This list of common contractions in American English writing and speech will help you identify them in listening and reading, and use them correctly in your speech and writing (or possibly avoid using them in certain situations). This skill is important for several reasons.
Authenticity in Communication
Contractions are frequently used in everyday English, especially in informal contexts. Learning them helps English learners understand and engage in authentic conversations, making their communication more natural and fluent.
Enhanced Listening Skills
In spoken English, native speakers often use contractions. Recognizing and understanding these contractions in real-time is crucial for effective listening comprehension.
Improved Speaking Fluency
Using contractions in speech allows for smoother and faster communication, which is essential in professional settings where clear and efficient communication is valued. It is also important to know which contraction are “informal” because you may wish to avoid using them in certain situations.
Writing Skills Development
While contractions are generally more informal, understanding their use is important for various writing contexts, including emails and business correspondence where a conversational tone is appropriate.
Cultural Understanding
Grasping contractions can also give insight into the nuances of English-speaking cultures, aiding in more effective cross-cultural communication.
Confidence Building
Mastery of contractions can significantly boost the confidence of ESL learners, as it is a step closer to sounding like a native speaker.
The below list will help you master these important components of American English. Practice identifying them in audio and using them in sentences to improve your skills.
- I’d – I had – /īd/ (rapid: /’əd/)
- I’ve – I have – /’īv/ (rapid: /’əv/)
- I’m – I am – /īm/ (rapid: /’əm/)
- I’ll – I will – /īl/ (rapid: /’əl/)
- *Informal: I’ll’ve – I will have – /ˈīləv/ (rapid: /ˈələv/)
- *Informal: I’lla – I will have – /ˈīlə/ (rapid: /ˈələ/)
- you’d – you had – /’yo͞od/ (rapid: /’yəd/)
- you’re – you are – /’yo͞or/ (rapid: /’yər/)
- you’ve – you have – /’yüv/ (rapid: /’yəv/)
- you’ll – you will – /’yo͞ol/ (rapid: /’yəl/)
- *Informal: you’ll’ve – you will have – /’yo͞oləv/ (rapid: /’yələv/)
- *Informal: you’lla – you will have – /’yo͞olə/ (rapid: /’yələ/)
- we’d – we had – /ˈwēd/ (rapid: /’wəd/)
- we’ve – we have – /’wēv/ (rapid: /’wəv/)
- we’re – we are – /ˈwēr/ (rapid: /’wər/)
- we’ll – we will – /ˈwēl/ (rapid: /’wəl/)
- *Informal: we’ll’ve – we will have- /ˈwēləv/ (rapid: /’wələv/)
- *Informal: we’lla – we will have- /ˈwēlə/ (rapid: /’wələ/)
- they’d – they had – /ˈthād/ (rapid: /’thed/)
- they’ve – they have – /ˈthāv/ (rapid: /’thev/)
- they’re – they are – /ˈthār/ (rapid: /’ther/)
- they’ll – they will – /ˈthāl/ (rapid: /’thel/)
- *Informal: they’ll’ve – they will have- /ˈthāləv/ (rapid: /’theləv/)
- *Informal: they’lla – they will have- /ˈthālə/ (rapid: /’thelə/)
- he’d – he had – /’hēd/
- he’s – he is or he has – /’hēs/
- he’ll – he will – /’hēl/ (rapid: /’həl/)
- *Informal: he’ll’ve – he will have – /ˈhēləv/ (rapid: /ˈhiləv/, /hələv/)
- *Informal: he’lla – he will have – /ˈhēlə/ (rapid: /ˈhilə/, /’hələ/)
- she’d – she had – /ˈshēd/ (rapid: /ˈshid/, /shəd/)
- she’s – she is or she has – /ˈshēz/
- she’ll – she will – /ˈshēl/ (rapid: /ˈshil/, /shəl/)
- *Informal: she’ll’ve – she will have – /ˈshēləv/ (rapid: /ˈshiləv/, /’shələv/)
- *Informal: she’lla – she will have – /ˈshēlə/ (rapid: /ˈshilə/, /’shələ/)
- it’s – it is or it has – /’its/ (rapid: /’əts/)
- *Informal: it’d – it had – /’itəd/
- should’ve – should have – /ˈsho͝odəv/ (rapid: /’shədəv/)
- Informal: shoulda – should have – /ˈsho͝odə/ (rapid: /’shədə/)
- shouldn’t – should not – /ˈsho͝odnt/ (rapid: /’shədnt/)
- *Informal: shouldn’t’ve – should not have – /ˈsho͝odnəv/ (rapid: /ˈshədnəv/)
- *Informal: shouldna – should not have – /ˈsho͝odnə/ (rapid: /ˈshədnə/)
- could’ve – could have – /ˈko͝odəv/ (rapid: /’kədəv/)
- Informal: coulda – could have – /’ku̇-də/
- couldn’t – could not – /ˈko͝odnt/ (rapid: /’kədnt/)
- *Informal: couldn’t’ve – could not have – /ˈko͝odnəv/ (rapid: /ˈkədnəv/)
- *Informal: couldna – could not have – /ˈko͝odnə/ (rapid: /ˈkədnə/)
- would’ve – would have – /ˈwo͝odəv/ (rapid: /ˈwədəv/)
- Informal: woulda – would have – /ˈwo͝odə/ (rapid: /ˈwədə/)
- wouldn’t – would not – /ˈwo͝odnt/ (rapid: /’wədnt/)
- *Informal: wouldn’t’ve – would not have – /ˈwo͝odnəv/ (rapid: /ˈwədnəv/)
- *Informal: wouldna – would not have – /ˈwo͝odnə/ (rapid: /ˈwədnə/)
- might’ve – might have – /’mī-təv/, /’mī-dəv/
- Informal: mighta – might have – /’mī-də/
- must’ve – must have – /ˈmə-stəv/
- Informal: musta – must have – /’məstə/
- won’t – will not – /ˈwōnt/
- *Informal: won’t’ve – will not have- /ˈwōntəv/ (rapid: /’wōnəv/)
- *Informal: won’ta – will not have- /ˈwōntə/ (rapid: /’wōnə/)
- can’t – cannot – /’kant/
- didn’t – did not – /ˈdidənt/ (rapid: /ˈdi(d)(ə)n(t)/
- don’t – do not – /’dōnt/
- Informal: dunno – do not know – /’dun·no/, /də-ˈnō/
- what’s – what is – /’wəts/
- when’s – when is – /’wənz/
- where’s – where is – /wārz/ (rapid: /’wərz/)
- who’s – who is – /ˈhüz/
- why’s – why is – /ˈwīz/
*Often heard in speech, but not typically used in writing
Other Informal Contractions
- aboutta/boutta – about to – /(ə)’boudə/
- *ain’t – am not / are not / is not / have not / has not – /ˈānt/
- cause – because – /’kȯz/ – /’kəz/
- *finna – fixing to (similar to “gonna”) – /’finə/
- gimme – give me – /ˈɡimē/
- gonna – going to – /ˈɡənə/
- gotta – got to / have to – /ˈɡädə/
- kinda – kind of – /ˈkīndə/
- lemme – let me – /ˈlemē/
- outta – out of – /ˈoudə/
- tryna – trying to – /ˈtrīnə/
- wanna – want to – /ˈwônə/
- *y’all – you all – /’yôl/
* somewhat regional