contraction

Question

Hello,1.  He is a good boy.The contracted form of this sentence isa)He's a good boy.2. He is not a good boy.The contracted form a) He's not a good boy.b) He isn't a good boy.Which  one between (a) and (b) is correct?What are the rules?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Both a and b are correct. You are free to choose the one you like. (I like abetter!) There are no rules.

CJ

Likeguslee · Answer

b is correct. He isn't a good boy

Apostrophes with Verb Contractions

Apostrophes generally show missing letters in contractions. In most formal writing such contractions should be avoided.

The most common contractions involve verbs in five situations.

1. Verbs with not contracted, or shortened.

Examples: aren't    don't    isn't    wasn't    can't    weren't    weren't    wouldn't    doesn't    hasn't    haven't    couldn't

Note: The word won't is a contraction of will not - in older dialects will was often spelled with an o. The word shan't for shall not is seldom used in the United States. The word ain't is considered nonstandard.

2. Pronouns with will.

Examples: I'll    you'll    he'll    she'll    they'll

Note: In conversation the word will is often slurred and may show up in dialogue as 'll after most nouns, e.g., "John'll come home soon."

3. Pronouns and nouns with the verb to be.

Examples: I'm    you're    who's (i.e., who is)   he's    she's    it's    we're    they're

Note: In conversation the word is is often contracted with nouns, e.g. "Martha's here."

Please note four confusing contractions:

who's    it's    you're    they're

Remember, the apostrophe indicates that letters have been left out.

who's = who is or who has    you're = you are    it's = it is or it has    they're = they are

The possessive of who is whose.

Correct: Who's coming with me? (Contraction) 
Correct: Whose book is this? (Possessive)

4. Pronouns with the verb to have.

Examples: I've he's you've we've they've

(Note that the 's could stand for is or has.)

Note: Sometimes the word have is slurred, especially after verbs like would, could, and should. In dialogue this can be shown as 've, but never as of.

Incorrect: We would of like to have gone. 
Correct: We would've liked to have gone.
To show contraction in speaking

Correct: We would have liked to have gone.
In more formal writing

5. Pronouns with would or had contracted.

Examples: I'd    he'd    she'd    you'd    we'd    they'd

I'd better go.
(I had better go.) 
He'd want to go.
(He would want to go.)

In everyday conversation the word would is often slurred and may be shown as 'd following a noun in dialogue, e.g. "John'd be upset if he found out."

CalifJim · Answer

Likeguslee,

It is true that b is correct, but it is misleading to say it that way since ais also correct!

CJ

Maple · Answer

The google results:

"he's not":34,200,000;

"he isn't": 10,200,000

BarbaraPA · Answer

I would suggest that with more than ten million hits, "he isnt'" is shown to be perfectly valid, even if "he's not" is more popular.

Pleasehelp · Answer

Can these be contractions, how's(how is), what's(what is), Jame's here(Jame is here)

Kooyeen · Answer

pleasehelpCan these be contractions, how's(how is), what's(what is), Jame's here(Jame is here)

Yes!

Both spoken and written:
What's your name?
How's it going?

Pleasehelp · Answer

Even Jame's here!?

What about my Spanish's mediocre at best.

Pleasehelp · Answer

I don't fully understand what a contraction is.  So if I put an 's, 'll, 'd, 've, etc after any word does it make it a contraction?

BarbaraPA · Answer

I'm more familiar with the name "James" than "Jame" but perhaps "Jame" is a common name in other cultures.

If the person's name really is "James" then it becomes "James's here" but it would sound exactly the same as "James is here" so there's no point in writing it that way.

In contract "Steve's here" is common for "Steve is here."

I have the same problem with "My Spanish's" - it sounds just like "My Spanish is" so why write the contraction? On the other hand, "My German's mediocre at best" sounds pretty natural.

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Apostrophes with Verb Contractions

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