Contractions
Contractions create the rhythm of spoken English.
- They can make the function words of a sentence smaller.
- They can delete an entire syllable from a set of words.
- They let you emphasize the important verbs instead of the helping verbs in a sentence.
Examples of contractions:
isn’t (IH zuhnt) = is not aren’t (AR hunt) = are not
can’t (kant) = can not won’t (wohnt) = will not
don't (dohnt) = do not didn't (DIH duhnt) = did not
couldn't (KUD uhnt) = couldn't shouldn’t (SHU duhnt) = should not
wasn’t (WUH zuhnt) = was not weren’t (WUR uhnt) = were not
he’s (heez) = he is she's (sheez) = she is
who's (hooz) = who is where's (wairz) = where is
when's (wehnz) = when is why's (waiz) = why is
how's (howz) = how is
I’m (aim) = I am you're (yoor) = you are
we're (weer) = we are they're (thair) = they are
could’ve (KUD uhv) = could have should’ve (SHUD uhv) = should have
would've (WUD uhv) = would have might've (MAIT uhv) = might have
I've (ayv) = I have you've (yoov) = you have
we’ve (weev) = we have they’ve (thayv) = they have
I'd (aid) = I would you'd (yood) = you would
they’d (thayd) = they would he'd (heed) = he would
who'd (hood) = who would why'd (waid) = why would
I'll (ayl) = I will she’ll (sheel) = she will
we'll (weel) = we will they'll (thayl) = they will
To listen to these words, go to: http://www.wordreference.com
Spoken contractions are words that people use when they speak—but not when they write. These contractions are not less formal or less correct—they are natural, and using them makes it easier to understand what you are saying.
Examples of spoken contractions:
gonnuh (GUH nuh) = going to
gottuh (GAH duh) = got to
hadtuh (HAD tuh) = had to
haftuh (HAF tuh) = have to
hastuh (HAS tuh) = has to
usetuh (YOOS tuh) = used to
wanna (WAH nuh) = want to
couldjuh (KU juh) = could you
didjuh (DIHD juh) = did you
howdjuh (HOW juh) = how did you
whuhduhyuh (WUH duh yuh) = what do you
whuhdjuh (WUHD juh) = what did you
wouldjuh (WU juh) = would you
wheredjuh (WAIRD juh) = where did you
kinduh (KAIN duh) = kind of
lahttuh (LAH duh) = lot of
lahtsuh (LAHT suh) = lots of
To listen to these words, go to: https://pronuncian.com/informal-contractions
woulduh (wu duh) = would have
c’mon (kmahn) = come on
heduh (hee duh) = he would have
dunno (duh noh) = don’t know
weduh (wee duh) = we would have
lemme (leh mee) = let me
iduh (ai duh) = I would have
mustuh (muhs duh) = must have
theyduh (thay duh) = they would have
mightuh (mai duh) = might have
youduh (yoo duh) = you would have
what’ll (wuh duhl) = what will
sheduh (shee duh) = she would have
what’d (wuh duhd) = what would
To listen to these words, go to: https://pronuncian.com/informal-contractions
Dropping the "h": Many times, when Americans speak rapidly (but never when they write) they drop the “h” at the beginning of pronouns like, “he,” “his,” or “her."
What did he do to her? = What’d’e do to ‘er? (wuhd ee DOO too wur?)
She already gave it to him. = She already gave it to ‘im. (...GAY viht too wihm.)
I wanted to tell him but I was too late. = I wanted to tell ‘im but I was too late.
Remember: The "h" is not always dropped, and it's never dropped when it is a content word. It's dropped only when it helps contribute to the rhythm of the sentence.
Important: Don't drop the ends of contractions. At the least, such pronunciation will confuse the listener, and, in some cases, it will change the meaning of the word (e.g. if "can't" is pronounced "can".)
