English Grammar
Short Forms (Contracted Forms) in
English
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. We say things like: I'm / you're / didn't etc. instead of I am /
you are / did not etc.
We also use these short forms in
informal written English. When we write in the short form, we use an apostrophe
(') for the missing letter(s).
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 |
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."
Note: Do you = D'you(American)
Note: Do you = D'you(American)
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
|