A comprehensive, interactive guide to squeezing words together in English grammar. Learn the rules, master the style, and avoid the common traps! 🧩
Understanding the core mechanism: Contractions happen when we combine two words. We remove one or more letters and replace them with an apostrophe ('). Try the interactive machine below!
The 'a' in "am" is removed and replaced by the apostrophe.
Explore the most common contractions in English. Use the filters to sort by type. Remember: Standard contractions combine a pronoun and a verb, while negative contractions combine a verb and "not".
Contractions are the heartbeat of spoken English. They make speech flow smoothly and sound friendly. However, in writing, context is everything!
Emails to friends, fiction dialogue, blog posts, and text messages.
Internal work emails or newsletters. Use standard contractions (I'm, don't) but avoid slang (gonna).
Academic papers, legal contracts, and wedding invitations. Write the full words out.
Estimated acceptance based on modern style guides.
The most common grammar errors come from confusing contractions with possessive pronouns. These are "homophones"—words that sound the same but have different meanings.
Some contractions are used constantly. "I'm" and "don't" appear in almost every English conversation.
Notice how negative contractions (can't, don't) are very high on the list—we love saying no!