English, like many other languages, loves to simplify communication especially in speech. One of the most common ways it does this is through contractions. If you’ve ever said “I’m” instead of “I am” or “don’t” instead of “do not,” you’ve already used a contraction!
What Are Contractions in English?
A contraction is a shortened form of a word or a group of words. It’s made by omitting certain letters and replacing them with an apostrophe ( ’ ).
Example: 👉 I am becomes I’m 👉 Do not becomes Don’t
Contractions are widely used in spoken English and informal writing because they make sentences shorter, faster, and more natural-sounding.
Common English Contractions
Contracted Form
Expanded Form
I’m
I
Am
I’ve
I
Have
I’d
I
Had/Would
I’ll
I
Will
You’re
You
Are
You’ve
You
Have
You’d
You
Had/Would
You’ll
You
Will
We’re
We
Are
We’d
We
Had/Would
We’ve
We
Have
We’ll
We
Will
He’s
He
Is/Has
She’s
She
Is/Has
He’d
He
Had/Would
She’d
She
Had /Would
He’ll
He
Will
She’ll
She
Will
It’s
It
Is
It’ll
It
Will
Who’s
Who
Is
What’s
What
Is
Where’s
Where
Is
When’s
When
Is
How’s
How
Is
Let’s
Let
Us
Here’s
Here
Is
There’s
There
Is
Would’ve
Would
Have
Could’ve
Could
Have
Should’ve
Should
Have
Amn’t
Am
Not
Isn’t
Is
Not
Aren’t
Are
Not
Wasn’t
Was
Not
Weren’t
Were
Not
Haven’t
Have
Not
Hasn’t
Has
Not
Hadn’t
Had
Not
Don’t
Do
Not
Doesn’t
Does
Not
Didn’t
Did
Not
Can’t
Can
Not
Won’t
Will
Not
Shan’t
Shall
Not
Shouldn’t
Should
Not
Couldn’t
Could
Not
Wouldn’t
Would
Not
Mustn’t
Must
Not
Needn’t
Need
Not
Subject + Verb “To Be”
Contraction
Full Form
I’m
I am
You’re
You are
He’s
He is
She’s
She is
It’s
It is
We’re
We are
They’re
They are
Subject + Verb (Have/Has) Contractions
Contraction
Full Form
I’ve
I have
You’ve
You have
We’ve
We have
They’ve
They have
He’s
He has
She’s
She has
It’s
It has
Who’s
Who has
What’s
What has
Subject + Will/Would Contractions
Contraction
Full Form
I’ll
I will
You’ll
You will
He’ll
He will
She’ll
She will
It’ll
It will
We’ll
We will
They’ll
They will
I’d
I would / I had
You’d
You would / had
He’d
He would / had
She’d
She would / had
We’d
We would / had
They’d
They would / had
Negative Contractions
Contraction
Full Form
Isn’t
Is not
Aren’t
Are not
Wasn’t
Was not
Weren’t
Were not
Haven’t
Have not
Hasn’t
Has not
Hadn’t
Had not
Won’t
Will not
Wouldn’t
Would not
Don’t
Do not
Doesn’t
Does not
Didn’t
Did not
Can’t
Cannot
Couldn’t
Could not
Shouldn’t
Should not
Mightn’t
Might not
Mustn’t
Must not
Modal + Have Contractions
Contraction
Full Form
Should’ve
Should have
Could’ve
Could have
Would’ve
Would have
Might’ve
Might have
Must’ve
Must have
Question Word Contractions
Contraction
Full Form
Who’s
Who is / Who has
What’s
What is / What has
Where’s
Where is / has
When’s
When is / has
Why’s
Why is / has
How’s
How is / has
Other Common Contractions
Contraction
Full Form
Let’s
Let us
That’s
That is / has
There’s
There is / has
Here’s
Here is / has
Where’d
Where did
Who’d
Who would / had
What’d
What did
How’d
How did / had
It’d
It would / had
Miscellaneous Contractions
Contraction
Full Form
Let’s
Let us
That’s
That is / has
There’s
There is / has
Here’s
Here is / has
Y’all
You all (informal)
Ain’t
Is not / Has not (nonstandard)
Contractions Examples in Sentences
I’m going to the store. → I am going to the store.
She’s already eaten. → She has already eaten.
We’ll meet you at 5. → We will meet you at 5.
They didn’t call back. → They did not call back.
I’m going to start a new project today. → I am going to start a new project today.
You’re always so helpful! → You are always so helpful!
He’s at the office right now. → He is at the office right now.
She’s learning Spanish online. → She is learning Spanish online.
It’s really cold outside today. → It is really cold outside today.
We’re planning a trip next month. → We are planning a trip next month.
They’re coming over for dinner tonight. → They are coming over for dinner tonight.
I’ve finished reading that book. → I have finished reading that book.
You’ve done a great job. → You have done a great job.
We’ve been to that restaurant before. → We have been to that restaurant before.
They’ve already left the building. → They have already left the building.
He’s had enough coffee for today. → He has had enough coffee for today.
She’s gone to the market. → She has gone to the market.
It’s been a long day. → It has been a long day.
I’ll call you later tonight. → I will call you later tonight.
You’ll love this movie. → You will love this movie.
He’ll be back in an hour. → He will be back in an hour.
She’ll help you if you ask. → She will help you if you ask.
It’ll take just a few minutes. → It will take just a few minutes.
We’ll meet you at the station. → We will meet you at the station.
They’ll join us for lunch. → They will join us for lunch.
I’d like a cup of tea, please. → I would like a cup of tea, please.
You’d better hurry or you’ll miss the bus. → You would better hurry or you will miss the bus.
He’d already seen the film before. → He had already seen the film before.
We’d love to come to your party. → We would love to come to your party.
They’d finished before the deadline. → They had finished before the deadline.
That isn’t the answer I expected. → That is not the answer I expected.
You aren’t allowed to enter without a pass. → You are not allowed to enter without a pass.
He wasn’t feeling well yesterday. → He was not feeling well yesterday.
We weren’t ready for the surprise test. → We were not ready for the surprise test.
I don’t like spicy food. → I do not like spicy food.
She doesn’t know the answer. → She does not know the answer.
They didn’t attend the meeting. → They did not attend the meeting.
I can’t believe this is happening! → I cannot believe this is happening!
He couldn’t open the jar. → He could not open the jar.
You shouldn’t be late again. → You should not be late again.
I wouldn’t lie to you. → I would not lie to you.
She won’t go without her phone. → She will not go without her phone.
You mustn’t tell anyone about this. → You must not tell anyone about this.
I haven’t eaten breakfast yet. → I have not eaten breakfast yet.
It hasn’t stopped raining all day. → It has not stopped raining all day.
We hadn’t thought of that before. → We had not thought of that before.
You should’ve told me earlier. → You should have told me earlier.
He could’ve won the game if he tried harder. → He could have won the game if he tried harder.
I would’ve helped if I had known. → I would have helped if I had known.
She might’ve forgotten the date. → She might have forgotten the date.
They must’ve left already. → They must have left already.
Who’s calling at this hour? → Who is calling at this hour?
What’s the plan for tonight? → What is the plan for tonight?
Where’s my wallet? → Where is my wallet?
When’s your appointment? → When is your appointment?
Why’s she upset? → Why is she upset?
How’s everything going at work? → How is everything going at work?
Let’s go out for coffee. → Let us go out for coffee.
That’s exactly what I was thinking! → That is exactly what I was thinking!
There’s a problem with the printer. → There is a problem with the printer.
Here’s the document you asked for. → Here is the document you asked for.
Y’all coming to the party tonight? → You all are coming to the party tonight? (informal)
This ain’t what I ordered. → This is not what I ordered. (non-standard usage)
Contractions make your English sound more natural, flow better, and mirror real conversation. Whether you’re writing a friendly email, chatting with friends, or practicing your speech, learning contractions is a smart and simple step toward fluency.
