Apostrophes 1 - contractions

In this lesson and video, we're looking at apostrophes that make words shorter - I'm, she's, he's, they're, won't, can't, shouldn't, she’d, etc. These are called contractions or short forms.

My son's sick, he can't go to school. What's the long form of these contractions?

Answers

My son is sick, he cannot go to school. 

Do you know where and why the apostrophe goes where it does?


The apostrophe replaces the missing letter or letters and also joins the two words together.

son’s = son is. The apostrophe replaces the i and joins the words together.

can’t = cannot is one word. The apostrophe replaces the no. 

‘s means two things. Check below for more on this.

are and am

you're = you are. The apostrophe replaces the a and joins the words together.

they’re = they are.

we’re = we are

I’m = I am (see I am to I’m video)

have to ‘ve got

I’ve got = I have The apostrophe replaces the ha and joins the words together.

you’ve got = you have

we’ve got = we have

they’ve got = they have

Negative not

they’re not or they aren’t mean the same. It’s your choice about which to use.

they’re not = they are not. The apostrophe replaces the a. 

they aren’t = they are not. The apostrophe replaces the o.

we’re not = we are not. The apostrophe replaces the a. 

we aren’t = we are not. The apostrophe replaces the o.

you’re not = you are not. The apostrophe replaces the a. 

you aren’t = you are not. The apostrophe replaces the o.

don’t = do not The apostrophe replaces the o.

didn’t = did not The apostrophe replaces the o.

haven’t got = have not got The apostrophe replaces the o. Or, don’t have = do not have

hasn’t got = has not got The apostrophe replaces the o. Or, doesn’t have = does not have

I haven’t got a problem with it. Or, I don’t have a problem with it. Mean the same thing.

He hasn’t got a car. Or, He doesn’t have a car. Mean the same thing.

is

it's, she’s, he’s have two meanings. What are they?

it's = it is or it has  The apostrophe replaces the i or a.

she’s = she is or she has

he’s = he is or he has

isn’t = is not

hasn’t = has not got

she’s not got = she has not got or she doesn’t have = she does not have

She’s younger than me but she isn’t/she’s not healthier than me because she’s always been a smoker and I’ve never smoked. = She is younger than me but she is not healthier than me because she has always been a smoker and I’ve never smoked.

What’s = what is or what has. What’s wrong? = What is wrong? What’s happened? = What has happened.

'd words mean two things.

she’d, he’d, it’d, I’d, they’d, we’d, you’d

'd means had or would.

She'd seen him before = She had seen him before. The apostrophe replaces the ha.

She’d love a cup of tea. = She would love a cup of tea. The apostrophe replaces the woul.

I'd = I had or I would

Weird spellings

Let’s = let us

cannot is one word and contracted to can't.

Then we have some strange old words that change the letters
shall not = shan't
will not = won't - check out my video on why 'will not' contracts to 'won't' - it's fascinating. Click here to go to the lesson on "Will not = won't, why?"