to use contractions in writing
You can use two types of contractions in writing—negative contractions and positive contractions.
Negative contractions
Negative contractions (e.g., “isn’t) cancel the action or state of being in a sentence (e.g., they can show when something is not happening). You can make a negative contraction by adding “n’t” to these verbs:
The window wouldn’t open because it was painted shut. (would not)
The new store doesn’t open until July. (does not)
- Tom didn’t try none of the desserts.
- Tom didn’t try any of the desserts.
Positive contractions
Positive contractions don’t include “n’t,” and often fall into these three categories.
- Noun or pronoun + “is” or “has” (e.g., “Consuela’s”)
- Pronoun + helping verb (e.g., “you’ll”)
- Modal verb + “have” (e.g., “would’ve”)
The car’s filthy because of the oak pollen. (car is)
We should’ve visited Spain when we had the chance. (should have)
Common mistakes with contractions
When using contractions in writing, watch out for these errors:
- Missing apostrophes
- Sound-alike errors with contractions and possessive adjectives (e.g., “your” and “you’re”)
Missing apostrophes
A common typographical error is to accidentally omit the apostrophe from contractions. Spell checkers sometimes miss these typos when the word without the apostrophe has its own meaning. For example, “wont” (versus “won’t” for “will not”) is an adjective that means “accustomed.”
Contractions and possessive adjectives
A few contractions are commonly confused with possessive adjectives that sound the same but never have apostrophes. Possessive adjectives have a possessive relationship with another noun in a sentence. For example, “their garden” means “the garden that belongs to them.”
- Their and they’re: Only use “their” when you mean “belonging to them.” The contraction “they’re” is correct for “they are.”
- Its and it’s: The possessive adjective “its” (for “belonging to it”) doesn’t have an apostrophe. Use “it’s” when you mean “it is” or “it has.”
- Whose and who’s: “Whose” can be a possessive pronoun or a possessive adjective (e.g., “Whose keys are on the table?”). Use “who’s” when you mean “who is.”
- Your and you’re: Use “your” when you mean “belonging to you” but “you’re” for “you are.”
When you’re unsure about whether to use a possessive adjective or a contraction, read the sentence with the two words you’re trying to contract (e.g., “you are”). If that sounds right, you probably need the contraction.
- Pangolins are nocturnal, so their mainly active at night. [“Their” does not mean “they are.]
- Pangolins are nocturnal, so they’re mainly active at night. [“They’re” is the correct contraction for “they are.”]
- Pangolins can’t see very well because their eyes are very small. [“Their” is correct because the eyes belong to the pangolins.]
Contractions grammar quiz
Frequently asked questions about contractions
- Is it where, were, or we’re?
-
It can be where, were, or we’re depending on the context.
- Use the interrogative “where” when you want to ask a question about location (e.g., “Where is Carmen going for vacation?”
- Use the verb “were” when you need the past tense form of “be” (e.g., “The dogs were barking loudly yesterday”).
- “We’re” is a contraction for “we are” (e.g., “We’re making our own bouquets for the anniversary party”).
These three words sound alike, so it’s easy to get them confused. Luckily, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you keep them straight.
- How do you know when to use its or it’s?
-
Its and it’s are commonly confused:
- Its is the possessive form of “it.”
- It’s is a contraction of “it is” or “it has.”
If you don’t know whether you should use “it’s” or “its,” try replacing it with “it has” or “it is.”
- If the sentence still makes sense, it’s is correct.
- If the sentence no longer makes sense, its is correct.
- Is ain’t a word?
-
Yes, ain’t is a word. “Ain’t” is an informal contraction for “is not,” “are not,” “am not,” “do not,” “does not,” “have not” or “has not.” Like double negatives, “ain’t” is part of many English dialects, but it’s not advisable in formal English writing.
For example, if you’re writing a formal essay or communicating at work, it’s better to say “Laughter isn’t always the best medicine” than “Laughter ain’t always the best medicine.”
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid “ain’t” in formal writing.
- Is it could of or could have?
-
The correct phrase is could have, not could of. People sometimes accidentally write “could of” because it sounds like the contraction “could’ve.” However, the preposition “of” never goes after the modal verb “could.”
“Could have” and “could’ve” are both correct ways to show that something was once possible but didn’t happen (e.g., “We could have/could’ve gone to the beach last year, but we went to the mountains instead”).
To avoid mistakes like “could of,” “would of,” “should of,” etc, you can run any piece of writing through the QuillBot Grammar Checker. It will instantly spot these errors and show you what to write instead.
- Can you use contractions in formal writing?
-
Contractions are sometimes too informal for certain types of academic writing (e.g., essays and dissertations). In workplace writing and job applications (e.g., cover letters), they’re usually fine in moderation.
For example, “I am writing to apply for … ” sounds stilted, whereas “I’m writing to apply for … ” sounds more concise and natural.
When you do need to avoid contractions, the QuillBot Paraphraser can instantly show you formal alternatives.
