Complete the following exercise by forming contractions when appropriate. There are many options for creating contractions; the most common relate to the words am, is, will, would, has, have and had, for example I am – I’m, that is – that’s, he will – he’ll, I would – I’d, she has – she’s, we have – we’ve and you had – you’d. The following exercise (after some additional notes) includes sentences which are grammatically correct and would be fine in written English, but in spoken English would sound too formal.

Notes on negative contractions

Negative contractions are formed with the word not, and usually take priority over verb contractions (ie use I wouldn’t not I’d not and She won’t not She’ll not). This can be more flexible with are, is, has and have.

He is not coming can be He isn’t coming or He’s not coming.

Negative contractions cannot be formed with am: I’m not never I amn’t.

Negative contractions can change the word order in questions – while not usually comes after the subject in a negative question, it joins the verb in a contraction.

Will you not be there? becomes Won’t you be there?

Notes on contracting more than one word

When the typical contraction verbs come together, they can form more than one contraction. This is rarely written, but is very common in spoken English. For example:

He would have liked this show. becomes He’d’ve liked this show.

Contractions Exercise

To practise contractions, read these sentences out loud, and try to form the contractions naturally. Remember, contractions are designed to make pronouncing words, and sentences, easier – speaking fluently is as much about flow as clarity.

1. I would like to go to the park.
2. He did not know what to say.
3. She will be here in ten minutes.
4. The pizza will cost us 13 pounds.
5. You are not going to wear that jacket are you?
6. The trains are late again.
7. What is happening here?
8. It is the first time I have been ice skating.
9. We are watching a movie this evening.
10. If you had been there, you would have laughed.
11. The car is parked in the wrong place.
12. I had better check on the children.
13. Are you not going to the dance?
14. This will be the last time I give her any money.
15. The teacher will be watching for any mistakes.
16. You have been drinking, I can smell it.
17. Where are you going this morning, and where will you go this afternoon?
18. If it had been any more cold, we would have gone home.

Answers to the contractions exercise

Note that these answers are how the sentences should naturally be pronounced; many of these (particularly non pronouns, like trains’re, and stacked contractions, like I’d’ve) should not be written like this.

1. I’d like to go to the park.
2. He didn’t know what to say.
3. She’ll be here in ten minutes.
4. The pizza’ll cost us 13 pounds.
5. You’re not going to wear that jacket are you? (Or You aren’t)
6. The trains’re late again.
7. What’s happening here?
8. It’s the first time I’ve been ice skating.
9. We’re watching a movie this evening.
10. If you’d been there, you’d’ve laughed.
11. The car’s parked in the wrong place.
12. I’d better check on the children.
13. Aren’t you going to the dance?
14. This’ll be the last time I give her any money.
15. The teacher’ll be watching for any mistakes.
16. You’ve been drinking, I can smell it.
17. Where’re you going this morning, and where’ll you go this afternoon?
18. If it’d been any more cold, we’d have gone home.