52 Mostly Used Contractions in English and Examples

WritingSkills.web.id - Contractions is one type of abbreviations . In this post, I will explain the definition of contractions, and a list...

WritingSkills.web.id - Contractions is one type of abbreviations. In this post, I will explain the definition of contractions, and a list of the contractions that are very popular in everyday English language. However, before that, I will explain other 3 kinds of abbreviations.

In general, there are 4 main kinds of abbreviations: 

1. Shortenings 
2. Initialisms
3. Acronyms
4. Contractions

4 Types of Abbreviations

1. Shortenings

Shortenings of words usually consist of the first few letters of the full form and are usually spelled with a final period when they are still regarded as abbreviations, for example:

• Exam is a familiar abbreviation of examination.
• cont. is a familiar abbreviation of continued.
• in is a familiar abbreviation of inch.

In the cases when they form words in their own right, the period is omitted, for example:

• hippo is a familiar abbreviation of hippopotamus.
• limo is a familiar abbreviation of limousine.

Such shortenings are often but not always informal. Some become the standard forms, and the full forms are then regarded as formal or technical, for example:

• bus is a familiar abbreviation of omnibus.
• taxi is a familiar abbreviation of taxicab.
• deli is a familiar abbreviation of delicatessen.
• zoo is a familiar abbreviation of zoological garden.

Sometimes shortenings are altered to facilitate their pronunciation or spelling: bike = bicycle.

2. Initialisms 

Initialisms are made up of the initial letters of words and are pronounced as separate letters: 

• CIA (or C.I.A.)
• NYC
• pm (or p.m.)
• U.S. (or US)

Practice varies with regard to periods, with current usage increasingly in favor of omitting them, especially when the initialism consists entirely of capital letters. 

3. Acronyms

Acronyms are initialisms that have become words in their own right, or similar words formed from parts of several words. They are pronounced as words rather than as a series of letters and do not have periods, for example: 

• AIDS
• laser
• scuba
• UNESCO

In many cases the acronym becomes the standard term and the full form is only used in explanatory contexts.

4. Contractions

Contractions are abbreviated forms in which letters from the middle of the full form have been omitted, for example: 

• Dr. is a familiar contraction of doctor.
• St. is a familiar contraction of saint or street. 

Such forms are invariably followed by a period. 

Another kind of contraction is the type with an apostrophe marking the omission of letters.

Contraction is a shortened word, that is a shortened form or shortening of a word or phrase, such as:

• "she'll" for "she will"
• "can't" for "cannot"
• "didn't" for "did not"
• "you've" for "you have"

In English, the omitted letter or letters are usually marked with an apostrophe or a period, depending on the type of contraction.

The following is a list of commonly used contractions in English Grammar.

1. aren't = are not
2. can't = cannot
3. couldn't = could not
4. didn't = did not
5. doesn't = does not
6. don't = do not
7. hadn't = had not
8. hasn't = has not
9. he'd = he had; he would
10. he'll = he will
11. haven't = have not
12. he's = he is; he has
13. here's = here is
14. I'd = I had; I would; I should
15. I'll = I will; I shall
16. I'm = I am
17. isn't = is not
18. it'd = it had; it would
19. it'll = it will
20. I've = I have
21. let's = let us
22. ma'am = madam
23. mustn't = must not
24. needn't = need not
25. oughtn't = ought not
26. shan't = shall not
27. she'd = she had; she would
28. she'll = she will
29. she's = she is; she has
30. shouldn't = should not
31. that'll = that will
32. that's = that is; that has
33. there's = there is
34. they'd = they had; they would
35. they'll = they will
36. they're = they are
37. they've = they have
38. wasn't = was not
39. we'd = we had; we would
40. we'll = we will; we shall
41. weren't = were not
42. we've = we have
43. what's = what is; what has
44. where's = where is
45. who's = who is; who has
46. who've = who have
47. won't = will not
48. wouldn't = would not
49. you'd = you had; you would
50. you'll = you will
51. you're = you are
52. you've = you have