• 4-minute read
• 24th January 2023

A Guide to Contractions in English Grammar

In the English language, contractions are two words combined into one. To make speech easier and save time, a letter or two are removed from the phrase to create a single word. The missing letters are replaced with an apostrophe to indicate that a contraction has been formed.

Contractions are used readily in everyday speech, so adding them to your writing creates a more conversational and natural tone. They also sound more informal and casual. Let’s look at some different types of contractions and how you can use them.

Types of Contractions

The most common type of contraction is the combination of a subject pronoun (e.g., I, she, they) and a verb (e.g., have, are, is). Let’s look at a few examples:

Negative contractions are when you combine a verb with “not” to give it a negative meaning. For example:

Another common contraction is to combine an adverb (e.g., here, how) with the verb “is” or to combine a modal verb (e.g., could, should) with “have.” For example:

Using Contractions Correctly in Writing

While people use contractions every day, it’s best not to use them in formal writing. That includes academic papers, research reports, and formal business writing. Contractions sound too casual and unprofessional in those contexts and detract from an authoritative tone.

There are also many contractions that are acceptable in speech but don’t work in writing at all (unless you’re writing dialogue). These include colloquial contractions, which are slang words (e.g., ain’t), phrases only used in certain regions (e.g., y’all), or relaxed pronunciations of words that lead to dropping a letter or two (e.g., kinda).

This also includes double contractions, which are when you add a second contraction to an already contracted word. For example:

Be careful with noun contractions, too. Sometimes they can work in writing, such as with names (e.g., Kara’s on her way), but in many cases, they can sound clunky and should only be used in speech (e.g., my friend’ll give you a call).

Possessives and Contractions

It’s easy to mix contractions up with possessive words, which, confusingly, also use apostrophes. In American English, contractions are never possessive. In UK English, it can be acceptable for a contraction with “has” or “have” to express possession, but this is rare in writing.

To prevent ambiguity, possessive pronouns that look like contracted words sometimes omit the apostrophe and/or change the spelling slightly. For example:

Summary: Using Contractions

To summarize, contractions are used in the English language to save time and make words flow more smoothly. In writing, they can be used to create a more conversational and informal tone. Let’s recap some of the main points from this post.

FAQs

What are the main types of contractions?

The most common contraction is a subject pronoun with a verb (e.g., they’re, he’s, I’ll). Negative pronouns combine “not” with a verb to form the negative (e.g., don’t, won’t, isn’t). And adverbs and modal verbs are also often combined with “is” and “have,” respectively.

Are contractions acceptable in all forms of writing?

Contractions should rarely be used in formal writing. You should also avoid using colloquial contractions and double contractions in writing, and be careful when using noun contractions, as some of them aren’t very common and can sound awkward.

How can I avoid mixing up possessive words and contractions?

If you’re unsure whether a word is possessive or a contraction, consider the context of the sentence. Would the meaning make sense if the word were broken up into a non-contracted form, or would it make more sense if the term implied ownership of the word that comes after it?

Conclusion:

We hope this guide has cleared up any confusion you’ve had about using contractions in your writing. If you’re still unsure, though, why not let an expert check your work for you? We’ll even proofread the first 500 words for free!