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Contraction
Phonetics:
kənˈtrækʃn
Pronunciation:
he Art of Contraction: Mastering the Art of Shortening Sentences
Comprehensive Definition, Description, Examples & RulesÂ
What is a contraction
By deleting one or more letters and substituting them with an apostrophe, contraction grammar generates shorter versions of words or groups of words. Knowing what contraction in writing or informal English helps to speed up and smooth out communication.
what is contractions in writing? It’s common practice to shorten lengthy phrases by one letter, such as “I am” to “I’m,” “cannot,” to “can’t,” and “they have” to “they’ve.” Learners of English would do well to familiarize themselves with common contractions in order to improve their ability to convey in both oral and written forms of the language. However, it is vital to remember that would have contractions only sometimes accepted in official, academic, or professional writing.
The use of contractions in written and spoken English is widespread and integral to the language. Their usage in writing, however, might vary according to context, style, and goal.
Contractions grammar generates a more natural and conversational tone in informal writing, such as emails, texts, personal letters, and creative writing. As a result, the report may come off as more exciting and individual, which is excellent for establishing a connection with the reader.
However, contractions should be avoided in more formal contexts such as academic writings, research papers, business letters, and professional reports. This is because, depending on the reference and the intended readership, using contractions might make the writing seem too casual or informal. Use the more extended versions of words and avoid shortening them in this setting.
The Difference between Contractions and Abbreviations
Two sorts of shorter forms are often used in English: contractions and abbreviations. While they have the same goal of shortening a sentence or word, they operate in quite different ways.
When writing or speaking informally, it’s common to shorten words and phrases using contractions. A contraction is a shortened term or phrase formed by merging two or more words and eliminating letters from each. By eliminating the “a” from “I am,” an example contraction for we would, “I’m” is formed.
On the contrary, abbreviations are formed when letters are removed from a long term or phrase. It is common practice to shorten formal titles, such as “Doctor” to “Dr.” or “Mister” to “Mr.” Written communication, including academic work, professional email, and ordinary discussions, all make use of abbreviations.
Contraction occurs when two or more words are joined into one, whereas abbreviation occurs when a word or phrase is shortened by eliminating part of its letters. Contractions are more frequent in spoken and written informality, but abbreviations are generally more prevalent in written communication.
Truncated Sentences and Contractions
While both a truncated sentence and contractions reduce the length of a sentence or phrase, they serve distinct purposes in English.
Truncated sentences are sentences that are either purposely or accidentally chopped off before they are completed. Although shortened sentences may be employed for impact in creative writing or in casual conversation, they are generally regarded as bad grammar. They might cause confusion or difficulty in understanding.
However, contractions are a special kind of abbreviation in which two or more words are attached together and one or more letters are dropped to create a shorter term or phrase. When speaking or writing informally, it’s customary to employ contractions to shorten words and create a more conversational tone.
Lowering the length of a word or phrase in shortened sentences and contractions is the same, but the two are not synonymous. While contractions are widely recognized as acceptable English use, shortened phrases are often frowned upon. Use contractions correctly in casual conversation and writing, but complete sentences should be used wherever possible.
Truncation is the reduction of a word or phrase by cutting off the last letter (or letters) of it. A few truncation examples are as follows:
- a picture taken from a photograph
- Ad (short for “advertising”)
- Doc (short for “document”)
- Prof (shortened from “professor”),Â
- Laboratory; therefore, “lab”
- Apt abbreviation for “application”
- Test (from test)
- data (shortened from data)
- The gymnasium, therefore “gym.”
- Auto (shortened from automobile)Â
These examples show how words may be made shorter by deleting letters from the end to make them seem more casual.
Types of Contractions
Simple Contractions
A simple contraction combines a subject pronoun (such as “I,” “you,” “he,” “she,” “it,” “we,” or “they”) with a shortened version of a verb like “to be,” “to have,”.
There are many opportunities for contraction in the English language. For instance, “I am” may be shortened to “I’m,” “you are” to “you’re,” “he is” to “he’s,” “she has” to “she’s,” “it is” to “it’s,” “we have” to “we’ve,” and “they do” to “they’ve.”
In oral conversation, casual writing, and literary dialogue, simple contractions are typical of the informal English language. They may aid in making the language easier to understand and use in everyday communication. However, there are situations when it would be inappropriate to employ a contraction, such as in academic or professional writing.
Progressive Contractions
One sort of contraction is the progressive contraction, which combines a subject pronoun with an instance of the verb “to be” and a verb’s present participle (-ing form). Two or more words are collapsed into one and separated by an apostrophe to form the resultant contraction.
Progressive contractions are a staple of spoken and written casual English and are often utilised in literary conversation. They may aid in making the language easier to understand and use in everyday communication. However, there are situations when it would be inappropriate to employ a contraction, such as in academic or professional writing.
Perfect Contractions
When a subject pronoun is combined with the auxiliary verb “have” and a past tense (-ed or irregular verb form), the resulting contraction is called a “perfect contraction.” Two or more words are collapsed into one and distinguished by an apostrophe to form the resultant contraction.
Perfect contractions are widespread in spoken and written casual English and literary discourse. They may aid in making the language easier to understand and use in everyday communication. However, there are situations when it would be inappropriate to employ a contraction, such as in academic or professional writing.
Modal Contractions
You may create a modal contraction by shortening the subject pronoun and the modal verb (e.g., “can,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “might,” or “must”). Two words are merged into one and divided by an apostrophe to form the consequent contraction.
Examples of tenses that can be contracted include “I can” and “I can’t,” “you could” and “you couldn’t,” “she would” and “she’d,” “we should” and “we shouldn’t,” and “they might” and “they mightn’t.”
The use of modal contractions is widespread in spoken and written casual English and in literary interaction. They may aid in making the language easier to understand and use in everyday communication. However, there are situations when it would be inappropriate to employ a contraction, such as in academic or professional writing.
Negative Contractions
The negative form of a verb (like “not” or its contraction “n’t”) is combined with a subject pronoun to make a negative contraction. Two words are merged into one and divided by an apostrophe to form the consequent contraction.
Negative contractions examples, “I am not” might be contracted to “I’m not,” “you are not” can become contracted to “you’re not” or “you aren’t,” “he does not” could be contracted to “he doesn’t,” “she has not” can have hired to “she hasn’t,” “we will not” might be contracted to “we won’t,” and “they have not” could be employed to “they haven’t.”
Negative contractions are a staple of spoken conversation, casual writing, and literary discourse in contemporary English. They may aid in making the language easier to understand and use in everyday communication. However, there are situations when it would be inappropriate to employ a contraction, such as in academic or professional writing.
Uncommon Contractions
In this context, “uncommon contractions” refers to shortened forms of words seldom employed in regular communication. They might be deemed improper or nonstandard, depending on the situation.
Irregular contraction examples “it’d” (it had), “you’d’ve” (you would have), “shouldn’t” (you shouldn’t have), “ain’t” (am not, are not, have not, or have yet), and “wanna” (wish to).
Irregular contractions should be avoided in formal writing and professional communication unless they are intended to reflect a specific tone or style. Some people may find them grammatically wrong.
Particular dialects or regions may not use specific contractions, while others may find those used elsewhere quite acceptable. However, depending on the situation and the intended readership, the use of contractions should be kept to a minimum.
Common contractions
Common contractions are those sentences with contractions that are often employed in both spoken and written communication. Depending on the level of the setting, they may or may not be suitable, although in most cases, they are regarded as normal and acceptable.
Some instances of commonly used contractions are as follows:
| Common Contractions | Examples | Usage Tips |
|---|---|---|
|
I am |
I’m |
I’m trying to improve my English. |
|
You are |
You’re |
You’re such a sweetheart! |
|
She is |
She’s |
She’s so pretty |
|
He is |
He’s |
He’s so handsome |
|
They are |
They’re |
They’re really cute puppies. |
Common contractions frequently appear in everyday speech, casual writing, and fictional dialogue. They may aid in making the language easier to understand and use in regular communication. However, there are situations when it would be inappropriate to employ a contraction, such as in academic or professional writing.
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Key Takeaways
- We create contractions, shorter forms of words and phrases, by deleting one or more letters and substituting them with an apostrophe.
- English speakers and writers often use contractions to make their language appear more casual and brief.
- Abbreviations like can’t, won’t, shouldn’t, and don’t originate from the combination of auxiliary verbs or modals with not.
- When writing formally, such as in an academic paper, business letter, or legal document, it is best to avoid using contractions in favor of a more exact and organized language.
- When utilizing a contraction, the apostrophe should be where the missing letters would go.
- Knowing how and when to use contractions effectively may help you become a better writer and make your work more accessible to your audience.
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Frequently Asked Questions
They should be avoided in professional or technical writing or if contractions compromise the text’s emphasis, tone, or clarity. They are used differently depending on the work’s setting, target audience, and goal.
A contraction combines two words by removing one or more letters, whereas an abbreviation takes the first letter of each word to generate a shorter version of the original term or phrase. Abbreviations save time and space, particularly in technical or specialised writing, whereas contractions are employed in spoken language.
Contractions may be perceived as too casual or informal for more professional writing, which is meant to be more exact and disciplined. On the other hand, it may pass muster in more relaxed settings. Formal business writing, such as emails, reports, and proposals, is not the place for contractions.
Using contractions in English has several advantages, such as making the language seem more conversational and natural, enhancing the text’s rhythm and flow, and shortening its overall length. They make the material more interesting and readable by adding tone and feeling.
In English, a squeeze is marked by the omission or substitution of a letter or letters and the use of an apostrophe. “cannot” becomes “can’t” in this context. The missing letters are represented by an apostrophe, which should be positioned in their usual position. Period, question mark, and exclamation mark is used when appropriate at the conclusion of contractions.
Yes, contractions in English may be used with present, past, and future tense verbs.
