Ogden's Basic English
Contractions

    In quick, common speech, sounds and letters are frequently left out. The missing parts are indicated with a single quote/apostrophe to replace the missing letters. In writing, these contractions show the words are imitating speech. Contractions are not suitable for formal writing.
    These words are frequently left out sounds/letters in common speech.

am	'm
are	're
had	'd
has	's
have	've
is	's
not	n't
will	'll
would	'd

Personal pronouns and verb forms

aren't didn't don't hadn't haven't   he'd he's he'll how's I'd I'll

I'm isn't it's I've it'd it'll let's one'll     one's she'd she'll

she's there's they'd they'll they're they've   you'll you're you've wasn't we'd

we'll we're we've what's when's where's   who's why's won't wouldn't would've

Possessives show ownership:

day's daughter's everybody's everyones' everything's   expert's her's father's his' horn's hour's

month's mother's our's somebody's someone's something's son's their's week's year's your's

When a word ends with an "s", typically a plural, the single quote is used without adding another "s".

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About this Page: contractions.html -- Contractions represent common speech. Possessives show that something is owned or belongs to.
Last updated April 8, 2008
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