A contraction is a short way of writing two words together.

Some of the letters are left out.  An apostrophe (') takes the place of the missing letters.

We use verbs and the word not to form some contractions.

grammar1

They were not happy to be inside.

They weren't happy to be inside.

grammar2

I do not like this lollipop.

I don't like this lollipop.

grammar3

We should not be afraid to go into the forest.

We shouldn't be afraid to go into the forest.

grammar4

I have not visited Paris before.

I haven't visited Paris before.

grammar5

He cannot open the jar of candy.

He can't open the jar of candy.

grammar6

We will not give up hiking to the top of the mountain.

We won't give up hiking to the top of the mountain.

Exercises

keyboard_arrow_up