English Grammar - Short Forms Contracted Forms, Verb conjugation and contraction (2024)

The long and the short of it

Verb conjugation and contraction - in other words; "The short form".

In spoken English we use the short form a lot. Instead of "I am" we say, "I'm". "You are" becomes "you're". "Did not" - "didn't" etc.

We also use these short forms in informal written English. When we write the short form, we use an apostrophe (') for the missing letter(s).

Here are the short forms of the auxiliary verbs to be, to do and to have:-

To be - Simple Present Form
Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I am I'm I am not I'm not
He is He's He is not He isn't or He's not
She is She's She is not She isn't or She's not
It is It's It is not It isn't or It's not
You are You're You are not You aren't or You're not
We are We're We are not We aren't or We're not
They are They're They are not They're not
To be - Simple Past Form
Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I was

---

I was not I wasn't
He was He was not He wasn't
She was She was not She wasn't
It was It was not It wasn't
You were You were not You weren't
We were We were not We weren't
They were They were not They weren't
To do - Simple Present Form
Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I do

---

I do not I don't
He does He does not He doesn't
She does She does not She doesn't
It does It does not It doesn't
You do You do not You don't
We do We do not We don't
They do They do not They don't
To do - Simple Past Form
Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I / he / she / it / you / we / they did

---

I / he / she / it / you / we / they did not I / he / she / it / you / we / they didn't
To have - Simple Present Form
Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I have I've I have not I haven't or I've not
He has He's He has not He hasn't or He's not
She has She's She has not She hasn't or She's not
It has It's It has not It hasn't or It's not
You have You've You have not You haven't or You've not
We have We've We have not We haven't or We've not
They have They've They have not They haven't or They've not
To have - Simple Past Form
Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I / he / she / it / you / we / they had I'd
he'd
she'd
it'd
you'd
we'd
they'd
I / he / she / it / you / we / they had not I hadn't or I'd not
he hadn't or he'd not
she hadn't or she'd not
it hadn't or it'd not
you hadn't or you'd not
we hadn't or we'd not
they hadn't or they'd not

!Note - We don't use the short form of be, will or have if it takes the final position in a sentence.

The long and short forms of the modal verbs can, could, shall, should, must, will and would

Can
Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I / he / she / it / you / we / they can

---

I / he / she/ it / you / we / they cannot I / he / she / it / you / we / they can't
Could
Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I / he / she / it / you / we / they could

---

I / he / she/ it / you / we / they could not I / he / she / it / you / we / they couldn't
Must
Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I / he / she / it / you / we / they must

---

I / he / she/ it / you / we / they must not I / he / she / it / you / we / they mustn't
Shall
Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I / he / she / it / you / we / they shall

---

I / he / she/ it / you / we / they shall not I / he / she / it / you / we / they shan't
Should
Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I / he / she / it / you / we / they should

---

I / he / she / it / you / we / they should not

I / he / she / it / you / we / they shouldn't
Will
Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I / he / she / it / you / we / they will I'll
He'll
She'll
It'll
You'll
We'll
They'll
I / he / she / it / you / we / they will not I won't or I'll not
He won't or He'll not
She won't or She'll not
It won't or It'll not
You won't or You'll not
We won't or We'll not
They won't or They'll not
Would
Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form Short form Long form Short form
I / he / she / it / you / we / they would I'd
He'd
She'd
It'd*
You'd
We'd
They'd
I / he / she / it / you / we / they would not I wouldn't or I'd not
He wouldn't or He'd not
She wouldn't or She'd not
It wouldn't or It'd not*
You wouldn't or You'd not
We wouldn't or We'd not
They wouldn't or They'd not
* Not "good" English, but you will hear occasionally.

The imperative

Let Us

Let us is a funny one. The only time I've ever heard the long form of "Let us..." used is when the vicar used to say "Let us pray." It's much more likely you'll hear or see the contracted form "let's". "Let's do this," no "Let's do that instead," and the sarcastic "Oh yes, let's."

Positive Statement Negative Statement
Long form - rarely used Short form Long form - used by pompous people Short form
Let us

Let's

Let us not Let's not
English Grammar -  Short Forms Contracted Forms, Verb conjugation and contraction (2024)

FAQs

English Grammar - Short Forms Contracted Forms, Verb conjugation and contraction? ›

We use contractions (I'm, we're) in everyday speech and informal writing. Contractions, which are sometimes called 'short forms', commonly combine a pronoun or noun and a verb, or a verb and not, in a shorter form. Contractions are usually not appropriate in formal writing.

What is the short form of a contraction? ›

Contraction is a shortened form that is created when two words are combined together and used as a single word. Some letters are omitted to make a word shorter and an apostrophe is used in their place.

What are the short forms in English grammar? ›

Short forms (contractions): I'm, he's, she's, don't, let's, etc. We often use short forms (called contractions) in spoken English. For instance, instead of saying I am here, we often say I'm here. Instead of he is late, we say he's late.

What are contracted forms in English grammar? ›

To create a contraction, these short and common words are combined, and some of the letters are removed and replaced with an apostrophe. Words like “can't” (made up of “can” and “not”) and “don't” (made up of “do” and “not”) are examples of contracted words.

What are the short forms of the verb to be in English? ›

To be - Simple Present Form
Positive StatementNegative Statement
Long formShort formShort form
I amI'mI'm not
He isHe'sHe isn't or He's not
She isShe'sShe isn't or She's not
4 more rows

What are the 10 examples of contractions? ›

Here are some common contractions and the groups of words that they represent.
  • aren't → are not.
  • there's → there is; there has.
  • can't → can not.
  • they'd → they had; they would.
  • couldn't → could not.
  • they'll → they will; they shall.
  • didn't → did not.
  • they're → they are.

What is the verb form of contraction? ›

The verb form of "contraction" is "contract."

What do we call short forms in English? ›

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word used in place of the full word (e.g., Inc.). An acronym is a word formed from the first letters of each of the words in a phrase or name (e.g., NREL or DOE). Abbreviations and acronyms are treated similarly in NREL publications. Using Abbreviations and Acronyms Sparingly.

What is the short forms of example? ›

“E.g.” is the abbreviation of the Latin phrase “exempli gratia” meaning for example. “Ex.” Has become a logical abbreviation or short form for the word example although its usage is not very common. It may be used to refer to a cited example e.g. “see ex.

What is a short form in English writing? ›

Abbreviations are shortened versions of words and sometimes end in a period (for example, accomm. for accommodation or adj. for adjective).

What is a contraction in English grammar? ›

What are contractions? A contraction is a word made by shortening and combining two words. Words like can't (can + not), don't (do + not), and I've (I + have) are all contractions. People use contractions in both speaking and writing.

What are contracting forms? ›

A contract form is a short document consolidating the basic information needed to understand the contract. It is intended to centralise the essential information needed to have an overall view and to take control of the contract.

What are contract verbs? ›

The rules of vowel contraction operate in verbs when the VERB STEM ends in one of three short vowels: –α, –ε or –ο. In these cases, the final vowel of the stem contracts with the THEMATIC VOWEL of –ω verbs. Verbs that exhibit these contractions are called CONTRACT VERBS.

Why do we use short forms in English? ›

In writing, abbreviations are useful when you need to squeeze a lot of writing into a small space. You can also use them in place of long or cumbersome phrases to make your sentences easier to read.

Is it possessive or a contraction? ›

The difference between its and it's

Here's the rub: its (without an apostrophe) is a possessive pronoun, like his or her, for nouns that don't have a defined gender. In contrast, it's (with an apostrophe) is the shortened form, or contraction, of it is or it has.

What are short contractions? ›

These are Braxton Hicks contractions. This can be easy to mistake for labour but they're different from labour contractions as they: don't get longer or stronger. don't start to come more often – they tend to be short and come and go.

What is a short note of contraction? ›

A contraction is a word made by shortening and combining two words. Words like can't (can + not), don't (do + not), and I've (I + have) are all contractions. People use contractions in both speaking and writing.

What is a contraction of an abbreviation? ›

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. A contraction is a word resulting from a word or phrase that has been shortened in the middle (I'm, can't). An initialism is pronounced as the individual letters (LGBTQIA+, IT)

What is the medical term for contraction? ›

(kŏn-trak′shŏn) [L. contractio, a drawing together] A shortening or tightening, as of a muscle; a shrinking or a reduction in size.

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